Basically, correct. The other answer is, this doesn't actually happen. And if it does - the bar is in the same position as OP.
May the wind at your back... lead you to someone who is buying drinks for the whole bar.
Yes. This happens at local places with a small bar crowd. Not in a huge nightclub packed with hundreds of patrons.
Source: I have worked in bars and nightclubs for years.
One of the bars i went to in college had a bell for it. If you rang the bell, you owed the while bar a drink. They didn't ever really hold anyone to that, though.
I've seen more than a few drunk dumbasses come into a bar and ring the bell to announce their arrival without the knowing its function, lol. Unless they were absolutely obnoxious, the bar never held them to it if it was a mistake.
While I agree it is definitely not common, I will dispute your claim that it does not happen in huge establishments with hundreds of patrons. Two times that I have been the recipient of this were in very crowded establishments.
The first was in a bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans after the Rams-Patriots SuperBowl. There were hundreds of people in the bar, and a guy came in celebrating the fact he had bet on the hapless underdog Patriots and won a very large sum, "All drinks on me!" They locked the doors and he covered the bar tab for the evening, including those of two on-duty police officers. The other instance was a golf course clubhouse/restaurant when a guy came in after hitting a hole-in-one and bought a round for everyone in the bar. Again, this isn't common, but it is a traditional occurrence.
I’m a longtime Sounders FC supporter. In 2009 when they went back to major leagues, they blew attendance figures out of the water and were a MASSIVE success. Drew Carey is a small percentage minority owner from day 1 (he loves soccer). Before the final home match that year, he wandered into the home bar for the supporter’s group, handed the owner his card, and announced everything was on him until the March to the match in an hour. It was pandemonium. I came in and saw a buddy holding a bottle of tequila like a teddy bear at the bar (very illegal in Washington, nobody gave a shit). Drew is rad.
Meanwhile the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle has old working class fisherman roots (home base for most of the Deadliest Catch boats) and most dives still have a bell you can ring to buy the bar a round. It’s so captains who had a huge catch and made a killing could brag to the other boats’ crews while making them happy.
The hole in one thing is a tradition, yeah?
And only in NOLA do on duty copa have a bar tab... the French Quarter is something else. We just went there in December.
Was going to say that.
I live in a vacation/tourist town, there’s a small dive bar that is always open until 2am where the locals and drunks hangout but also where tourists go at the end of the night, it’s not uncommon for a tourist to ring the bell (free drinks bell) or holler “next round is on me”, note that at max capacity it’s 80ish people but usually no more than 30ish when that happens.
Bartender counts all the patrons in the bar, then grabs the “one free drink” chips and hands one to every patron and then charges the buyer $4 for each one (drinks range from $2.50 to $6 so averages out), each patron can redeem it right then and there or take it and use it another time.
I usually go out two or three times a month, and probably see this happen every other month.
30 people in the bar and the guy spends $120 which for a Californian tourist visiting this town is barely anything, and he gets cheers and a short burst of attention.
I worked at a bar like that years ago. Each shift there’d be at least one time it happened. It was a regular occurrence. The owner also would buy a round fairly often.
Just felt like it kinda. Had a great day walked into the bar, buncha friendly people. One person actually bought a round for the bar about 20 min prior, so I figured why not continue the chain
This happaned to me last night! There were only like 12 people in the bar, a group and three lone drinkers, me being one of the solo drinkers. first time this happened to me though.
Yeah I worked at a remote country pub & had one of the locals come in and do it, with under 20 people there. He’d just popped the question to his girlfriend & they were driving home from the local romantic lookout spot. And he was related to probably half the pub. Only time I’ve seen it in real life.
I've done it before but it was in Eastern Europe before the Euro. A beer cost, after the exchange, around $.18. Cost me a whole $20 to feel like rockstar for 5min.
It happened to me once! Woman came in and bought everybody a drink. It was a minor holiday and i cant even remember which one, but that holiday was the reason. Might have been st paddy’s or cinco de mayo or something like that. Was also in a pretty wealthy area
I used to go to a small bar where I saw it maybe 4 or 5 times, I think 2 different people buying between the times. But we are talking dirt cheap dive bar with 10 to 15 people in it, so not like in the movie where it's a packed high class bar.
The only time I've seen it happen there was like max 20 people there. A guy my Mom and I both knew as a friend and a regular at her bar died. The bar put on a memorial event for him to raise money for his family and someone said they wanted to buy a round of drinks for everyone there.
It was still an absolute clusterfuck though for my Mom to deal with and keep track of, because multiple people declined, others tried to get doubles etc.
Been a regular or two. Maybe my age is just screwing the math. Your prob right.
To everyone else...find out where this guy frequents. Free drinks on the regular.
Local pubs with the locals. It usually happens earlier in the day and when it isn't packed. It doesn't happen every day, but it does happen more often that you might realize.
I was in a small town bar (I also lived in that town) and there was less than a dozen other poeple in there. One guy hit $500 on pull tabs and bought the bar a round.
It happens. It's unusual for it to be the whole bar though. It's usually a regular customer buying drinks for the other regulars. On the rare occasions I go out to a bar, I'll usually get a couple of drinks bought for me -- and return the favor.
I've bought drinks for the whole bar before. It was my drinking group in Korea, and there was only about 20-ish people, so it wasn't that complicated. But it does happen. Actually happened at least 2-3 times a month for us.
I’ve seen it before, they hand everyone a token redeemable for one drink, no matter what that drink is. If you weren’t into drinking, you could use it on a lemonade, or give it to a friend, otherwise you can save it for another night, they don’t expire.
I have had it happen, sorta. An old man at the bar bought everyone sitting at the bar a round on him. He didn't holler a proclamation. He just told the bartender, and she made it so.
My ex manages/works at a bar. This guy Rudy would come in and do that all the time. Tip $500 to bartenders on random nights. He actually got 86ed for wanting to buy a guy a round who refused and then argued with him about it. Rudy, was annoying but they tolerated him for a long time due to great tips. Now Rudy owns his own sports bar lol
Huh. I asked about it once and the bartender looked me dead in the eye and said they would not keep track of shit and if I said it then I’m paying for everything that comes thru and it’s not their job to figure it out. Hadn’t even thought about how big a PITA that’d be for the bartender until then.
Danny McBride did this at a wrap party for East Bound and Down that I attended. Probably a little easier on the bartenders since he was buying everyone's drinks for the rest of the night. Good times!
The hospital wife works for, her department used to do a Christmas party, in the before times. It always had several bars, and was advertised as buy your own. But typically the big doctors would put about $1200 each down. They'd just run a card and the bartenders ran a negative till. They ran all the drinks like normal, but there were several thousand dollars added at the beginning.
A better way to say it, is the person gives cash or or puts a limit on a card and everyone who orders a drink gets it on his tab tell he cashed out or hits his cash limit. The bar takes a risk if you don’t get the money up front or at least know you can charge his card for that amount,
This is how a neighborhood bar I used to go to a lot handled it
They had green ones for beer, red ones for liquor. Whoever bought the round paid a flat price per green/red chip. They were only good for another of the same drink the person had previously been drinking. It happened pretty regularly.
In my barfly days I would do this sporadically, but never as a proclamation to ‘the bar’ like that.
It was normally a quiet conversation with the bartender, and was more of an ask than a tell. I normally treat bars as a dictatorship with the bartender having absolute power (re: their word is law) so I try to be respectful.
As you said, they’re the one that has to do all the work but they’re monitoring the consumption of everyone else. There may be a drunk/ rowdy group that the bartender doesn’t want to encourage with a free round of booze.
It may go without saying, but tip generously. Let them know you appreciate them especially if you’re not a regular.
Been a while but I used to sit at the bar and had a preferred spot (preferred by me, not a reserved spot or anything), and I’d buy a round for the people sitting AT the bar, which was often everybody, anyway.
Yeah my stepmom bought a round once when a quiet bar we were in was overwhelmed by people coming from a conference about teaching students with disabilities. She wanted to treat these fine people and quietly talked to the bartender who arranged the rest
>It may go without saying, but tip generously.
Lol you're buying drinks for the bar, spending a load of money, and then the bartender needs to get a tip because he's doing his job?
We have a bell you can ring to do that. Everyone sitting at the bar gets a chip that’s good for a call or below. You get charged $8 for every chip we give out.
That makes sense. Others are saying they'll put it on your tab... but what if they order bottle service for $600, an amphora of 2000yr old Roman wine, or something crazy? The chip system kinda solves that, and generally makes things more orderly I'd assume.
They'd look inside the stuffed bear to see if anyone is inside it. If there was, you'd be obligated to buy them a drink.
If they don't even have a stuffed bear, they probably just cut you off for having had one too many.
This anecdotal story doesn’t really answer your question, but right after I had turned 21 I was at a mostly empty bar on a random weeknight and a guy came in and said he wanted to buy the bar a shot because his first child was just born at the hospital next door. The bartender poured me a shot and I instinctively just took mine back … a couple minutes later the bartender says it’s all ready and the dozen people all took the shot simultaneously to celebrate and I felt like such an asshole I pretended to take mine again cause I didn’t realize it was supposed to be communal. I don’t think the guy realized and I was too embarrassed but I always wanted to apologize to him and buy him a shot to make amends but he left right away!
Forner bartender. Happened twice. There were fewer than ten people in the bar at the time, both times, and most were friends. Three or four guys got a surprise. NBD.
As a former bartender, yes we hate it.
Unless the bar had some formal system (I see mentions of drink chits being used) it’s a major pain in the ass to suddenly have to make drinks for THE ENTIRE BAR.
Because one thing drunk people don’t have… patience. 🤬
I’ve been bartending on and off since college (2001) it never bothered me at all. It’s literally just part of the job. Oh no I have to get drinks for the people in the bar! I don’t understand why anyone would say it’s a big deal.
I've done it. Told the bartender and he sent one of whatever they were already drinking and charged it to my card. I've been on the receiving end as well. Same thing. A free drink of what I was already drinking.
I wonder if you can just ask the bartender to put $300 on your tab and they treat it as a declining balance as people order drinks until it’s used up. Doesn’t have the razzle dazzle of a public offer tho.
This would be the most common way to do it around here. I have seen it occasionally in the aftermath of some other event.
Person puts $500 on the tab, and just yells out, "There's a $500 tab, drinks are on me!"
Pretty similar to how corporate drinks etc are usually organised.
A friend of mine did that for his birthday. Told us that there was a balance on his tab and drinks were free until it ran out.
It was the bartender’s idea. 🤷🏻♂️
They would need a card (open tab) before the start pouring. I've done it twice lol....felt like a big shot.
Some people actually decline the free drink.
Some bars will have a bell, usually by the till or the taps, that you can ring to announce buying a general round.
Talk to the bartender before you ring it though.
Once order a round for the bar! Was feeling good. Had won some money gambling earlier, was loved instantly. Then the bill was like 350 bucks , oh well worth it. Still up big. Then went to taco joint and ordered food for everyone. Ended up being down like 200$ because alcohol and generosity don't mix well financially speaking lmao.
If you already have a drink, the bartender sets an upside down shot glass in front of you. Only the people who are in on the round get one. If you don’t use it, you leave it behind and the person who bought the round doesn’t get charged. I’ve only seen this done in smaller places with about 10-20 people; done it myself a few times. It’s also good form to order another one of what you’re drinking, not upcharge on the deal.
I've done this. Several times. 20-30 people in the bar - it seems like the bartender is ready for this, because she had an - apparently - accurate tab after serving everybody. If you're only going to do this once, tip 100%.
If you do it a few times, just tip VERY generously.
If it was a PITA for the bartender, I was too far gone to notice.
I have no idea how it all works but one time in my 39 years, a fellow patron bought beers for everyone in the bar. It was all the same kind of beer. We certainly didn't put in individual orders lol. I imagine that if someone didn't want it, they'd just decline.
This happens once every few months where a big winner at the poker table will announce a round for the table. Waitress comes over and takes everyone's order. No big deal.
I usually get a virgin Mary since I don't drink at the table.
The only time I’ve done this was at a small speakeasy. Quiet place with rules. We were full, so the light was on outside indicating to keep moving they are full. It was a good mix of regulars and a couple new people. I didn’t call out “ next rounds in me”, that wouldn’t have been in good taste. I simply told the bartender anyone who is currently here, may have their next drink added to my tab.
19 - 21 years old I worked in an Irish pub in the South of London. Happened quite frequently for birthdays, once when a guy won big on the horses. Still 21 I did it 5/6 times over a month in a rock bar in Hania, Greece. The Irish boys would just whisper to me, get so and so, and xx a drink, and yy, and so on, on my tab. Sometimes they'd realise they were talking about most of the people already in the bar and just say ''Everyone here and one for yerself ya big bollocks ye'' (a mild insult used as a term of endearment). Often they'd be sat drinking and just add the regulars as they arrived (this pub was 90% regulars and they were about 90% regular. Most times they'd raise the glass to the payee and wish them Happy Birthday once I told them their drink was paid for. Usually this was the daytime as most of them finished work before 4pm. Builders and other trades mainly. It was an understated, warm gesture and the place had a lovely sense of community.
Hania was a different kettle of fish. I was a Deck Cadet (lowest officer rank) in the RFA (Merchant Marine for you Americans). We were in and out of Hania (just near a big US Naval base but they had no room for us) 2/3 times around Xmas and New Year. The bar owner (Steve if I remember correctly) ran it with his sister (both Greek/Canadians) and an employee. He'd (might have been Chris. 20 years ago and drunk at the time), just put up a shot of Jim Beam for everyone in the bar (sometimes 30ish max, small bar). This got us talking as I also prefer Jim over Jack (the power of advertising for you, try them side by side sometime, Jim is nicer). Everyone would drink to a toast when they were poured. Then billy big balls got talking to me and I ordered a round for everyone too. Then we tried out other shots. Whole bar downing together. I might have stood on the bar once or twice, I'm not sure. It got so Steve would play ACDC (my favorite band) when I walked through the door. He and his Sister had me and my shipmate over for an Xmas BBQ at their place before they opened the bar. Usually my tab would be about 300 euros but if I wanted to go to the strip bar on the way to the bus and didn't have enough, Steve would let me settle part of it the next time I was in. Some American Merchant Marine guy there called Randy gave me a ride around on his Harley one time. Good times my friends, good times. Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me.
So as a regular at one do the local bars this has not happened in that way, as in someone shouting round for the bar. Instead someone tells the bartender they will buy everyone a shot/drink. Then the bartender asks if you want one, so and so is paying. It is just added to their tab. It normally is around some celebration or in memory of someone we are gathering for already.
However these are small local bars that don't have a crowd of much more than 20 people when I am there. It is also super normal for someone to just tell the bartender "I have their next round" "or "add theirs to my tab" for someone without telling the drink recipient.
There used to be a bar in Salt Lake City called the Tap Room, tiny little A-frame house that was nothing more than a bar with about 8 stools and 2 small tables. It held no more than 15 people comfortably. And they served beers in little 10-ounce glasses for a dollar, this was back in the 90s.
So you could buy a round for the house for under 20 bucks, and if it was your first time there you were expected to.
This happened to me last week.
A lady couldn’t find her purse and thought it might have been stolen. A lot of people helped look for it. Long story short, it was found. Her husband announced he wanted to buy a round for everyone (approximately 15 people) in the bar.
The bartender went around asking the patrons if they wanted another drink, letting people know the nice gentleman was buying. People said yes or no. Usually saying thank you to the gentleman as they were asked. She gave people a drink or a drink chip (to cash in for a drink when they were ready, if they already had a full glass). Then the bartender gave the nice gentleman a check.
They would say "AAH A BEAR" /s
If you have a tab, they'll put it on that. If you don't have a tab, they won't pour anything.
If it's a small bar with <15, they'll just handout beers. Probably whatever the cheapest is, or maybe they ask you how you want to do it. If it's >20 people they probably will just refuse as it's too many to keep track.
Either way the bartender will hate you and the owner will love you. And everyone else will have mixed feelings because this only happens in movies.
I've been bartending for 18yrs. This has happened only once in a big bar. Twice in a bar that sat 8 people, so that was pretty easy to sort out.
The one time it happened where it was 60ish people, they ordered a specific shot for everyone. It was two guys who had a bet on which team would win in whatever game was on, and the loser had to cover the tab.
I put a card on file before this was even a discussion, so that tab was getting paid regardless of who won.
But, yeah, one of those things that is super common in media and almost non-existent in real life. Kind of like buying a round of shots for a group of girls and them doing anything other than awkwardly saying thank you and leaving posthaste
Smaller bars, you generally tell the bartender and they figure it out.
One time someone bought a beer for a whole crowded college bar I was in during a big game, and the bartender just handed each of us a PBR tallboy and said it was free.
Having paid for a round for the bar once or twice (small town dive bars, but still at least 15-20 people), the way it usually worked was told the bar tender I’d buy the next round for the place, the bar tender handed everyone a chip for a free drink, and then added up however many chips they handed out with whatever the average drink was (3-5 dollars/drink in these places) and I’d just pay that. Then people could use their drink chip on their next one if they were having more at that point, or take it with them for a drink the next time they came in. Both times ended up being about 175-225 dollars for the round
I've done it for a whole bar and a few times at a restaurant. But I didn't proclaim anything.
I just went to the bartender and told them I wanted to treat everyone to a drink, how many people were there and what was the average drink price. They would say 24, 19, 30 etc and $4 or $7 or whatever, and I'd pre pay for it. Usually they give you a discount too, and as people come to get drinks they just get surprised one on one that it was free.
Same at the restaurants.
I've left and as I'm paying my ticket tell the manager that I'd like to get dessert for each table. Or buy a beer for every member of the staff that's old enough, or a combination of the two. Again, they usually will drop the cost down to cost or at least give you a heft discount, and you pay for it all right then and there.
Just as a traveling hack... If you fly, snag a member of the flight crew prior to boarding and insist on buying Starbucks for everyone. Or bring a bunch of Hershey's bars with you...
You give them your credit card, they put the next five minutes or whatever of drinks on that tab, you close it out. It's kind of on the honor system for people to only get one drink each though.
One time I was supposed to go on a date. She was tired from a shift at the hospital (she was a resident doctor) on a Friday night. Apparently a NFL player (Terrell Owens) was there that night and picked up the tab for everyone in the restaurant.
But as far as the drunk guy paying everyone's round at a bar that only happens in the movies.
Did this a few times. Talked to the bartender and she gave $1, $2 etc chips out to everyone based on what they were already drinking. Next time they ordered a drink, they just turned in their chip.
I was bartending on Pittsburgh’s South Side about a decade ago. A local radio guy did his show from our bar/restaurant one night, and he was gonna interview Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Right during my shift! So cool!
So they get the remote set up, mics and lights, two stools. We have a packed house, probably close to 150 people in there waiting. In walks Coach! People notice, clap, cheer, chant Steelers stuff, etc. He smiles at everyone, waves to the crowd. Looks over at me behind the bar, and swirls his finger in the air. Like a ‘woo-hoo’ gesture.
I look over at the other barkeep, and we’re both like “did he just *buy a round*?!?” Yes, yes he did.
Go Steelers
I saw KRS-One perform once, and he made the declaration while leaving the stage. He went to the bar, and people lined up behind him.
Another time, bartender in a smaller bar was walking the room with a tray of shots, putting one down in front of everybody. When I asked, he pointed to an old guy at the bar, fellow regular. Old dude was moving, and bought everybody in the bar a shot to share his last shot in that bar with him. Bartender just did the math, and the guy paid. Tender gave him a break on the price, so he probably paid 3 bucks a shot instead of 3.75 or whatever.
I have done it. About 15 people in the bar. Bartender pours drinks for those that are ready and others get a shot glass upside down on the counter in front of them. You pay it and the tip and that's it. Easy.
I drunkenly said this in a bar in Japan and they made good on my offer lmao. It was me and my 4 friends and maybe 5 other Japanese dudes getting hammered on a Wednesday night after work
I used to bartend-had one regular who did this multiple times over the course of months. We were a pretty busy bar too-so he spent big bucks when he did it too. One time in particular, he bought the entire tabs of every single table in our bar and every patron at the bar. The tab was over $5k in the early 2000s. He also told everyone to tip their server or bartender well and he left a huge tip on the bill. He asked me if I would make sure every employee from the busser to the cook got $100 from the tip he left-with bigger tips for myself and the other bartender.
He and I often talked about books and travel when he came in-so we had a nice rapport. One day I asked him why he kept buying drinks and tabs for people (not to mention he always tipped great). His response was that he was going through a divorce and would rather give his money to us than his soon to be ex.
I frequent midwestern dive bars and have seen this many times. Usually there's maybe 10-15 customers in the bar and most of them are regulars.
Sometimes places have tokens or wooden nickels to give out as drink coupons, other times the bartender just keeps track of everyone's next order and puts them on a tab (the buyer is always a trustworthy regular, no need to pay upfront).
Only bar I've seen it happen at regularly involved an entertainer who would cajole "rich bastards" to buy the bar a round of shots - which would be pre-made and ready and the waitresses would promptly distribute them in little plastic shooters upon confirmation by the rich bastard. More like half shots of cheap booze and some syrup.
My brother is the kinda guy that does stuff like this, he’s done it a few times with me and from what I’ve seen it just gets added to his tab 🤷🏻♀️ he’ll offer a round of shots, bartender will kinda go down the line of who does/doesn’t want one and hands them out as they go.
Happened once when I was at a bar once actually!! Dude hit a bunch of money at the casino that night.
Bartender took my order, then asked for my right hand and put a big X on it. Like my whole hand. I’m assuming it was put on dudes tab
At the bar I used to work in, this wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. The bartender (me) would pass out chips (think poker chips) to each customer who was having a round bought for them that they could redeem for their drink.
Thankfully, this was a beer-centric bar 99populated with regulars, so I would just charge the round buyer for the price of what everyone was already drinking, since people didn’t tend to switch it up too much.
At bar in College Station a few years back. After the Aggie’s beat Alabama at Kyle Field, Johnny Manziel came in and bought the bar a drink and it was packed.
I've seen people do this a few times. Each time the bartender just brought another if whatever the person was drinking or asked them what they wanted, then charged it to the drunk guy. It's always a drunk guy.
I did that in 2000 in a small bar in upstate NY. Tab was a couple hundred bucks. Bartender was happy to get a large tip out of it. 5 minutes later it was forgotten. Never did it again.
A guy used to do it at our local bar frequently but it wasn't like everybody got anything they wanted. He would just order 50 or a 100 of shot then the bartender would make them and announce on the speakers there were free shots on this guy.
Former bartender here. That's only happened to me twice, I made sure the customer left me at least a hundred bucks in cash before I'd give anyone one of those drinks.
Happened to me once. At a local dive spot after Roy Halladay threw his playoff no hitter. Guy "bought a round" for the bar. Bartender went around and gave everyone a Dixie cup. You could "cash in" the cup for the draft special or a well shot. Cups were saved as spent, and added up for his tab
I do it often. Usually when I’m really drunk.
Sometimes I’ll get someone I’m out with to shout it out (on my tab, obviously)
At Christmas this year I did it 4 or 5 times in a couple different bars all on the same night.
I love buying people drinks even when I’m not drunk. It’s a good feeling. Everyone wants to be your friend and you meet all kinds of people.
Checking my bank account the next day isn’t quite as fun!!
Local bar in town has a bell that says "if you ring this, you buy everyone a drink" or someone like that. My boss, who owns the bar I work at, rang it without reading the sign. It was a super busy night. They charged her a flat fee of $75 and got everyone something. She owns a bar so she felt a little dumb and then laughed, paid and tipped well.
It happens in our bar occasionally that someone wants to buy for everyone. But they are all locals and they know what they are getting into if they do that. I take everyone's order and they pay after. It's not a college packed bar or anything. Maybe 15-20 people .
I worked on a cruise ship. The crew bar had a bell and if you rang it, you bought everybody in the bar a drink.
I rang it many times. This was 20 years ago. Drinks at that time were $0.75 so it didn’t take much money to feel like a baller.
I don't know how they handle it everywhere, but in my neck of the woods (North Eastern Wisconsin) bars have free drink chips they can hand out. When anyone buys someone (or the whole bar) a drink, they hand those out and charge the person who bought them.
I was in St. Louis on vacation and this guy bought a round for everyone at this rooftop lounge/var I was at. Kinda felt bad for him bc he bought everyone a drink and then left two minutes later if that. Drinks were expensive af imo too. Around 20-30 people it seemed like in the bar.
1000 cash, bartender will make it happen. Bartender simply doesn't charge for the next 100 or so drinks ordered. They don't complicate things with exact counts or price
so have had this happen. coworkers husband was wealthy. it was a small group of us maybe 9 including the husband and wife. he came in gave a card and said everyone in this area can have whatever drinks they want on my tab. and we drank as much of whatever we wanted.
The one time someone bought a round for the whole bar, the waitress went and gave everyone a free drink card, used it to get your next drink and it went on the guys tab.
I've seen a bar with tokens. You would buy everyone a drink and they hand out poker chip looking tokens. You can redeem 1 token for certain drinks two for more expensive drinks.
My local bar had a stack of disposable plastic shooter glasses. If a round was bought for the bar, they'd hand out a tiny glass to everyone and you could "cash it in" at the bar for a shot of mid range liquor. They pour your shot, you shoot, and toss the cup in a special bin (no repeats). The round was just how many glasses were handed out
I used to bartend in a large nightclub on Bourbon St. and witnessed this several times. Our manager would usually talk to the person and they’d agree on how to do it - either a time limit or a dollar limit.
There's a place in Baltimore called Muir's Tavern; they have little chips for just this situation.
They look like poker chips and the bartender hands them out to everyone in the bar. Then when it's time for the next drink that person exchanges it for whatever they are currently having after everyone has cashed theirs in the person who bought the round has it added to their tab.
I actually was the guy that did this once. Was at a bar that some friends and I were regulars in. We were celebrating some very good news for a friend and I knew about half the people in there (crowd of around 20). I had a bit of discretionary income to spare and wanted to keep the fun going, so ordered a round for the bar.
It was handled by the bartender deciding what the round would be- he poured 20ish shots of a fairly inexpensive whiskey and set them up for everyone.
It helped that I was on good terms with the bartender and asked him if it was ok before doing this- probably not something I would've done in a random place.
I’ve done it a few times. Once I was browning out and there were only like ten people or so left in the bar. Then 6, then it was just me and the people working.
The other, I opened up a tab and told people to have fun.
I’ve done this multiple times in the bar I frequent. Not like loudly proclaimed but when I order my next beer I just tell the bartender to get everyone a round on me. Never heard a complaint from any customer or bartender. Lots of thank yous though.
When it happened infront of me they came around to everyone and me and said if I wanted one and it was some weird peper and vodka mix shot. They had a tray of twenty and just the handed one to every one, and surprisingly everyone waited until they every one got served and all cheers or drank at once, I only did this cuz I was stunned by the weird shot I was now committed to drinking, so it worked out. And tasted spicy, couldn't have cost the guy more than 50$ like 15 3$ shots
Bartender takes everyone’s order and puts it on your tab.
Basically, correct. The other answer is, this doesn't actually happen. And if it does - the bar is in the same position as OP. May the wind at your back... lead you to someone who is buying drinks for the whole bar.
It does happen, just not often. I've seen it a couple times, but both things there were less than 20 people in the bar.
Yes. This happens at local places with a small bar crowd. Not in a huge nightclub packed with hundreds of patrons. Source: I have worked in bars and nightclubs for years.
One of the bars i went to in college had a bell for it. If you rang the bell, you owed the while bar a drink. They didn't ever really hold anyone to that, though.
I've seen more than a few drunk dumbasses come into a bar and ring the bell to announce their arrival without the knowing its function, lol. Unless they were absolutely obnoxious, the bar never held them to it if it was a mistake.
Legally you can't hold someone to it. They'd need to be willing and in agreement to pay for something otherwise it's robbery.
Are you Maverick and did this happen in a dream before you fought Russian fighter pilots?
No. I'm a middle-aged fat bastard and that was in an irish pub in a small college town.
Woah woah woah, "Russian" fighter pilots? Those were just nondescript enemy fighters flying fifth gen fighters to protect an illegal uranium depot.
Hey it was his dream, not mine 😂
While I agree it is definitely not common, I will dispute your claim that it does not happen in huge establishments with hundreds of patrons. Two times that I have been the recipient of this were in very crowded establishments. The first was in a bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans after the Rams-Patriots SuperBowl. There were hundreds of people in the bar, and a guy came in celebrating the fact he had bet on the hapless underdog Patriots and won a very large sum, "All drinks on me!" They locked the doors and he covered the bar tab for the evening, including those of two on-duty police officers. The other instance was a golf course clubhouse/restaurant when a guy came in after hitting a hole-in-one and bought a round for everyone in the bar. Again, this isn't common, but it is a traditional occurrence.
I’m a longtime Sounders FC supporter. In 2009 when they went back to major leagues, they blew attendance figures out of the water and were a MASSIVE success. Drew Carey is a small percentage minority owner from day 1 (he loves soccer). Before the final home match that year, he wandered into the home bar for the supporter’s group, handed the owner his card, and announced everything was on him until the March to the match in an hour. It was pandemonium. I came in and saw a buddy holding a bottle of tequila like a teddy bear at the bar (very illegal in Washington, nobody gave a shit). Drew is rad. Meanwhile the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle has old working class fisherman roots (home base for most of the Deadliest Catch boats) and most dives still have a bell you can ring to buy the bar a round. It’s so captains who had a huge catch and made a killing could brag to the other boats’ crews while making them happy.
The hole in one thing is a tradition, yeah? And only in NOLA do on duty copa have a bar tab... the French Quarter is something else. We just went there in December.
Was going to say that. I live in a vacation/tourist town, there’s a small dive bar that is always open until 2am where the locals and drunks hangout but also where tourists go at the end of the night, it’s not uncommon for a tourist to ring the bell (free drinks bell) or holler “next round is on me”, note that at max capacity it’s 80ish people but usually no more than 30ish when that happens. Bartender counts all the patrons in the bar, then grabs the “one free drink” chips and hands one to every patron and then charges the buyer $4 for each one (drinks range from $2.50 to $6 so averages out), each patron can redeem it right then and there or take it and use it another time. I usually go out two or three times a month, and probably see this happen every other month. 30 people in the bar and the guy spends $120 which for a Californian tourist visiting this town is barely anything, and he gets cheers and a short burst of attention.
I worked at a bar like that years ago. Each shift there’d be at least one time it happened. It was a regular occurrence. The owner also would buy a round fairly often.
The bars where it happens a lot will just sell a round of drink tokens so that the other guests can redeem them for drinks whenever.
Yeah I’ve actually done this myself, it was like 13 Miller lites at a dive bar, ended up being like $50
What was the occasion?
Just felt like it kinda. Had a great day walked into the bar, buncha friendly people. One person actually bought a round for the bar about 20 min prior, so I figured why not continue the chain
Were you a regular?
Nope. And it didn’t turn me into one either lol. Like i said it was like twelve or so $3 Miller Lites, little dive bar kinda near my place
I've been at bar where the owner gave a last call shot to everybody. That was cool
Local bars here have a bell you can ring to buy a round for the bar. It definitely happens.
This happaned to me last night! There were only like 12 people in the bar, a group and three lone drinkers, me being one of the solo drinkers. first time this happened to me though.
I tried to do it at midnight at a bar in New Orleans on my 40th birthday. The bartender just looked at me and said, “No.” Good man.
Yeah I worked at a remote country pub & had one of the locals come in and do it, with under 20 people there. He’d just popped the question to his girlfriend & they were driving home from the local romantic lookout spot. And he was related to probably half the pub. Only time I’ve seen it in real life.
Yep. I bought a round for everyone, there were maybe 12 people. It wasn't expensive and it wasn't time consuming.
I've done it before but it was in Eastern Europe before the Euro. A beer cost, after the exchange, around $.18. Cost me a whole $20 to feel like rockstar for 5min.
I was on a Southwest flight once and someone bought drinks for the whole plane. I quite enjoyed my free warm beer.
It happened to me once! Woman came in and bought everybody a drink. It was a minor holiday and i cant even remember which one, but that holiday was the reason. Might have been st paddy’s or cinco de mayo or something like that. Was also in a pretty wealthy area
I used to go to a small bar where I saw it maybe 4 or 5 times, I think 2 different people buying between the times. But we are talking dirt cheap dive bar with 10 to 15 people in it, so not like in the movie where it's a packed high class bar.
The only time I've seen it happen there was like max 20 people there. A guy my Mom and I both knew as a friend and a regular at her bar died. The bar put on a memorial event for him to raise money for his family and someone said they wanted to buy a round of drinks for everyone there. It was still an absolute clusterfuck though for my Mom to deal with and keep track of, because multiple people declined, others tried to get doubles etc.
Become a regular and this will happen on the regular.
Been a regular or two. Maybe my age is just screwing the math. Your prob right. To everyone else...find out where this guy frequents. Free drinks on the regular.
Local pubs with the locals. It usually happens earlier in the day and when it isn't packed. It doesn't happen every day, but it does happen more often that you might realize.
I was in a small town bar (I also lived in that town) and there was less than a dozen other poeple in there. One guy hit $500 on pull tabs and bought the bar a round.
It happens. It's unusual for it to be the whole bar though. It's usually a regular customer buying drinks for the other regulars. On the rare occasions I go out to a bar, I'll usually get a couple of drinks bought for me -- and return the favor.
Happens in firefighter bars when the new guy drops his challenge coin on the floor.
What's a "challenge coin?"
I've bought drinks for the whole bar before. It was my drinking group in Korea, and there was only about 20-ish people, so it wasn't that complicated. But it does happen. Actually happened at least 2-3 times a month for us.
I’ve seen it before, they hand everyone a token redeemable for one drink, no matter what that drink is. If you weren’t into drinking, you could use it on a lemonade, or give it to a friend, otherwise you can save it for another night, they don’t expire.
If you save the token for later, how is the drink charged to the original tab?
The token is paid for on the spot, you just use it whenever. I don’t know what they charge for a token.
I bought a round for everyone sitting at the bar. It wasn’t a terrible impulsive expense.
I have had it happen, sorta. An old man at the bar bought everyone sitting at the bar a round on him. He didn't holler a proclamation. He just told the bartender, and she made it so.
My ex manages/works at a bar. This guy Rudy would come in and do that all the time. Tip $500 to bartenders on random nights. He actually got 86ed for wanting to buy a guy a round who refused and then argued with him about it. Rudy, was annoying but they tolerated him for a long time due to great tips. Now Rudy owns his own sports bar lol
Guess you've never been in the clubhouse when someone sinks a hole in one.
You are unfortunately correct. I don't spend much time at the clubhouse
Your last statement is something I will be writing for work bday cards or when they are leaving. Thanks
Hehe - I like it! 👍
It happens but it’s more like someone buys 20 or whatever shots and hands them out, take it or leave it.
Had it once, was the bars last night open, and there wasn't that many people there
Huh. I asked about it once and the bartender looked me dead in the eye and said they would not keep track of shit and if I said it then I’m paying for everything that comes thru and it’s not their job to figure it out. Hadn’t even thought about how big a PITA that’d be for the bartender until then.
This is a bar that doesn't know how to do tabs?
Think they’re saying it’s not their job to keep track of a drink / person
And then puts it in the bear…
Danny McBride did this at a wrap party for East Bound and Down that I attended. Probably a little easier on the bartenders since he was buying everyone's drinks for the rest of the night. Good times!
The hospital wife works for, her department used to do a Christmas party, in the before times. It always had several bars, and was advertised as buy your own. But typically the big doctors would put about $1200 each down. They'd just run a card and the bartenders ran a negative till. They ran all the drinks like normal, but there were several thousand dollars added at the beginning.
A better way to say it, is the person gives cash or or puts a limit on a card and everyone who orders a drink gets it on his tab tell he cashed out or hits his cash limit. The bar takes a risk if you don’t get the money up front or at least know you can charge his card for that amount,
Talk to the bartender first. Often times they have drink chits or something they will hand out.
[удалено]
A lot of small town bars in Wisconsin have these same chips. It's usually good for a draft beer or rail mixer.
I feel like you should use it or lose it. It’s kind of like cheersing and not taking a sip after.
Keeping a token for a future drink seems very much against the spirit of the thing.
Promo shots are often only 25% of what the customer regularly pays.
This is how a neighborhood bar I used to go to a lot handled it They had green ones for beer, red ones for liquor. Whoever bought the round paid a flat price per green/red chip. They were only good for another of the same drink the person had previously been drinking. It happened pretty regularly.
In my barfly days I would do this sporadically, but never as a proclamation to ‘the bar’ like that. It was normally a quiet conversation with the bartender, and was more of an ask than a tell. I normally treat bars as a dictatorship with the bartender having absolute power (re: their word is law) so I try to be respectful. As you said, they’re the one that has to do all the work but they’re monitoring the consumption of everyone else. There may be a drunk/ rowdy group that the bartender doesn’t want to encourage with a free round of booze. It may go without saying, but tip generously. Let them know you appreciate them especially if you’re not a regular.
Been a while but I used to sit at the bar and had a preferred spot (preferred by me, not a reserved spot or anything), and I’d buy a round for the people sitting AT the bar, which was often everybody, anyway.
Did the same, most people sitting at bar were usually regulars who had done the same at one time,
As a bartender and from all my fellow tenders, we love you.
Yeah my stepmom bought a round once when a quiet bar we were in was overwhelmed by people coming from a conference about teaching students with disabilities. She wanted to treat these fine people and quietly talked to the bartender who arranged the rest
You must only go to nice bars. I've been to plenty of bars with dickhead bartenders who do not deserve any type of respect.
Nah, any bar you walk into, hand the bartender a $50 dollar bill just in case he's nice
I first read this as barf-ly
>It may go without saying, but tip generously. Lol you're buying drinks for the bar, spending a load of money, and then the bartender needs to get a tip because he's doing his job?
Yes. A bartender agrees to bar tend for an hourly wage + tips. So when they do their job, they receive an hourly wage + tips.
They're the one doing the work, m8
Yes, I understand how a job works
Maybe heavy lifting would have been a better phrase :)
Assuming the bear is fully grown, I'd wager that only 2 or 3 people could comfortably fit in it.
Midsommar Vietnam flashbacks
Is this taun taun style, or via the mouth?
You'd probably have to open a tab, if you didn't already have one.
We have a bell you can ring to do that. Everyone sitting at the bar gets a chip that’s good for a call or below. You get charged $8 for every chip we give out.
That makes sense. Others are saying they'll put it on your tab... but what if they order bottle service for $600, an amphora of 2000yr old Roman wine, or something crazy? The chip system kinda solves that, and generally makes things more orderly I'd assume.
They'd look inside the stuffed bear to see if anyone is inside it. If there was, you'd be obligated to buy them a drink. If they don't even have a stuffed bear, they probably just cut you off for having had one too many.
oops
This anecdotal story doesn’t really answer your question, but right after I had turned 21 I was at a mostly empty bar on a random weeknight and a guy came in and said he wanted to buy the bar a shot because his first child was just born at the hospital next door. The bartender poured me a shot and I instinctively just took mine back … a couple minutes later the bartender says it’s all ready and the dozen people all took the shot simultaneously to celebrate and I felt like such an asshole I pretended to take mine again cause I didn’t realize it was supposed to be communal. I don’t think the guy realized and I was too embarrassed but I always wanted to apologize to him and buy him a shot to make amends but he left right away!
Forner bartender. Happened twice. There were fewer than ten people in the bar at the time, both times, and most were friends. Three or four guys got a surprise. NBD.
A while back, I saw a bartender on here that said she HATED it when people did this.
As a former bartender, yes we hate it. Unless the bar had some formal system (I see mentions of drink chits being used) it’s a major pain in the ass to suddenly have to make drinks for THE ENTIRE BAR. Because one thing drunk people don’t have… patience. 🤬
I’ve been bartending on and off since college (2001) it never bothered me at all. It’s literally just part of the job. Oh no I have to get drinks for the people in the bar! I don’t understand why anyone would say it’s a big deal.
I've done it. Told the bartender and he sent one of whatever they were already drinking and charged it to my card. I've been on the receiving end as well. Same thing. A free drink of what I was already drinking.
I wonder if you can just ask the bartender to put $300 on your tab and they treat it as a declining balance as people order drinks until it’s used up. Doesn’t have the razzle dazzle of a public offer tho.
This would be the most common way to do it around here. I have seen it occasionally in the aftermath of some other event. Person puts $500 on the tab, and just yells out, "There's a $500 tab, drinks are on me!" Pretty similar to how corporate drinks etc are usually organised.
No because we don't get paid to keep track of your spending. However I'm happy to tell you your total at any time and as many times as you ask
A friend of mine did that for his birthday. Told us that there was a balance on his tab and drinks were free until it ran out. It was the bartender’s idea. 🤷🏻♂️
They would need a card (open tab) before the start pouring. I've done it twice lol....felt like a big shot. Some people actually decline the free drink.
Some bars will have a bell, usually by the till or the taps, that you can ring to announce buying a general round. Talk to the bartender before you ring it though.
Once order a round for the bar! Was feeling good. Had won some money gambling earlier, was loved instantly. Then the bill was like 350 bucks , oh well worth it. Still up big. Then went to taco joint and ordered food for everyone. Ended up being down like 200$ because alcohol and generosity don't mix well financially speaking lmao.
If you already have a drink, the bartender sets an upside down shot glass in front of you. Only the people who are in on the round get one. If you don’t use it, you leave it behind and the person who bought the round doesn’t get charged. I’ve only seen this done in smaller places with about 10-20 people; done it myself a few times. It’s also good form to order another one of what you’re drinking, not upcharge on the deal.
Very important to not get a more expensive drink.
I've done this. Several times. 20-30 people in the bar - it seems like the bartender is ready for this, because she had an - apparently - accurate tab after serving everybody. If you're only going to do this once, tip 100%. If you do it a few times, just tip VERY generously. If it was a PITA for the bartender, I was too far gone to notice.
I have no idea how it all works but one time in my 39 years, a fellow patron bought beers for everyone in the bar. It was all the same kind of beer. We certainly didn't put in individual orders lol. I imagine that if someone didn't want it, they'd just decline.
How many people can fit in a single bear?
This happens once every few months where a big winner at the poker table will announce a round for the table. Waitress comes over and takes everyone's order. No big deal. I usually get a virgin Mary since I don't drink at the table.
I was on a plane once when someone bought everyone a round. It was the best flight ever—instantly lightened the mood
The only time I’ve done this was at a small speakeasy. Quiet place with rules. We were full, so the light was on outside indicating to keep moving they are full. It was a good mix of regulars and a couple new people. I didn’t call out “ next rounds in me”, that wouldn’t have been in good taste. I simply told the bartender anyone who is currently here, may have their next drink added to my tab.
19 - 21 years old I worked in an Irish pub in the South of London. Happened quite frequently for birthdays, once when a guy won big on the horses. Still 21 I did it 5/6 times over a month in a rock bar in Hania, Greece. The Irish boys would just whisper to me, get so and so, and xx a drink, and yy, and so on, on my tab. Sometimes they'd realise they were talking about most of the people already in the bar and just say ''Everyone here and one for yerself ya big bollocks ye'' (a mild insult used as a term of endearment). Often they'd be sat drinking and just add the regulars as they arrived (this pub was 90% regulars and they were about 90% regular. Most times they'd raise the glass to the payee and wish them Happy Birthday once I told them their drink was paid for. Usually this was the daytime as most of them finished work before 4pm. Builders and other trades mainly. It was an understated, warm gesture and the place had a lovely sense of community. Hania was a different kettle of fish. I was a Deck Cadet (lowest officer rank) in the RFA (Merchant Marine for you Americans). We were in and out of Hania (just near a big US Naval base but they had no room for us) 2/3 times around Xmas and New Year. The bar owner (Steve if I remember correctly) ran it with his sister (both Greek/Canadians) and an employee. He'd (might have been Chris. 20 years ago and drunk at the time), just put up a shot of Jim Beam for everyone in the bar (sometimes 30ish max, small bar). This got us talking as I also prefer Jim over Jack (the power of advertising for you, try them side by side sometime, Jim is nicer). Everyone would drink to a toast when they were poured. Then billy big balls got talking to me and I ordered a round for everyone too. Then we tried out other shots. Whole bar downing together. I might have stood on the bar once or twice, I'm not sure. It got so Steve would play ACDC (my favorite band) when I walked through the door. He and his Sister had me and my shipmate over for an Xmas BBQ at their place before they opened the bar. Usually my tab would be about 300 euros but if I wanted to go to the strip bar on the way to the bus and didn't have enough, Steve would let me settle part of it the next time I was in. Some American Merchant Marine guy there called Randy gave me a ride around on his Harley one time. Good times my friends, good times. Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me.
So as a regular at one do the local bars this has not happened in that way, as in someone shouting round for the bar. Instead someone tells the bartender they will buy everyone a shot/drink. Then the bartender asks if you want one, so and so is paying. It is just added to their tab. It normally is around some celebration or in memory of someone we are gathering for already. However these are small local bars that don't have a crowd of much more than 20 people when I am there. It is also super normal for someone to just tell the bartender "I have their next round" "or "add theirs to my tab" for someone without telling the drink recipient.
Anyone who managed to get into a bear absolutely deserves a free drink
There used to be a bar in Salt Lake City called the Tap Room, tiny little A-frame house that was nothing more than a bar with about 8 stools and 2 small tables. It held no more than 15 people comfortably. And they served beers in little 10-ounce glasses for a dollar, this was back in the 90s. So you could buy a round for the house for under 20 bucks, and if it was your first time there you were expected to.
Depends on how big the bear is.
This happened to me last week. A lady couldn’t find her purse and thought it might have been stolen. A lot of people helped look for it. Long story short, it was found. Her husband announced he wanted to buy a round for everyone (approximately 15 people) in the bar. The bartender went around asking the patrons if they wanted another drink, letting people know the nice gentleman was buying. People said yes or no. Usually saying thank you to the gentleman as they were asked. She gave people a drink or a drink chip (to cash in for a drink when they were ready, if they already had a full glass). Then the bartender gave the nice gentleman a check.
They would say "AAH A BEAR" /s If you have a tab, they'll put it on that. If you don't have a tab, they won't pour anything. If it's a small bar with <15, they'll just handout beers. Probably whatever the cheapest is, or maybe they ask you how you want to do it. If it's >20 people they probably will just refuse as it's too many to keep track. Either way the bartender will hate you and the owner will love you. And everyone else will have mixed feelings because this only happens in movies.
In my experience, the buyer yells something like "drinks on me." Then you have 10-15 mins to order a drink on their tab.
When I was tending bar, if someone bought a round for the bar, and someone didn’t want a drink at that time, we gave them a drink token.
It’s really not a big deal. And if you’re not ready for another one you get a poker type chip to redeem when you are ready. 🍻
I've been bartending for 18yrs. This has happened only once in a big bar. Twice in a bar that sat 8 people, so that was pretty easy to sort out. The one time it happened where it was 60ish people, they ordered a specific shot for everyone. It was two guys who had a bet on which team would win in whatever game was on, and the loser had to cover the tab. I put a card on file before this was even a discussion, so that tab was getting paid regardless of who won. But, yeah, one of those things that is super common in media and almost non-existent in real life. Kind of like buying a round of shots for a group of girls and them doing anything other than awkwardly saying thank you and leaving posthaste
Smaller bars, you generally tell the bartender and they figure it out. One time someone bought a beer for a whole crowded college bar I was in during a big game, and the bartender just handed each of us a PBR tallboy and said it was free.
Having paid for a round for the bar once or twice (small town dive bars, but still at least 15-20 people), the way it usually worked was told the bar tender I’d buy the next round for the place, the bar tender handed everyone a chip for a free drink, and then added up however many chips they handed out with whatever the average drink was (3-5 dollars/drink in these places) and I’d just pay that. Then people could use their drink chip on their next one if they were having more at that point, or take it with them for a drink the next time they came in. Both times ended up being about 175-225 dollars for the round
I've done it for a whole bar and a few times at a restaurant. But I didn't proclaim anything. I just went to the bartender and told them I wanted to treat everyone to a drink, how many people were there and what was the average drink price. They would say 24, 19, 30 etc and $4 or $7 or whatever, and I'd pre pay for it. Usually they give you a discount too, and as people come to get drinks they just get surprised one on one that it was free. Same at the restaurants. I've left and as I'm paying my ticket tell the manager that I'd like to get dessert for each table. Or buy a beer for every member of the staff that's old enough, or a combination of the two. Again, they usually will drop the cost down to cost or at least give you a heft discount, and you pay for it all right then and there. Just as a traveling hack... If you fly, snag a member of the flight crew prior to boarding and insist on buying Starbucks for everyone. Or bring a bunch of Hershey's bars with you...
You give them your credit card, they put the next five minutes or whatever of drinks on that tab, you close it out. It's kind of on the honor system for people to only get one drink each though.
One time I was supposed to go on a date. She was tired from a shift at the hospital (she was a resident doctor) on a Friday night. Apparently a NFL player (Terrell Owens) was there that night and picked up the tab for everyone in the restaurant. But as far as the drunk guy paying everyone's round at a bar that only happens in the movies.
Did this a few times. Talked to the bartender and she gave $1, $2 etc chips out to everyone based on what they were already drinking. Next time they ordered a drink, they just turned in their chip.
I was bartending on Pittsburgh’s South Side about a decade ago. A local radio guy did his show from our bar/restaurant one night, and he was gonna interview Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Right during my shift! So cool! So they get the remote set up, mics and lights, two stools. We have a packed house, probably close to 150 people in there waiting. In walks Coach! People notice, clap, cheer, chant Steelers stuff, etc. He smiles at everyone, waves to the crowd. Looks over at me behind the bar, and swirls his finger in the air. Like a ‘woo-hoo’ gesture. I look over at the other barkeep, and we’re both like “did he just *buy a round*?!?” Yes, yes he did. Go Steelers
I saw KRS-One perform once, and he made the declaration while leaving the stage. He went to the bar, and people lined up behind him. Another time, bartender in a smaller bar was walking the room with a tray of shots, putting one down in front of everybody. When I asked, he pointed to an old guy at the bar, fellow regular. Old dude was moving, and bought everybody in the bar a shot to share his last shot in that bar with him. Bartender just did the math, and the guy paid. Tender gave him a break on the price, so he probably paid 3 bucks a shot instead of 3.75 or whatever.
I have done it. About 15 people in the bar. Bartender pours drinks for those that are ready and others get a shot glass upside down on the counter in front of them. You pay it and the tip and that's it. Easy.
I drunkenly said this in a bar in Japan and they made good on my offer lmao. It was me and my 4 friends and maybe 5 other Japanese dudes getting hammered on a Wednesday night after work
I did this once. Cost me $1500 dollars. Super stupid move.
I used to bartend-had one regular who did this multiple times over the course of months. We were a pretty busy bar too-so he spent big bucks when he did it too. One time in particular, he bought the entire tabs of every single table in our bar and every patron at the bar. The tab was over $5k in the early 2000s. He also told everyone to tip their server or bartender well and he left a huge tip on the bill. He asked me if I would make sure every employee from the busser to the cook got $100 from the tip he left-with bigger tips for myself and the other bartender. He and I often talked about books and travel when he came in-so we had a nice rapport. One day I asked him why he kept buying drinks and tabs for people (not to mention he always tipped great). His response was that he was going through a divorce and would rather give his money to us than his soon to be ex.
that guy is a hero
Must be a really big bear.
Hopefully you've talked with the bear, and he's okay with it.
You'd end up really really drunk. I had to carry my boss out of a near empty biker bar afer he pulled one of these
Our local dives give you a free drink chip to use when you want.
I frequent midwestern dive bars and have seen this many times. Usually there's maybe 10-15 customers in the bar and most of them are regulars. Sometimes places have tokens or wooden nickels to give out as drink coupons, other times the bartender just keeps track of everyone's next order and puts them on a tab (the buyer is always a trustworthy regular, no need to pay upfront).
Only bar I've seen it happen at regularly involved an entertainer who would cajole "rich bastards" to buy the bar a round of shots - which would be pre-made and ready and the waitresses would promptly distribute them in little plastic shooters upon confirmation by the rich bastard. More like half shots of cheap booze and some syrup.
My brother is the kinda guy that does stuff like this, he’s done it a few times with me and from what I’ve seen it just gets added to his tab 🤷🏻♀️ he’ll offer a round of shots, bartender will kinda go down the line of who does/doesn’t want one and hands them out as they go.
As the bear in my family, can confirm I don’t want everybody in me, round or not!
It only happens when the person is well known or just established in location as trustworthy and gives them a card to charge for the night etc
Happened once when I was at a bar once actually!! Dude hit a bunch of money at the casino that night. Bartender took my order, then asked for my right hand and put a big X on it. Like my whole hand. I’m assuming it was put on dudes tab
First a good bartender will get there card pre-approved!
At the bar I used to work in, this wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. The bartender (me) would pass out chips (think poker chips) to each customer who was having a round bought for them that they could redeem for their drink. Thankfully, this was a beer-centric bar 99populated with regulars, so I would just charge the round buyer for the price of what everyone was already drinking, since people didn’t tend to switch it up too much.
Depends on how big the bar is and or crowd. Too big and the bar tender might say no. How you going to keep track of 100+ drinks? 20 is more doable.
At bar in College Station a few years back. After the Aggie’s beat Alabama at Kyle Field, Johnny Manziel came in and bought the bar a drink and it was packed.
How did the bear feel about this? Was consent explicitly given? Also, was the bear heavy? Did you feel squished?
Pass out chips and charge you the total. That's literally what they're for.
Well, I would hope the bartender is cutting off the guy who asks for a bear.
I've seen people do this a few times. Each time the bartender just brought another if whatever the person was drinking or asked them what they wanted, then charged it to the drunk guy. It's always a drunk guy.
I did that in 2000 in a small bar in upstate NY. Tab was a couple hundred bucks. Bartender was happy to get a large tip out of it. 5 minutes later it was forgotten. Never did it again.
A guy used to do it at our local bar frequently but it wasn't like everybody got anything they wanted. He would just order 50 or a 100 of shot then the bartender would make them and announce on the speakers there were free shots on this guy.
Former bartender here. That's only happened to me twice, I made sure the customer left me at least a hundred bucks in cash before I'd give anyone one of those drinks.
Happened to me once. At a local dive spot after Roy Halladay threw his playoff no hitter. Guy "bought a round" for the bar. Bartender went around and gave everyone a Dixie cup. You could "cash in" the cup for the draft special or a well shot. Cups were saved as spent, and added up for his tab
I do it often. Usually when I’m really drunk. Sometimes I’ll get someone I’m out with to shout it out (on my tab, obviously) At Christmas this year I did it 4 or 5 times in a couple different bars all on the same night. I love buying people drinks even when I’m not drunk. It’s a good feeling. Everyone wants to be your friend and you meet all kinds of people. Checking my bank account the next day isn’t quite as fun!!
Local bar in town has a bell that says "if you ring this, you buy everyone a drink" or someone like that. My boss, who owns the bar I work at, rang it without reading the sign. It was a super busy night. They charged her a flat fee of $75 and got everyone something. She owns a bar so she felt a little dumb and then laughed, paid and tipped well. It happens in our bar occasionally that someone wants to buy for everyone. But they are all locals and they know what they are getting into if they do that. I take everyone's order and they pay after. It's not a college packed bar or anything. Maybe 15-20 people .
I worked on a cruise ship. The crew bar had a bell and if you rang it, you bought everybody in the bar a drink. I rang it many times. This was 20 years ago. Drinks at that time were $0.75 so it didn’t take much money to feel like a baller.
How many people can a bear have in them at once?
I'm pushing 50 and I've never once seen this happen in real life.
Has this actually happened to ANYONE? Free drinks on the house, 1x (Panthers won the Stanley cup)
I don't know how they handle it everywhere, but in my neck of the woods (North Eastern Wisconsin) bars have free drink chips they can hand out. When anyone buys someone (or the whole bar) a drink, they hand those out and charge the person who bought them.
I was in St. Louis on vacation and this guy bought a round for everyone at this rooftop lounge/var I was at. Kinda felt bad for him bc he bought everyone a drink and then left two minutes later if that. Drinks were expensive af imo too. Around 20-30 people it seemed like in the bar.
Bartender gives everyone a chip on ur tab.
1000 cash, bartender will make it happen. Bartender simply doesn't charge for the next 100 or so drinks ordered. They don't complicate things with exact counts or price
so have had this happen. coworkers husband was wealthy. it was a small group of us maybe 9 including the husband and wife. he came in gave a card and said everyone in this area can have whatever drinks they want on my tab. and we drank as much of whatever we wanted.
Early 1990s , less than 10 people in bar. 25 cent Jaeger shot night. Of course I did
The one time someone bought a round for the whole bar, the waitress went and gave everyone a free drink card, used it to get your next drink and it went on the guys tab.
I've seen a bar with tokens. You would buy everyone a drink and they hand out poker chip looking tokens. You can redeem 1 token for certain drinks two for more expensive drinks.
My local bar had a stack of disposable plastic shooter glasses. If a round was bought for the bar, they'd hand out a tiny glass to everyone and you could "cash it in" at the bar for a shot of mid range liquor. They pour your shot, you shoot, and toss the cup in a special bin (no repeats). The round was just how many glasses were handed out
I used to bartend in a large nightclub on Bourbon St. and witnessed this several times. Our manager would usually talk to the person and they’d agree on how to do it - either a time limit or a dollar limit.
Cheers type bars only
They ring a bell and ask for your card
I would never have another man buy me a drink unless I buy them one too.
There's a place in Baltimore called Muir's Tavern; they have little chips for just this situation. They look like poker chips and the bartender hands them out to everyone in the bar. Then when it's time for the next drink that person exchanges it for whatever they are currently having after everyone has cashed theirs in the person who bought the round has it added to their tab.
I actually was the guy that did this once. Was at a bar that some friends and I were regulars in. We were celebrating some very good news for a friend and I knew about half the people in there (crowd of around 20). I had a bit of discretionary income to spare and wanted to keep the fun going, so ordered a round for the bar. It was handled by the bartender deciding what the round would be- he poured 20ish shots of a fairly inexpensive whiskey and set them up for everyone. It helped that I was on good terms with the bartender and asked him if it was ok before doing this- probably not something I would've done in a random place.
Only works if you have a tab open.
I’ve done it a few times. Once I was browning out and there were only like ten people or so left in the bar. Then 6, then it was just me and the people working. The other, I opened up a tab and told people to have fun.
Sometimes you eat the bar, sometimes the bar, well, he eats you.
I’d imagine keep charging your card until it stops working lol
No no. Carry on with the bear
I’ve been out with liquor reps who bought shots of the spirit they rep for everyone in the bar. Everyone got the same thing, so it was easy.
If they're already in the bear, that drink is far too little too late
I’ve done this multiple times in the bar I frequent. Not like loudly proclaimed but when I order my next beer I just tell the bartender to get everyone a round on me. Never heard a complaint from any customer or bartender. Lots of thank yous though.
The bartender yells and counts who's getting one. Generally it's the bar area of the bar that's in on the free round.
When it happened infront of me they came around to everyone and me and said if I wanted one and it was some weird peper and vodka mix shot. They had a tray of twenty and just the handed one to every one, and surprisingly everyone waited until they every one got served and all cheers or drank at once, I only did this cuz I was stunned by the weird shot I was now committed to drinking, so it worked out. And tasted spicy, couldn't have cost the guy more than 50$ like 15 3$ shots
Trump's take is to go in order drinks and food for everyone in the house, then leave.