Tipping at a coffee shop

[Camp]

Ok, I am kind of curious what the masses think and/or know. When I go to a coffee shop, I always drop a tip in the jar unless the service sucks. Gender of the person behind the counter doesn't really matter to me but, service and attitude certainly does.

When you go to the coffee shop, do you tip and if not, why not? If you tip, is your amount of tip influenced by the gender of the employee behind the counter, be it at the register or at the bar/espresso machine?

I have some data on this that is real world, not published stuff and gender seems to make a difference. I will go into detail later but, I am curious of what you guys think. Since I know that gender does matter to some, who do you think it matters to and why? That answer I don't have anything for.

[Big Dave]

Hot chicks will always get more tips.

But I don't tip when getting coffee, never have any cash/coin on me anyways.

[Leon Phelps]

I don't tip at the local Starbucks, due to the whole "expectation" that comes with it. I do tip at the local coffee shop/doughnut house I stop at damn near daily on my way to work. The local shop I deal with, has *NO* tip jar, remembers my name and what I like daily. It's to the point, "IF/WHEN" I'm on time to go to work, everything is sitting there waiting for me. Hit the door, drop a 5 dollar bill, walk out. They get 3.20 or so in a tip, 4-5 days a week, I'm happy due to NO hassle and NO bs about wanting a normal black cup of coffee.

There is definitely a slight stigma that goes with tipping and gender. Getting back into the bartending game shows me that. But I'll hold my tongue also until more responses come in.

[scottycards]

Change from the coffee if it's over 50 cents, otherwise, buck.

Gender is of no consequence.

[Oscar]

Hmm dunno never been to a coffee shop but I tip at cold stone kind of the same thing

[1973CJ5]

I never tip unless I am in a sit down type environment where a waiter/waitress is bringing it to me.

[CannonBall]

I pay with gift cards and rarely carry cash... so no tip... plus I usually just get coffee, no grande chai double with two pumps of vanilla.

-Nate

[Big Dave]

Hmm dunno never been to a coffee shop but I tip at cold stone kind of the same thing

I ALWAYS tip there if one of the kids working is talking to friends or something, cuz then he has to sing like an idiot in front of his friends. Worth every penny.

[TwoDogs]

I tip with the change from my coffee. Unless the service or attitude is crappy. Gender is not an issue.

[JeepWheelin02]

Gender is not an issue. Im the same way as 1973CJ5, if I am in a sit down they bring it to me environment then I will tip, if I go to the counter and wait and receive my coffee at the counter, I usually don't. There is one coffee shop here in the Springs that whatever change I get back I will drop in the tip jar, but that is it.

[Camp]

Gender is not an issue.

For you and me, as well as some of the others, you are correct. For the masses though, you are not. Ash works at a coffee shop. When she works with girls, they do a lot better on tips. When her co-workers for the day are one or more of the guys at the shop, she does not bring home nearly as much in tips.

Why is this? I don't have any other locations to pull data from so, I can't rule out that these guys are dweebs and since I know who they are, I can say they actually are dweebs but, I am guessing this applies fairly typically. My data set is over the last 6 months or so. No I haven't actually written it all down but, I ask when she comes home from work each day and the results have never changed. There is probably a 30-50% difference in the tips made in a shift per the gender of her co-workers.

[Gags]

2.85 for an ice coffee at Starbucks, I go through the drive through, I never tip there.

[Leon Phelps]

Camp, it's much the same at the bar I'm currently pouring at. We usually run two bartenders on a night evening shift (during the week) and three on the weekend evening shifts. When we run two guys, tips for the night are noticeably lower than when it's a male/female setup or two females and I or any of the other males work the shift as a "barback". Policy is that we have to keep at least one guy on the clock to double as a "doorman" and deal with money drops, etc.....

Gender has nothing to do with it, when it comes to me, personally. But to a LOT of people, especially when inebriation is involved, it does. It's the society we live in, and in terms of appearance, females are beautiful, and were ugly ogers. Regardless of how much funny and bad ass pouring skills I bring in a night at work, I still cant clear what the gal's do, working the same shift.

[CLYDE]

Ok, I am kind of curious what the masses think and/or know. When I go to a coffee shop, I always drop a tip in the jar unless the service sucks. Gender of the person behind the counter doesn't really matter to me but, service and attitude certainly does.

When you go to the coffee shop, do you tip and if not, why not? If you tip, is your amount of tip influenced by the gender of the employee behind the counter, be it at the register or at the bar/espresso machine?

I have some data on this that is real world, not published stuff and gender seems to make a difference. I will go into detail later but, I am curious of what you guys think. Since I know that gender does matter to some, who do you think it matters to and why? That answer I don't have anything for.
Coffee shop??? You yuppie :flipoff2:

[Alpine Spirit]

I never tip unless I am in a sit down type environment where a waiter/waitress is bringing it to me.

Ditto....

[Camp]

I never tip unless I am in a sit down type environment where a waiter/waitress is bringing it to me.

I tip most anywhere that is set up as such and they can effect the end product, i.e. my food or beverage. Besides, I only visit two coffee shops. The one my girlfriend works at and the one across the street from work, both know my drink and my name when I come through the door.

Coffee shop??? You yuppie :flipoff2:

:D I can't help it, the owner of my company got me hooked on it when I traveled with him for work and then they put me on the road for 7 months, paying for everything :D

Ditto....

Do you tip at a bar? I guess I don't consider the coffee shop to be any different than if I walk up to a bar, or sit at it, and order a beer. As a matter of fact, the bartender is generally required to do less work to provide me with my beverage than the barista is. :shrug:

[Leon Phelps]

Those who have worked in the service industry, tends to treat their fellow man/woman that works in the industry well...... That is all.

Now you fail at serving teh foods or drink, I fail at tip. I also don't come back, something about "Jose" spitting in teh foods will keep me away.

Total shitty drink experience early yesterday, but that be for another time/thread.

[clemsonkrawler]

$5.00 a cup is tip enough. Fawk-em.

[cheftyler]

Those who have worked in the service industry, tends to treat their fellow man/woman that works in the industry well...... That is all.

Now you fail at serving teh foods or drink, I fail at tip. I also don't come back, something about "Jose" spitting in teh foods will keep me away.

Total shitty drink experience early yesterday, but that be for another time/thread.

x2

[Alpine Spirit]

Do you tip at a bar? I guess I don't consider the coffee shop to be any different than if I walk up to a bar, or sit at it, and order a beer. As a matter of fact, the bartender is generally required to do less work to provide me with my beverage than the barista is. :shrug:

If I sit at the Bar (which would be with a small group and you generally sit at the bar to have conversations with anyone) and the Bar Tender is friendly and does not throw my drink at me then sure I will tip, or if I know the tender somewhat and a tip will get the shots topped off.

But if I am sitting at a table in a bar and I have to go to the bar to get my drink then no... no tip.

[Leon Phelps]

Wait. Are we talking that coffee shop where the staff are women in bikinis? I always give a big tip.

Where is this mythical, unicorn like creature located at. I need to take some cash to see this.

[longboy]

Wait. Are we talking that coffee shop where the staff are women in bikinis? I always give a big tip. Thxbye.

http://media.katu.com/images/070514_bikinibarrista.jpg

[1BGDOG]

I always tip, and I engage them with small banter. Often I will get a drink bought for me or a pastry. If I see them at the local watering hole I will buy them a beer, to me they are "jr" bartenders.

[Camp]

$5.00 a cup is tip enough. Fawk-em.


I agree the prices are high but, that $5 doesn't go to the people working there, it goes in the owners pocket. The owner isn't serving my coffee or remembering my name.

Either way, my real curiousity is the relevance to gender and tip amounts.

[Leon Phelps]

............

Either way, my real curiousity is the relevance to gender and tip amounts.

Whatcha tryin to pull out of this discussion, Willis?

Just curious, the phone is not ringing this morning, and I'm up for a discussion today. May be the drugs tho, too.....

[Camp]

Whatcha tryin to pull out of this discussion, Willis?

Just curious, the phone is not ringing this morning, and I'm up for a discussion today. May be the drugs tho, too.....


I got most of it. It was interesting to see that nobody here that tips, feels gender matters. I would bet that almost everyone would answer that way but, the tip jar tells a different story. I'd also bet it is not a consious decision for most but, more of a sub-consious action.

I wonder if it is the female population that matters, since they didn't weigh in on this. Do they tip only female employees possibly?

I tipped more today since they had to get me a low fat blueberry muffin from the cabinet. I also like that I walk in, the barista looks at me through the crowd, I nod, and my drink appears. :D

[Leon Phelps]

Upsides my friend, upsides of being known :D.

I totally agree with what your saying...... but I also deal with it from the service industry's point of view 2-3 nights a week, so my opinion is a bit skewed.....

[ZappBranigan]

They don't have a tip jar at the 7-11 or quickie mart, so I'd have to say "no." :D

When I do go to a starbucks or similar place, my attitude is that tips are for servers. If I have to go to the counter and get it myself, I'm not tipping.

[longboy]

For the most part, I usually just tip the change from my coffee tab. Sometimes it's a quarter, sometimes it's a buck.

As for the male/female thing, I have found that I tip generally based on how friendly the barista/counter person is. I have also found that the ones generally more friendly to me are the females. The starbucks by my work has quite a few ladies who all know me by name, and generally get tipped a little better than the dudes there who just ring me up and don't really seem to GAF.

[kPs]

$5.00 a cup is tip enough. Fawk-em.

Yeah.. the Barista gets all that profit too.. They don't control the price of coffee, or your picky $5.00 drink. :rolleyes:

[Camp]

Maybe it is just personality driven and the females are generally more sociable.

[Leon Phelps]

Maybe it is just personality drive and the females are generally more sociable.

Indeed, it's totally the case. In general, as males, we have to put on a hell of a lot more "song and dance" to pull the same tip out of someone. I'm pretty sociable, IMHO, but it's still not the same as a female behind the bar.

I thought about this last night a bit, where I pour drinks, my best 'regular' tippers slightly lean towards males in gender, the once and a while 50% and above crowd is usually the heavily inebriated females, who I've spent the night hitting on :eek:

Joy, more dynamics about nights working at the bar :o

[CannonBall]

I was gonna say, I think I tip girls more just cause they seem nicer, if I added it up, I think my tips are probably pretty equal by gender.
-Nate

[kPs]

I was gonna say, I think I tip girls more just cause they seem nicer, if I added it up, I think my tips are probably pretty equal by gender.
-Nate

You are absolutely right when it comes to Starbucks.. They split the total tips equally at the end of each week. It comes to like another .35 per hour for each barista. So the nice girl at the window get jipped.

[Boogie]

I don't tip much at coffee shops (unless they are overly friendly and joke around-gender doesn't matter). I do tip well at bars, I'm not a drinker so I usually just order coke or water but I tip everytime they bring either.

I guess I never really saw them as the same type of "service", of course, the coffee shop doesn't continually bring me dollar bills so that I don't lose my seat while watching that ahhh...game. :D

[Swat]

I think we need to test a theory here. Leon we need a baseline for a month, an average if you will, tips per night. Next we get some of the ladies of Colo4X4 to cross dress you...................................................then

[Leon Phelps]

I think we need to test a theory here. Leon we need a baseline for a month, an average if you will, tips per night. Next we get some of the ladies of Colo4X4 to cross dress you...................................................then

Something about working in close proximity to Cheeseman Park......... Pass!

I'll play along in terms of avg night tips...... No way in HELL am I cross dressing!

[CherryokeeXJ]

I don't tip. Why would I? Do you tip gas station clerks for ringing up your order? Do you tip the grocery store dude bagging your groceries? They're getting paid to provide a service to you. They're not investing beyond three minutes of their time to your happiness and satisfaction. Servers always get a healthy tip from me because they're taking care of me as a customer for 20 minutes +.

Plus I don't frequent coffee shops more than once or twice a month as a treat. Why the hell are you paying for black coffee when you can get 100+ cups of joe out of your pot at home for $4.00 a can??

[Pilot]

Wait. Are we talking that coffee shop where the staff are women in bikinis? I always give a big tip. Thxbye.

http://media.katu.com/images/070514_bikinibarrista.jpg

I never tip if I am just walking up to a Starbucks type place and buying coffee. Yeah, I see the tip jar sitting there and think its kind of presumptious to expect a tip for pouring me coffee that I have to walk up and get. However, if they were wearing bikinis, and looked like that, different story! ;)

[Camp]

I don't tip. Why would I? Do you tip gas station clerks for ringing up your order? Do you tip the grocery store dude bagging your groceries? They're getting paid to provide a service to you. They're not investing beyond three minutes of their time to your happiness and satisfaction. Servers always get a healthy tip from me because they're taking care of me as a customer for 20 minutes +.

Plus I don't frequent coffee shops more than once or twice a month as a treat. Why the hell are you paying for black coffee when you can get 100+ cups of joe out of your pot at home for $4.00 a can??


Really? I've never had a gas station clerk mix a drink for me. I'm not buying black coffee, I'm buying a chai tea or a mocha or something similar. They have to pull shots from a machine and if they don't time them right, they taste like crap. They have to steam milk and if it is not the right temp, I'm unhappy with my drink because it is luke warm or scorches the roof of my mouth.

Again, do you tip a bartender? If so, you are being hypocritical in saying that the barista at a coffee shop does nothing for you but, you tip a bar tender for pouring your drink. How hard is it to operate a tap handle?

[osirus82]

i dont drink coffee, the only thing that matters when tipping is the service, doesnt matter if you the good/bad/ugly..

but come on everyone know that the hot little blond that flirts with everyone is gonna get a better tip then everyone else, hell half the business whore out the staff to bring people in think hooters family establishment my ass.

[Camp]

but come on everyone know that the hot little blond that flirts with everyone is gonna get a better tip then everyone else, hell half the business whore out the staff to bring people in think hooters family establishment my ass.


:D I was a kitchen manager at a Hooters in college :D

[Leon Phelps]

but come on everyone know that the hot little blond that flirts with everyone is gonna get a better tip then everyone else, hell half the business whore out the staff to bring people in think hooters family establishment my ass.

99% of staff over at Don's is between 21 and 25 years old and are students of DU or Metro state for the reasons just stated.

I'm just the old fart who can actually pour drinks instead of just serve beer :shrug:

[osirus82]

:D I was a kitchen manager at a Hooters in college :D

GIDDY :D

[osirus82]

i dont really mind the hot chicks doing there jobs, but when they start busting out the SEXY EYE and i can still see the wedding ring, kinda rubs me the wrong way. :tisk: I am probably one of the last old fashioned people in the world, i perfer to believe in loyalty, commitment, honesty, and as soon as i see some chick acting like shes interested just to get a tip, im thinkin WHORE, and truthfully seems basically like a PRO. wether or not a service was provided the thought was solicited

People get in to trouble all the time for trying to sell fake drugs.

[JeepWheelin02]

I also like that I walk in, the barista looks at me through the crowd, I nod, and my drink appears. :D

This will always get a better tip.

Maybe it is just personality driven and the females are generally more sociable.

I think you are dead on.

Again, do you tip a bartender? If so, you are being hypocritical in saying that the barista at a coffee shop does nothing for you but, you tip a bar tender for pouring your drink. How hard is it to operate a tap handle?

Never thought about it that way before. But you are right. Why is it that we tipbartenders at a bar to pour us beer, but we don't tip say the person serving you food at McD's?

99% of staff over at Don's is between 21 and 25 years old and are students of DU or Metro state for the reasons just stated.

Sex sells. Buddy of mine owns a bar here in the Springs. When he took over it, he got rid of a few of the bartenders and picked up some hotties and the bar tripled in business.

[Leon Phelps]

Sex sells. Buddy of mine owns a bar here in the Springs. When he took over it, he got rid of a few of the bartenders and picked up some hotties and the bar tripled in business.

:thumbsup: I totally agree. I'm just lucky and good enough at what I do to have a job at a bar anymore. Early 30's is geezer age at a bar anymore.

[Xtremjeepn-Cole Ford]

I see the "bar tender" as different than the barista.

The bar tender does in fact bring you yoru drinks at the bar. The key there is "multiple drinks". You can't just walk into a bar, order 1 beer and walk out the door. Typically the bar tender brings you multiple drinks, snacks, food etc during your time at the bar.

Traditionally this position does more than just hand you a beer. They tended to the whole eating establishment too. So bartenders are paid entirely different than baristas. The bar tenders job is to keep you in the bar having multiple drinks/food over a period of time. The barista is only charged with making the drink once. More similar to the server at Taco Bell than the bar tender.


I think if people sat in a coffee shop for a length of time and had multiple cups of coffee it is different. For the quick in and out they are being paid by Starbucks to serve the coffee. Paid better than Taco Bell, get benefits and Company Stock. Paid better than a bartender is by the bar.

If they do things BEYOND the basic service then I think you should tip them accordingly. (Remember your name, know how you like your coffee, bring it to you outside on the patio etc etc).

[CherryokeeXJ]

Really? I've never had a gas station clerk mix a drink for me. I'm not buying black coffee, I'm buying a chai tea or a mocha or something similar. They have to pull shots from a machine and if they don't time them right, they taste like crap. They have to steam milk and if it is not the right temp, I'm unhappy with my drink because it is luke warm or scorches the roof of my mouth.

Again, do you tip a bartender? If so, you are being hypocritical in saying that the barista at a coffee shop does nothing for you but, you tip a bar tender for pouring your drink. How hard is it to operate a tap handle?

The bartender is getting me wasted with multiple beverages, and listening to my BS they DO NOT care about while I'm sitting at their bar. I get one coffee and leave.

So you defended your stance with the bartender, what about the grocery clerk? Or the post office clerk? Hell, why don't you tip everybody that takes two minutes to do the job their paid to do? I used to wipe ass and mop up vomit at the nursing homes I worked at for $8/hour. I never saw one damn tip. Why? Because I was doing my job. Why is it so appropriate to only tip in the food service? I've tipped my trash man before when I had a lot of chit on the curb or during the holiday. I've made my mail man cookies/fudge. There are people out there doing far worse jobs that get zero extra recognition for what they do. Sorry if I don't feel the local latte pusher deserves my hard earned money for pour, mix, and smile in his/her cush little coffee shop environment. So sue me. :shrug:

[Camp]

I see the "bar tender" as different than the barista.

The bar tender does in fact bring you yoru drinks at the bar. The key there is "multiple drinks". You can't just walk into a bar, order 1 beer and walk out the door. Typically the bar tender brings you multiple drinks, snacks, food etc during your time at the bar.

Traditionally this position does more than just hand you a beer. They tended to the whole eating establishment too. So bartenders are paid entirely different than baristas. The bar tenders job is to keep you in the bar having multiple drinks/food over a period of time. The barista is only charged with making the drink once. More similar to the server at Taco Bell than the bar tender.


I think if people sat in a coffee shop for a length of time and had multiple cups of coffee it is different. For the quick in and out they are being paid by Starbucks to serve the coffee. Paid better than Taco Bell, get benefits and Company Stock. Paid better than a bartender is by the bar.

If they do things BEYOND the basic service then I think you should tip them accordingly. (Remember your name, know how you like your coffee, bring it to you outside on the patio etc etc).


So, you don't tip a bar tender if you don't sit at the bar? I do. When I go to a bar and have to stand, because it is busy and crowded, I still tip, even thought they may or may not serve food and I may or may not order food. I do it for more than one reason. One being it seems to be the societies accepted practice. The other is I want them to remember me if I come back to the bar for a second drink and have to stand there, I might get faster service.

The bartender is getting me wasted with multiple beverages, and listening to my BS they DO NOT care about while I'm sitting at their bar. I get one coffee and leave.

So you defended your stance with the bartender, what about the grocery clerk? Or the post office clerk? Hell, why don't you tip everybody that takes two minutes to do the job their paid to do? I used to wipe ass and mop up vomit at the nursing homes I worked at for $8/hour. I never saw one damn tip. Why? Because I was doing my job. Why is it so appropriate to only tip in the food service? I've tipped my trash man before when I had a lot of chit on the curb or during the holiday. I've made my mail man cookies/fudge. There are people out there doing far worse jobs that get zero extra recognition for what they do. Sorry if I don't feel the local latte pusher deserves my hard earned money for pour, mix, and smile in his/her cush little coffee shop environment. So sue me. :shrug:

Most of the jobs you listed, don't require a skill to get the job done that dictates the quaility of the finished product. Most of those jobs are basically digital, it is either done or not, the end product is the same, done. A coffee barista has control over how the end product results. To me, that is different, just like when you tip a server, in many places they share those tips with the kitchen staff at the end of the night since the kitchen staff also plays a part in your experience at the establishment. If the kitchen sucks, the servers gets far less in tips for the night. Does the server have to share, no but, it pays to do so as the kitchen will take care of them in the future and controls a percentage of their earnings, so to speak.

[kPs]

Hell, why don't you tip everybody that takes two minutes to do the job their paid to do?



I've tipped my trash man before when I had a lot of chit on the curb or during the holiday. . :shrug:

That makes perfect sense!:D

[JeepWheelin02]

Most of the jobs you listed, don't require a skill to get the job done that dictates the quaility of the finished product. Most of those jobs are basically digital, it is either done or not, the end product is the same, done. A coffee barista has control over how the end product results. To me, that is different, just like when you tip a server, in many places they share those tips with the kitchen staff at the end of the night since the kitchen staff also plays a part in your experience at the establishment. If the kitchen sucks, the servers gets far less in tips for the night. Does the server have to share, no but, it pays to do so as the kitchen will take care of them in the future and controls a percentage of their earnings, so to speak.

What about custom orders at fast food joints. Do you tip there?

[Xtremjeepn-Cole Ford]

So, you don't tip a bar tender if you don't sit at the bar? .......The other is I want them to remember me if I come back to the bar for a second drink and have to stand there, I might get faster service.
.


You are paying for priority service. You are paying for them to remember you and come to you in a crowd, not a line at a coffee shop. :shrug: You need to remember that you are getting multiple drinks in a short time frame. You are paying the bartender to remember you 20 minutes from now, not days or weeks from now.

Service does not typically change if I tip the cashier in the coffee shop. The barista never sees me make the tip, they don't change any course of action because of the tip. Good service should be dleivered BEFORE a tip, not after.

As I stated above the situation changes if they remember who you are, remember your drink, make it special for you or go out of their way in any way. But to walk into a random Starbucks and tip the counter staff for the hell of it makes no sense to me.

Now if I frequently visit a Starbucks and they have proven to be good at what they do and go beyond the basic service then sure I will tip.


Bottom line: Tips should be earned as a reward for good service and effort beyond what your basic pay should cover. Tips should not be given with the expection of service to follow.

[Colin]

Tip at a coffee shop....no :rolleyes:

After reading more of the thread, I should specify, I don't tip at starbucks type places.

Coffee n Donut shop hellz yes

[Leon Phelps]

The bartender is getting me wasted with multiple beverages, and listening to my BS they DO NOT care about while I'm sitting at their bar. I get one coffee and leave.

So you defended your stance with the bartender, what about the grocery clerk? Or the post office clerk? Hell, why don't you tip everybody that takes two minutes to do the job their paid to do? I used to wipe ass and mop up vomit at the nursing homes I worked at for $8/hour. I never saw one damn tip. Why? Because I was doing my job. Why is it so appropriate to only tip in the food service? I've tipped my trash man before when I had a lot of chit on the curb or during the holiday. I've made my mail man cookies/fudge. There are people out there doing far worse jobs that get zero extra recognition for what they do. Sorry if I don't feel the local latte pusher deserves my hard earned money for pour, mix, and smile in his/her cush little coffee shop environment. So sue me. :shrug:

Wow....

You'd be surprised how much your bartender does actually give a damn about your life. I've made more true friends through working bars than any social scene I've ever been a part of.

I'm thinking you don't drink much, at a bar. :shrug:

[CherryokeeXJ]

Wow....
I'm thinking you don't drink much. :shrug:

:lmao:

Wow....insult me. What a shame to be called a "social drinker".

Tip your coffee person. I don't care. The world won't stop spinning because I choose not to.

[Xtremjeepn-Cole Ford]

For the bartender vs barista arguement a QUIZ:



What is a bartender base pay from the employer?



What hours does a bartender work?



What benefits, stock plans etc does the bartender typically get?




What is the typical client the bartender has to deal with?


What is typical "bar environment"?






Now as the same questions for the barista?




What is the typical pay from the employer?


What are the typical hours?


What is the typical clientel?


What is the typical work environment.


What benefits/stock plans etc are available. (only mention this because Starbucks takes pretty good care of their emplyees)

[Leon Phelps]

I'll take on the Bartender side.

Note: I only work PART TIME as a bartender 2-3 nights a week, max, so my numbers can and do vary for a full time bartender.



What is a bartender base pay from the employer?
I have almost 5 years of experience as a tender, and my base hourly is $5.00


What hours does a bartender work?
I currently work 7 p.m. during the week until either I'm relieved or close, so a minimum of 5 hours, max of 8. If I'm working a saturday shift, up to 12 hours is possible....


What benefits, stock plans etc does the bartender typically get?
None. I am a shift manager, but not a bar manager. Benefits are reserved only for upper mamagement


What is the typical client the bartender has to deal with?
I deal with all walks of life, since I work near the Downtown/Cheesman Park area


What is typical "bar environment"?
LOUD, a bit roudy, occasionally low key, did I mention LOUD.


:thumbsup:

[SatansFaith]

Tip jars pi$$ me off. Having worked for $2.13/hr and relied on the change that someone left from his morning cup of coffee (which often multi-tasked as both a tip and a table rental fee) to pay my bills and feed my child, I'm not very inclined to tip someone who makes $7+/hr to ring in my order, hand me my change, pour a beverage into a cup, and send me on my way.

Additionally, most of the people who benefit from those tips jars do not claim any portion of that money as income. Another pet peeve...

I don't see bartending as a profession that falls into the same category, mainly because bartenders are typically considered to be tipped employees; thus, they rely on tips as part of their "normal" hourly wage.

[Camp]

For the bartender vs barista arguement a QUIZ:



What is a bartender base pay from the employer?
No clue



What hours does a bartender work?
Depends on the bar


What benefits, stock plans etc does the bartender typically get?
Again no clue but, my discussion isn't focused on Starbucks, since that is NOT where my girlfriend works



What is the typical client the bartender has to deal with?
The same sober assholes I see go into the coffee shop, he just gets to liquor them up


What is typical "bar environment"?
Dark and noisy





Now as the same questions for the barista?




What is the typical pay from the employer?
I think they typically start around $6/hr


What are the typical hours?
6am to 2 pm or 2pm to 10 pm

What is the typical clientel?
Sober versions of the drunks the bartender gets, they need coffee to function

What is the typical work environment.
Business people and grumpy old men


What benefits/stock plans etc are available. (only mention this because Starbucks takes pretty good care of their emplyees)
None for my girlfriend

It all depends on where we are focusing on.

[Camp]

Tip your coffee person. I don't care. The world won't stop spinning because I choose not to.

Don't take this personally, I was engaging everyone to get what people thought, not focusing on beating on anyones ideas. I find it interesting how people view topics like this versus how I view them.

Edit: Had "few" in place of "view" in my last sentence......doh

[Camp]

I don't see bartending as a profession that falls into the same category, mainly because bartenders are typically considered to be tipped employees; thus, they rely on tips as part of their "normal" hourly wage.

Why is that? They make more than minimum wage generally, from what I've been told. Also, since this is based on historical behavior, how would one then create a "tipped employee" position in todays world? Barista's didn't exist 10 or 15 years ago. :shrug:

[Leon Phelps]

What about custom orders at fast food joints. Do you tip there?

I don't, but I also don't play the custom order BS. If it has a drive thru, I hope to get what I ask for, how its typically made. Anything else BEGS for trouble.

[Leon Phelps]

It all depends on where we are focusing on.

Thats right, I DO get to liquor them up. :D Then we roll them on the street :flipoff2:

[Leon Phelps]

Why is that? They make more than minimum wage generally, from what I've been told. Also, since this is based on historical behavior, how would one then create a "tipped employee" position in todays world? Barista's didn't exist 10 or 15 years ago. :shrug:

Admittedly, I do pull in a LOT more than minimum wage in terms of hourly figures, when I'm pouring. But what I make, totally depends on the shifts I'm working and who I'm working with (big deal shockingly). But I'm not just responsible for pouring beer, shots and mixed drinks. I have to come from behind the bar and serve food, work as a doorman (check ID's), close the bar (again depending on who I work with) and have to play manager to pissed off patrons. I feel inclined to tip out my barback at the end of the shift, but if they did not exist, I'd be dead from running so damn much! So I tip them WELL.

[longboy]

Barista's didn't exist 10 or 15 years ago. :shrug:

I was a barista in the early 90s in Northern California. The only difference back then is that all the customers for coffee shops were old ladies out shopping.

[Leon Phelps]

Don't take this personally, I was engaging everyone to get what people thought, not focusing on beating on anyones ideas. I find it interesting how people view topics like this versus how I view them.

X2, everyone has a different take due to being in a different situation :thumbsup: :beer: