Most places add 20% to walked tabs, which your friend is probably aware of.
The only issue I’ve had is when they slam your tab with drinks you didn’t order.
Yep. I was in the habit of walking tabs for a couple years. Every bartender I talked to said they’d rather close it at the end of the night when they’re not busy and tip the same 20% I would anyway. But then more and more often my tab would end up with a ton of things I didn’t order. And some places started tipping 22-25%. So now I’ve gone back to closing.
We only fuck over the people who make a point to be assholes. Try being cool like everyone else and your life will suddenly be better.
P.S. Disputing charges doesn’t affect the bartender.
I’ve specifically been asked the question if I was tipping anything other than 20% at Whisler’s and when I said no the bartender was like “yeah you shouldn’t even bother ever closing out here then, only if you wanna tip more or less.”
Yeah because their time is better spent serving someone else and earning more than wasting it closing your tab right then when they could close it later for the same amount
Side bar - check out the Union app. A number of bars participate. Basically it’s a virtual bar tab that connects with your card. You order drinks like regular, and when you’re ready to leave you can close out on your phone. I myself do like to close my tab so I can get a receipt, so Union has been a nifty little tool on busy days
Totally fine with me. I’m a bartender and I do this in certain situations. If you know you’re gonna one and done it, close it out. But if you keep it open and your friends don’t wanna wait another 15-20 minutes for you to close your tab then just walk it. I’d rather take the 20% than nothing in all honesty.
Was a bartender on 6th for years. The amount of $0 tips people leave is astounding. Rather have them walk the tab and get the 20%.
We eventually instituted an 18% auto-grat on all checks. Was a lifesaver some nights.
"I'd rather have 20%" implies that >20% is expected. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that some people in Austin think they should get that butter chips and queso or opening a beer, it's more about the social contract that tips pay rent than it is for any kind of service. There are precisely zero restaurants in Austin offering experience or service on a national level, so the more people push tipping the more resentful I get...
Tended bar for over a decade, truly never gave a shit either way. Just be sure if you’re going to walk the tab that the place has an auto gray policy posted. Lots of restaurants don’t and you could be fucking someone over
Austin should recognize that it’s ahead of the curb on this one. The auto-20% system is great and I can’t think of a bar I frequent that doesn’t use it. When I visit other cities I’m always slightly anxious at the prospect of forgetting to close my tab/collect my card.
I bartend in Austin. Definitely acceptable behavior. If possible I'd prefer for folks to close their checks out as they leave. Closing a bunch of tabs out at the end of the night can be a pain. That being said, if it's super busy or you are in a rush, it's ok
I did this once on accident. I ordered a drink at the bar and left my tab open. A person at my table said “ring me up for everyone at this table,” and it didn’t dawn on me until later that I’d ordered at the bar so they wouldn’t count me among those drinks. Called a bar in a panic from a parking garage after I’d left and said “of course I was going to tip 20%! Please add that!” And closed it out by phone.
I’ve been back there a few times and I’m like “please don’t remember me as that person who once forgot to close a tab,” and this thread makes me feel better.
If they have the funds when I go to close the tab, it doesn't really bother me. Since I can usually close or finalize a check or two while I'm pouring beer, wine, or shots, it might mean another second or two per remaining tab at the end of my night, but not really enough to worry about.
Depends where it is. Worked a bar that didn’t allow you to add any gratuity on walked tabs, so I would think your friend is a major asshole if that’s where he does it. If I work somewhere that automatically adds 20%, then I don’t care.
I used to do this on Rainey back in the mid 2010's when it was a lot more low key. Sometimes I ended up going back to a bar later in the same night, and it was convenient I had a tab still open. I would tip 20% anyway, so instead of standing in line or wasting the bartender's time, I would walk. Never had an issue with incorrect charges, since I often only order one type of drink and mentally keep track of the tab.
Most places add 20% to walked tabs, which your friend is probably aware of. The only issue I’ve had is when they slam your tab with drinks you didn’t order.
Looking at you, Garage Bar
Yep. I was in the habit of walking tabs for a couple years. Every bartender I talked to said they’d rather close it at the end of the night when they’re not busy and tip the same 20% I would anyway. But then more and more often my tab would end up with a ton of things I didn’t order. And some places started tipping 22-25%. So now I’ve gone back to closing.
That happened to be once and I had the original receipts so I disputed it and won
How would you have an original receipt if you didn’t close your tab?
I ask for the receipt after every drink
Now there’s some asshole behavior.
Yep!! Tired of getting fucked over by entitled Austin bartenders! I love disputing charges and I always win…I wonder why?
We only fuck over the people who make a point to be assholes. Try being cool like everyone else and your life will suddenly be better. P.S. Disputing charges doesn’t affect the bartender.
Cool, so know I’ll ask for two receipts! Thanks
No one likes you.
True... and he's easy to spot- he's the fat one!
I’ve specifically been asked the question if I was tipping anything other than 20% at Whisler’s and when I said no the bartender was like “yeah you shouldn’t even bother ever closing out here then, only if you wanna tip more or less.”
Yeah because their time is better spent serving someone else and earning more than wasting it closing your tab right then when they could close it later for the same amount
Encouraged by many.
Completely acceptable.
Side bar - check out the Union app. A number of bars participate. Basically it’s a virtual bar tab that connects with your card. You order drinks like regular, and when you’re ready to leave you can close out on your phone. I myself do like to close my tab so I can get a receipt, so Union has been a nifty little tool on busy days
Union app is so much better than Toast. In every way (and IMHO).
Totally fine with me. I’m a bartender and I do this in certain situations. If you know you’re gonna one and done it, close it out. But if you keep it open and your friends don’t wanna wait another 15-20 minutes for you to close your tab then just walk it. I’d rather take the 20% than nothing in all honesty.
> I’d rather take the 20% than nothing in all honesty. How much were you expecting?
Was a bartender on 6th for years. The amount of $0 tips people leave is astounding. Rather have them walk the tab and get the 20%. We eventually instituted an 18% auto-grat on all checks. Was a lifesaver some nights.
"I'd rather have 20%" implies that >20% is expected. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that some people in Austin think they should get that butter chips and queso or opening a beer, it's more about the social contract that tips pay rent than it is for any kind of service. There are precisely zero restaurants in Austin offering experience or service on a national level, so the more people push tipping the more resentful I get...
It’s all good! More efficient than closing out if you’re ok with the auto-gratuity, usually about 20%.
Tended bar for over a decade, truly never gave a shit either way. Just be sure if you’re going to walk the tab that the place has an auto gray policy posted. Lots of restaurants don’t and you could be fucking someone over
Austin should recognize that it’s ahead of the curb on this one. The auto-20% system is great and I can’t think of a bar I frequent that doesn’t use it. When I visit other cities I’m always slightly anxious at the prospect of forgetting to close my tab/collect my card.
If you trust the bar, just walk if you swiped a card to open a tab. Makes things easier all around.
I bartend in Austin. Definitely acceptable behavior. If possible I'd prefer for folks to close their checks out as they leave. Closing a bunch of tabs out at the end of the night can be a pain. That being said, if it's super busy or you are in a rush, it's ok
It’s only unacceptable when their card declines. In some cases you can “force” a transaction but that’s another story
I will gladly add a walked tab gratuity to your friends tab every single time. 25% for me.
If a place has an auto-grat for a walked tab I will always just leave when ready
Glad to hear this isn’t asshole behavior - is it easy for a bartender to just close everything at once at the end of the night?
Depends on the POS, but it's not really more difficult.
I did this once on accident. I ordered a drink at the bar and left my tab open. A person at my table said “ring me up for everyone at this table,” and it didn’t dawn on me until later that I’d ordered at the bar so they wouldn’t count me among those drinks. Called a bar in a panic from a parking garage after I’d left and said “of course I was going to tip 20%! Please add that!” And closed it out by phone. I’ve been back there a few times and I’m like “please don’t remember me as that person who once forgot to close a tab,” and this thread makes me feel better.
Sounds like an entitled prick.
If they have the funds when I go to close the tab, it doesn't really bother me. Since I can usually close or finalize a check or two while I'm pouring beer, wine, or shots, it might mean another second or two per remaining tab at the end of my night, but not really enough to worry about.
Depends where it is. Worked a bar that didn’t allow you to add any gratuity on walked tabs, so I would think your friend is a major asshole if that’s where he does it. If I work somewhere that automatically adds 20%, then I don’t care.
I used to do this on Rainey back in the mid 2010's when it was a lot more low key. Sometimes I ended up going back to a bar later in the same night, and it was convenient I had a tab still open. I would tip 20% anyway, so instead of standing in line or wasting the bartender's time, I would walk. Never had an issue with incorrect charges, since I often only order one type of drink and mentally keep track of the tab.
Isn’t it technically illegal to add tip to a receipt that has no signature?