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1->''"OK everybody, for the next 15 minutes, one-third off on every pitcher. One per customer. Domestic beer only. Hey, no sharing!"''
2-->-- '''Moe Szyslak''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E10BartGetsHitByACar Bart Gets Hit by a Car]]"
3
4In a moment of celebration (or madness), someone announces that everyone's drinks are on them! They might be a bartender, or a well-off patron, a celebrity, or just an excitable party guest who is three sheets to the wind-level-drunk, but who cares who's paying for it? It's free booze! Expect a spontaneous cheer to erupt as patrons rush to the bar to get their complimentary drinks.
5
6Reasons to do this vary almost as much as reasons to drink in the first place. Maybe the buyer just won the lottery, got a big promotion, their favorite team won, or it's their first day of freedom from jail. Maybe there's a tense situation between a couple of patrons, and someone wants to avert a BarBrawl or a riot, or [[WeNeedADistraction distract everyone]] to escape the [[{{City Guards}} guard patrol]] that just entered. Maybe they're just [[AlcoholInducedIdiocy drunk, stupid]], or they're [[CreditCardPlot a naive character with their first credit card]] and overcome with love for mankind. It's also a tradition for golfers who've scored a [[CriticalHit hole-in-one]] (be thankful -- in Japan, the tradition is to buy everyone expensive gifts), and for [[PanickyExpectantFather new fathers]] (known as "wetting the baby's head").
7
8Frequently parodied when after a moment's thought, the announcer realises just how many people there are, and [[AFoolAndHisNewMoneyAreSoonParted how much this is going to cost them]]... If a huge tab is run up, and the person who offered free drinks won't pay, two fridge-sized {{bouncer}}s may accompany the person to an ATM to "encourage" them to settle up.
9
10----
11!!Examples:
12
13[[foldercontrol]]
14
15[[folder:Advertising]]
16* G-rated version with the Milkybar Kid, whose catchphrase is calling out "The Milkybars are on me!" after he saves the day.
17[[/folder]]
18
19[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
20* ''Anime/RageOfBahamutGenesis'': Favaro's policy every time he successfully hunts down a bounty is to invite everyone to a drink.
21[[/folder]]
22
23[[folder:Comics]]
24* ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapGunForHire'': This starts off the events of "[=PSmith=]" -- Al the bartender meets the Thuxian of his dreams, and it's free drinks for everyone.
25* Happens several times in the ''ComicBook/LuckyLuke'' comics. For example, when the Dalton Brothers come to a city in Canada, a gold digger arrives and uses his gold to buy a round. The saloon owner says that the gold diggers all do that and then go back to digging gold for another six months. Cue Joe Dalton planning to take over the saloon...
26* Bennet does this in one of the ''{{Series/Heroes}}'' tie-in comics when he needs to use an unmonitored Internet connection, going to his local coffee shop, yelling "Free coffee for everyone!" as a distraction, and paying for everyone's orders with his Company Gold Card. The patrons give him a collective toast as he leaves.
27[[/folder]]
28
29[[folder:Fanfiction]]
30* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11054453/1/Once-more-around-the-Bend Once More Around the Bend]]'' it's a tradition for the hitman and mercenary patrons of Where the World Ends to do this after completing a big job.
31[[/folder]]
32
33[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
34* In ''Film/TheMuppetMovie'', Fozzie defuses a BarBrawl by impersonating the bartender and shouting "Drinks are on the house!" Of course, this being the Muppets, this causes all of the brawlers to race to the roof of the bar [[LiteralMinded where they look futilely for the drinks.]]
35-->'''Fozzie''': Works every time.
36* Henry Chinaski's "For all my friends!" in ''Film/{{Barfly}}''.
37* Happens several times in ''Film/TheQuietMan'', and during the big fight scene, the bartender, Thornton and Danaher verbally fight over who's buying the drinks.
38* ''Film/RedTails'' has our heroes given a round on the house in the officer's club in thanks for their bravery.
39* ''Theatre/{{Oliver}}'' -- discussed (optimistically) in "Consider Yourself";
40-->''If it should chance to be, we should see some harder days,\
41Empty larder days,\
42Why grouse?\
43Always a chance we'll meet somebody to foot the bill\
44Then the drinks are on the house!''
45* Paul Maclean does this in the gambling den in ''Film/ARiverRunsThroughIt'', believing he's about to have a lucky night.
46* The theatre producer does this in the inn in ''Film/ShakespeareInLove'', before exclaiming, apropos of nothing, "Oh, [[AnachronismStew happy hour!]]"
47* In ''Film/{{Avatar}}'', after [[spoiler:Hometree is destroyed]], Quaritch proclaims that the first round's on him tonight to celebrate.
48* ''Film/HotShots'' plays this for laughs. One character announces that he's buying drinks for everyone, and incites a riot, complete with patrons FastRoping into the bar from the roof.
49* ''Film/WakingNedDevine'': After the townsfolk successfully hoodwink the lotto man, the first place they go is down the pub, where they ''all'' offer to pay for the copious amount of alcohol that is flowing.
50--> '''Fitzgerald:''' [as everyone clamors to take the bill] I never thought I'd see the day!
51* ''Film/TheProducers'': Max does this while celebrating with Leo, although his display of generosity is somewhat undercut by the fact that there is exactly one other patron in the bar at the time.
52* As seen in the video example below, ''Film/SnowDogs'' combines this with TheFunInFuneral. Ted's mother, Lucy, arranges to have her last will and testament shared aloud at the [[MyLocal only bar]] in her small Alaskan town. The first lines of the document insist that she wants everyone to have a good time and remember her fondly--and get the room into the spirit by telling bartender Barb to "pour a round of Wild Turkey on me!" The crowd cheers as Barb passes out glasses and tops them off with whiskey.
53* In ''Film/GirlsJustWantToHaveFun'', after [[ForegoneConclusion the protagonists win the dance contest]], Jeff's father - who is watching the televised event at a bar - calls for the bartender to provide a round of drinks on the house. Someone responds by dumping a pitcher of beer over his head, prompting him to laugh hysterically while shouting, "Drinks on ''me''!"
54* In ''Film/TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial'', when her patrons respond poorly to the news that the Empire is shutting down the establishment, the cantina owner tells them that "We'll have one more round. This one's on the house."
55* ''Film/SupportYourLocalSheriff'': After the successful arrest of Joe Danby, the bartender paraphrases the sheriff's ultimatum before announcing that drinks are on the house.
56* A non-alcoholic example in ''Film/Goon2011''. Doug invites his family to visit him in Halifax, where he's become a hockey star, and takes them to dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant he frequents. The owner declares that [[BigEater Doug]] is his favorite customer, and calls for free döner for everyone. Then {{Subverted}} when he takes a look around, and amends that to free döner ''sauce'' for everyone... and returns to the kitchen, [[TheScrooge telling his chefs to water down the döner sauce.]]
57* ''Film/Deadpool2016'': After successfully manipulating one of the patrons into fighting another, Wade announces to the bar that he's buying everyone a drink. Weasel hurriedly adds that they're only getting the domestic booze, and not the imported stuff.
58* In ''Film/{{Solo}}: A Franchise/StarWars Story'', Lando Calrissian buys drinks for everyone after cleaning Han Solo out in a game of Sabacc.
59[[/folder]]
60
61[[folder:Literature]]
62* ''Vagabonds of Literature/{{Gor}}'': Tarl is in a makeshift tavern in an enemy encampment when a BoisterousBruiser with whom he'd had previous dealings (to said bruiser's detriment) comes in to buy a round of drinks for everyone.
63* Used a few times in the ''Literature/ElementalMasters'' series:
64** ''Literature/ReservedForTheCat'': Jonathan pretends to be someone who just won a lot of money and is buying rounds to celebrate as a way to keep a reporter occupied while Thomas and Wolf search the reporter's apartment.
65** ''Literature/PhoenixAndAshes'': Reginald routinely offers to buy rounds at the local pub. He's loaded and knows that the guys he befriended there [[INeedAFreakingDrink could use a drink]] since many of them (like him) were sent home after being injured in UsefulNotes/WorldWarI.
66** ''Literature/UnnaturalIssue'': Lord Peter Almsley goes undercover as the new gamekeeper. He combines introducing himself to the village and making friends with them in the traditional way, by buying a round for the regulars at the village pub.
67* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''
68** In ''Literature/{{Snuff}}'', Vimes finds this to be a useful way of navigating the tricky diplomatic waters of drinking in [[MyLocal your local pub]] when you happen to own the entire village (you could say he's the landlord's landlord). Several times, he buys a round for all the patrons, generally as a way to earn their goodwill, and once in an attempt to avert a BarBrawl.
69** Back in ''Literature/FeetOfClay'', Sergeant Colon resorts to basically the same tactic after Nobby has a moment of AlcoholInducedIdiocy. It prevents a BarBrawl, but then leaves him with the problem that he's just paid for a hell of a lot of drinks with the Watch's petty cash. ''All'' of it.
70--->'''Colon''': I didn't even know you could ''buy'' gin in pints!
71* Much of ''Literature/DeathStar'' takes place in a cantina, so this comes up a few times. The winner of an arm-wrestling contest in particular declares this, to show that he is a gracious winner.
72* ''A Dry, Quiet War'' by Tony Daniel. SuperSoldier Henry Bone, returning to his hometown after fifteen years, walks into a pub and asks for the whisky his father used to make. [[ArmiesAreEvil His request is viewed with suspicion]] until he's finally recognised; the barman then rejects Henry's offer of a round for everyone.
73-->"Your money's no good here, Henry Bone. I do happen to have a couple of bottles of your old dad's whisky stowed away in back. Drinks are on the house."
74* ''Literature/{{Safehold}}'': In ''By Schism Rent Asunder'', after news of the Ferayd Massacre reaches Charis, tempers nearly reach BarBrawl levels in one of the Tellesberg sailors' taverns. After emotions settle slightly, the owner announces "Don't be getting greedy, lads -- or you, either, lassies -- but the next round is on the house!"
75[[/folder]]
76
77[[folder:Live Action TV]]
78* In the ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode "Soul Mates", Londo is seen celebrating his impending divorce by getting smashed and buying drinks for everyone within range. "Barkeep! Another round for all my friends!"
79* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Warren announces that drinks are on him at the local demon bar to celebrate the fact that he's a BigBad who killed the Slayer. The demons respond by laughing at him, because they've already heard that Buffy survived the attack.
80* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' has Barney loudly declare he's buying champagne for everyone in the bar. After the cheers die down, he quietly tells the bartender to give everyone ginger ale.
81* Subverted in the [[ShortRunners short lived]] detective series ''Series/{{Mayo}}'', where the titular character would say this to his team and be turned down by all of them [[EveryEpisodeEnding at the end of every episode]].
82* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'': Earl & Randy discovered that if a golfer hits a hole in one the tradition is for that golfer to buy a round for everyone in the clubhouse. So they make sure that that golfer gets a hole in one every time.
83* In ''Series/{{Frasier}}'', when Niles is trying to persuade Daphne's father Harold to reconcile with her mother, this is the only way he can silence the jeering and get Harry's attention for five seconds.
84* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': While eating in a Numenorian tavern, Halbrand faces some FantasticRacism because he's from Middle-Earth. In an attempt to make friends with his antagonists, he buys everyone drinks. He also takes the opportunity to steal one of their guild crests, which he needs.
85* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Allegiance", one of the clues that the Picard aboard the ''Enterprise'' is an impostor is seeing the normally-distant captain order a round of ales for everyone in Ten Forward.
86* In the ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses'' episode "Sleepless in Peckham", Sid, acting landlord of the Nag's Head, attempts to bar Boycie and Marlene for causing a disturbance during their own anniversary party. When Boycie points out he's paying for everything, Sid responds "In that case ... drinks all round!"
87* "The Non-Fat Yogurt," an episode of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' does a variant, with [[SitcomArchnemesis Newman]] ordering "another round of strawberry" for his friends at the frozen yogurt shop that everyone in the neighborhood loves.
88* On ''Series/TedLasso'', Ted whispers to Rebecca that she should treat the crowd at the Crown & Anchor to drinks on her to help turn public opinion back to her side. She's reluctant at first but then scream out "Drinks on me!" to everyone's approval.
89* ''Series/TheWire'': In the second season episode "All Prologue", dock worker and petty criminal Ziggy Sobotka buys a round for everyone in a blue-collar bar seconds after being handed a wad of cash [[note]]which was partially compensation for a stolen car but ultimately was rooted in drug dealing[[/note]] by his cousin. He follows up by [[MoneyToBurn lighting a cigarette]] with a $100 bill. Both actions show his impulsiveness and hopeless longing for respect which will spin out of control as the season progresses, culminating in [[spoiler:his destroying his life by committing a senseless murder.]]
90* ''Series/YoungSheldon'': In "A Pineapple and the Bosom of Male Companionship", Dr. Sturgis goes to a bar with George and calls for a toast to him for treating him so well after [[spoiler:being in a mental hospital]]. No one responds until Sturgis says "Drinks are on me!"
91[[/folder]]
92
93[[folder:Music]]
94* Big and Rich's song "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" has this line: "And I buy the bar a double round of Crown".
95** Likewise, "Kick My Ass" starts with "I walked up to the bar / I laid down my platinum card / And I ordered fifty longnecks for my new friends"
96* In Jason Michael Carrol's song ''Where I'm From'', the narrator's in the first class section of a plane. The man next to him says that the drinks up there are free, and he says "the first one can be on me".
97* The song "[[http://youtu.be/p7Mi2-_4bTA Solomon Jones]]" by Aceyalone & Music/RJD2.
98-->''When, out of the night, which was dark and cold, into the smoke-filled dimly lit room''
99-->''Stumbled into thug who smelled like bud, and his eyes looked high as the moon''
100-->''He looked like a man with his foot in the grave, and his lifetime 'bout to be out''
101-->''Yet he slapped down some hundred dollar bills on the bar, and he yelled out "Drinks on the house"''
102* The narrative character in "Jones Polka," by Music/SpikeJones and his City Slickers, is basically spending his whole paycheck to buy drinks for everyone in the bar.
103[[/folder]]
104
105[[folder:Radio]]
106* Similar to some of the real life examples, patrons at Douglas's illegal airfield bar (the Flap and Throttle) in ''Radio/CabinPressure'' are required to buy a round of drinks if they discuss shop. Unfortunately, Martin likes talking shop so much that he's prepared to pay in advance.
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109[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
110* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. In the 1st Edition Dungeons Master's Guide, buying a round of drinks for the house was part of the cost for "Frequenting Inns and Taverns", one of the techniques for [[YouAllMeetInAnInn finding potential henchmen]].
111[[/folder]]
112
113[[folder:Theatre]]
114* A scene in ''Theatre/{{Waitress}}'' has Dawn's new boyfriend in the restaurant announcing "pie for everyone!"
115[[/folder]]
116
117[[folder:Video Games]]
118* The owner of the Golden Bowl Tavern in ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfWillyBeamish'' gets all his patrons a round of drinks [[spoiler:after Willy gives him a lottery ticket which turns out to be the jackpot winner.]]
119* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'':
120** The Warden can convince/threaten Lloyd the bartender of Redcliffe's tavern to allow the militia to drink for free. Since their village is about to be attacked by another ZombieApocalypse, [[INeedAFreakingDrink they need those drinks]]. Best part? The Warden doesn't have to spend a single copper. He/she can simply ''threaten to murder Lloyd'' and take ownership of his tavern!
121** While in Orzammar, the party can visit Tapster's Tavern in search of information. One of the easiest ways to get the barmaid to be of any help to you is to buy a round of drinks for the whole room.
122* In ''VideoGame/DeepRockGalactic'', you can buy various beers from the Abyss Bar aboard the Space Rig. With it being a 1-4 co-op shooter, Ghost Ship added an AntiFrustrationFeature in that when you buy something, Lloyd makes a full round of drinks matching the number of players in the party. Cost-efficient AND maintaining the fun!
123* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'': One can buy a round of drinks for everyone in the Hideaway. Doing it four times guarantees a [=PS5=] trophy.
124* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Shepard can buy drinks for all of [[BadGuyBar Afterlife's]] patrons. The bartender tells you that there are a lot of patrons there that night and gives you the option of weaseling out.
125* In ''VideoGame/MountAndBlade'', buying booze for everyone in town increases [[AllianceMeter your reputation]] for that town.
126* In ''VideoGame/TheSims3'' (with the Late Night expansion) and ''VideoGame/TheSims4'' (with the Get Famous expansion), you can boost your Celebrity/Fame level by buying a round of drinks for everyone in your group.
127* This is a gameplay mechanic in the ''VideoGame/UnchartedWaters'' series: ordering a round of drinks for the entire tavern gives a temporary bonus to how many sailors you can hire there afterwards. The more money you spend on the drinks, the larger the bonus.
128[[/folder]]
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130[[folder:Western Animation]]
131* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', "the drinks are on me" resulted in [[LiteralMinded everyone dumping their drinks on the character in question's head]].
132* Parodied in Creator/TexAvery's ''WesternAnimation/TheShootingOfDanMcgoo'', when someone calls for drinks on the house. Sure enough everybody runs to the roof and starts drinking.
133* On ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', after being totally humiliated in a bar, Scrooge [=McDuck=] subverts this trope:
134--> And to show you there are not hard feelings, [[OutOfCharacterMoment I want to pay for a drink to everyone]]... who didn't laugh at me!
135* Moe, on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', celebrates Homer and Marge reaffirming their love by announcing "Hey, everybody! For the next 15 minutes, 1/3 off on every pitcher! ...only one per customer... Hey, no sharing!" Another episode reveals that rounds being offered at Moe's are so unusual that he barely remembers hearing about them back when he learned how to be a bartender. When a patron orders one in that episode, Moe consults a manual to understand what a round is.
136* On ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' Quagmire once offered to the buy the gang's drinks with his tax refund.
137* On ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', after foiling Plankton's latest plan to steal the Krabby Patty recipe, Mr. Krabs invites [=SpongeBob=] to the Krusty Krab and "have a fresh one (patty), on me!" but then reconsiders and adds "Well, maybe at a discount."
138[[/folder]]
139
140[[folder:Real Life]]
141* If you see a bell in a bar in Thailand and [[SchmuckBait someone encourages you to ring it]]...don't. It's a sign you're prepared to buy everyone in the bar a round. And not just everyone physically in the bar, but everyone who works on the premises, whether or not they were in your sight at the time.
142* US Military Officer's clubs, and other establishments based on that model like Chief Petty Officer's clubs, Enlisted Clubs, and American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, usually have a series of rules both written and unwritten, the violation of which will result in the offender buying the entire bar a round. Typically the bartender will call out the guilty party and ring the bell to let everyone know that there's free drinks available. The rules vary from location to location, but some common violations include:
143** Wearing your cover (hat) inside the club.
144** Placing your cover on the bar.
145** Taking pictures of the goings on inside the club, without the explicit permission of the bartender.
146** In an aviation-related club, touching the model airplanes hanging from the ceiling.
147** In more recent years, placing your cellphone on the bar, or even taking it out while seated at the bar.
148** Failing a "coin check". It is a US military tradition for service members and veterans to carry custom-made coins with them with their unit's logo on them, or the coin of a past unit, or of a high-ranking individual--they're meant as mementos, keepsakes, and rewards for jobs well done. A coin check is when one person takes their coin out and taps it on the bar. Anyone who cannot produce a coin of their own must buy a round... but if you start a coin check, and ''everyone else'' has theirs, then ''you'' must purchase the bar a round. How seriously this tradition is taken varies from location to location.
149* According to Hollywood legend, Vivian Vance--who famously played Ethel Mertz on ''Series/ILoveLucy''--was out at a restaurant when she got word of the death of William Frawley, who'd played her husband Fred on the show. Since the two [[HostilityOnTheSet couldn't stand each other]], Vance reportedly shouted "Champagne for everyone!" to celebrate the occasion.
150[[/folder]]
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