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How much to tip bartenders?

drdifabiodrdifabio member
First Anniversary First Comment
in Minnesota-Minneapolis and St. Paul
We want to tip our bartenders ourselves as we dont want a tip jar out on the bar. We just feel like we wouldnt have a tip jar out if we had a party at our own home so we dont want one out at the reception.

So instead we are covering the tips for our two bartenders.
How much should we tip?

One will be there for 8 hours from 4pm-12am and the other one will be there for 6 hours from 4pm-10pm. We are paying them $12/hr cash as they are students from the MN school of bartending. So the one will get $96 cash plus tip and the other will get $72 cash plus tip.

Any thoughts on how much I should add?

TIA!
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Re: How much to tip bartenders?

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    shan87shan87
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    hmmm -  Are you supplying the liquor? 

    I have only ever seen people tip 15% of what the Bar Bill is at the end of the night. But if you are suppling the alcohol then I don't know how you would calculate that. Perhaps 15% of what you spent?

    BTW thanks for all your help with the bracelets! :)
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    tpender13tpender13 member
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    edited December 2011
    Maybe you could give the one that's there longer an even $150, and the other $125?
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    Steph0871Steph0871
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    edited December 2011
    We figured out that ours will be there about the same as your shorter one.  Because I don't want to do math, we're just going to give them each $100 for the day.  Yes, that ends up being about a 35% tip, but $100 is still a really good deal.  Plus, they won't be getting cash tips from anyone else, so I think that's fair.

    (We're also not having a full bar; just wine and beer, so their work will be minimal.)
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    dcprepdcprep
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Our reception site had a manditory 20% gratuity on our bar tab, I think.

    Are you going to put a sign on the bar saying that the tips have been covered by the hosts? Otherwise people might think they have to still tip. Before I started planning our wedding, I ALWAYS tipped at weddings. Now I realize that it's usually covered by the hosts :)
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    drdifabiodrdifabio member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011

    We are just doing beer, wine, and champagne as well so it is really easy for them - just pouring. And we are paying them in straight cash.

    And yes, we are providing all the alcohol as well.

    So if I do 15% of what I pay them it would be about $110 for the bartender #1 and something like $85 for bartender #2.

    Yeah I was thinking about putting it on the sign but when the bartender asked me about a tip jar and I said no he was not happy with me which surprised me a little bit but oh well - so I dont want to piss him off more by calling out tips on our bar sign. If there is not jar at least people wont feel obligated to tip.

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    I Want CakeI Want Cake
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Your amounts sound about right.  I went to that same school probably 10 years ago and got my license.  Since they're in school and haven't had any real bartending experience, $100 for the whole thing is pretty generous, on top of their wage.  Just starting out, I rarely ever made that much in a night, but that's also because I worked at a bar that drew a lot of foreign people who didn't tip, which I think was a cultural thing.  I always did better with Americans.
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    martiac225martiac225
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I would definately include it on the sign.  I'm a PEC bride too and I like your idea of just paying them a little extra.  I'm using a friend who bartends on the side and one of her co-workers and I'm thinking I'll probably pay them $125/each for their 8 hours. I think that sounds reasonable??  (I'm with you DC, I've always tipped at weddings because I was unsure)
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    hjh444hjh444 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Danielle- I am torn on this! My wedding is at PEC a week from Friday. Mn school of bartending quoted me $15/hour and Heather strongly encouraged we leave a tip jar out. Ive always tipped at weddings...and even more when i am getting free drinks. I feel odd paying students that much an hour and knowing they are probably going to get another few hundred in tips! I am just not sure what to do!
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    hjh444hjh444 member
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    edited December 2011
    Oh, and are you providing the bartenders a meal?
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    drdifabiodrdifabio member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_minnesota-minneapolis-st-paul_much-tip-bartenders?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:81Discussion:aa7ec232-20d4-4e9c-a5f7-9f86b25c3b2dPost:df5f6055-d8b3-46e4-9165-480a37b512cd">Re: How much to tip bartenders?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Danielle- I am torn on this! My wedding is at PEC a week from Friday. Mn school of bartending quoted me $15/hour and Heather strongly encouraged we leave a tip jar out. Ive always tipped at weddings...and even more when i am getting free drinks. I feel odd paying students that much an hour and knowing they are probably going to get another few hundred in tips! I am just not sure what to do!
    Posted by hjh444[/QUOTE]

    No at this point we dont have them included in the meal. They dont start till dinner time so it is a normal bartender shift so I am sure they will just eat before they come.

    And we got quoted $12/hr - I wonder if they raised their prices.
    I talked to Mark about it today and he is fine with not having a tip jar out as they will likely get tipped anyway - I just dont want a jar out there to pressure guests into giving when they do not have to. It is hosted by Joe and I and that means we are tipping them as well.
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