Inexpensive beverage options

Every weekend I go out and have one of three beers at a given (dive) bar, Miller High Life, PBR, or Natural Light. Every once in a while ill grab a Hudy Delight for $1.50 at a local joint. All of these beers are a tier of their own, shunned by many drinkers with a developed palate that even include younger folk who have found the enlightened path of foriegn (expensive) beer.

However, these "well beers" are great for the round system. When buying rounds for 3 or 4 people, a four or five dollar tab including a one dollar tip can not only make the buyer happy (for it doesn't break his wallet) but everyone else happy as well, because deep down no matter what the label says, everyone loves a free beer. And the benefit I receive from buying a cheap beer for a friend far outweighs the benefit of purchasing an expensive beer for myself.

Last weekend, I came across an interesting dilemma, at a local bar where $1 beers are served an alternative existed, $5 for all the beer you could stand. The choice seems obvious and I have made it many times and ended up getting my dough's worth, but I did not plan on staying long so I figured two beers at $1 and a tip would be enough...........my mistake.

Some of my friends went for the $5 all you could drink, and from their choices I should have as well. However this proved not to be my biggest mistake. Talking to my friend who works the door at this bar, he was angry this $5 deal was going on, as it was a way to avoid tipping all together! If you drink the $5 all you can drink, you dint have to tip since the bartenders aren't serving the beer and have been muscled out of the process! I know this seems clear as day, but it didn't even cross my mind, and it hit me like play action hits a 7 man defensive front.

So now I know, its not about the $5 up front fee, but the tipping that adds up when buying individual rounds. Maybe its like my friend said, "I would rather tip my friends than drink all I can stand out of a keg." I just don't know if I feel the same way every weekend and next time ill go for the $5 deal.