Separate Drink Tabs: Bartender Frustration & Gen Z Spending
- A growing trend among younger bar-goers is drawing the ire of bartenders: paying after each drink rather than running a tab.
- Fox News Digital spoke with Derek Brown, a bartender and founder of Drink Company, a hospitality consulting agency in Washington, D.C., about this payment trend.
- Brown explained that bartenders have numerous responsibilities during their shifts,and constantly closing out tabs for patrons ordering only a few drinks takes up valuable time.
Bartenders are increasingly frustrated with the rising trend of separate drink tabs, a habit primarily driven by younger bar-goers. Explore why these patrons,particularly from Gen Z,prefer this method and the impact it has on bar service. This shift, highlighted by News directory 3, sees customers opting to pay after each drink, a practice that substantially slows down bartenders during busy periods. While some patrons see it as a tool for managing their alcohol consumption and finances, bartenders are finding it unequivocally annoying. Derek Brown, a hospitality consultant, reveals the challenges faced by bartenders. Discover how this trend is reshaping the bar experience and how bars might adapt. What adaptations will be required to balance customer preferences with efficient service? Discover what’s next in the evolving world of bar etiquette and finances.
Bartenders Irked by Millennial Trend of Paying Per Drink
Updated June 29, 2025
A growing trend among younger bar-goers is drawing the ire of bartenders: paying after each drink rather than running a tab. According to The New York Times, this habit is becoming increasingly common among those born in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Fox News Digital spoke with Derek Brown, a bartender and founder of Drink Company, a hospitality consulting agency in Washington, D.C., about this payment trend. He confirmed that closing out after every drink is “unequivocally” annoying for bartenders.
Brown explained that bartenders have numerous responsibilities during their shifts,and constantly closing out tabs for patrons ordering only a few drinks takes up valuable time. He added that while this generation may be especially prone to this habit,every generation has its quirks that annoy bartenders.
The constant interruptions to process individual payments can be especially frustrating during busy periods. Brown said that having to turn away from making drinks to process a payment, while also maintaining a congenial attitude, can be “a really, really annoying habit.”
Some younger patrons claim that paying as they go helps them better manage their spending and monitor their alcohol consumption.
“Once you’ve had two drinks, then the third one comes a lot faster and easier.”
Brown acknowledged this potential benefit, stating that closing out each time does allow individuals to more closely monitor their alcohol intake.
What’s next
As this trend continues, bars may need to adapt their service models to accommodate the preferences of younger patrons while minimizing disruptions to bartenders’ workflow.