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5 Things Your Bartender Isn't Telling You
If you're like most people, you've got your favorite cocktails: your go-to summer drink, your warm-me-up winter drink, the quick before-dinner drink you mix for yourself on a busy weeknight after a long day of work. I find in my day-to-day life, there are few surprises when it comes to cocktails. Recently I learned I was wrong. There's a lot your bartender is not telling you.
Reader's Digest just came up with a list of 13 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You. Some of them were more geared toward etiquette (obviously whistling at anyone isn't a great way to get attention or service), while others were geared more towards the way the food industry and bars in particular function (last year, liquor sales were down 2.2 %). But the things I found most interesting were the little bits that affect your experience and my experience as a cocktail drinker and a customer. Here goes:
1. You're not tipping enough: I'll admit it: I usually tip $1 per drink. But apparently "that doesn't fly if you order a $12 cocktail. Tip at least 15 percent," Reader's Digest suggests.
2. Be wary of garnishes: At some bars, the cocktail garnishes and snacks sit out for days.
3. Last call: It's uncool to order a round of drinks after last call. Bartenders hate this. Your cocktail order may not be quite as carefully poured.
4. Going wireless: Some bars now use wireless gadgets to measure how much liquor is poured in each drink. Carefully calculated, less crafted.
5. Call it like it is: If you want a drink strong, bartenders say just order a double. That's what it is, that's what you're getting, and you've got to pay accordingly.
Related: An Expert Bartender's Advice for Creating Great Non-Alcoholic Cocktails
(Image: Nora Maynard)
88 Comments
I have an issue with #1. Some places charge $12 for a Mojito made with a mix, not muddled mint and lime. I tip according to the quality, just like a waiter/waitress. I've heard #2 before b/c of friends that work in that industry.
I'm confused by #3. Last call means just that anywhere I've ever lived. You legally can't place an order after that.
#2 sounds like you need to find a better bar.
I agree with JP Money on the tip issue but, assuming the drink was well-mixed, I tip as I would for a food order.
I agree with Chinadoll on #3. Weird to include it because, like, most bartenders will just refuse to serve after "last call".
I'm glad to live in a place where tipping isn't compulsory. Tipping 15% on every drink order sounds crazy.
That said a $12 cocktail here is mostly unheard of. I expect to pay $15-$20 :(
Unfortunately, tipping IS part of the social contract of going out for drinks. The bartender supplies you with drinks, you pay the bill and supply them with a tip. I you don't want to tip the standard 15%, don't go out. Go to a liquor store instead. Alternatively, you are always able to open a tab and tip on the total amount spent,
I also usually tip a dollar a drink. I won't pay 15+% tip on a basic drink that's simply overpriced by the establishment. A specialty cocktail, maybe -- some drinks are just awesome. But not on a plain shot of whiskey, which I usually get, and which is often 8+ dollars (in some cities, that's just the well whiskey!). Some whiskies and beers are more expensive, but they don't take any more effort to open and pour into a glass than their bottom shelf counterparts (even less so if there's a measuring cap on it, preventing the "good pour"). Some places charge $12 for a simple shake of gin and tonic with a browning lime because they can get away with it (trendy place, in an expensive area, etc.). And sometimes the drink is just poorly made. So I guess my general rule is $1 for the most basic of drinks (or ones that are poorly made, or made with a cheapo mix), which I usually end up ordering because I'm poor, but around 15-20% for more complex or "mixologist" drinks.
On a related note, does everyone tip $1 for ever to-go barista-made drink? I do, and that's always well over 15%, which makes getting coffee on the way to school/work/etc. super expensive in the long run. But I feel weird tipping the true 15%.
As a full time bartender for over a decade, it pains me when I read articles like this because both the bartender and the guest are right.
Of course, it all depends on context (what bar you are at, what kind of a guest you are, the quality of the bartender, etc.)
1. Yell, whistle etc. to get bartender's attention. This could be (at least) any of three things:
a. bartender sucks & doesn't acknowledge you
b. bar is understaffed & it is the only way to get a drink
c. You, as the guest, may not recognize that there are quite a few other people that also need to be taken care of.
I have seen all three. When a bartender "rant" is written like the one that was linked, it is because they are a good bartender, get waved, whistled, etc. and then the guest says, "Hmmm... now what do I want."
I see the guest perspective as well. When the bartender sucks, it seems like you can't get a drink if you are the only person in the bar.
2. Start a tab.
If you plan on staying for a while, at most places, this works a lot better (and you can get away with a smaller tip). Running a credit card several times may cause a manager to have to run the card (who you will have to find), or it may even cause the issuer of the credit card to think your card was stolen, which makes your life harder.
Even with good bartenders, this can add some mental work into taking care of you and all of the other guests. Are you leaving? After the third time I ran your card? Should I ask you for another drink? etc.
3. "Make it strong" will typically get you one of three things (if you are not a regular, and sometimes then, as well):
a. a bunch of extra ice in your glass, so there is little room for mixer
b. a couple drops down the straw, so the first thing you taste is liquor
c. a "dramatic" pour in front of you (hold the bottle way up high) so it looks like we are pouring more.
I am not stealing from my employer and I am not cheating my guests. If you want something "stronger", you pay for something "stronger".
7. Tipping guides. I am interested to hear in what other people (both service and non-service industry) think about this. I make well over 20% (keep in mind, I also serve food and I am a pretty good bartender) tips, so I don't see an issue with getting a quarter to open a bottled beer.
@jp money, I wouldn't be offended if I got 50 cents when I made your mojito (ours run $6.50), even though I actually do muddle and don't use mix. Overall, I make my money and I feel I am fairly compensated for my job.
Tipping bartenders in America is in this weird quasi-land. Do we tip a buck a drink? 15-20%? The change left over?
8. Bar Garnishes - Just don't eat them. Ever. This is for your benefit, not mine. In fact, if the bar doesn't keep the garnish away from guests, don't even squeeze it in your drink.
22. Everyone should bartend for a few nights. I totally disagree. I have some on my staff who should never have ever been allowed to bartend. :-)
No, wait, "last call" means "last chance for drinks" and it seems to vary widely as to a bartenders reaction. At our local brewpub, it's no big deal to pour another pint even 5 minutes after last call. I wouldn't expect a bartender to whip up a half-dozen manhattans though. Keep it simple.
@sara d'arc - At least for me, a buck a drink is usually fine. It all works out. (A buck to open a bottled beer? THANK YOU VERY MUCH!)
12 bucks for browning garnish on your drink is absolutely wrong. Find better bars. :-)
To answer your other question, there is a Starbucks across the street from where I work. On the rare occasions I go there, I tip at least one buck on my 2.50 coffee. Usually, I'll just grab a 75 cent refill from the gas station on the way in to work.
@Strundblade - Not in Australia it isn't. Tipping is for extra super good service, unless you are feeling generous. The Bartender/Waitress/Waiter is paid for doing their job and the price of their labour is included in the bill. Which is why we pay more for cocktails.
I cannot imagine having to try to calculate what 15% of a bill is after a few drinks! I think the bartender would be waiting a long time while my brain exploded.
Since when does Last Call mean the bar is closed? In every bar I've been to at last call, it's just that... your last chance to get your final drink order in... How would I know that last call is coming unless I've been given warning? Last Call IS my warning.
I have no intention of tipping $1 for a bottle of beer ordered from a bartender unless the bar is packed and the bartender is quick. However, at my favorite bar, where the bartender is now one of my friends, I tip well. But that's because I can go in and tell George what kind of mood I'm in, what alcohol I want and maybe a garnish and he goes out to his herb garden (yes, an herb garden at the bar) and makes me something fresh and amazing (watermelon mojito last time). It is a spectacular experience that I am quite willing to pay for.
@Fiona - this is where having a smartphone with a tipping app (or just a calculator) comes in handy.
that, or if an individual lives in a place where the tax is 5 or 6%, simply tripling the tax works, too.
I'm honestly shocked at how many people aren't tipping properly. All service industries deserve minimum 15% ... tipping per drink is just silly. These people usually make below minimum wage and work horrible hours. I will only drop below 15% if I feel the service is inadequate. If you don't want to pay $12 for a premixed drink, then don't order that drink, or stay home.
15% is easy, calculate 10% by moving the decimal point, and then just add half of that on top. Also, you probably have a calculator on your phone. I'm sure you could figure it out.
And I always assumed last call meant "last call" as in "last chance to order".... so why would you place orders afterward?
I guess if you've never worked in a service atmosphere you don't understand that they can't close until everyone is gone, and they usually can't even start cleaning until everyone is gone, so when the bar "closes" at 2:00 and people still want to hang out utnil 2:30 the poor employees are stuck there until 3:30 cleaning up and counting drawers....
I tip 20% in most bars. The bartender definitely notices and you get better service and often better drinks on your second round or second visit. If you are a regular this generally promises great treatment all the time. the extra tip is the price of the extra service service, a great trade in my book. That said if it's a super busy overly crowded kind of place and you are just ordering beers and you will never be remembered, I usually tip a $1 a beer.
I always start a tab at a bar; and when I get my bill I just double the first number of the total for the tip. So if my bill was $30, I'd leave a $6 tip. This ususally works out to a 15%-20% tip and it's super easy on a brain that's had a few drinks!
WEE EATS: my boyfriend was a bartender for awhile (and has worked other service industry jobs) and usually only tips $1 per drink...whether it's a beer or a margarita. And a bartender just came here to say $1 per drink is fine with him, too. You can disagree, but no need to be outraged or "shocked." Tipping 15-20% is customary for full-service waiters, but bartenders, baristas, and deli sandwich clerks are "at the counter" -- it's not actually full service, it's part service, because the customer is going up to the bar/counter/whatever and doing part of the work themselves. When I have to go to the counter to order, carry my own order to where I'm standing or sitting, and/or bus my own table, I don't tip what I'd tip a full-service waiter -- sorry.
On tipping:
In Canada and the US, tipping is more compulsory and should be done with higher frequency because bartenders and people in the service industry don't get paid a living wage.
In most of Europe, the service is factored into the price of the item and one rounds up.
I believe it's the same in Australia and New Zealand, with service people making a very good wage (I've heard $15-20/hour, as opposed to $10/hour in Ontario, Canada).
I did not take the time to read through the comments so I appologise if I am restating.
#2 is easily avoided. Ask your bartender/server if they cut fruit for their shift. If it is a high volume night (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) chances are its fresh because they run through it fast.
ALWAYS use a straw in any glass that you don't see a bartender reach to a rack for. I have worked in many establishments where glasses that are turned upsided down under the counter/ontop of chests on non-skid matts that are riddled with bacteria.
ALWAYS wipe a bottle top, even if you are pouring into a glass. Juice pourers, fruit bowls, plates of pasta, etc have habits of falling into open chests and are hardly ever cleaned up after.
I agree on the $12 martini 2-3 dollar tip rule. Bartenders, servers make $2.63 an hour in MA. We must also claim 15% of what we ring in as tip income. You doc our pay every time you tip less than 15%.
Also 20% now is the norm
fwiw I usually tip $2 on the 12 dollar martini, but not on the $12 bottle of wine -- most drinks I order are $8 or less
oops I meant $12 bottle of beer
if i order a 6 dollar drink i will leave 2 dollars, if i order a 20 dollar drink you still get 2 dollars, i dont usually calculate "15% tip", just what feels right like from:
1- how well mixed
2. how quick
3. did i like you? (as a person)
4. how much money i have on hand i'm willing to leave/tip without having to change a bill.
&. if food/drink where really bad, or the waiter was a jerk....No Tip.
I will like to post a question to all readers,: How do you go about tips at a wedding and that sort of event? do you tip at all? at start or finish? how much is apropiate?
@ELARHY, If it is an open bar, tips are appreciated, not necessary. The wedding hosts have provided drinks to you and either have a tip for the bartender worked into their bill, or will provide it separately to the bartender. That said, a wedding host tip is usually about 10%, so if the bartender is good I personally would throw in a buck a drink. If it is an open bar tips are definitely required. The venue is not going to be paying the bartender anything other than normal wages. If you were hosting a wedding that had an open bar, I would ask the venue for a run-up of their service and tip the bartender 10% of their sales, mostly because people don't think about tipping when they come to a wedding.
Having been a bartender and waiter, I've seen every type of customer.
The worst tippers are the "biggest spenders". The ones that make a production out of mispronouncing the names of the liquors they order, loudly. The ones that drop the name or the owner or manager. The ones that must be total assholes to work for/with because they expect to be well paid because their time is valuable and they;re worth it, but when they're out on the town expecting top notch service and products, they feel cheated by the prices in the trendy establishment so they stiff the guy (or gal) that keeps up with the latest drink recipes and makes their evening enjoyable.
As others have said, if the $12 cocktail is too much of a stretch for your budget and you can't drop another $2 for a tip, there's a beer-and-a-shot corner bar where you can get something out of a plastic bottle in a one ounce shot glass and a draught in a 12 ounce glass that will keep you in ramen for the rest of the week.
I drink at a few bars that are cash only and don't do tabs. They tend to be cheap, but I feel fine about my 1 dollar tip in exchange for an inexpensive watering hole. It still stays cheaper with the tip included. I also find that because of consistent tipping, I enjoy my share of free drinks.
If I order a 12 dollar cocktail, I expect a 12 dollar cocktail. This isn't about shorting anyone on a tip. Return the crappy concoction and leave. If a place is trying to be hip and trendy but can't manage to meet expectations, why on earth would I tolerate that.
If I am in a specialty beer place and I occupy the server or bartender by geeking out over breweries or expect someone to match a perfect beer with my fois gras entree, I remember that with a fatter tip.
If I can't afford to tip appropriately, I can't afford to go out.
Re: #1—Don't pay $12 for a cocktail.
i don't care where you live, a tip is NEVER mandatory. if it was mandatory it would have been included on the bill. usually i'll tip 15%, and if my server is exceptional i'll tip 20% to say thanks for a great evening. but if my server sucked, why would i tip at all? they get their pay check for the labour, but i refuse to pay for services that i didn't receive.
As a career Bartender, I find some of these comments in regards to tipping very surprising and somewhat disturbing. Perhaps the general public does not know that both servers and bartenders are taxed on their sales generated, NOT on tips declared. So if you go to a bar or restaurant and you tip less than 15% (be it for a $12 cocktail or a full meal) you are actually COSTING your server or bartender money. The government assumes you get 15% tips across the board and taxes your income accordingly. You pay taxes on assumed gratuities whether you receive a tip or not. That being said...tipping is not mandatory. If you truly believe you received sub par service, then you shouldn't feel forced to tip.
As to #2- Never eat your garnishes! As a professional, I can tell you it is (mostly) true. They are sitting out a long time and sometimes become a buffet for hungry servers or passers by.
Another Australian here. Unless I receive exceptional service I don't tip. The plus side of living in a country with a good minimum wage and penalty agreement is that there really is no need and even low end jobs pay relatively well. The downside is that people expect to be paid well and don't always give a good quality of service to go with it as they're not relying on tips to live.
Personally I much prefer it our way, I also prefer the tax being included in the price. The quoted price is what you pay, I find it very deceptive that in other countries it is common for the store to quote their price, and then sting you with tax afterwards.
Sara D'arc said:
"Tipping 15-20% is customary for full-service waiters, but bartenders, baristas, and deli sandwich clerks are "at the counter" -- it's not actually full service"
That depends on the bar. I technically work in a restaurant and happen to have the title of bartender. I provide full service at the bar as well as providing full service to the tables in our lounge. I know of several "real bars" in my area where the bartender also provides food for a number of tables and at least one where they are also expected to cook.
Guests usually don't see the distinction and usually tip in a set way no matter what type of bar they are in. I certainly won't denigrate any of the commenters above who said to tip bartenders more (sure, I would like more money). But, when one realizes that a majority of people are set in their ways, one can not take the amount of the tip personally.
Your boyfriend tips me a buck for a beer or a rita? Cool. The next couple behind don't tip at all? No problem... esp. since a lot of times they will just tip at the end. I almost never take it personally.
What I have noticed is, at the end of the day, it all evens out. When bartenders and servers stop obsessing over tips during the shift and obsess over guests during that time, they make a whole lot more money.
MEO said:
"Perhaps the general public does not know that both servers and bartenders are taxed on their sales generated, NOT on tips declared."
If I am understanding your statement, it is actually a little bit of both. Here is the first link from google that I found.
That article states that the IRS is going to automatically assume you are making 8% in tips based on your sales, so that is the minimum they will expect you to declare as income. (If you are making less than 8% in tips, I would suggest a different a job.)
The IRS also expects you to declare 100% of your tips. If your declared tips are greater than 8% of your sales, you will be taxed on that.
Of course, all of your credit card tips must be declared, since there is a paper record proving you got those tips.
Tip share, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. If MEO was talking about tip share, that money is almost always based on sales and not declared tips.
Two more quick things from MEO:
"That being said...tipping is not mandatory. If you truly believe you received sub par service, then you shouldn't feel forced to tip"
And, tell the manager immediately, and if the service is really bad, DO NOT TIP AT ALL!
Every time I say this, a ton of people that work in the food service industry hate it. But, if you had a bad experience, and everyone else that was "taken care of" by the server had a bad experience and all left only 10% (to prove the bad experience), then that server could still be walking out with hundreds of dollars on a double (depending on restaurant, etc.)
If, every time, someone got bad service, told the manager, and left 0 tip, that server will either become a better server or find a job more suited for them.
MEO again:
"As to #2- Never eat your garnishes! As a professional, I can tell you it is (mostly) true. They are sitting out a long time and sometimes become a buffet for hungry servers or passers by"
I wasn't going to share this story, but...
When I was much younger, there was this "college" bar that was on the way home. I was just a few years out of college, so I liked the atmosphere. Then, I started noticing that guys would use the restroom and not wash their hands, even when another guy (me) was in the restroom. They would not even pretend and "rinse". They would then go straight to the bar, order a drink and "munch on the buffet" of olives, cherries, oranges (sometimes even limes and lemons) until they got their drink.
Unless those garnishes are controlled by the bartender, I recommend staying away from them.
I have a pretty basic rule of thumb for tipping on drinks.
If I'm drinking beer (which I usually am) and it only requires a pour or a bottle opener, I tip $1 per drink. Since my beers usually run in the range of $5-$8, this seems decent to me. However, if I'm out for an evening and open up a tab, rather than just one drink, chances are I'll tip 20% on the tab at the end of the night.
@SHAYNA "Bartenders, servers make $2.63 an hour in MA. We must also claim 15% of what we ring in as tip income."
That is HORRIBLE. I'm a bartender in Australia. I make $22 an hour, with additional penalty rates on weekends. Admittedly, my employer is very generous with wages but I can't imagine trying to survive on $2.63 an hour even with tips. How does somewhere supposedly civilised get away with paying such ridiculously low wages? How do people pay rent and buy food on that kind of money?
@NIC M We pay our bills with tips, my dear.
Nic M, and the couple of other fellow Australians on this thread - I totally agree with you. I too was flabbergasted to read Shayna's statement that bartenders in MA make just a couple bucks an hour (even with the big difference in average cost of living between our two countries). That's appalling! And what's the point of a government mandating a "minimum wage" if there are entire industries in which workers earn a fraction of the so-called minimum, and it's legal??
Believe me, I've heard the argument for a "tipping culture" many times - to wit, it encourages consistently better service when servers know that their income is solely dependent on their attitude. But please. This is so demeaning. Just because as the customer, we may feel that our server's attitude/discretion/knowledgeability/speed is THE definition of their skill at their job, there's a whole lot more going on that's not visible to the customer, yet still integral to the job.
Here in Melbourne exists one of the strongest, most vibrant food cultures I've ever experienced, which is firmly rooted in a culture of excellent service, yet we don't have a tipping culture. If you eat/drink in a high-end place, and both your food and the service was excellent, then sure, it's pretty normal to leave a tip, either of around 10% of your total, or just the extra few dollars after rounding up. But it's a signal of appreciation rather than something that's taken for granted, or that's necessary to ensure the same excellence on your next visit.
I'm pretty sure you're supposed to tip according to service, not quality. Quality is what you pay for in the base price of the food or drink. If the drink quality isn't up to snuff, then don't go back, and maybe let them know that you want better quality for the price you're paying.
I live in Ireland and here you tip floorstaff, usually around 10%, but not people behind the counter. This is why I find the American (and apparently Canadian) tipping culture terrifying.
Getting back to item 2 - garnishes can be scary, but honestly if it isn't safe for me to put it in my mouth and eat it, it ought not to be steeping in something I'm going to drink, either.
So glad I've never lived (nor drank) anywhere where a cocktail cost more than $5.50. Tipping a buck a drink is more than adequate where I go.
Seven states -- Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, & Washington -- do not allow a tip credit. Restaurant must pay their tipped employees the same applicable minimum wage as other non-tipped workers.
So, if you're in one of these states, then the rules *should* be slightly different, since their wages are already included in the price of your purchase. Although, in these states the waiters/waitresses still think they should get 20% from every customer.
These "things your bartender isn't telling you" are obviously written by bartenders! Here's a tip - if you aren't making enough money, either smile more or change jobs. Yeah, I've even tipped more than 20% for a drink but it's only if the bartender rocked (and that usually wasn't the case at a place that charged over $10 for a cocktail). Complain about your severely lacking income to the shmucks that run your gov't or, better yet, to the shmucks you work for. DON'T complain to the poor slobs suckered into paying too much for a good time.
As for No. 5, If I only had $1.80 for every time I've had to ask for an extra shot (that came out looking like a pony- or I should say foal- shot) just because my $12 cocktail had no alcohol in it.
be nice to the same bartender, tip well, and you'll get one on the house, guaranteed.
If I am buying "per drink", like at a club or bar, I will tip a $1 or two. Casue guess what- that bartender is making $1 every 5 minutes or less! that $12 or more per hour on top of their house wage. And at a nice place, they arent making minimum wage.
I am sitting down somewhere and I get a bill for evening, I usually tip more because in that sort of place the bartender isnt as busy and doesnt make as much per drink
#2 is absolutely true, I have seen this first hand many times. Everytime I order a wheat beer in a bar I have to specify "no fruit" because whoever is manning the bar will inevitably stick a decrepit, dried out orange wedge in my perfectly good beer.
Regarding the last tip (#26?): What kind of bartender WON'T tell you to take a cab? Ridiculous.
Perhaps the general public does not know that both servers and bartenders are taxed on their sales generated, NOT on tips declared.
@MEO: I'm assuming you are in the U.S. as well. I was a cocktail waitress/food waitress for years during college. I was not aware that I was taxed on the government's perceived amount of my sales. Serious question: how would they even know that? Unless you work in a place that is automated to an inch of it's life and is tracking the sales of each employee and that amount is, for whatever reason, reported to the IRS how the hell would they be able to do that? I was taxed on my hourly wage and my credit card tips only.
Maybe what you describe really only applied to servers who work in a bar with a POS system?
I worked as a bartender in nightclubs for 6+ years. NEVER eat the cherry or olive garnishes! Oh and they are not a buffet.
Any place I've ever worked, last call meant that you could order one more round. It usually meant you had 10 min left till the bar cut the entire venue off. I also live in TX which has extremely strict laws regarding serving past 2am and could mean the bartender getting arrested or fined for breaking the law. People, especially drunk people, never understood the severity of me serving them at 2:15am. You gonna bail me outta jail, drunk guy?
All these comments on not tipping/tipping very little have me pretty terrified. I work as a bartender/waitress at an average-priced bar (between $4-$10 for beer and drinks, depending on what you order of course) in a very big city.
There have been nights when I have lost money on customers because of poor tipping. At most bars/restaurants, servers/bartenders have to give portions of their tip to others (barbacks, door staff, sometimes the kitchen, etc.) so not only are they receiving less than minimum wage (roughly $2.80 in my state), but they also have to give away part of their earnings. Couple this with the fact that the government assumes we make 15% of our sales (which some nights, with some crowds, I just don't make at all) and the server loses money. People who say "I only tip if the following conditions are met" have never worked in the service industry and clearly do not understand how some nights, they are costing us money.
And for folks that say "then choose another profession," sometimes that isn't an option. I have to be in the bar service world because it's one of the only ones with night hours and the *potential* to make decent money. But every night is a crap shoot, and I do recognize that comes with the territory.
The part that a customer who tips less than 15% costs the bartender money doesn't make sense. Regardless of what the IRS assumes your income is, don't you fill out a tax return with your actual income for the year? That's what your actual tax rate is based on, so if the IRS overtaxed you all year, you would get that money back. Plus, you can't tell me that those cash tips actually end up being declared.
Also, let's assume a bartender can pour 1 drink ever 1 or 2 minutes (shouldn't take more than a few seconds to open a bottle of beer or pour a glass of wine). If he gets $1/drink, he should be making $30 - $60/hour. I think that's fair
I have been a server/bartender in the US for 12 years. While I understand that there are vastly different politics and customs regarding tipping from one county to another, here are the facts about tipping in the US. In the US, for good service, the customary tip is between 15% and 20%. For poor service, well, that's a personal decision.
1. Minimum service wage (any person recieving tips - bartenders, servers, bussers) in the US is $2.13 per hour. Only a handful of states have mandated above this level. In 12 years, I have never gotten paid above $2.13.
2. You are indeed taxed based on total sales, NOT on your tips. Because of this, service people live off tips alone. Taxes devour any paltry paycheck you get (40 hours at $2.13 doesn't even begin to cover your tax liability). Most servers owe several thousand dollars in taxes at the end of the year to boot!
3. We're not just talking tips -- we're talking tip-outs. In a restaurant, bartenders and servers are required to "tip-out" support staff (hosts, food runners, bussers, bartenders). That is, it is compulsory for a server/bartender to pay anywhere from 3% to 7% of their total sales, NOT total tips to the staff.
So let's say you stiff your server/bardenter on a $100 tab. Then that person will lose from $3 to $7 of their own money (excluding tax liablity) after serving and cleaning up after you. Tipping is a range, but do you really mean to COST your server money? That just makes you a bad human.
So if I have $1000 in sales and only made $100 in tips, after I tip-out 7% (which is $70), I can leave an 8+ hour shift with as little as $30. Thats it. For the whole day.
4. Regarding the "quality" issue: The amount of time and labor I put into something does NOT change simply becuase you didn't like an item. If you have a service issue, thats one thing, but if a product is lacking, you shouldn't stiff your server/bartender. What you should do is speak up about the problem and give your server/bartender an opportunity to make it better. Help us help you. We'll be happy to make another or take it off the tab. Staying quiet about an issue, getting angry that your server/bartender can't read your mind, then leaving a horrindous tip is ludicrious.
5. Know the customs! When visiting another county, ask what the tipping protocol is. As can be seen above, theres a huge variation. Don't be an inadvertent jerk!
And I'll end my tip rant there.
On #2: Seriously, those garnishes are disgusting. Stay away. Trust me.
@Hoshii Wow. Just wow.
I'm not sure where to start -- your complete disregard for your fellow man, your willful ignorance to the difficult realities that the working poor face, or just your vulgar language and lack of tact. You, sir, are offensive, mean-spirited, and your opions are unwelcome and repulsive.
Can we back track??? WHO in their right mind pays $12 for a cocktail??? I'll be honest, I'm not much of a drinker, but when my man wants a drink I prefer to make him something at home. I don't know how anyone can afford a night out with such prices. I have been to establishments with $15+ cocktails and was like, "are you putting glitter and magic and rainbows in it??"
I'm not going to tip 15% to pour me a beer or a glass of wine. If you're making something shaken or stirred, we can talk.
An add to the above - generally on a glass of wine or a beer when I'm drinking at a bar, I leave the residual change. If you are a bartender and your employer makes it so that the cost of a beer is X dollars and 75 cents, you are probably getting 25 cents (FLOG ME for only tipping 25 cents for someone to pop the top off one beer! - that is NOT the same amount of effort I suppose someone put in to tray my food, plate up all the accoutrements, deliver from the kitchen to table, keep my water glass filled, etc.). If your employer makes it so that the cost is X dollars and 5 cents, you'll get 95 cents.
If you are going to be at the bar for a while, tip in $10 increments, up front.
Like all above me. The tipping 15% is BS. You get a buck for beers, and two for a specialty cocktail. That's it.
As CLEVERNESTER said:
There is minimum wage, and then there's 'minimum wage for tipped employees'. Before the mid nineties the two used to be correlated, meaning that as the min wage went up so did the min tipped wage. Herman Cain as the head of the National Restaurant Association struck a deal with then pres. Clinton to decouple the two; the democrats got to increase the regular minimum wage that way, but NRA got to keep the min tipped wage at the outrageously low levels it is today ($2.13/hr) *for the last twenty years*.
"Tipping is part of the social contract.." I've never heard such bull. Tipping is a voluntary reward for exceptional service. There is no expectation or requirement to tip. Responsible establishments pay their valued staff adequately. It is not my role to make up for the managements choice to under pay their staff. And the idea that I should 3 times the tip for a $15 martini than I give for a $5 martini is ridiculous. The same amount of effort is required for each drink. Remember that inappropriate tipping is also tacky. I see the image of the tacky new rich cad walking thru the hotel stuffing fivers in everybody's pockets.
It's so interesting how the division between the working class and the upper class has come to fruition. What started as a sincere article about how to treat someone who is "serving" you has turned into a political debate, whether anyone wants to admit it or not, about how to deal with a caste system that has been in place since the beginning of time. The way I see it, if you have a problem with tipping, don't eat at restauraunts, order coffee from a cafe, or spend your happy hours or weekends at bars. You clearly need the money more than the staff does, so hold on to it. Forever. You would be doing every service industry person a favor by never gracing them with your enititled presence. The bottom line is that you go to restaurants, to bars, to coffee shops, because you like the atmosphere, to be around people, to socialize, to meet men or women or both, and to create ANY ATMOSPHERE, it takes OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME AND MONEY. Trust me, the last thing I would want to do on any given day is explain the ins-and-outs of how much gluten is involved in making a potato vodka. But the reality is that without the "people who need to find another job if they don't like the one they have", you wouldn't have bartenders, waiters, waitresses, baristas, etc. Do you love selling phones at At&T? Do you love doing endless paperwork for your jerk boss? Do you love emptying bed pans as a nurse or thanklessly raising money for non-profit organizations? Do you ENJOY making customer service phone calls to people that hang up on you 4 out of 6 times?! NO! NOBODY likes working. If we could all have our way, we would be living out our dreams and be rolling in money in the process. But it doesn't work that way. We all have bills and families. We need money. And being made to feel like a jerk while in the process is the utlimate insult. Simply put, just delve out the extra dollar and make a bartender smile. It's not really that hard. And, I love apartment therepy. =)
ALSO - bartenders and servers make $2.13 per hour, and that money usually covers their taxes, and even that little amount is utilized for tax purposes, resulting in a paycheck that is often $20 or less. Maybe even VOID. So don't use the "they get paid hourly" excuse not to tip. And, I meant "therapy", not "therepy".
One of the best bar tipping recommendations I ever received is to over tip on your first drink. Like a $5 on a cheap drink and a $10 on something more complex. That way the bartender will remember you and for future orders you can get away with the $1 a drink.
I've been horrified by some of the comments. Some of the comments remind me of my local paper. I admit I usually tip a dollar a drink and sometimes more, but I also tip for bottled water when I'm at a club. I also sometimes tip even more if the bartender is extra nice and the drinks are extra good.
Sorry, Quiltmaster. Minimum wage for tipped employees = expectation to tip. That's the nation you live in, deal with it.
Do every service employee in the US a favor and do your drinking at home.
Im glad I live in the UK where we don't tip at the bar. Drinks are expensive enough as it is.
Didn't realize how many cheapskates frequented these parts. If you can't afford the tip, you can't afford the meal/drink/haircut/manicure/whathaveyou.
Wow, I never tip at Starbucks! These people get hourly wages and even benefits! I do tip about $2/drink, but I go out for drinks so infrequently (once in a blue moon). Good to know about the garnishes, though!
I'm sorry, but a tip is a gratuity, NOT your wage. It is politic's and your boss' fault if you are making two bucks an hour, NOT the guest's fault. A restaurant that charges $12 for a cocktail and can't pay their staff a decent hourly wage is a restaurant or bar run badly. IF I am meant to pay you a wage of 15% of the cost of my drink, it should be included in the price straight up. If it is not a mandatory fee, then you should be making more money. This is just a way of bullsh!tting the customers into paying higher prices.
I'm have my own company and have 2 employees. Should I pay them nothing (cause $2.13 is nothing) and tell my clients they have to tip them 15%? My employees would probably earn more, but I doubt I would keep my clients very long.
In San Francisco everyone (waitstaff and bartenders included) makes at least minimum wage, which is $10.24 an hour. Bartenders and waiters make that plus tips. Most restaurants also add a small charge to the bill to cover health insurance for their employees. I'm not saying its cheap to live here by any means, but at least we make an attempt to give people a living wage.
I have a huge problem with the tipping issues. I worked my way through med school doing service jobs. Tending bar, Valet parking, Waiter, and other things. I will admit that I and the people I worked with did sometimes get bitter about not being tipped or not tipped enough. You can develop a sense of entitlement in these types of jobs because YOU think you are working hard. No one really cares though. But, were do some of the other commenters get off saying you have to pay 15-20% or stay home. You know what i got told a few times? Don't like what your getting here so quite!!
@Nackie, I'm guessing you don't own a restaurant. Stop blaming the waitstaff. We don't make the rules. These rules have been in place since the beginning of the induction of the restaurant industry AND maybe instead of whining about it, LEARN about it.
If you have a problem with tipping then, stay home. Make your own dinner. Or , have it delivered. End of problem. Not understanding how the restaurant industry serves YOUR needs is part of YOUR problem. No one is forcing you to go to a restaurant.
Stay home if it bothers you that much.
@Mdaleem...are you saying that waiters aren't working hard? Why are we saying to tip between 15 to 20%? Are you kidding? You like so many others have no idea what that percentage means do you? You think the waiters are making up that random number?
Yes, it's all our fault.
You might have gone to Med School but you like a large percentage of people commenting are clueless. I am telling you to stay home because you think that 15 to 20% is a lot of money. It's probably what you spend on a pair of shoes OR what you spend on gas. But you don't even know that.
So stay home. If you're going to be that ignorant about it, why tip the valet? They get a way better hourly wage than a waiter. Learn about why you should tip instead of complaining about it. If tomorrow, all of the restaurants shut down because, it's such a lowly job what would you people do? Complain some more?
You don't get to just throw pennies at someone who just served you food and drink like they are some homeless person. They are people who have families and ENJOY waiting on people. I guess you never thought about that huh? That there are people who actually enjoy the service industry.
You can tell a lot about about person by the way they treat people in the service industry. Every job is sacred FYI. And since when do doctors do their jobs right 100%?
Yet, you still get that big ol' paycheck right MDALEEM?
As for having a sense of entitlement, there is NO one with a bigger sense of entitlement than a doctor so...?
You guys can't even cure the common cold.
@Nackie, you said, I'm sorry, but a tip is a gratuity, NOT your wage. It is politic's and your boss' fault if you are making two bucks an hour, NOT the guest's fault. A restaurant that charges $12 for a cocktail and can't pay their staff a decent hourly wage is a restaurant or bar run badly. IF I am meant to pay you a wage of 15% of the cost of my drink, it should be included in the price straight up.
1. It's not a wage? Then somebody PLEASE tell the government that because apparently, they think it is.
2. It's not the boss' fault but okay, I'll let you believe that.
3. There are restaurant's that charge more than that for a cocktail. You must be use to local pubs were the drinks are watered down. Half of you complaining don't even know what goes into making a drink in the first place.
4. Yeah, that's right, charging 12 bucks for a drink has a lot to do with how the owner pays their waitstaff...wrong again.
5. I am sure, if the owner of a bar/restaurant charged you a gratuity for drinks and food automatically, you'd whine about that also. Yes you would. You don't even know how much 15% is of a 12.00 drink or you'd be embarrassed.
Everyone complaining about tipping 15% on a drink right now does not even know what that amount is or you'd be embarrassed. You should be embarrassed. You throw money away for the smallest things yet you complain about leaving a tip anywhere from 2 to 40 dollars?
And last call means, we're closed. Go home. Not order another drink and hang for another hour. People who camp out when the place is closed...are disrespectful plain and simple.
Both sides are "right" and both sides are "wrong".
In my original comment, I mentioned that I dislike these "rants" because both guest and server/bartender are right. We are all wrong, as well.
A bartender or a server SHOULD NOT expect 15-20+% all the time. The guest is right, in that the tip is for services rendered. (Aside: on a cruise ship, the wait staff is not paid at all. They literally live off of the tips.) I know too many servers that hardly work and walk with more cash than your typical office drone (and they are the first ones to complain about a lousy tip).
On the other hand, the reality in most of the United States, servers make only $2.13/hr and pay some sort of tip-share. One restaurant will not increase wages to livable wages BECAUSE it makes YOUR meal more expensive.
If you have the option of, say, two Greek restaurants and one sells spanakopita at $3 and pays the server the minimum wage or another that sells the same app at $6.50 so they can provide a server a living wage, where are you going to go? (It's a trick question. I know the answer for most people.)
And, seriously, do you want to provide a living wage to someone who really is not meant to be in the service industry? Or, would you rather increase the wages of those who do an excellent job every time you enter that restaurant? If it is the former, it is your steak that is overcooked and your water that is never refilled, not mine.
I am ambivalent about quality issues. Tip should have nothing to do with quality issues. Yet, if the server doesn't realize there is a quality issue, there is something wrong with the server. (I have sent many a chicken breast back to the kitchen before it left expo because it was obviously pink...) Some quality issues are guest perception. Some are kitchen error. Regardless, the server should be aware and be able to resolve those issues.
I have never heard so many people sound so painfully cheap at one given moment. WOW! You get what you pay for. Normally a bartender will greet you with a smile and a good attitude. once you display your inability to tip (or as it seems through this thread, inability to do simple math) that is when you meet the wrath of a bartender ie. nasty/weak drink. Bartenders in the U.S. make sometimes no money per hour and work strictly for tips. If you can't afford to tip, then you shouldn't go out to begin with. I know I don't. if you are a terrible tipper (someone who tips less than 17%....yea you heard me 17) don't be shocked when your bartender serves the entire bar 3 times before walking over to make you the worst drink they can physically pour. You are wasting their time and in turn costing them money.
"If, every time, someone got bad service, told the manager, and left 0 tip, that server will either become a better server or find a job more suited for them."
That's what you think. The reality is that the manager, server, and cook, have spent the last half hour rolling their eyes and hoping you leave so they can fill the table with someone who's more pleasant.
95% of the customers who ever did this to me were angry at problems I couldn't control. I can't make the cooks cook faster, get the hostess to stop seating the entire section at a time, or whatever else is going on that makes people irritated before I even get there. If a customer got rude with me for no reason I knew I wasn't going to make any money anyway. Hence, orders entered after tables that were sat behind you. Medium rare's cooked well, and whatever else I could do to make their day as bad as mine.
Hell hath no fury like a waitress scorned.
@MrsBerg - I pay $12 for a cocktail because it's the only way I'm getting one. Welcome to Western Australia.
Personally, I loved going out for drinks when on holiday in North America. All in all, it shook out to cheaper drinks and better service.
@Zaba - "And, seriously, do you want to provide a living wage to someone who really is not meant to be in the service industry? Or, would you rather increase the wages of those who do an excellent job every time you enter that restaurant? If it is the former, it is your steak that is overcooked and your water that is never refilled, not mine."
Well, actually, yes, I do want to provide a living wage to the people who serve me. It doesn't matter whether I deem that they are "meant to be" in that industry or not. It sounds like you don't quite understand what it means to earn a "living wage".
Do you honestly believe that cultures that aren't steeped in America's ruthless catch-21-situation of a service industry that literally depends on tips for even the most basic subsistence wage, have restaurants and bars that serve disgusting, badly cooked food and drinks, peopled by rude and sloppy staff??
I simply... have no words for you, Zaba. All I can do is facepalm.
First of all, anything I am referring to from this point on is within the boundaries of the United States. I understand that in different countries, there are different standards and ethics towards tipping. But for the sake of argument for anyone who was born in the U.S. and understands the etiquette expected here, and yes, I do refer to it as etiquette because that is what it strictly comes down to, this is where I stand on this discussion.
I understand the logic of tipping $1 on a drink. The standard price of a drink has gone up substantially. Also, I feel like most people who order multiple drinks will end up tipping out the bartender quite a bit of cash, depending on how many drinks they order.
However, a lot of places price their drinks according to the quality of what is going into the drink and how it is crafted. If you're paying $12 for a mojito that does not have fresh mint sprig and crappy mojito mix, then you picked the wrong bar and that problem lies with you. I am also going to make a loose assumption that anyone who thinks that it is ridiculous to tip at least 15%, mind you, in the United States, has not served or tended bar before, and I would ask you to reconsider your opinion, simply because you do not always know what you are talking about. As a server and a bartender, I make $4.95 an hour. Anything that I get tipped gets taken out of my paycheck. Also, as far as servers losing money on people who don't tip accordingly, that is true. What most people forget is that yes, someone who has a $700 tab should be served very attentively, as should the person who ordered only $12 worth, but that attentiveness comes from multiple people. Servers and bartenders tip out bus boys as well as hosts and hostesses. And that tip is a set percentage configured by the company, meaning we don't have a choice as to how much we tip. Taking that logic into consideration, if someone ordered $150 worth of stuff and decided to stiff a server, that server owes money on that bill. It may not be like that at every serving establishment, but every place is different, but the standard of tipping is the same everywhere. These people serve to pay for school, their children and everything in between. The people working these jobs count on their customers to tip according to the quality of service. Not by some crackpot standard you've set for yourself, justifying the reason you have for not wanting to shell out the extra $5 for the tab. I am not talking about shitty servers, because they do not deserve good tips, but do consider the quality of service given to you and tip at least 15% knowing that you were taken care of.
Oh, and NACKIE,
I WISH I could put automatic 15% gratuity on people like you. And it's so wonderful that you mention your theory on servers and bartenders trying to trick you out of a little extra cash. See, these hourly wages are set not only by the company, but also by the government.
Here's a little knowledge I'm sending your way. Call it a gift.
Federal Law
The Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA, sets the federal minimum wage for servers and other tipped employees. The U.S. Department of Labor, which administrates the FLSA, defines a tipped worker as one who regularly receives $30 or more monthly in tips. The FLSA requires the employer to pay a server direct hourly wages of no less than $2.13 per hour. If the employee's tips and direct hourly wages do not equal at least the federal minimum wage -- $7.25 per hour, as of July 24, 2009 -- the employer must pay the employee the difference. The employer can pay a server less than the federal minimum wage only if she earns enough tips to cover the difference. This process is called a tip credit.
We cannot put automatic gratuity on any bill we want to because it is against most company policies. Think before you speak.
@BECSTER.HENRICH Your strategy is perfect.
AntionetteC - This is an honest question, so please do not think it's snarky or trying to argue, but I don't understand where you say "As a server and a bartender, I make $4.95 an hour. Anything that I get tipped gets taken out of my paycheck.". As you explained, businesses must make up the difference if your wage (including tips) is less than the federal minimum. So how would tips deduct from your $4.95 wage? I understand the concept of tip sharing, etc, but I don't understand when you say that anything you get tipped gets taken out of your $4.95/hr paycheck.
It's funny how many people don't know that most waiters/waitresses/bartenders only get paid 2.65 - 3.00 an hour. The catch to that is tip reporting, if you are not reporting enough tips to be paid at least what a minimum wage job would pay, then your employer has to pay the rest. Most service staff make above minimum wage with tips included.
That being said, I have worked as a bartender and a server. I tip well. I never eat fruit or garnishments that come with my drink and I never order after last call (This is just rude). You know what time your state has the bars close, don't order drinks at the last minute. People have to sit around, wait for you to finish and then not tip them.
"If, every time, someone got bad service, told the manager, and left 0 tip, that server will either become a better server or find a job more suited for them."
That's what you think. The reality is that the manager, server, and cook, have spent the last half hour rolling their eyes and hoping you leave so they can fill the table with someone who's more pleasant.
95% of the customers who ever did this to me were angry at problems I couldn't control."
I see your point and have been in that situation more than I can remember. I see it as an awesome opportunity to change a 0% tip to one that is up to 30%. I can't control the bad day the guest is having, but I can help them have the best dining experience possible.
"I can't make the cooks cook faster"
You can be aware of the cook's speed. You can allow your guests to know about it. You can suggest a soup/salad/app, so the guest has something to eat. You can keep your guests informed about ticket times.
"get the hostess to stop seating the entire section at a time"
Yeah, that sucks. But, then you have the opportunity to treat your entire section as one big table. I used to love being triple-sat because, after the chaos, I got a smoke break every time the food was dropped for all of my tables AT THE EXACT SAME TIME.
"If a customer got rude with me for no reason I knew I wasn't going to make any money anyway. Hence, orders entered after tables that were sat behind you. Medium rare's cooked well, and whatever else I could do to make their day as bad as mine."
I remember having those feelings. I think it is the wrong way to deal with guests, but YMMV. I believe that I am there for the guests. People are allowed to have a bad day. Turning their bad day into a good day is an incredibly satifsying feeling.
Choosing to hold their ticket, put the order in wrong, etc. just makes it more likely that you will get a bad tip. Helping your guest out of whatever funk they are in can help line your wallet, give you a better day and give them a better day.
It seems like what I was trying to say got lost. I am more than willing to discuss this via e-mail, if you think that is a better way to understand what may or may not be differences. My e-mail address is email@example.com
On to what I said and your reply:
"@zaba - "And, seriously, do you want to provide a living wage to someone who really is not meant to be in the service industry? Or, would you rather increase the wages of those who do an excellent job every time you enter that restaurant? If it is the former, it is your steak that is overcooked and your water that is never refilled, not mine."
Well, actually, yes, I do want to provide a living wage to the people who serve me.
I agree with you 100%. I also agree that I could have written my comment much better. My point was that, even at $2.13/hr + tips, we end up with some REALLY BAD servers.
Just from my restaurant, here are two easy examples that I think those inside and outside the restaurant industry can relate to:
1. Any dish that has fries should have ketchup on the table before the plate arrives.
2. Dirty plates get taken back to the dishwasher immediately, instead of sitting around somewhere in the view of the guests.
Yet, the staff I work with generally will not do either of these things. We are a high volume, high quality restaurant. I am tired of seeing some of our "servers" sit around and do nothing and expect to get paid for it.
I see where you are coming from. I always over-tip, because I am in the industry. And, in the U.S., we are stuck with $2.13/hr plus tips.
So, we are stuck with what we have.
But, to what I think your point is, no tip AND talking to the manager is a great way to tell someone they may be better suited for another job.
Good servers and good bartenders do just fine. Let the others find a data entry job or some such where they can earn a liveable wage
"It doesn't matter whether I deem that they are "meant to be" in that industry or not. It sounds like you don't quite understand what it means to earn a "living wage".
I understand a "living wage" very well. My argument is that, while most servers and bartenders in the U.S. make 2.13/hr, good servers and good bartenders will do just fine because of their tips.
While I disagree with the minimum wage for tipped employees, I see too many, even at my own place of work, that think they are entitled to more money without actually working.
Do you honestly believe that cultures that aren't steeped in America's ruthless catch-21-situation of a service industry that literally depends on tips for even the most basic subsistence wage, have restaurants and bars that serve disgusting, badly cooked food and drinks, peopled by rude and sloppy staff??
I have not travelled much outside of America, so I can not honestly answer your question. I was speaking to the culture in the U.S. and how quite a few servers should find another job since they do not take care of the guests. I am disgusted with some of the staff that I have to deal with daily. It really bothers me that they think they are entitled to money when all they really do is take orders, rather than give service.
I simply... have no words for you, Zaba. All I can do is facepalm.
Again, I would love to discuss this privately (email@example.com) or in the comments. I probably did not make it clear that, because of how serving wages are paid in the U.S., it makes sense to stiff a crappy server *IF* you also tell the manager in order to help them find a better profession.
P.S. It is Catch-22. You may now continue facepalming.
General rule, if you only have to open/pour... $1 per drink. Doesn't matter if I'm drinking a $2 can of PRB or a $8 local microbrew, if the only work was to open a can or pull a lever on a tap, $1 for the 1 minute or so of your time. I have a lot of friends who are bartenders and consider this fair.
Start mixing things and getting a little more complicated... that tip goes up.
Oke some mind food... I'm from Europand we geta living wage and good / exselent service gets tips works for me and the industry.
Now i went to Japan and yes FOOD DRINKS AND SERVICE is better IT JUST IS bellive me every one thats ever bine there knows..
American breakfast tast better waiters is faster and HUMBLE waitres smilles heck if you like it there is plases with weird cospy outfits gigggli girls and stuff but i mean just a normel ever day place. and here comes the best bit TIPPING IS CONSIDERT A INSULT !! they did a excellent job deliver fast and efficient service and get a good pay for it and you leave them CHANGE like there a HOBO? NOT in Japan.
If a goverment is willing to fix a broke Class system it can work HECK NO it WORKS EVEN BETTER!!
Dis how ever dont make it alright if you KNOW!! a system socks your serving staff is under payd you can just say HECK your problem socccor and walk out with out leaving a desent tip.
Thats all i wanted to add it can work and there is a place where people pride in dilivering a good job and see it as a insult when you leave your spare change hanging around XD
oh and some drunk men math as a help for my American friends.
$5 beer $1 tip is %20
$6 beer $1 tip is %17,5
$7 beer $1 tip is %15 oke a tine bit less but thats a simple tumb nail no? till 7 buck tip a buck easy as apple pie 14 bucks is then the obvious tipping point to go up to 3 buck 21 to 4 and so one we al had thoos in shool i hope 7 14 21 28 you can do it kids lol
Not sure that anyone will be back to read these, it's been a while. But I wanted to answer Tracy and AntoinetteC and add to my defense that I never said I don't tip and I never said people shouldn't tip. I did say it's your boss' and politic's fault that you aren't payed a living wage. You can't tell me that a mojito has a raw worth of almost 12 bucks. It's a quarter of a lime (maybe 8 cents), 4-6 cl of rum (going with a $20 bottle of rum at 75 cl / 25 oz = about 18 drinks, coming up to about $1.20 in rum), a sprig of mint (pennies), a spoon of sugar (pennies) a shovel full of ice (pennies) and a fill up with fizzy water (pennies) we have a product with a raw price of around $1.50 (generously calculated, remember I am using wholesale prices, because the bar owner is not paying normal retail). Add to that cost your fixed costs of glasses, washing glasses, whatever -- let's be generous here -- and we're up to $1.80 for the raw price of this drink. That means that we are working with about 10 dollars per drink to cover the costs of running the establishment including staff. A mojito should take about 3, maximal 4 minutes (slooooow bartender) to make. And in this scenario I am going with the bartender making only ONE drink at a time, just to keep things simple (if it were that way in real life, I would be asking myself if my bartender is right for my bar). So, let's see, average 3 1/2 minutes for one drink should be making at least 14 drinks an hour (in 50 minutes, giving 10 minutes for breaks, cash, whatever). This means the bar owner is making $140 on this barkeeper after the goods have been paid for. You can't tell me that the owner can't afford to pay his barkeep even a measly $15 an hour? If you can't see that it's in your boss' hand to pay you more, then you are blind. Why are you taking it out on the customers?
So, I went through all that math for you to break it down. However, please re-read my comment, I never said it was the SERVER'S or BARKEEP'S fault. I don't fault any server for being employed by these conditions, it is the fault of politics and yes, your boss. We need to come away from the Walmart mentality and pay people wages that they can live on. You aren't an outsourced service, you should not be have to take the hit for bad cooking or things outside of your control. Even if you are an awful server, this should not be reflected in your wage, but in your further employment. A shoe salesperson who does a crap job selling shoes doesn't take a wage hit when a customer leaves dissatisfied, but may not be employed long. I don't see how that should be different from waiting tables.
However, this does NOT change the fact that a TIP is not mandatory but a gratuity, and I still think it's unfair to take your (rightful) anger of your paltry wages out on your customers. Being paid $2.13 is MINIMUM WAGE, your employer CAN pay you more. It is your employer that I say is engaging in false advertising, not that wait staff shouldn't get a tip. But if I went to my clients and said, this is what my service costs but when I write the invoice I tack on another 15-20% for a mandatory gratuity to pay for my staff, that *I* as the employer should be paying, then I will get sued for false advertising. If I quote a job at $10,000 and then, after all is said and done, add another $2,000 because my staff otherwise doesn't get paid enough to live off, then I have calculated my business costs wrong and should not be in business. No where does this reflect on my STAFF, though, so please calm down and read what people write more slowly.


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Lions keep lead in NLA
The Lions win the first derby of the season while Davos wins in a shootout and Zug gets back on track with their 3rd win. Read more»
MODO surprises Färjestad
18 Sep 2014 | Most experts expect MODO to end the season close to the bottom of the standings but today they beat Färjestad 6-2 in Karlstad. Skellefteå and HV71 also got big wins. Read more»
Växjö steals two points from Brynäs
17 Sep 2014 | Brynäs was close to the home win against Växjö but with just three seconds remaining the visitors tied it and then won the shootout. Djurgården beat Leksand in Ericsson Globe Arena and Luleå got a win in Örebro. Read more»
Crazy evening for East Teams in NLA
16 Sep 2014 | ZSC Lions score 6 in a row, Kloten still flying low and Rapperswil with the first win of the season. Read more»
Dunarea Galati fired coach Rauhanen
The moving of Finnish coach Kari Rauhanen from MOL vice champion Corona Brasov to Dunarea Galati of Romanian League was the shocking transfer of the summer for Romanian hockey. After three months and only two official games played in Romanian Cup (one victory one loss), Dunarea announced Rauhanen was fired without further comments(19 Sep 2014)
World Championship to Poland
IIHF announced today that Krakow, Poland will host the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Division I Group A World Championship.
Ukraine was originally supposed to host the championship but withdrew due to the political situation in the country.
SC Miercurea Ciuc won Romania Cup
A goal by Ede Mihaly in the overtime gives 2-1 victory and the Romanian Cup to SC Miercurea Ciuc in the final played in Galati against Corona Brasov(15 Sep 2014)
Neman replaces coach
Belarus champion Neman Grodno sacked Latvian coach Aigars Cipruss due to the poor start in Extraliga and replaces him with Russian Vasili Spiridonov, 63, until 2013 on Metallurg Zhlobin bench with whom he won the league in 2011-2012 season. Cipruss arrived in Grodno last June and won Belarus Cup some weeks ago(15 Sep 2014)
NLB game cancelled
The NLB game between HC Red Ice Martigny and the SC Langenthal today Saturday is postponed.
At least twelve of the Martigny players suffer from food poisoning.
Riley Emmerson received 10-games ban
The Elite League's Department of Player Safety has handed Edinburgh Capitals Riley Emmerson a 10-match ban and fined the club £1,000 because of the injury sustained by Belfast Giants Kevin Phillips as a result of a Emmerson boarding check during the Capitals home game on Sunday 7th September 2014.
Edinburgh have been fined £1,000 for failure to supply the matchnight footage required
Only three teams apply to participate in Ukraine League
An official letter from Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine, reported by Sport.ua, says that three hockey teams - HC Kremenchug, Generals Kyiv and Vityaz Kharkov - confirmed the intention to participate in the championship.
Federation will consider the creation of a league at least with one team more.
Arlan fire coach
Kazakhstan vice-champion and national cup finalist Arlan Kokshetau sacked Slovakian coach Vladimir Klinga after a bad start in Kazakhstan League (1-3 record after 4 games), even if Arlan won last game 14-1 against Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk. Andrei Psarev was named interim coach(13 Sep 2014)
Player of the month
Kaspars Daugavins was named European Player of the Month for March 2014.
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Mastering Peyote Stitch: 15 Inspiring ProjectsDon't get stuck in the beginner's circle. Enjoy a fresh and thorough approach to learning and mastering peyote stitch with 15 innovative styles of this popular beadweaving technique. Learn More
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Beaded Allure eBookLearn how to make exciting & interesting beaded jewelry with the 25 projects featured here. Step-by-step author and artist Kelly Wiese shares her top beaded jewelry making techniques and stitches—great for artists that love the romantic look of beaded jewelry. Learn More
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Beaded AllureFollow along with Kelly Wiese as she takes you through 25 feminine &;amp beautiful beading projects from start to finish. Within these 10 beading techniques and beading stitches you'll discover creative inspiration and a romantic aesthetic. Learn More
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A Beaded RomanceIn A Beaded Romance is a follow-up to the best-selling Beaded Allure, this book will feature 26 beadweaving projects, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings and an anklet, with stitch patterns ranging from beginner to advanced. Beginner beadweavers need not fear, however; detailed, in-depth instruction and clear step photography will guide them through the trickiest stitch patterns with ease. Learn More
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Beadwork Creates NecklacesBeadwork Creates Necklaces is a pattern book, with a collection of 30 sinuous, dazzling, must-have, hand-beaded necklaces with complete, easy-to-follow instructions. Learn More
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Beadwork Creates Beaded BagsWe know you're tired of the same old rectangular amulet bag, so this collection includes innovative clutches, drawstring purses, wrist bags, a market bag, and even an adorable tooth fairy bag. Learn More
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Mastering Beadwork A Comprehensive Guide to Off-Loom TechniquesBased on years of teaching experience, Carol Cypher presents easy-to-understand instructions with informative sidebars to help anyone master beading techniques. Learn More
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New Look Hockey Prospectus is available with new Premium Content!Limited time offer: $9.99 for an entire year!
September 27, 2011
Front Office Focus
Searching For The Next Malhotra
by Ryan Popilchak
One of the great revelations of last season was the value of Manny Malhotra. He was the catalyst that allowed the Sedins to be deployed more offensively than any other top line in the NHL and allowed Ryan Kesler to be the jack of all trades the Canucks needed him to be.
Vancouver spent $7.5 million over three years to ensure that Malhotra would be the forward equivalent of a stay-at-home defenseman and eat all the tough minutes while others basked in the glory of cushy zone starts.
Given Vancouver's success, every GM in the league should be deploying a full-blown search party to look for the next Manny Malhotra. The Canucks were able to demonstrate the value he brings to a team in search of favorable matchups, and just about every team in the league could use someone in a similar role. However, finding comparables to Malhotra's 2010-11 season is practically impossible. Not many forwards face the hardest competition on their team while simultaneously enduring zone start percentages (25%) that make running into Mount Byfuglien seem enjoyable.
Rather than look at Malhotra's incomparable 2010-11 season, we can look at his underlying numbers from the previous three seasons with San Jose and Columbus. There are some clear themes in his performance that indicate his ability to handle such a tough assignment last year.
In the three seasons from 2007-08 to 2009-10, Malhotra regularly faced tough competition and started a large percentage of his shifts in his own end. During that same timeframe, he regularly scored like a marginal top-six forward and was a positive possession player. Using those themes for our search, we were able to look through every player over the past four seasons that played more than 30 games with the following filters:
CorsiRelQoC >= 0.35
Corsi >= 0.0
Zone Start % <= 46.0%
Surprisingly, there were only 32 player seasons out of 3,503 that met the "Malhotra criteria" and Manny himself represented three of those. With less than 1% of all player seasons in our timeframe qualifying, it might be tempting to declare a player of Malhotra's ilk as irreplaceable. That said, part of the reason those seasons are so rare is that coaches are often hesitant to use players in such difficult roles for fear that they'll be overwhelmed. However, when we do find players capable of keeping their heads above water in such difficult circumstances, it's worth looking a little deeper.
Below is a list of all the players who qualified under the "Malhotra Criteria"
Three qualifying seasons
Manny Malhotra (07-08, 08-09, 09-10)
Fittingly, the only player with more than two qualifying seasons was the man the criteria was named after.
Two qualifying seasons
Frans Nielsen (09-10, 10-11)
Jannik Hansen (08-09, 10-11)
Marc Savard (07-08, 08-09)
Ryan Kesler (08-09, 09-10)
General managers across the NHL should be reserving a slot on their roster in 2012-13 for Frans Nielsen. He's in the last year of a deal that pays him $550,000 this season and will be a UFA at the age of 28 next summer. In the last two seasons, his relative Corsi rate has been over 13.0, despite playing tough minutes on a terrible team.
Jannik Hansen played the majority of his minutes last season with Malhotra and Raffi Torres, amassing a pretty solid possession record despite playing tough minutes. However, some of Hansen's best results were recorded away from Malhotra and the uphill work. He's very effective, but his results are certainly clouded by playing with possibly the best defensive center in the game.
Marc Savard gets a lot of credit for being such a great playmaker, and rightfully so. However, he's been incredibly effective in a two-way role, which makes his concussion problems that much more depressing.
It's also no surprise to see Selke winner Ryan Kesler on the list. His two-way game has been well documented, and it just seems like an embarrassment of riches for the Canucks to have three of the top five players on this list. That said, it also speaks volumes about how coach Alain Vigneault deploys defensive forwards as well.
One qualifying season
Patrice Bergeron (10-11)
Kyle Okposo (10-11)
Martin Erat (10-11)
Jeff Carter (10-11)
Vincent Lecavalier (10-11)
David Legwand (10-11)
Joe Pavelski (10-11)
Michael Grabner (10-11)
Sean Bergenheim (10-11)
Eric Belanger (09-10)
Andrew Ladd (08-09)
Dave Bolland (08-09)
Colby Armstrong (08-09)
Loui Eriksson (08-09)
Alex Burrows (08-09)
Jordan Staal (08-09)
Stephen Weiss (08-09)
Mikko Koivu (07-08)
Jeff Halpern (07-08)
Rod Brind'amour (07-08)
Scott Upshall (07-08)
The Florida Panthers additions of Scott Upshall and Sean Bergenheim would indicate that they have wingers to pair with Stephen Weiss on a line that could take the heavy lifting off the rest of their lineup. It adds fuel to the fire that their free spending this summer may have some merit.
The Edmonton Oilers may have a shrewd move on their hands if Eric Belanger can eat a few defensive zone starts while young, offensively-gifted forwards like Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall get more time in the offensive zone.
Martin Erat and David Legwand have long been underrated players, purely because they play in a non-traditional market like Nashville. However, they played a valuable role in allowing some of the team's other forwards easier minutes.
The Islanders young line of Kyle Okposo, Michael Grabner, and Frans Nielsen looks set to be an incredible combo this season. If they can take some of the heat off of John Tavares, the Islanders may have good reason to expect some improvement this year.
Vinny Lecavalier's appearance on this list shows how much his role has changed over the past few years. He's become more of a shutdown center than a leading scorer. He's still poor value for his immense contract, but at least he's playing an important role to free up Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos for offensive duty.
There aren't many players in the NHL that can do what Manny Malhotra can do consistently. He's definitely a unique player. However, using his previous seasons as an indicator of things to come, we can find other forwards who look set to provide that same value. That search, however, is highly dependent on finding players who have been used in similar "tough minutes" roles. Using those filters, the embarrassment of riches in Vancouver becomes apparent and the tragedy of Marc Savard's injury is highlighted. That said, NHL general managers should be pre-drafting contracts for Frans Nielsen in anticipation of free agency this summer.
Ryan Popilchak is an author of Hockey Prospectus.
You can contact Ryan by clicking here or click here to see Ryan's other articles.
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Blackspot Unswoosher
Made with 100% organic hemp and recycled tire soles, they're one of the most Earth-friendly, fair trade shoes in the world. Every boot even features a red sweet spot for kicking corporate ass!
Just imagine a world where only indie music labels, DIY bicycle shops, cottage clothing lines, local hardware stores, co-op fuel stations, renegade restaurants and micro banks rule. Imagine independently owned coffee shops beating out Starbucks in cities around world or a chain of restaurants serving hearty, affordable and locally produced food taking on McDonalds everywhere … and winning.
It's been almost a decade since we embarked on the Blackspot journey, and the goal is still the same — to dethrone the Nikes, Adidases and Reeboks out there by jamming the global shoe industry with a new paradigm of #truecost brand liberation.
Put on a pair of Unswooshers and join us on the streets … together we can wipe out the megacorps' manufactured "hip" and launch an #indiecool movement that builds a new world out of the detritus of the old!
- organic hemp uppers
- recycled tire sole
- hand drawn logo & red sweet spot for kicking Nike's ass
- designed by Vancouver-based footwear-guru John Fluevog
- made in a unionized shop in Portugal
- Black spot logo made out of recycled inner tube
Too big, too small? Not a problem! Just send the shoes back to our Vancouver address in their original condition with a small note detailing your preferred size, and we'll shoot you back a new pair ASAP.
Adbusters Media Foundation
1243 West 7th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6H 1B7 Canada
All Unswooshers are made in a rural area of Portugal, steeped in 400 years of shoemaking tradition. The factory is family owned and has been in business for three decades. Big, wide and well-lit, it is also well-ventilated. The noise level compliance of the machinery is strictly enforced and music is audible wherever you go on the factory floor.
The workday spans from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with 1.5 hours for lunch. Overtime is not compulsory, but when taken the first hour is remunerated at time and a half and then at time and three quarters thereafter. Workers in this factory earn between 485 and 700 Euros per month, depending on their job and seniority. In addition to basic salary, workers receive 25 paid days off and two extra months of pay per year, which works out to 35% above minimum wage. The minimum wage in Portugal is 485 Euros per month.
This Portugal factory is unionized. Union dues are 1% of the members' salaries and about 40% of the workers are registered - those who do not see the need for the union are welcome to operate apart from it. While the union's primary role is to protect workers from unfair dismissals, it also involves itself in wage negotiations and provides workers with legal representation when necessary. Safety equipment is available and checked often. Portugal has a national medical plan for all its citizens. A doctor visits the factory twice a week, and workers are entitled to unlimited, free consultations.
If you have questions or would like to place an order via telephone, Barbara and Brian are available Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST at 1 (800) 663–1243


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Columbus – It wasn't the prettiest of pitching lines by Archer's Nani Cabrales, but when she needed an out, she got it.
Cabrales struck out four and allowed 10 hits, but stranded seven Kennesaw Mountain runners as the Lady Tigers won 7-4 the Class AAAAAA final, completing an unbeaten run in the state finals tournament.
Cabrales had some help. Center fielder Jacqui Switzer ran down a drive into the gap in the top of the fifth that would have scored a run for the Lady Mustangs (33-5-2).
Alliyah Williams had three hits and scored two runs for Archer, which won the state championship in just its fourth year of competition. Her RBI single in the sixth inning plated a key run.
Archer (33-7) scored a pair of runs in the second and two more in the fourth for a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth Kennesaw Mountain capitalized on a two-out error, scoring runs on RBI singles by ReBekah Farris and Maddi Lewis to cut the lead to 4-2.
Archer scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to go up 6-2, and Kennesaw Mountain again cut the lead to two on Kathryn Woody's two-run single.
Jenna Graham's two-out single in the top of the seventh plated an insurance run for Archer, and Cabrales escaped a jam in the seventh to complete the win.
Kennesaw Mountain ended Collins Hill's run of softball championships in the state's highest classification with a 2-1 win in the loser's bracket finals Saturday morning.
Class AAAAA: Union Grove (32-7-2) beat Pope 1-0 and 4-3 to claim the AAAAA crown. In the first game, the Lady Wolverines won in eight innings despite being no-hit by Pope pitcher Kelli Barnhill. Courtney Kenney, who started the eighth on second base under international tiebreaker rules, was sacrificed to third and scored on a passed ball.
In the second game, Pope (29-7) scored twice in the first inning but Union Grove capitalized on four walks to score four runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double by Haleigh Vernon.
Union Grove center fielder Katie Spinks robbed Pope's Ellyn Strother of a game-tying home run before crashing through the fence in the top of the seventh.
Class AAAA: Bayli Cruse's walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth gave Northwest Whitfield (35-3) a 2-1 win over Madison County (34-8).
Emily Boyd pitched a complete game for Northwest Whitfield, striking out seven batters. Madison County took the lead in the top of the eight on a Northwest Whitfield error.
Class AAA: Buford (32-3) got a complete-game shutout from Bria Bush in clinching its sixth straight state championship with a 4-0 win over Ringgold (32-8).
The Lady Wolves, who won the first five titles in Class AA , got homers from Jordan Deep and Noah Sudderth. Bush struck out six as Buford completed an unbeaten run in the finals tournament. Niki Cook singled and scored in the first ining on an RBI single by Tessa Daniels. Deep's two-run shot in the third made it 3-0, and Sudderth's homer in the sixth pushed it to 4-0.
Class AA: Dade County (22-14) dropped the first game to Wesleyan in the championship round, 8-7, but bounced back for an 8-3 win in the clincher, punctuated by a grand slam from Hailey Gass in the top of the seventh inning.
Class A Public: Gordon Lee beat Georgia Military 6-4 in the first came and 3-0 in the clincher to claim its third straight state crown. The Lady Trojans won three loser's bracket games to get to the final round.
In the clincher, Kalei Kimbrell pitched a complete game, striking out four and allowing six hits. The Lady Trojans got an RBI single from Reagan Brown and Tiffany Holland drew a bases-loaded walk to go up 2-0 in the second inning, and Brown's RBI single in the fourth made it 3-0.
Class A Private: Mt. Pisgah (25-9) got a pair of home runs from Courtney Condon in a comeback 9-8 win for the title. Madison Claytor's two-out single in the bottom of the seventh tied the game at 6, and two batters later Condon belted a three-run shot over the right-field fence. Condon also pitched the complete game, escaping a seventh-inning rally by Prince Avenue (25-12).


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EAST COLORADO SPRINGS - Viral Gastroenteritis
Dr. Brad Tewes with Colorado Springs Health Partners says, he's seeing another round of gastroenteritis (Stomach Bug).
He's mostly seeing it in high school and college age kids.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping plus fever and chills.
The illness is lasting about a week.
Dr. Tewes says to cut down on solid food intake to give your bowles a rest and make sure you get plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO SPRINGS - Viral Upper Respiratory Illness
Dr. David Zirkle with Dublin Primary Care says, he's seeing an increase in upper respiratory illnesses.
The most common symptoms are runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing.
You may also experience sore throat, cough, muscle aches and headache.
He recommends getting plenty of rest and drinking plenty of fluids.
Over-the-counter cold remedies may help ease your symptoms.
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Men's Hampden Sterling Silver Men's Cross Name Pendant
Item # WX2-218892
- Google+
This item is shipped directly from the factory. To see the expected shipping date, please add to your Shopping Cart. Sorry, no express shipping available. We are unable to ship factory direct items to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or APO or FPO addresses.
- Details & Specs
Men's Hampden Sterling Silver Cross Pendant. Looking for just the right gift? This time, make it personal.
A handsome Cross Pendant in sterling silver, personalized with the name of your choice for that extra special touch! Have it personalized with up to 8 characters for the special man in your life. Rope chain. 20" chain length. Lobster claw clasp.
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Bridesmaids: 10 Ways Bridesmaids Can Help The Bride
There's something to be said for going above and beyond. Here are 10 nifty ways to give the bride 110 percent.
by The Knot
There's more to being a bridesmaid than parading down the aisle in a pretty pink dress. Celebrate your friend and her groom by helping her out and adding some extra fun to this often stressful, but very special time. Here are some of our best ideas, to inspire you to go above and beyond your bridesmaid duties.
1. Take responsibility for the gift baskets or bags for out-of-town guests' hotel rooms. Include a welcome letter, maps, relevant phone numbers, snacks, postcards, city souvenirs, and suggestions for fun activities.
SEE MORE: 10 Biggest Things Brides Forget!
SEE MORE: 40 New and Beautiful Wedding Invitations
2. Ask the bride when she expects the wedding invitations to be ready and plan an informal gathering. Ask each bridesmaid to bring something to eat, turn on the iPod, and divide the duties of writing addresses, stuffing envelopes, and putting on stamps. Not only will you have fun, but you'll also be helping the bride finish a very tedious job!
3. Offer to help with any celebrations planned for the night before the wedding. Maybe you could organise some decorations or help with the RSVPs.
4. Ward off pre-wedding jitters by creating a distraction — get tickets to a play or even see a movie, one that you know she'd be dying to see if she weren't so busy planning the wedding.
5. Ask what she's drinking at the reception and keep her cup full. Brides seldom make it through the crowd to the bar (just be sure her cup doesn't run over!).
6. If they want guests to use social media and special hashtags, help spread the word on the day and encourage friends to get snap happy.
7. Offer to be the end-of-the-party, final once-over girl — collect the cake topper and toasting flutes, make sure Grandma is escorted to her car, etc.
8. Take her gown to the cleaners after the wedding. Get her gown preserved for when she returns from the honeymoon.
9. Pack a honeymoon "in case you forget" bag: Include a disposable camera, sunscreen, sunglasses, moisturiser, and other toiletries a harried bride might forget to pack.
10. Stock the couple's kitchen with food for their return. The worst trip is the one to the grocery store the night you return from paradise. Help them avoid reality for just one more day.
Image by: The Nichols Photography
What are some ways your bridesmaids have gone above and beyond?
Share your comments on this topic
Write your own tips and ideas to share with other Knotties.
Comments (1)
Pack a mini sewing kit in your bag with white/ivory/cream thread (to mach to brides dress) and thread the same colour as the bridesmaid dresses. This has come in handy for wardrobe malfunctions and quick dress repairs during the night.


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Home Future StudentsCurrent StudentsFaculty & StaffPatientsAlumni
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Contact Information
Department of Emergency MedicineCampus Box B-21512401 E. 17th AvenueAurora, CO 80045
Phone: 720-848-6777Fax: 720-848-7374
Dr. Honigman completed his residency in emergency medicine at Denver General Hospital in 1979. He was the Research Director for 1 year and then was the Editor in Chief at Micromedex developing the EMERGINDEX system which was the first emergency medicine textbook using CD technology. He became Section Head of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Department of Surgery in 1985 and then became Division Head in 1992. During that time he was a consultant at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment where he served as the Medical Director for EMS and Trauma and helped to develop the trauma system for the state. In 2003, he started the Altitude Research Center at the medical school and still functions as its director. He led the effort for the Division of Emergency Medicine to become an academic department in the medical school which occurred in January 2010. He now serves as Interim Chair of that department.
Dr. Honigman has published over 100 papers in the areas of altitude medicine, trauma care and pre-hospital activities. He became a Professor of Emergency Medicine in 2002 and has been instrumental in the development of a strong research and educational program of emergency medicine in the School of Medicine.
Undergraduate Education: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Medical Education: Tufts Medical School, Boston, MA
Internship: Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME
Residency: Denver General Hospital, Denver, CO
Altitude illness
Computers in emergency medicine education
Pre-hospital care and trauma services
© The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. All rights reserved.
All trademarks are registered property of the University. Used by permission only.


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Veterans Information
BenefitsBenefits are available to veterans discharged or separated from active duty under conditions (other than dishonorable) who have completed the required period of service, or U.S. Armed Forces members who die during active duty. Spouses and dependent children of eligible living and deceased veterans, and of current and deceased armed forces members, may also be eligible.Note: The surviving spouse of an eligible veteran who remarried a non-veteran prior to October 31, 1990, and whose remarriage was terminated by death or divorce prior to or on that date is eligible for burial in a national cemetery. A surviving spouse of an eligible veteran who remarried a non-veteran prior to October 31, 1990, and whose remarriage was intact on or after that date, however, is not eligible for burial in a national cemetery. A surviving spouse who remarries a non-veteran after October 31, 1990, is not eligible for burial in a national cemetery.
Burial Grave in a National Cemetery
Headstones and MarkersThe United States Government provides headstones and markers for the graves of veterans and eligible dependents anywhere in the world that are not already marked. Flat bronze, flat granite, flat marble, and upright marble types are available to mark the grave of a veteran or dependent in the style consistent with exiting monuments at the place of burial. Bronze niche markers are also available to mark columbaria in national cemeteries used for inurnment of cremated remains (some cemeteries charge for marker installation).
Burial at SeaBurial at sea is not just a tradition that was practiced by the Navy of old. It is a means of final disposition of cremated and intact remains that is offered to and still utilized by active duty, retired, and honorable veterans of all branches of the United States military. Burial at sea services are performed while the vessel is on official maneuvers; consequently, it is impossible for the family to be present. The family is notified by the commanding officer of that vessel of the date, time, longitude, and latitude of the committal service.
Individuals eligible for this program are members of the uniformed services, veterans discharged under honorable conditions, United States civilian marine personnel of the Military Sealift Command, and dependents of members, retirees, and veterans of the uniformed services.
Presidential Memorial CertificateThe Presidential Memorial Certificate is a parchment with a calligraphic inscription expressing the nation's grateful recognition of the veteran's service. The veteran's name is inscribed, and the certificate bears the signature of the President and the presidential seal in gold foil.
Reimbursement of Burial ExpensesThe United States Government provides a $300 burial and funeral expense allowance for veterans who, at the time of death, were entitled to receive pension or compensation or would have been entitled to compensation but for receipt of military retirement pay. Eligibility is also established when death occurs in a Veterans' Administration facility or a nursing home which the Veterans' Administration contracted, and additional costs of transportation of the remains may be reimbursed in those cases. Claims must be filed within two years after permanent burial or cremation.
United States Burial Flag
How to Contact the Veterans' AdministrationMilitary veterans and their dependents are entitled to a variety of benefits depending on their circumstances. Once you have determined what benefits can be claimed and you have gathered all the forms and information that apply to you, you may contact the Veterans Affairs at (800) 827-1000 or reach them through their website, www.va.gov