How much would "just buy me a drink" mean to you when you ask someone how much you owe them?

[ColdCottage]

I had a very lovely tradesman in today to look at my broken appliance. He couldn't fix it - well he could but it wouldn't be worth it due to the cost.

When I asked him what I owed him he said "just buy me a drink" I had no idea how much this should be.

He had been there 20 minutes I would guess, maybe 1/2h.

I was a bit surprised and had no idea how much this should be. I guessed 2 beers would be £10 so gave him that.

Wondered if I might have been a be short as he was a very lovely man and suggested some other brands for me to get the best value replacement.

So I thought I'd canvas opinions here so I'm more prepared for next time.

Thanks

”A drink” here is code for £20

If a Cockney plumber says "Buy me a pony", does that mean he's expecting £25?!

I would have taken this to mean, you both go to the pub together and you literally buy him a drink/ date scenario

I’ve no idea, I live in rural Rutland but a drink is what everyone says when they want £20 for a favour.
Cockney slang is a bit out of my sphere of reference. In my circles “Buy me a pony” would get you a 12.2hh section A 😂

When I’ve had tradespeople doing small jobs, they literally say a nominal amount “call it a tenner” or “just twenty quid call out charge”. A friend would say “just buy me a drink” and mean it. If a random tradesperson said “just buy me a drink” I’d laugh and say I’d rather just pay (unless I actually wanted a date). I’m in NW England.

I've heard this lots of times (south east) and would think nowadays £20 sounds about right.

Why not just say “Oh, £20?” And then everyone knows where they stand.

this

I have said this in a social setting eg. If a friend wanted to reimburse me for my petrol for a short trip in the car then I'd say 'don't worry just buy me a drink when we are next out'

I am in the SE, over 40 and never had a tradesmen say that to me, I'd actually be properly flummoxed.

Yes, my family are from Walthamstow and for a small favour it’s a Falabella, if they had to drive more than ten minutes a Shetland, if you don’t supply very dark milky tea with two sugars, that’s the full 12 hand Polo jobby.

And it’s “bung us a pony” 😊

Same.
Imagining handsome electrician looking bemused when I say 'OK, say Friday at 8?'

I've often said 'just buy me a drink' when I've done odd jobs. For me I'd be happy with a £6 bottle of Merlot so I think £10 is fine he will be able to pop to Spar and get him a fair few cans with that OP ☺️

You and many others have said £20, yet someone else on hear said the tradesman wouldn't actually be expecting payment at all. I'm now confused about which is correct.

Doing a foreigner is when a tradesman does a job generally on his day or weekend off.
My DH is in construction currently working on a big job mon-Fri and he will pick up the odd Saturday as a 'foreigner' where he does a friend of a friends job to help them out.
Pretty much as it says it on the tin doing a 'foreigner' is different to your own (normal job)

I’d go with the majority?

Tradesperson says 'just giz a drink' - £20 standard at the moment (London) - likely to be more next year though. I'm glad I knew this before I had my own house so I wasn't ever flummoxed.

It definitely isn't!

£20

The £20 is correct.

It's a common thing - it means £20. It certainly does NOT mean he is asking you out!

I'm in the Midlands, I'm sure its not a thing here. A friend would say they owe me a drink/I owe them a drink but definitely not a tradesperson. They would just say what their fee is.

This is not a thing surely?!

Do people actually pay tradesmen on the spot? Do they not just send an invoice?

No one would ever say buy me a pony!
It would just be how much was that? A pony How much is that going to set me back? A pony (£25)
A score for £20.

Out of interest anyone else on MN ever been asked for an Alan? (Money)

£20. X

Out of interest anyone else on MN ever been asked for an Alan? (Money)

Only by a mockney.

See Sausage? It’s bung not buy 😂

@Nagado I grew up in the East end and my grandparents' neighbour is the only person I've ever heard say it, he used to give us sweets/an Alan 😁 for doing odd jobs in his garden. I was so confused the first time I heard it!

@YesitsBess yes bung me a pony definitely rings truer!