The Gen Z Habit That Annoys Bartenders
As Generation Z continues to age — with the oldest members of the generation currently being 28 — bartenders and servers have had a few years to grow accustomed to the drinking habits and etiquette of Zoomers. While we already know how regularly Gen Z and Millennials look at the phone while they eat and drink, bartenders have found one trend among Zoomers to be especially infuriating — they never want to open up tabs at the bar.
Opening a tab is a practice that sees drinkers leave their credit or debit cards with the bartender, charging drinks to it throughout their time at the bar and paying it all at the end of their visit. Gen Z has utilized the system remarkably less in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, much to bartenders' dismay. Tabs are supposed to make things easier for everyone, as bartenders are more efficient when they don't need to ring up every round of drinks. Without the use of tabs, bartenders are slowed down, customers get less satisfactory service, and everyone involved is having a worse time.
Why does Gen Z never open bar tabs?
So, if bartenders want young customers to open bar tabs because it makes things easier for everyone, why won't Gen Z comply? Well, while The New York Times had several theories on the issue — from Zoomers being non-committal and introverted, to the fact that Gen Z drinks less at bars and concerts than previous generations — the most likely reason surrounds the payment itself. Not only has it become incredibly easy to pay at bars using a card as a result of systems like tap-to-pay, but paying as you drink also prevents you from overspending on your night out.
Business professor Michael McMillan spoke with CBS News about why financially literate Zoomers are less likely to open bar tabs. "You start drinking at 8 p.m. [...] and before you know it, that $50 that you allotted to go out to enjoy yourself has now morphed into $150," he explained, warning against unknowingly racking up a big bar tab. "Just buying drinks-by-drinks, you are keeping track of how much you're spending."