Buying rounds of drinks: The Rules

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raleighnut

Legendary Member
This reminds me of the fellow down the local pub about 20 years ago who'd bum a cigarette then cheekily ask for another 2. One for before he went to bed and one for "the morning". The next time you'd see him down the pub he'd only give you 2 not 3 ciggies back. Bad enough but the cheeky git would then repeat the whole process of ciggy bumming!:cursing: He must've been taught this by his dad, as I used to clean HIS windows until I gave up when the git wouldn't pay for months then insist he only owed you for 2 cleans not 3!:cursing:
A similar one but with beer used to be pulled by a couple of guys in my local, they'd walk into the pub, chat to someone for a bit and wait til a 'mug' they knew went to the bar and stand next to them with 2 quid in their hand then ask said 'mug' for a pint as that was their last £2. DAMHIKT. :cursing:
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
The OP forgot the number 1 rule for a 17 year old. Make sure you get your round in Wetherspoons!
 

vickster

Squire
This reminds me of the fellow down the local pub about 20 years ago who'd bum a cigarette then cheekily ask for another 2. One for before he went to bed and one for "the morning". The next time you'd see him down the pub he'd only give you 2 not 3 ciggies back. Bad enough but the cheeky git would then repeat the whole process of ciggy bumming!:cursing: He must've been taught this by his dad, as I used to clean HIS windows until I gave up when the git wouldn't pay for months then insist he only owed you for 2 cleans not 3!:cursing:

Why didn't people just tell him to bog off when he asked for more cigarettes?!
 

PaulSB

Squire
It's not unusual round here to simply say "no thanks I/we will get our own"

TBH I thought buying rounds died out years ago. The OP's rules are spot on from memories of my youth.
 
I was brought up teetotal due to a relative being murdered in a pub so all this culture is even now a bit alien.
In sixth form on a field trip I'd have soft drinks while the rest stacked glasses and equated it with being 'manly', and even forbid me to leave until they'd finished 'their pint'.

Then there's the 'works do' around town where I stood and watched people's IQ drop while they told me how great a friend they were to me, and how I should leave my car, get drunk, and get a £50 taxi home.

So yes, be fair, don't expect to be paid for. But I'm not blowing all my money to buy something to pee against the wall 20 minutes later. I don't understand drinking as a social activity.
 

Starchivore

I don't know much about Cinco de Mayo
I think buy your own is preferable though (unless there's only two of you). That way everyone can drink at their own pace, have as many/as few as they like, no politics or confusion or worries, and only end up paying for what they set out intending to (that might not be an issue for some, but for people on tight budgets like me it is).
 
I was back home a couple of weeks ago and met up with my old group of mates 2-3 times.

There were seven of us, but arrived in drifts and drabs. The first four settled into one group (two rounds each) and the others stayed in as a threesome and had six beers. That's how we've always done it, and no-one takes the pi$$ as we all, bar one, drink bitter. The other one, a multi-millionaire, drinks that cold, fizzy, tasteless shite. And to his credit he always buys an extra round for everyone at the end (and not just to be flash) if they're up to it.
 
OP
OP
nickyboy

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
I think buy your own is preferable though (unless there's only two of you). That way everyone can drink at their own pace, have as many/as few as they like, no politics or confusion or worries, and only end up paying for what they set out intending to (that might not be an issue for some, but for people on tight budgets like me it is).

Round buying in a busy pub is good. It lets everyone stay chatting in a group while one person gets drinks, rather than everyone going to the bar. Almost takes as long to get one drink as it does to get several in a busy pub. But, as is clear from the posts, it's a minefield
 

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
Hang on, I've just cottoned on to what this is all about. It's a bit like the wave at/don't wave at other cyclists discussion. At the end of the day it is up to the individual, it isn't a competition, there is no compulsion either way and it doesn't prove/disprove 'manliness'. In fact, politely excluding yourself from rounds and standing up to the group/mob mentality is far more manly than just joining in like a sheep when actually you don't want to.

Each to their own.....
 

Mad Doug Biker

Banned from every bar in the Galaxy
Location
Craggy Island
Round buying in a busy pub is good. It lets everyone stay chatting in a group while one person gets drinks, rather than everyone going to the bar. Almost takes as long to get one drink as it does to get several in a busy pub. But, as is clear from the posts, it's a minefield

But what still don't understand is why (as long as they aren't taking the p***), exclude, or suggest to exclude people on cheaper drinks? If they pay their round too, then what does it matter?
 
I'd not be drinking with anyone who takes 2 hours to drink 3 or 4 pints!!

Yeah, 3-4 beers an hour is about the right pace for me, depending on the length of the session: it used to be 3-4 hours, but long gone are the days where I drank 10+ beers. Less to do with getting drunk (I drink real ale, so anything between 3.8% and 5%) but more to do with having to keep getting up all night to have a pi$$.
 
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