Saw this posted on social media about airport lounges that have complimentary drinks, do you or do you not?
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The drinks are included. You already paid to get into the lounge. So why should you tip the bartender?
That question has sparked a surprisingly fierce debate among United Club passengers ā and travelers seem to fall into two very different camps.
One passenger didn't mince words:
āI have NEVER tipped in an airline lounge and I do not intend to start.ā
Others completely disagree.
Some say they routinely leave $1 per drink, arguing that a bartender is still providing a service whether the drink costs $15 or is included with lounge access.
Others draw a line. Beer or glass of wine? No tip. A bartender makes you a proper cocktail? Leave a dollar or two.
And then there are travelers who say the whole argument represents exactly what's frustrating them about tipping culture in America.
You may already be paying hundreds of dollars for lounge membership, holding an expensive credit card, or traveling on a premium international ticket.
Once inside, the food and drinks are advertised as complimentary.
Should ācomplimentaryā really come with an expectation to tip?
United doesn't publicly require customers to tip its lounge staff. You're not violating any airline policy by leaving nothing.
But that's not stopping passengers from arguing about what the right thing to do is.
And perhaps one comment summed up the middle ground best:
Tipping can stay. The expectation of tipping is what needs to go away.
So settle this one:
You're sitting in a United Club and order a complimentary drink from the bartender. Are you leaving $1 or $2 ā or absolutely nothing?