Opinions are like Assholes. V.5.

So its been since like last june since I did a rant. I found out a few people actually read this thing, and doing the natural "oh I don't want to offend anyone" attitude I kinda dropped the O.A,A. bit but I am reviving it, cause I had a few conversations that could be beneficial for the general non bar familiar crowd.

Tip Your Bartender


One of my farourite songs from one of my fav bands, and I actually carded Daryl at one part of my bar career.

Advice on tipping.
This is a taboo subject, it should not be talked about, but ............I'M GOIN THERE!!

p.s. I heard state restaurant tax went up???(unconfirmed) if it is 10% like I heard then a 20% tip is easy math.

1. Mr. I'm buying drinks.
I fully respect and have totally been the guy that says, "can I get 10 shots of *fillintheblank* and they are all on me!
ex: 10 shots @ 6$ = 60$, 20% Should be 12$ but that is f*cking ridiculous. 10 looks good and 5$ is a minimum. Yes I'm talking to you, Ms. I'll have 8 shots of awesome german liquor jagermiester @ 6$ each and leave a 50$ looking like a bigshot.

2. Ms. Everyone is giving me cash and its gong on my card.
I really do love u lots. It is SO much easier to run just one card, but the thing you always fail to realize is that a cash tip is better than tipping on your card. Cash at the end of the night can mean not walking home or lunch the next day. Remember cash is king.

3. The buyback
This was a hot topic on Jeff's site, ( i made the mistake of signing up for email responses and got one for every post. ) but had one of my most curious new customers ask me about it tonight, which brought about this whole post.

I really should know this guys name by now, but our conversation is minimal. He usually comes in and gets a rye Manhattan or a red hook with rye off the shelf, reads a book, has a second of the same, the for a third will ask for something rye based.

Tonight I made:

2.5 oz. Rittenhouse 100
.5 oz. Benedictine
3 dashes Peychaud's
Stir above and strain into a chilled Fernet-Branca rinsed glass
Flamed Lemon garnish.

So he asked me proper etiquette about tipping when a bartender bought him a drink.

Semi-flummoxed I gave him my opinion. If a bartender buys you a drink take it at face value. If that bartender is not a douchebag and a thief they are actually paying for that drink and that monetary value is actually the bartenders responsibility. Leaving a tip equivalent to the cost of that drink is proper.