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tipping at happy hour

tipping at happy hour

Old Jul 17, 2012, 6:24 am
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tipping at happy hour

what is the correct tip for happy hour. to read from some of the tip threads, the server should pay me to allow them to serve me, and in that way keep a job.

my wife just takes the total bill including full tax, and tips 30%. our bill is usually about $50 for food and drink. any rule for that?
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Old Jul 17, 2012, 6:37 am
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Thirty percent including tax? That's about double a normal tip.
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Old Jul 17, 2012, 6:50 am
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I think what the OP is saying is, that because the food (and probably drinks) are at maybe half price during happy hour, what do people tip on? What the full amount of the check would be, or the discounted amount. Like using a coupon at a restaurant where it asks "Please tip on the original amount" or something like that.

OP, your going to get both answers, but yes, I do tip more in this situation. I can't give you exact %, but your wife's amount seems about what I would do.

Cheers.
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Old Jul 17, 2012, 10:06 am
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Originally Posted by PWMFlyer19
OP, your going to get both answers, but yes, I do tip more in this situation. I can't give you exact %, but your wife's amount seems about what I would do.
Agreed. Sounds about right.
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Old Jul 17, 2012, 10:39 am
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I've never thought about that and tip as usual based on total price of the check. Maybe something to think about, but the places I go to happy hour are generally a bit more upscale places that are still expensive during happy hour compared to a normal place. So I think the server still get's a good tip overall.
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Old Jul 20, 2012, 12:20 am
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I go to a place where well drinks are $2. My limit is 2 drinks, so I give $5. That OK?
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Old Jul 20, 2012, 12:41 am
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Originally Posted by old_flying_nurse
I go to a place where well drinks are $2. My limit is 2 drinks, so I give $5. That OK?
if tax is 12%, that sounds pretty short to me.
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Old Jul 20, 2012, 9:16 am
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To remember, "Happy Hour" or not, if seated/standing at the bar....

We 'Merkins have long overdone this tipping business anyway, and Happy Hour's no exception.

Bar tips are in custom and tradition reckoned to not exceed 10%, but in half-price or special periods might be increased slightly, especially in the case of "composed" cocktails, but for drawing or opening a beer or pouring a glass of wine?

Don't feel badly for the barman. He/she splits the waitpersons' tips in almost all oases.
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Old Jul 20, 2012, 9:45 am
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My rule of thumb is that if I'm using a coupon, groupon, etc, I'll tip on the full pre-discount amount. But if the restaurant is offering lower prices or specials, like during happy hour, then I'll tip on the actual bill.

I'll sometimes round up on drinks (not food) if the prices are really cheap, e.g., if it's dollar draft night, I will tip more than 15-20 cents per round.
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Old Jul 21, 2012, 11:07 am
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If I'm just getting drinks then it depends on the effort involved. Bottled beer where they just pop the cap off gets less of a tip than mixed drinks. Draft beer is in the middle and depends on the pour.
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Old Jul 22, 2012, 2:45 pm
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Originally Posted by swag
My rule of thumb is that if I'm using a coupon, groupon, etc, I'll tip on the full pre-discount amount. But if the restaurant is offering lower prices or specials, like during happy hour, then I'll tip on the actual bill.

I'll sometimes round up on drinks (not food) if the prices are really cheap, e.g., if it's dollar draft night, I will tip more than 15-20 cents per round.
I tip the same way as you for food, but if I'm just drinking at a bar, it's $1 per drink, always.
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Old Jul 22, 2012, 3:03 pm
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Originally Posted by swag
My rule of thumb is that if I'm using a coupon, groupon, etc, I'll tip on the full pre-discount amount. But if the restaurant is offering lower prices or specials, like during happy hour, then I'll tip on the actual bill.

I'll sometimes round up on drinks (not food) if the prices are really cheap, e.g., if it's dollar draft night, I will tip more than 15-20 cents per round.
I feel the same way. If I have a coupon, I tip on the amount before the discount, but it would never occur to me to tip more during happy hour, for a special dish of the day, or for a pre-theater menu as these are presumably times when the restaurant would otherwise have few customers to tip the waitstaff.
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Old Jul 23, 2012, 9:58 pm
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I agree with the above-

If using a coupon, tip on what the full bill would be
If at happy hour/reduced fare menu - tip on bill
Just drinking - $1 a drink
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Old Jul 24, 2012, 11:49 am
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Originally Posted by slawecki
what is the correct tip for happy hour. to read from some of the tip threads, the server should pay me to allow them to serve me, and in that way keep a job.
and in reading some OTHER threads, we should pay the server/bartender 100% every time. it works both ways
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Old Jul 24, 2012, 11:51 am
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Originally Posted by DjRashonal
I agree with the above-

If using a coupon, tip on what the full bill would be
If at happy hour/reduced fare menu - tip on bill
Just drinking - $1 a drink
i agree with the first two. the third depends on the size of the drink. if it's a 10oz beer or 12oz bottle and they're less than $2, I'm not giving a 50% tip
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