window-cleaner 0 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Is there a custom of people buying 'rounds' of drinks over in Japan? Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I sure haven't noticed it. My first weekend in Japan I went out and bought rounds as I would in Hawaii, spent around 100,000 yen but can't recall ever having the act reciprocated. Link to post Share on other sites
me jane 0 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 No custom, unless perhaps you went out with a load of people from a "round" culture country to a foreign type bar where you had to pay per drink, rather than at the end of the night. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 main custom here is splitting the bill by the number of people there. Works well when ya drink a ton, but someone always ends up getting ripped. Link to post Share on other sites
oblivion 5 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I always feel (slightly) sorry for some of the non drinkers at parties. They seem to have to pay the same as everyone else for their 2 orange juices. I always make sure I get my moneys worth at these dos. Link to post Share on other sites
snosurf 0 Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Buying rounds just makes so much more sense than everyone buying their drinks separately. However they rely on everyone following the associated code of conduct. ie you must buy a person a round if he or she buys you a round Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 I know a few people who are very adept at sneaking round the rounds system and getting rather a lot of free drinks. They are renowned for it. Good people, but this one thing gets on all their friends nerves. It's not something that is easy to discuss either Here's a strategy if you are so inclined. Arrive 15 minutes early. Buy one for yourself, then normally it's technically your round and you have to get up to buy the other guy one when your friend arrives. But, as you are early if your pint is less than half, then it swaps and your friend will then feel the need to offer you a refil. Nasty people. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 I had a mate at college like that. He got quite the reputation the tight git. Decent lad as well, but it left people with some bad feelings. Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by pie-eater: but this one thing gets on all their friends nerves. It's not something that is easy to discuss either Why's it hard to discuss? Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 seems simple to me; "hey it's your round!" Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 If I don't know the people then I don't buy rounds, unless the purpose of being there is to specifically have a few drinks together and meet each other in a small group. But even then I may say "I'll buy these drinks", but it isn't a round. I just bought some drinks and don't expect you to buy me one back. When with Australians I sometimes excuse myself from the round buying if there is more than a few people who I cant be bothered being around. If someone wants to buy me a drink then good on them, but don't automatically expect one back. Having said this, I very frequently buy a bottle of wine or champagne, even dinner, for my friends when we are out having a good time together. It is a gesture, not a way to get them to buy me a drink in return. The culture of round buying is based on getting pissed with the highest economy of group effort. That is, getting pissed as easy as you can. And at the same time making sure everyone drinks the same amount (cause no one in Anglo land likes a drinking cheat). I sometimes tell Japanese people that they have to buy me an extra drink because they lost the war. But I have to know them extremely well before I do that. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by pie-eater: Here's a strategy if you are so inclined. Arrive 15 minutes early. Buy one for yourself, then normally it's technically your round and you have to get up to buy the other guy one when your friend arrives. But, as you are early if your pint is less than half, then it swaps and your friend will then feel the need to offer you a refil. Nasty people. hahaha, arrive early. difficult if there are more than one of these cheats in you circle. Almost every place here has a happy hour from 5 to 8 or 9. So if you get a round in happy hour, it's double the number of drinks. Quite hard to get many rounds in, especially when it goes on the tab. Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I have found in Japan most of the time, its just buy one for yourself at a bar or split the tab if in an Izakaya. Rounds suck if you are with heavy or fast drinkers and you either dont want to or physically cant keep pace. I go to a few local places with ticket vending machines for the drinks- I really like that system, no fumbling cash to the barkeep, just give him a ticket. Link to post Share on other sites
misorano 1 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I find the tabehodai/nomihodai places are good. Girlies usually get a cheaper rate. Link to post Share on other sites
js 0 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 From whats been written above, it seems the first rule of 'international' shouting is NOT to include Poms - they're always trying to pull a money-saving scam? I just take turns till I've had enough and politely exclude myself, or better till, change to non-alcoholic drinks - that way ya still got a glass in the mitt. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by snowglider: Rounds suck if you are with heavy or fast drinkers and you either dont want to or physically cant keep pace. My thoughts exactly. I hate having to try and keep pace with faster drinkers (I am not a big guy who can drink fast like a lot of others), and much prefer to enjoy my drinks rather than be forced to scull them and keep up with everyone else. I always feel a bit ripped off when having to buy everyone else drinks and keep up with them just to get my moneys worth. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I didn't know there was so much thought going into drinking. Glider, Subby, bushy - just do what I do and ask for the cash equivalent when offered a drink in a round that you don't want to participate in, but had already bought everyone else a drink so was 'owed' one. Quiet a few times I am only half done with my beer and everyone is moving onto the next round. At that stage you are entitled to demand the cash in lieu of the drink. It really pisses people off as they feel like they are getting nothing for their money. Totally irrational. I have never enforced it, but push my point until my friends get annoyed. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Not a fan of rounds, and noticed when I'm back in England that I'm not used to them anymore and don't know "the rules" (written and unwritten) as well as I used to! Link to post Share on other sites
NisekoPancakes 0 Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I had a friend who was really lazy on the rounds, he was told he was like that but it had little effect. He also got quite the reputation. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 lazy as in tight fisted? reputation as in tight git? I think the rounds thing is a caucasian thing anyway. And cute it is. Link to post Share on other sites
1 4 Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Probably lazy as in stalls when its his round and reputation as in tight git. I had a friend like that. No-one wanted to go out with him. Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 The obligation round thing is only really in the UK in my experience. It has a strange kind of politics that goes with it. I prefer to buy drinks for myself and sometimes for a few other people. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Quote: It has a strange kind of politics that goes with it. You're right. It can get tiring and annoying. I only really do rounds with a group of really close friends. Happily we all drink around the same pace and remember if we miss one. Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 This thread reminds me, you owe us a round pie-eater! Link to post Share on other sites
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