AA Domestic Admirals Clubs to Offer Complimentary Alcoholic Beverages

[notzac]

One less thing I’ll have to worry about when I get to the US. Will tipping still be a part of getting a free drink do you think though?

Very much so. Going rate is a dollar bill per drink.

Pro tip: if you're at a (regular, not-airport) bar, the tip for the first drink is 100% of the drink cost - ensures v prompt service for the follow up beverages (which you'd revert to $1 tips for)..

 

[dajop]

Wonder if this is a bit of one upmanship prior to United and Continental joining forces.

Sounds related. Pre-empting what will happen with lounges following the merger - and when UA's RCC's (which don't offer complimentary bar) become merged with CO Presidents Clubs (which do have a complimentary bar). If RCC's adopted the current policy in PC's then AA would have little choice but to follow.

 

[Foreigner]

The drink chits I got on my last visit to the USA were date and airport stamped so mine could not be traded.

One has made a good book mark.:idea:

Why didn't I think of that! I have chits from way back in 2006 though I did tender a few of them well past stamp date with a dollar bill on top.

 

[Danger]

Good news. It must be going to cut into their bottom line big time.

 

[tuapekastar]

The press release states that premium alcohol will be available for purchase. IMHO QF should insist on continuing the free drink chits for the premium stuff

A very good point PF, and the subject of much speculation over on FT. Will be interesting to see if chits are still issued to those people currently entitled to them.

Also wonder whether the bevvies that are becoming complimentary will be self-serve or continue to be served by bar staff (hence involving a tip) - I suspect they will remain served by people, as self-serve is going to take a lot of tips away from the barkeeps!

 

[samh004]

Very much so. Going rate is a dollar bill per drink.

I suspect they will remain served by people, as self-serve is going to take a lot of tips away from the barkeeps!

Seems like a backwards world. If they want tips, provide good service. Popping a bottle cap on a beer isn’t that, I can do that myself. It shouldn’t be my fault their country fails to provide a decent minimum wage.

Bottom line, I wouldn’t tip. I’m a student after all!

 

[notzac]

Seems like a backwards world. If they want tips, provide good service. Popping a bottle cap on a beer isn’t that, I can do that myself. It shouldn’t be my fault their country fails to provide a decent minimum wage.

Sorry, don't buy that at all - consider that many things are (much) cheaper in the US; drinking at a bar included. Service is rarely included in the price over there. When in Rome...

Bottom line, I wouldn’t tip. I’m a student after all!

Being a student doesn't excuse you I'm afraid. Tipping in the US for hospitality staff is a very well established practice and is to the point where the IRS automatically assumes that staff in the service industry earn a percentage of their income via tips (and tax them accordingly). Like it or no, by not tipping you're effectively denying them income.

I'm not suggesting that you should take pity on them and pay ridiculous tips -- and if you're in receipt of poor service, you should adjust your tipping accordingly.

 

[medhead]

Sorry, don't buy that at all - consider that many things are (much) cheaper in the US; drinking at a bar included. Service is rarely included in the price over there. When in Rome...

Therein lays the failure of the system. There is no self service option. The service is part of the process for buying a drink. Hence it should be included in the price. In the case of a bar the serving person is there for efficiency to maximise sales and to prevent theft. The bar keep is not there to serve the customer but rather to protect the owner. Why make someone pay for that in the guise of service.

I'm perfectly capable of going to a fridge and getting a beer.

 

[notzac]

Therein lays the failure of the system. There is no self service option. The service is part of the process for buying a drink.

We're really starting to derail the thread here, but .. in Australia/Europe/Most Civilised Countries, I think there's a realisation that service is an integral part of the product (in this case: a nice cold gin and tonic), and service is very much included in the price ($8 - $10 at most bars).

In the US, service isn't included in the price and thus the same thing tends to costs less - last time I was in the US, a G&T would set me back $5 or less at most places - and for bonus points, the drinks tend to be quite a bit boozier than they are here!

I prefer how things work here in Australia, but tipping in the US isn't the bad thing it's made out to be.

 

[medhead]

I have no problem with tipping in general. Just in cases where something that is really a business cost (due to the choice of the owner or laws involved as for a bar) is put into others as a service.
Sorry for diverging.

 

[samh004]

We're really starting to derail the thread here, but .. in Australia/Europe/Most Civilised Countries, I think there's a realisation that service is an integral part of the product (in this case: a nice cold gin and tonic), and service is very much included in the price ($8 - $10 at most bars).

In the US, service isn't included in the price and thus the same thing tends to costs less - last time I was in the US, a G&T would set me back $5 or less at most places - and for bonus points, the drinks tend to be quite a bit boozier than they are here!

Just going to have my final say before I put this thread back on topic. I can understand the service in a G&T, but as medhead said, I can get a beer from a fridge and pop the top very easily myself. :-|

 

[dajop]

last time I was in the US, a G&T would set me back $5 or less at most places

There's another thread on that .... called "Falling (help)" .....which means that the $5 could be $8-$10 or it could come to be $4.50 soon ...

Sort of back on topic, once I was watching foreigners handing over drink chits at AC's (this was some years ago) and not too many of them came with $1 notes .... think the bar tenders, particularly in airports like LAX that are full of tight-as#ed Aussies are probably used to it.

 

[timster]

So we used to get free drinks. And now we still get free drinks. But it's still $10
plus tip for a sandwich. I hate AA lounges.

 

[kpc]

WiFi is free for actual Admiral's Club members or those that cough up the one day fee - not for those that enter using their QP or shiny oneworld cards.

This is ridiculous!:shock:

 

[straitman]

Seems like a backwards world. If they want tips, provide good service. Popping a bottle cap on a beer isn’t that, I can do that myself. It shouldn’t be my fault their country fails to provide a decent minimum wage.

Bottom line, I wouldn’t tip. I’m a student after all!

Sorry, don't buy that at all - consider that many things are (much) cheaper in the US; drinking at a bar included. Service is rarely included in the price over there. When in Rome...

Being a student doesn't excuse you I'm afraid. Tipping in the US for hospitality staff is a very well established practice and is to the point where the IRS automatically assumes that staff in the service industry earn a percentage of their income via tips (and tax them accordingly). Like it or no, by not tipping you're effectively denying them income.

I'm not suggesting that you should take pity on them and pay ridiculous tips -- and if you're in receipt of poor service, you should adjust your tipping accordingly.

Sam,

I have to totally agree with notzac on this one.

If you do not tip do not be surprised when you don't get any further service.

It is a different system that you have to learn to live with. Paying $10 plus a $2 tip is the same as paying $12 up front.

 

[samh004]

Paying $10 plus a $2 tip is the same as paying $12 up front.

Which I could totally understand if it wasn't complimentary

Regardless, I'm yet to visit the states on my own (last did so as a child) so will inevitably learn by then. But it does seem hard in an increasingly plastic world to tip... I never carry cash in Australia for instance.

And I thought America was the most plastic place in the world

 

[serfty]

Which I could totally understand if it wasn't complimentary

Regardless, I'm yet to visit the states on my own (last did so as a child) so will inevitably learn by then. ...

And I thought America was the most plastic place in the world

Try meeting a few Fters in the states for 'complimentary' Gold/Diamond HHonors breakfast and seeing them deposit a couple of greenbacks each on the table before they leave.:shock:

FWIW, there is a US Government mandated minimum wage for people who are working in designated roles where tipping is the norm of USD2.13 per hour.

In some states, this figure is overridden where the rate is higher (e.g. a little over USD8 in California).

 

[blueflamenco]

Which I could totally understand if it wasn't complimentary

Regardless, I'm yet to visit the states on my own (last did so as a child) so will inevitably learn by then. But it does seem hard in an increasingly plastic world to tip... I never carry cash in Australia for instance.

And I thought America was the most plastic place in the world

How do you get away with not carrying cash in Australia? After moving back here from the US I was caught out a number of times because I didn't have cash. How about those pesky "No eftpos under $10" signs?! In the US you can use your keychain Mastercard for a pack of gum.

But yes - you should have a stash of $1's on you if your in the US.

 

[samh004]

How do you get away with not carrying cash in Australia? After moving back here from the US I was caught out a number of times because I didn't have cash. How about those pesky "No eftpos under $10" signs?! In the US you can use your keychain Mastercard for a pack of gum.

I don’t buy gum?

I dunno, I do my shopping once a week in a big batch, the lowest recently I’ve paid is for a McFlurry (and extras) in Maccas and that was around the ~$5 mark.

I grew up in HK where everything, until recently, was cash, but the taxi’s here even have eftpos, so I’m sorted no matter where I go. If I know I’m going to need it, I’d withdraw some, but nearly everywhere I don’t.

 

[straitman]

And I thought America was the most plastic place in the world

But yes - you should have a stash of $1's on you if your in the US.

Sam,

You need a stash of $1 notes in the USA to simply get by.