Tipping Bartender

Yes, very tacky.

I also think it's weird to tip before the service is performed. I would be leery of that.

The last wedding I went to the bartender had a tip jar, but it was a full open jar and he was working hard making every type of mixed drinks guest requested and in a timely fashion, I tipped him every time I went up as did other guest. But you raise an interesting question I'm not sure if the bride and groom tipped him before.

Tacky. Our beverage service suggested we tip our bartenders $50 each.

Bethany I am a bit leery about the upfront, but I'm positive I don't want a tip jar. My plan was to have tip envelopes for each party and then my DOC will distribute the tips at the end.

We are doing $200 each (2 bartenders) for 65 adults. We will be tipping after the reception.

They usually have a tip jar, but are more than happy to put it away, although they are welcome to accept tips from guests.

I am at a lot of cocktail hours. Almost every guest will tip the bartender a couple of bucks, with or without the jar.

I wouldn't put it out; maybe you ask them to count their tips and make up the diffrence to 100 bucks per. See how that goes over.

A jar is not a requirement to receive tips. Guests can lay a dollar on the bar as easily as putting it in a jar.

Keep in mind that with or without a tip jar, people with common decency will tip the bartender especially if it is open bar. I understand what you are saying about no tip jar but make that be known ahead of time.

We had such a hard time finding a bartender without a tip jar. We finally found one reasonably priced but required $120 tip up front for no tip jar per their contract. Most had it in their contract how much tip they required up front if there was no tip jar (for 5 hours and more mixed drinks). I would check the contract. Best wishes. ETA clarity

I always tip the bartender at events whether there is/isn't a jar. Most people will.

My bartenders also required us to tip them before if we did not want a tip jar out. I gave each $150. We had 85 guests, full bar. If I could have tipped at the end of the night, I probably would have only given them a little less. One was on their phone the whole night and neither seemed to work so hard. This was after being told they were the best the company had! Maybe give a certain amount before and then if they exceed expectations, tip more at the end of the night?

We tipped $150 each (two bartenders), and they actually gave $100 (combined, not each) back to our coordinator to give back to us because they said it was too much! Not their fault we only had beer and wine, but it was much appreciated. We had 200 guests.

Edit: ugh typos

I don't think there's anything wrong with a tip jar. I've been to fancy NY weddings and more laid back weddings in my hometown in SC, they all have jars. I personally always tip.

Thanks everyone!

I think it's tacky. Is the gratuity included in your price? If so you shouldn't have a tip jar.

Unpopular opinion here but I don't see it as the most tacky thing you could do. I would never go up to a bar and not tip the bartender (jar or no jar). I wouldn't even think twice as a guest putting a couple bucks in a tip jar but that's just me/where I'm from.

You can tell many of the responders never worked as a bartender. It is socially accepted that bartenders have a tip jar. I would never expect to not tip a bartender under any circumstances. Actually at an open bar I would tip more because I don't have to personally pay for my drinks.

I think all this tipping has just gone way too far. If you contact a bartender to inquire about service and you tell them how many guests and for how many hours, why do they not just give you a quote that factors all of that in? It’s ridiculous to say your fee is $300 and then expect $280 in tips. Just charge $500 and be done with it.

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I've seen them everywhere as well. If I can help service industry folks get some extra cash by having it out, I'm certainly not stopping them. We'll still be tipping them regardless.