I always tip a dollar, you tip a dollar every beer, it adds up pretty quick. If it's mixed drinks, a little more may be used, but it's not hard to take a beer out of the cooler and take the cap off. In Boston bars, I don't think tipping big will help you get a free drink or anything with the bar tender. There are so many people, I really just don't see it happening. Also, half the time, the bartenders in Boston don't even see who tips them. You pay, get your drink and before you drop the tip hes on to the next person.
This is how I feel too. A dollar for a beer is more than reasonable. If you start getting into mixed drink, then it gets a little cheap I suppose...but for beer, any more is a bit rediculous.
I think Mr. Pink said it best folks:
Nice Guy Eddie: C'mon, throw in a buck!
Mr. Pink: Uh-uh, I don't tip.
Nice Guy Eddie: You don't tip?
Mr. Pink: Nah, I don't believe in it.
Nice Guy Eddie: You don't believe in tipping?
Mr. Blue: You know what these chicks make? They make ****.
Mr. Pink: Don't give me that. She don't make enough money that she can quit.
Nice Guy Eddie: I don't even know a [edit] who'd have the balls to say that. Let me get this straight: you don't ever tip?
Mr. Pink: I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job.
Mr. Blue: Hey, our girl was nice.
Mr. Pink: She was okay. She wasn't anything special.
Mr. Blue: What's special? Take you in the back and [edit]
Nice Guy Eddie: I'd go over twelve percent for that.
[edit-good quote, wrong place. -IP]