Why do i tip my bartender $2 per drink and per bar food order but 20% when I order food from a waitress? Am I tipping wrong?

No, you and I tip similarly.

Dont tip. Covid killed tipping, after covid you dont need to tip

Explain.
- Tipping caught Covid and now it is dead?

I’m so glad I don’t live in a country where you’re expected to pay companies employees directly so they don’t have to. Even if someone goes above and beyond and is the greatest at their job time ever seen, I still don’t have to top up their pay cheque from my own pocket.

Every business using certain POS’s have a tip screen come up now, but I’ve never seen or heard of anyone selecting anything other than 0% thankfully.

The latest atrocity I've seen in tipping is at the attended checkout at a grocery store. These companies are leeches.
Its insane, I hated visiting there because tipping is so weird and ingrained like something theyncant explain. People will tell you its simple just do x, other say yeah well I do y, and the next I will only do y if abc otherwise I omly give x.
I just overpaid for everything there and considered it expensive and weird

I tip for 15%, everywhere I go where tips are expected. For drinks I tip 15%. It helps that I'm Canadian and almost all places I go they have machines, so it's just easy.

You're tipping too much.

In Michigan we passed a law requiring minimum wage for all tipped workers by 2030(?), and they FLIPPED THEIR SHIT. Said they would lose too much money in tips if they made minimum wage. The republicans rolled it back below minimum (still a small increase), and I'm not sure where it stands right now.

If tipped workers are going to fight against wage increases so much, then I'm okay reducing their tips.

there is already a federal law about it. Minimum is already minimum for everyone. Tipped positions simply let the employer save some of that money. If you didn't tip, the employer must pay the full wage.
You also have a thing where the minimum wage is far below the actual market rate, the typical wage in the area, and actually making minimum wage is way less than any other job. Nobody wants 7.25 an hour unless you're forced to.
Unpopular opinion, but maybe servers (and most everyone) deserve more than minimum wage. And I'm not saying the consumer should be paying it, they should be paid their money's worth by their employer.
Michigan non-tip min wage is what like $10? Who the hell can survive on that?
- You’re right. Setting them on the same minimum wage and removing their tips WOULD net them less money. However just governing them with a higher minimum wage doesn’t mean that’s exactly what they would earn. If they lost all their tips they would all look for other jobs and the employers would have to start paying more in wages. It was probably the right move, legislatively, though it would cause some short term pain.
- Correct they deserve more and they should negotiate it with their employer, not people who out eating food and smd drinking
- Minimum wage is the minimum they can be paid, not the maximum. If the job “deserves” more than minimum wage it will pay more than minimum wage.
  “Servers” are a job that requires basically zero skills, and is often done by literal children. I’m sorry but if there was ever a job that was only deserving of minimum wage, it’s that one.
I mean they are required to be paid minimum at the end of the day anyways
If they don't make tips at all, they get paid minimum wage. If they do they can be pets less as long as tips make up the difference.
I used to work for a payroll company who had a bunch of restaurant clients. Some of those servers made bank. I'd fight it as well.
LOL, you're Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs. :)

You guys sound crazy

non-american.

Couldn't imagine tipping for EVERY drink, idk how I would keep track. I can barely afford drinks as it is. I once got tipped and I politely declined. It's the responsibility of the workplace to pay fairly, not other people who are just trying to get by.

True but tipping was created generations ago for the wealthy to not have to pay living wages and it's going to be as hard as taking guns away to get it to change. Remember, all this talk about "fair wages" and "equality" was planted and cultivated for a LONG time with a specific reason to hold down the poor and create different classes. It's a shitty system getting worse by the day.
- All you have to do is stop tipping. That’s literally all it would take.
in australia they serve bottles of water for free. so im not even out there buying drinks. some places have carbonated water for free too.
- Free soft drink for designated Dave too.

Every aspect of America is insufferable

And getting worse, or enshittified

For anyone who mightn't know, tipping culture is rooted in slavery and exploitation. It existed in Europe to an extent but really spread its wings - like many awful European things - in the USA.

I support workers rights, but I don't tip. The way I see it, if the place requires tips for their staff to get by, then the staff are being financially abused and I would be propping up a system of exploitation. Prioritise places that pay their staff above the minimum wage.

The way I see it, if the place requires tips for their staff to get by, then the staff are being financially abused and I would be propping up a system of exploitation. Prioritise places that pay their staff above the minimum wage.
Second sentence is fine, feel free to boycott places that pay below minimum wage. But if you do go to an establishment that pays based on the assumption of tips, and you don't tip, you're just joining in the exploitation.
- you’re just joining in the exploitation
  Actually no, they’re doing the only real thing that can be done to get rid of tipping. If no one tips, the business is forced to pay a deserving wage, which is at least minimum wage.
- if you do go to an establishment that pays based on the assumption of tips
  In the USA, there are only 7 US States (and Guam) which mandate that the minimum wage be paid prior to consideration of tips. All other states permit some fraction of tips to be considered as part of minimum wage, with some states limiting the employer contribution to as low as $2.13/hr.
  This is indeed an absurd situation outside of those seven states, but it also means that it's nigh impossible to avoid establishments that rely on tips to supplement wages, in the other 43 states.
  With this background, I can understand why the earlier commenter views tipping as exploitative, for both the consumer and the staff. The result of either choice -- boycotting places that pay less than minimum wage, or not tipping at those places -- doesn't change the fact that the staff are being underpaid, which is the root exploitative practice.
  you're just joining in the exploitation
  I think reasonable people can disagree on this point, on whether not tipping constitutes a secondary exploitation. Firstly, this framing places blame on individuals when the whole situation is a systemic machine of abuse. It is no different than the nebulous idea of personal responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions, when large polluters have the actual levers to make real change. Secondly -- and this is an economic policy argument which I personally don't subscribe to -- it can be argued that prolonged employment while underpaid is better than no employment at all, based on the premise that the employer would close down if a boycott was successful.
  But like I said, the initial exploitation is root. Everything else is collateral. Systemic abuse is fixed by systemic overhaul.

I tip nothing for drinks, maybe 5 or 10 quid for a meal (for 3 or 4). Pay your staff so they don't need to rely on tips.

You not tipping doesn't teach the business owner, it just hurts those who aren't in a position to change things and depending on the place, really need help. I've known too single moms who were servers to agree with this.
Lobby your local politicians, seek out places that don't accept tips but don't be a cheapskate and act like it's a noble cause.
- There is no convincing them to change their behavior because it's an emotional reaction they backfill with paper thin logical.
  These are people who, if given a position where they determined employees wages they would pay the bare minimum. The temporarily embarrassed millionaire mindset, class traitors, etc.
  If they were approaching this from a truly moral position they would boycot establishments where tipping is expected. Instead they freeload and feel entitled to a server paid the literal minimum wage.
- I'm neither being a cheapskate nor acting like it's a noble cause. Not sure what you read.

I think 1-2$ per drink is the recommendation because it's easier to remember than doing the math, and you're more likely to drop the cash and go rather than interacting with a busy bartender more. That said, if they're doing full service for you (food, checking in on you), you should probably tip normally, because they're acting as a server in that case.

Minimum $1/drink from the get go... possibly $2 if it's a cocktail. The quicker you catch the attention of the bartender the faster your drinks will flow.

IMO: it boils down to my happiness v. debating the whole tipping culture.

Really depends.

Typically, $1 is for a standup bar etc with high volume.

If I'm sitting at the bar top, getting fed, I'll tip like I would were I sitting at a table. If I'm just sucking down beers, probably a buck or two a drink and if I've been a while, a 5 on top at the end.

But, I've known a lot of people in the industry etc... Also I've found that being a good person who tips helps out in the long run, it's nice getting the occasional free drink, having the server on your side when flirting with folks at the bar etc. Best one was the bartender gave me really high end ski gloves that had been left behind a couple nights prior, the cash equivalent would've been huge.

As they say, it's nice to be nice.

I think it’s insane too. I understand that tipping goes (theoretically) to the waitstaff, but I have a hard time tipping $1 per $4.50 bottle of beer handed to me. If it’s more complex of a drink than x and coke, sure it took their time.

Tipping table service used to be good amount only not drinks and tax. Now it seems to be on top the final total with 20% being expected.

There was an article just the other day pointing out that a lot of places are actually charging you a higher percentage than what they say they are. Chances are you're being screwed over.

It's pretty bullshit. Just raise the prices. We, the waitstaff, all hate it too, and will gladly tell our managers to remove it if you ask us.

The quality of service post covid is an abomination

People over tipped and the service staff got a strong feeling of entitlement

Now this needs to be rolled back. Boycot as much as possible when you do go out tip 15% on base price for food.

They try to use the PoS machines, take the time to fix the tip. Make it uncomfortable for the waiter.

Saying that the service staff have a feeling of entitlement gives off the biggest dickhead energy I've seen in my life.
"Oh those uppity servers with their cushy food service jobs think they deserve a tip, they only made it through a plague because they were deemed essential they didn't do much"
It's not the service people that's the problem, it's a combination of the people not paying a living wage for these jobs and a bunch of other industries getting in on tipping culture to pad their wallets.
Unless the person owns the business that server or cashier doesn't even have a day in whether the POS has a tipping screen or not.
- You're a fucking idiot working a shit job and protecting the people who fuck you over.
  Tipping is wrong on every level and needs to be abolished. The OP is wild in itself, you give an extra $2 to someone for the mere service of pouring you a drink in a bar. People outside the US just scoff, it's madness.
  And don't give me the 'oh but people need it to live, you're an asshole', go read my comment again.
- The only way you’ll ever get rid of tipping culture and not paying living wages because of tipping is to stop tipping. By tipping you’re reinforcing that it’s acceptable practice for businesses to rely on their customers donating to their staff in order for the staff to make a decent wage.
  If everyone stopped tipping, businesses would have to pay higher wages.
- That's my experience over last 1-2 years.
  If you have had positive experiences, you are free to tip whatever is demanded.
  If I am not getting decent services, I am done rewarding bad behavior.
  Game 101. Social pressure does not work on me.
You should honestly stop going out at all, the person who is broken post covid is you. You're taking it out on random wait staff you are choosing to patronize. Make your food yourself, drink your drinks at home, then the only person you're making miserable is the person in the mirror.
- You left out the part that is actually being tipped for, bringing the food to you. The chefs are salary.
  People should be able to go out and buy thenfood at the prices listed.
- 🤡

I thought bar food is tipped the same as restaurant food.

Tipping a dollar a drink is standard because

It's easy

... that's really it. No thinking, no math, etc. which is important when you're drinking.

Also, you too per drink so the bartender knows you tip right from the start.

You mention the key for tipping, IMO. Bartenders are pretty damn good at identifying who gives a little. I feel it definitely helps me get my drinks even at a very crowded bar.
I tip the first drink, but not every single time I get a beer. Not paying a dollar for them to crack a Miller Lite. Maybe every other or third drink I'll throw a dollar on there, maybe more at the end of the night.

With tips I generally do 20% across the board so a bartender would get 20% just like a waitress. And it's always better to have a happy bartender :)

That said I'm also in the northeast U.S. where everything is expensive so it sort of makes sense that the tips aren't going to be cheap. Maybe I'd rethink the tipping if I was somewhere else less expensive.

The expensive part is big. Inflation on bar and restaurant drinks is real. Drinks where I am are a minimum of 15 usd with 20-25 not being outside the realm of possibility. I started tipping 2 dollars a drink a few years ago at bars. But I'm not getting a dozen drinks, or drinking every day at bars, even every weekend.
I can see these tips really adding up if you do this a lot, especially restaurants where two people + tip for a couple that gets two drinks each is 120-150 usd all day. Wages aren't exactly catching up to any of that.

I do 20% for table service by wait staff and 1 dollar per drink at a bar, unless I run a tab over a long session, then I often default back to 20%. Also if the bartender is putting a lot of time and effort into making me fancy cocktails and not just pouring me a draft.

Start a tab, tip at the end

Ima dive bar kind of guy lol the place I was at had cash registers so old they didnt print receipts. 90% of places I frequent are cash only and they arent setting the beer down till they see cash on bar.

This discussion around what to tip hides an employment system that values employees to the point of underpayment and poor working conditions.

Perhaps you should instead frequent establishments where tipping is not expected because the employees are paid a proper wage.

That way, you don't have to argue about tipping your bartender too much, or not enough, instead you can focus on drinking a superbly crafted concoction of your choice.

I'll also note that tipping is not universal.

Only you can answer that.

I give $1/drink at bars and cafes(not starfucks).

I give 15% to severs unless it was exceptional.

I give 10% to specific takeout locations because I want to support their staff and I don't usually dine-in.

Not wrong, but it's okay to tip the bartender 20% as well.

At that point he is a tax man

Yalls are insane: $1/drink tip. For a sit-down restaurant, 20% minimum because that’s the expectation in 2025. There’s a special place in hell for people who decrease a server’s tip bc service wasn’t up to par. Either tip the full amount or eat at home, this ain’t 1952.

When servers say "just eat at home if you don't want to tip 20%", do they realize this is the exact same energy as "just get a real job if you can't afford your bills"?
Sure buddy, call the police 🤡
Who the fuck do you think you are telling people how to spend their money?
This is why 15% is making a come back ;)
No