# POS for bars in Thailand: tabs, drink commission and barfines

> beevity keeps a tab open for each table or seat for as long as the night lasts, counts commission on every drink for the person named on the line, and runs barfines on a timer with their own commission. Voids and price changes are logged with the name of whoever made them.

Source: https://beevity.io/industries/bars/  
Updated: 10 November 2026

## At a glance

| Item | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Typical businesses | Beer bars, cocktail bars, pubs, karaoke lounges, hostess bars |
| Tabs | One open ticket per table, seat or place at the bar, open as long as you need |
| Drink commission | A percentage, or a fixed baht amount per drink, for whoever is named on the line |
| Barfines | Preset 3, 6, 12 or 24 hours, or an open day rate, with extensions |
| Measures | A recipe takes, for example, 4 cl from the bottle’s stock |
| Service charge | Optional, and never part of the commission base |
| Corrections | Line voids need a reason; after 10 minutes also a PIN |
| Happy hour | From 1 December |

## What does a bar need that a shop till does not?

A shop sells and the customer leaves. A bar keeps a bill open for three hours while four people add rounds to it. The till has to know who served each drink, because that person is paid for it, and it has to give a straight answer at 2 a.m. about who still owes what.

beevity is built around that night. Each table, seat or place at the bar can hold one open ticket. Staff add rounds to it from any tablet. The guest pays at the end with cash, PromptPay QR, card or transfer, or splits the bill across several of them.

## How does drink commission work?

Each line on a tab names the person who earns from it. Usually that is the person who took the order, but the cashier can pick someone else, or several people.

Rates work per drink or per baht:

| Rate type | Example | Lek’s commission on 5 cocktails at 220 THB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fixed per drink | 40 THB per cocktail | 200 THB |
| Percentage of the net price | 15% after VAT | 154 THB |
| Tiered by drinks per day | 10% up to 20 drinks, 15% after | Depends on her count that day |

Drinks that guests buy for staff, often called lady drinks, usually pay a fixed amount per drink. Set it on the product once and every one sold is counted for the person named on the line.

Commission on an open tab stays on hold. It is released only when the bill is paid in full, so staff are not paid for drinks the bar never got paid for.

## How are barfines handled?

A barfine is the fee a guest pays the bar when a staff member leaves with them before the end of the shift. In beevity it is a timed booking for that staff member:

- Presets of 3, 6, 12 or 24 hours, or an open day rate charged per started day.
- Extensions add time and a fee.
- The commission on the fee is held while the barfine runs, released when it is completed, and voided if it is cancelled.

The owner edits the packages and prices. Cancelling a barfine needs the matching permission.

## How do I stop drinks and cash from disappearing?

Three things do most of the work:

1. **Stock that follows the recipe.** A cocktail can take 4 cl of rum from a bottle tracked in centilitres. A void puts it back. Stock counts, waste and deliveries are recorded with a reason.
2. **Voids with rules.** The person who booked a line can remove it within 10 minutes. After that it takes their PIN or a manager’s PIN, and always a reason.
3. **A log of overrides.** A price typed in by hand, a credit limit passed, a commission paid out: each is written to the audit log with the name of the person who did it.

At handover, the shift report shows expected cash, counted cash and the difference.

## Can I run happy hour?

Happy hour pricing [goes live on 1 December](/features/menu-tools/): a set price, an amount off or a percentage off per drink, inside the time windows you choose, with the regular price shown on the receipt.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can staff earn a fixed amount per drink instead of a percentage?

Yes. Set a fixed baht amount on the product or in the staff member’s template, and every unit sold on a line with their name counts. A tray of five cocktails at 40 THB each is 200 THB, whatever the cocktails cost.

### What happens to commission if a table walks out without paying?

Commission on an open tab is held, not paid. An unpaid tab releases nothing. If a manager voids the lines, the held commission is removed with them.

### How are barfines handled?

A barfine starts a timer for the staff member with a preset package or an open day rate. Extensions add time and a fee. The commission on the fee is held while the barfine runs, released when it is completed and voided if it is cancelled.

### Can I write a note about a guest on the tab?

Yes. Each open ticket has an internal note of up to 120 characters, such as which guest pays or what they usually drink. It is never printed on a receipt or a kitchen ticket and is cleared when the bill is paid.

### Can two tables be combined into one bill?

Yes. Running tabs can be merged, and a tab can be split by seat or by chosen lines. Commission and any running timers move with the lines.

## Related

- [Open tickets & tables](https://beevity.io/features/open-tickets/)
- [Commission engine](https://beevity.io/features/commission/)
- [Timed services](https://beevity.io/features/timed-services/)
- [Payments & receipts](https://beevity.io/features/payments/)
- [Stock & recipes](https://beevity.io/features/inventory/)
- [Security & PDPA](https://beevity.io/features/security-pdpa/)

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beevity (ทีมขยัน กำไรหวาน) · beevity is a point-of-sale and booking system for Thai businesses whose staff earn commission: massage shops, spas, salons, clinics, bars, restaurants and resorts. beevity goes live in Thailand on 1 December 2026. These are the final testing days. Businesses on the waitlist get the first setup dates. Waitlist: https://beevity.io/waitlist/