Hey bartender, bourbon drinkers tip more

A recently released study is getting the attention of bartenders and wait staff, pointing to wine and beer drinkers typically leaving smaller tips than those drinking bourbon or other spirits.

The study, conducted by Restaurant Sciences, looked at 4 million restaurant, nightclub and hotel guest checks to determine the average total bill amount per check, as well as the average tip left for wait staff. The study showed that patrons who drank bourbon left an average of a 22.69 percent tip, while those that ordered a blended whiskey were a close second, coming in at 22.67 percent. Rum drinkers were the lowest tippers, coming in at $19.66 percent. Others on the tip list were: Cider - 22.20 percent Gin - 21.67 percent Vodka - 21.27 percent Scotch - 20.12 percent Although scotch drinkers gave one of the lowest percentages in tips, their check total were higher, with an average of $69.14. Despite the lower tip percentage, wait staff of scotch drinkers typically earned an average of a $13.91 tip, while those serving bourbon drinkers averaged $9.60. According to The Spirits Business, spirit drinkers, those that drank bourbon, whiskey, scotch, etc., ran up a bill of $55.19 on average, whereas wine-only drinkers spent the most, coming in at $69.05. Beer drinkers were the most thrifty, spending $38.74 on average. Chuck Ellis, president of Restaurant Sciences, told Boston.com: "Whether consumers ordered beers, wine, or spirits, they generally tipped an above average amount of more than 20 percent per check.” .