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Price of a half pint of beer.

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  • 17-04-2014 2:10pm
    #1
    Simon Peach
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭


    Why is a half pint of beer not half the price of a full pint. Most people just buy a full pint as buying a half is really not worth it. If it were to be half the price, people may drink less and drink driving or just random drunkness may be less of a problem.
    I did ask a pub owner this question but just got an aggressive response about the cost of running a pub.😕


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    #2
    Seaneh
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,300 ✭✭✭✭Seaneh


    Simon Peach wrote: »
    Why is a half pint of beer not half the price of a full pint. Most people just buy a full pint as buying a half is really not worth it. If it were to be half the price, people may drink less and drink driving or just random drunkness may be less of a problem.
    I did ask a pub owner this question but just got an aggressive response about the cost of running a pub.😕


    In pretty much every craft beer pub a half pint is half the price of a pint.


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    #3
    irish_goat
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 5,761 Mod ✭✭✭✭irish_goat


    This comes up every so often and it's down to marginal cost. For comparison, an 8oz steak is never half the price of a 16oz. Staff, heating, electric, cleaning etc all need paid, the amount of liquid you are buying is only part of the cost.


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    #4
    Simon Peach
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭Simon Peach


    irish_goat wrote: »
    This comes up every so often and it's down to marginal cost. For comparison, an 8oz steak is never half the price of a 16oz. Staff, heating, electric, cleaning etc all need paid, the amount of liquid you are buying is only part of the cost.

    This is true but the price is so far off half price that you know they are overcharging. Plus in other countries a half pint is half price so this isn't a strong excuse.


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    #5
    irish_goat
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 5,761 Mod ✭✭✭✭irish_goat


    Simon Peach wrote: »
    This is true but the price is so far off half price that you know they are overcharging. Plus in other countries a half pint is half price so this isn't a strong excuse.

    At the end of the day, the price is always what people are willing to pay.


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    #6
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,373 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Seaneh wrote: »
    In pretty much every craft beer pub a half pint is half the price of a pint.
    In against the grain some are just a little over half, many are exactly half. I often just order 2 halfs at once. Its a good way to try new beers, many of the taster tray things of 3 drinks are not great value. And yes I know many will give a tiny taster for free.
    irish_goat wrote: »
    For comparison, an 8oz steak is never half the price of a 16oz. Staff, heating, electric, cleaning etc all need paid, the amount of liquid you are buying is only part of the cost.
    A meal is a little different as a good bulk of the cost is the masked "cover charge". Whenever I was away in somewhere like holland where small glasses are common we just drank about the same volume in pubs with small glasses as pubs with pints. A restaurant would not be expecting someone who ordered a 8oz steak meal to suddenly feel a bit peckish and order another.

    With the half pint they have the same admin costs of putting money in the till, and getting back the glass & washing, of course a little time saved pouring, and a little more glasses in the machine. But to take it to the extreme, if they were serving shots of beer I would not expect it to be 1/16th the price.

    A small drink in most fast food places is not the same price per ml. I would love if they were legally obliged to charge half the price by the government as some form of anti-binge drinking campaign.


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    #7
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,759 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    I've been banging on about this for years.
    Spirits are priced on a pro rata basis, I don't see why beer can't be too.
    Abbot's and Bierhaus in Cork generally charge half for a half.
    I nearly always drink halves. Sometimes it means I drink a little less, sometimes a little more.
    I also wish that glasses where the rim is the measure mark were a thing of the past - such a rip off imo, especially if drinking expensive beers.


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    #8
    Greenmachine
    Registered Users Posts: 5,063 ✭✭✭Greenmachine


    Would rarely order a half, only ever ordered a half for a family member. It has always been round about half the price of a full pint. I could however count on one hand the amount of times I have had to order a glass of beer.


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    #9
    timetogo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭timetogo


    People say it's to do with the cost of running a pub.
    If I pop in for something to eat I'll have a glass of water. The costs of the soft drinks and half pints aren't worth it for me. So instead of some profit on the drink they get nothing. Go into many pubs that serve food or restaurants and you'll see a fair few people with water.


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    #10
    BaZmO*
    Registered Users Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    Simon Peach wrote: »
    Why is a half pint of beer not half the price of a full pint. Most people just buy a full pint as buying a half is really not worth it. If it were to be half the price, people may drink less and drink driving or just random drunkness may be less of a problem.
    I did ask a pub owner this question but just got an aggressive response about the cost of running a pub.😕

    Don't think of of it as being charged more for a half pint, think of it as the half pint being the real price and when you buy 2 you get a discount.


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    #11
    minidazzler
    Registered Users Posts: 14,739 ✭✭✭✭minidazzler


    The main problem with half pints costing more than half to me is that they are not actually half pints. You get an 8 oz glass of beer while a pint has around 20 oz.

    That said, I've rarely seen it cost much more than half the cost of a pint. It's to do with what people are willing to pay.


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    #12
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,759 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    BaZmO* wrote: »
    Don't think of of it as being charged more for a half pint, think of it as the half pint being the real price and when you buy 2 you get a discount.

    Then why isn't a double spirit cheaper than a single?


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    #13
    BaZmO*
    Registered Users Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    the beer revolu wrote: »
    Then why isn't a double spirit cheaper than a single?

    Spirits by their very definition are more mysterious.


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    #14
    dmc17
    Registered Users Posts: 3,726 ✭✭✭dmc17


    Simon Peach wrote: »
    If it were to be half the price, people may drink less and drink driving or just random drunkness may be less of a problem.

    If it were half the price and people drank less, who takes the hit? ;)


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    #15
    drumswan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,592 ✭✭✭drumswan


    Its already been said that the craft bars do half pints for half the price of a pint, just drink there.


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    #16
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,373 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    minidazzler wrote: »
    The main problem with half pints costing more than half to me is that they are not actually half pints. You get an 8 oz glass of beer while a pint has around 20 oz.
    I have never seen this before, did the glass state it is 8oz or something?

    You constantly see people moaning about plastic glasses not being pints in venues like concerts, I have never got one or seen one. The plastic glasses are typically shorter, with a very wide taper on top so the top inch holds a lot of volume -so it can certainly appear smaller at a glance.

    I believe pint glasses have to be CE certified, so would presume the same of half pints.

    http://www.drinkstuff.com/products/half-pint-glasses.asp
    http://www.nisbets.ie/4/Tableware-and-Bar-Supplies-Glassware-Beer-Glasses-Toughened-Glasses/c04c01c02c02.r10.1


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    #17
    BeerNut
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,783 Mod ✭✭✭✭BeerNut


    rubadub wrote: »
    I believe pint glasses have to be CE certified
    They don't. The only requirement is that they contain what they say they contain. The CE mark just means that the manufacturer has been inspected and is compliant.

    My beer blog | The Twitter | My other beer blog



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    #18
    Tube
    Registered Users Posts: 327 ✭✭Tube


    US and imperial oz are the (almost) same, but a US pint is 16 oz, and imperial pint is 20 oz.

    I think if you've seen a half pint glass that's 8 oz, it's a US glass (possibly a branded glass imported with US beer).

    Plastic "pint" glasses at gigs and so on are frequently 450 or 500ml, and not actual pints.

    CE mark pertains to the product, and the product itself has been certified.


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    #19
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,373 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Tube wrote: »
    Plastic "pint" glasses at gigs and so on are frequently 450 or 500ml, and not actual pints.
    I have never seen a 450ml one in any venue I went to, that is significantly smaller. I can't say I ever saw one that I was sure was 500ml either, any I looked at which did declare the size were pints and CE stamped.

    I saw some thread with people saying the O2 had 400ml plastic glasses selling as pints. I certainly did not get one that size there, maybe it has changed but I still suspect these people are just guessing, I imagine they neither saw it printed on the glass nor took it home to check. As I said before I expect they are eyeballing it and thinking it is much less, as they do look visually look small if you don't cop on how much wider they are. So I don't think these people are lying or anything.

    I have seen smaller glasses for spirits or if they insist on pouring out longnecks, but not pints.
    Tube wrote: »
    CE mark pertains to the product, and the product itself has been certified.
    Not sure what you mean by this? CE marking on the likes of toys can mean it is not hazardous, I think the CE marking on pint glasses is solely to verify volume, I don't think its to do with being safe, or that the plastic is foodgrade or anything.


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    #20
    minidazzler
    Registered Users Posts: 14,739 ✭✭✭✭minidazzler


    rubadub wrote: »
    I have never seen this before, did the glass state it is 8oz or something?

    In all the places I've worked and drank in where I've witnessed people getting "half-pints" The glasses used were either slim jims or similar sized glasses which are generally 8oz. I've never measured but I know for sure they are not a half pint and when I go in tomorrow I'll measure.

    Even the Heineken branded "half" pint glasses seem very very small to me, but I no longer have access to them to check. Though I know when standard glasses are used that they are smaller than a half of an imperial pint.


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    #21
    Seaneh
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,300 ✭✭✭✭Seaneh


    minidazzler wrote: »
    In all the places I've worked and drank in where I've witnessed people getting "half-pints" The glasses used were either slim jims or similar sized glasses which are generally 8oz. I've never measured but I know for sure they are not a half pint and when I go in tomorrow I'll measure.

    Even the Heineken branded "half" pint glasses seem very very small to me, but I no longer have access to them to check. Though I know when standard glasses are used that they are smaller than a half of an imperial pint.


    The standard glass used in most pubs in Ireland the type below. They hold 10oz to the rim. A standard pint glass holds 20oz to the rim.
    Exactly half a pint.


    45487_large.jpg


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    #22
    Mick Murdock
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,543 ✭✭✭Mick Murdock


    A Public House is a business. They would clearly prefer that you'd buy a pint.

    As for people drinking less. That's not exactly in the publicans interest is it? :rolleyes:


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    #23
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,265 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Simon Peach wrote: »
    Why is a half pint of beer not half the price of a full pint. Most people just buy a full pint as buying a half is really not worth it. If it were to be half the price, people may drink less and drink driving or just random drunkness may be less of a problem.
    I did ask a pub owner this question but just got an aggressive response about the cost of running a pub.😕

    Think of it this was.
    33% of the price is for the liquid
    33% of the price is for electricity, rent etc,
    33% of the price is for staff, etc.

    So a half pint costs .33*.5+.33+.33 =84% of the price if a full pint


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    #24
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,265 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    minidazzler wrote: »
    In all the places I've worked and drank in where I've witnessed people getting "half-pints" The glasses used were either slim jims or similar sized glasses which are generally 8oz. I've never measured but I know for sure they are not a half pint and when I go in tomorrow I'll measure.

    Even the Heineken branded "half" pint glasses seem very very small to me, but I no longer have access to them to check. Though I know when standard glasses are used that they are smaller than a half of an imperial pint.

    A half pint is 300ml


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    #25
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,740 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    drumswan wrote: »
    Its already been said that the craft bars do half pints for half the price of a pint, just drink there.

    although (as discussed elsewhere on this forum) the pints are more expensive to begin with.


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    #26
    Tube
    Registered Users Posts: 327 ✭✭Tube


    rubadub wrote: »
    Not sure what you mean by this? CE marking on the likes of toys can mean it is not hazardous, I think the CE marking on pint glasses is solely to verify volume, I don't think its to do with being safe, or that the plastic is foodgrade or anything.

    I mean the product itself complies with whatever standards are applicable to it.


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    #27
    Seaneh
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,300 ✭✭✭✭Seaneh


    loyatemu wrote: »
    although (as discussed elsewhere on this forum) the pints are more expensive to begin with.

    Not really.

    A pint of sweetmans beers is 4 (whatever is the special that week/month) GBB and PH beers are 4.90 - 5.50.

    A pint of heineken in Dublin can be €6 in a lot of places.

    I'd rather bay more for a good beer than less for a **** beer too.


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    #28
    my friend
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,129 ✭✭✭my friend


    Seaneh wrote: »

    I'd rather bay more for a good beer than less for a **** beer too.

    bay on the brain... Hope they're paying you handsomely ;)


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    #29
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,759 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    loyatemu wrote: »
    although (as discussed elsewhere on this forum) the pints are more expensive to begin with.

    That's just not true. It is true that they sell some more expensive products but if you compare like with like, craft beer bars are no more expensive than any other bars.
    my friend wrote: »
    bay on the brain... Hope they're paying you handsomely ;)

    Give it a rest. GBB was one of three bars that he mentioned.


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    #30
    cython
    Registered Users Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭cython


    the beer revolu wrote: »
    That's just not true. It is true that they sell some more expensive products but if you compare like with like, craft beer bars are no more expensive than any other bars.



    Give it a rest. GBB was one of three bars that he mentioned.

    I think you may need to re-read that pair of posts again. I interpreted that comment to refer to the typo of bay in place of pay (see below) in a very tongue in cheek manner, with no actual deeper meaning or suggestion that would be deserving of a response along the lines of yours.....
    Seaneh wrote: »
    Not really.

    A pint of sweetmans beers is 4 (whatever is the special that week/month) GBB and PH beers are 4.90 - 5.50.

    A pint of heineken in Dublin can be €6 in a lot of places.

    I'd rather bay more for a good beer than less for a **** beer too.


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    #31
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,759 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    cython wrote: »
    I think you may need to re-read that pair of posts again. I interpreted that comment to refer to the typo of bay in place of pay (see below) in a very tongue in cheek manner, with no actual deeper meaning or suggestion that would be deserving of a response along the lines of yours.....

    OK, I get it now.
    Chill.


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