[English Dave]

I've better get my tipping head on...... we arrive in LV in a few days. Remind me somebody...... why do we tip bartenders for taking the cap off a bottle of beer?

[PinkString]

Originally Posted by English Dave

I've better get my tipping head on...... we arrive in LV in a few days. Remind me somebody...... why do we tip bartenders for taking the cap off a bottle of beer?

I often wonder that myself. Now if you order a beer, and the bartender stands on his head, and puts the beer on his foot and hops it to you without spilling one drop of it, while smiling the whole time, I think that deserves a tip.

Or..

If the bartender can juggle your beer bottle along with 2-3 others for two minutes without dropping it, that would deserve a tip.

[English Dave]

Originally Posted by PinkString

I often wonder that myself. Now if you order a beer, and the bartender stands on his head, and puts the beer on his foot and hops it to you without spilling one drop of it, while smiling the whole time, I think that deserves a tip.

If he sings at the same time......... he deserves a dollar!

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by English Dave

I've better get my tipping head on...... we arrive in LV in a few days. Remind me somebody...... why do we tip bartenders for taking the cap off a bottle of beer?

Why do I pay VAT in the UK on a pint of bitter? I'm not getting any value added. It's all going to the Queen's corgis anyway.

We each have our screwed up system. Thou shalt not whinge on about it.

[English Dave]

Hi Scoop.......you know how I love a tipping thread! They're sprouting like weeds all over C-D......

[BBMW]

Because if you don't pay it, you don't get your pint?

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Why do I pay VAT in the UK on a pint of bitter? I'm not getting any value added. It's all going to the Queen's corgis anyway.

[ScoopLV]

Exactly -- at least our system is optional. It costs roughly the same for a pint either way. USA = pint + sales tax + tip. England = more-expensive pint + VAT. It's a wash for beer. But for other things, the VAT adds a significant cost to the price of a vacation.

And yet I have yet to find the thread on C-D where frequent American visitors to England complain about how unfair the VAT is. We recognize it's part of the cost of visiting a pleasant, civilized country.

Things are VERY cheap in Somalia, I'm told. No tips or VAT to worry about there.

[English Dave]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Exactly -- at least our system is optional. It costs roughly the same for a pint either way. USA = pint + sales tax + tip. England = more-expensive pint + VAT. It's a wash for beer. But for other things, the VAT adds a significant cost to the price of a vacation.

And yet I have yet to find the thread on C-D where frequent American visitors to England complain about how unfair the VAT is. We recognize it's part of the cost of visiting a pleasant, civilized country.

Lots of pubs in my town sell beer for less than $3 a pint, including VAT, and no tip required. Are there many places in Las Vegas that sell beer for $3 a pint, including the tip? I'm not talking about a bottle here...... a pint of beer.

[yellowsnow]

I used to be one of those bootstraps people. It's easy to be like that when you are making a pile of green sitting in your decent office. You did it and so can everyone else.

Then I moved here and the economy collapsed. I got to know first hand how hard people worked for nothing with no real hope of getting anything better. Honestly most of the people working for these less than liveable wages work harder than I did at my 'good' jobs. I thought I knew it all but I knew nothing.

Did you know McDonald's in Sweden pays $21 per hour? And their Big Mac costs about .50 more than here. And I bet McD's is still making a profit in Sweden.

Drinks in a casino, $1 per drink. Crappy service at a buffet, $1. Good service, $5. Sit down restaurant, 15 to 20%.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by English Dave

Lots of pubs in my town sell beer for less than $3 a pint, including VAT, and no tip required. Are there many places in Las Vegas that sell beer for $3 a pint, including the tip? I'm not talking about a bottle here...... a pint of beer.

Depends on the beer and the location. I can get a pint for $2 (and even $1) plus tip. I can pay more than $10 for a pint of uncommon import. We have "happy hours" and all kinds of crazy promotions.

I have found the price for a pint of decent bitter to be roughly the same. It's a little higher in London, a little less elsewhere. It's a lot higher on the strip. Considerably less off the Strip. Works out the same. This is assuming the US bitter consumer (more likely he or she is drinking an IPA, though) adds the customary tip.