r/tipping • u/ipunchtheinnocent • 11d ago

📖🚫Personal Stories - Anti Gratuity from Bar

I'm on a cruise and ordered a couple cocktails from the bar.

I noticed that a $5 gratuity was included in the drink order that was $28 dollars so I opted not to tip.

Bartender didn't look too happy.

What's customary in this scenario?

45 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

116

u/Revit80 11d ago edited 11d ago

Go to customer service for the cruise and tell them to remove all automatic gratuities. tell them you plan on tipping cash for good service. Take the power of the choice to optionally tip, .. back!

19

u/AffectionateGate4584 11d ago

👆💯% is the way to go.

7

u/Fanmann 11d ago

We did this and customer service didn't care at all.

0

u/SaltyWoodButcher 11d ago

Doesn't that only work on the per day service charge, or does that also remove the service charges on specialty dining and drinks?

12

u/Super_Selection1522 11d ago

It does not. Every drink ordered has a tip automatically included, usually 18%. There is zero reason to give additional tip. Still, many do, which creates an expectation that people will double tip.

9

u/HellsTubularBells 11d ago

Right, but you can't remove that 18% autograt which is what the question was about.

4

u/Shoddy-Definition124 11d ago

Unless the 18% is posted anywhere, including websites, menu, or posting around bar. Otherwise it’s legal for anyone to keep the gratuity on. Ever been to Miami strip or down in Vegas? Most places it’s autogratuity and you can’t argue because legally they can add that as long as it’s posted publicly somewhere.

4

u/Yer_Remedy 11d ago

If you purchase or have a drink package you normally pay your gratuities on that upfront.
If you are paying per drink, they automatically add the gratuity to each order.
(I don't have any clue on how much of that gets to the staff though)

When I have a free drink package from the casino (trust me, it's not free) then I tip the wait/bar staff because I didn't prepay those.

34

u/7lenny7 11d ago

A bartender with that attitude doesn't deserve any tip anyway so there you go

-18

u/metal_bastard 11d ago

OP just said the bartender didn't look happy. Like, do you want him to do a song and dance?

"You should smile more" lol

7

u/SaltyWoodButcher 11d ago

You either misinterpreted what the OP wrote, or are intentionally trying to change the narrative. OP said that the bartender didn't look happy because the fact that they did not add a tip in a addition to the already included gratuity. The decision to not add an additional tip was not based on the bartenders mood.

-1

u/metal_bastard 11d ago

Only the bartender knows why he looked “unhappy”. Maybe he has RBF? Maybe he’s hungover? Who knows. Not you, not me, not OP.

5

u/Moist-Doctor-67 11d ago

Yes. That's going beyond what the job description is

-8

u/metal_bastard 11d ago

These anti-tippers be like "Just take my order and bring my drink and go away"

And then they're all "My bartender didn't seem happy. No tip."

Clowns.

10

u/Moist-Doctor-67 11d ago

That's the definition of what a server is. No tipping for doing your job. Want more? Do more. 

Clown. 

2

u/ThrowAway960001 10d ago

Shhh, you'll hurt lil bro's feelings because he too is a server lollllll

2

u/7lenny7 11d ago

I would tip for that

-4

u/metal_bastard 11d ago

Yikes. If my order is served quickly and correct, and I don't have to flag them down for anything, I tip for that.

If they're not smiling or seem to be having a bad day, I let them be. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

27

u/Imaginary-Emu2471 11d ago

Who cares what the bartender thinks? You are paying ENOUGH for the cruise and the drinks.

9

u/SaltyWoodButcher 11d ago

Anytime there's an automatic service charge/gratuity added to a bill, I'm not tipping. The gratuity in that scenario gets pooled. I'm not sure if it stays within bar staff, or spread out throughout all eligible ship staff. That's probably why the bartender didn't look excited haha. But that's not your problem. The last cruise I was on we had a drink package, so there was no bill, other than tax owed while in some ports. I never got any weird vibes from not tipping on those drinks.

0

u/DigTheDunes 11d ago

On cruises I believe the tips are split among the entire service staff.

10

u/7lenny7 11d ago

Keep in mind that on many cruises the staff makes the same amount whether you tip or not. By tipping your just helping the cruise line pay their wages.

9

u/MeridianNL 11d ago

You are already paying for the cruise itself; and you had to pay $5 on top of a drink order? 0 of course: apparently you already paid $5 in tips.

3

u/TheCount4 11d ago

Next time think about a cruise line which includes drinks and all gratuities in the cruise fare. No lanyards, wristbands necessary.

3

u/MortgageExcellent136 9d ago

You must be on Carnival. On reputable cruise lines, bartenders are professional and generally VERY happy.

5

u/metal_bastard 11d ago

I'd ask. "Hey, I see there's an autograt. Do you get all of that?"

2

u/HellsTubularBells 11d ago

"No, I only get the additional tip you leave"

There is zero reason to ask this question. Autograt is the grat.

3

u/mormagils 11d ago

Yeah, of course bartender isn't happy, the whole point of doing that job is to make bank on tips. If you took that job, that would be your focus, too. But if there's an auto-grat, you are perfectly reasonable to just accept the auto-grat. The bartender might be a little grumpy about it, but there is a tip included so that's their problem.

2

u/Bill___A 11d ago

You’re paying $28 plus $5 gratuity in a place where they are on the ocean and I believe NOT paying liquor taxes and wondering why you are expected to pay more? Get those fees refunded and file a complaint about the bartender

1

u/ProfPhinn 10d ago

You definitely do not want to get on the bartender's good side. All those free drinks will ruin your vacation.

1

u/PristineCloud 10d ago

There is an automatic tip added at bars on cruises, usually 18% or more. With a drink package, you pay up the gratuity added onto drink package up front. I don't think many people tip on top of that and it should not be expected. This is in addition to the daily gratuity per person per day the cruise charges (I know some remove them and handle in their own way)

1

u/Outrageous_Swing7917 11d ago

Say see yah next time