It's actually illegal in Texas to pass on CC fees to customers. The only way around it is to discount cash purchases. BUT that isn't what I'm talking about in this scenario. In this scenario you are choosing whether or not to passing on sales tax which is completely legal.

It appears that most of you could care less BUT the ones of you who do care are VERY vocal about it. That was my concern when I posted this. So bars are simply going to have to raise prices across the board or lose money on this deal.

Well, I'm pretty sure that would be at minimum a $6 drink so yeah, they would get at least a buck.

I tip $1 a drink.

That's kind of the way taxes work.

I think you need to make sure the opinions you listen to come from the right demographic. People that understand the difference between a bar, and the place you order a beer from while you wait for your table at Applebees.

has nothing to do with being cheap man. Generally a $2 drink is a flippin beer. You don't get a $1 tip for taking off the cap for me. this is one of the reasons I stay away from the bar and sit at a table.

Not really with sales taxes. The advertised price stays the same and you see the change on the tax line. That is why this is a unique situation. In Texas before Jan 1st (next year) you couldn't add taxes to the tab if you wanted to. Illegal.

So a waitress hands you a beer and you tip 40 cents?

Do that at a real bar and don't expect her to be back anytime soon.

"here's two dollars, cutie. And the 4 dimes are for you"

Rubing two dimes together just doesn't have the same zip it use to, I guess.

Well yeah, your prices go up the customers' prices go up, wether it be from price increases from suppliers or taxes. There is no way around that.

I will even supply the line to use with customers when they bitch about it. You simply tell them it is a tax, they HAVE to pay it. Now, they can either pay the full percentage on all of their purchases, or the price of drinks can go up slightly so the burden is shared by everyone and you end up paying a little less than the full percentage.

True, It will also depend a lot on what all the other bars do. I know for a fact that restaurants will switch to the new system where they build the 6.7% tax into the price but pass the 8.25% on to customers. They were the group that lobbied for the change to begin with. Airport and hotel bars where you always get a printed bill with your total will switch as well. But I just can't see busy downtown bars ringing up and handing out a bill for every purchase. So it makes zero sense for them to do anything other than A)pass it on when they do credit card tabs or B)raise prices across the board

Just curious.

I run a tab and pay at the end of the night.

I'm a cash user at the bar anyways. I don't like screwing local businesses over on credit card fees to them.

So it doesn't really affect me.