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Do's and don'ts to running a bar tab
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We’ve all seen it in movies; the guy walks into a bar, orders a drink, tells the bartender to put it on his tab and walks off. In real life it’s a bit more involved than that but still simple in concept. Here are some do’s and don’ts to running a tab.
Do.
Unless you’re a personal friend of the bartender you’ll have to hand over a credit card to start your tab. Have your card and ID ready before your drinks arrive. Some places ask for ID with credit cards to make sure it isn’t stolen. It’s nothing personal it’s just a safety precaution.
Try to order from the same bartender you started your tab with. After a few rounds (depending on how busy it is) the bartender will remember you. At some point you may not even have to order or give your name, you’ll just get your drinks. How VIP is that?
Say your last name clearly. In a busy bar Patterson can sound like Anderson. Also, to safeguard your tab you can request to be listed under your first and last name. This guarantees there is absolutely no confusion as to which tab is yours. The number one reason for accidental charges is because of multiple tabs with the same last name.
If you don’t want your friends to order on your tab make sure the bartender knows this. If there’s more than one bartender make sure they both know who you are and that only you can order on your tab.
If you forget to pay your tab before you leave you can usually pick up your card the next day. Most likely the bartender will have already run your card and closed out your tab. Depending on the policy of the bar a gratuity may have been added. If it hasn’t, leaving a few bucks for the bartender(s) who got stiffed when you walked out on your tab is always greatly appreciated.
Don’t.
Don’t just assume the bartender remembers your name just because they remember your face. Sometimes bartenders go brain dead for no reason. It’s not personal our brain is just full.
This one is for you multiple last named peeps. Bartenders write down the last last name on the card. So if your name is Lisa Smith-Jones Brewer; we’re going to write down Brewer and then add you credit card to the ever growing stack. We won't look for it again until you're ready to close out. So, if when you order another round and tell us your name is Smith or Jones you’re going to throw a wrench into what is otherwise a very simple concept. Last name means last name on the card, please.
If you feel you’ve been over charged don’t start yelling at us or make demands that we take items off your bill. We’re the sober ones and our memory of who ordered what how many times will be better than yours. But mistakes and miscommunication happen so calmly bring your problem to our attention and we’ll figure it out together. We don’t just randomly add drinks to people’s tabs to make more money. Often times moochers, hustlers and hangers on will run up their friend’s tabs and take off before the bill is paid. If we weren’t given specific instruction as to who can or cannot order on your tab…it’s not our problem and you’ll need to collect from your peeps.
Some customers choose not to run tabs because of the possibility of discrepancies and that’s fine; that’s what cash is for. But to make a bartender run your credit card for one drink at a time because of your mistrust is unfair (not to mention annoying) especially if we’re busy. Cut us some slack and keep it open for 2 to 3 drinks then close it out. If you’re unwilling to give us a chance and insist on charging one drink at a time be prepared to get bumped on the ordering line. If you won’t work with us we’re not going to work with you.
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