LONELY SCHOONERS: AUSSIES QUIT SHOUTING ROUNDS AS PUB TRADITION GETS TOO PRICEY

One in three has ditched the ritual as cost-of-living pressure turns mates’ rates into budget blowouts

The great Australian tradition of shouting a round is quietly dying at the bar, with new research revealing nearly one in three Australians have stopped buying drinks or food for their mates altogether.

A Finder survey of 1,010 Australians found 27 per cent have ditched shouting rounds in the past 12 months to save money, while another 17 per cent have cut back significantly.

Together, that is almost half the nation stepping away from one of pub culture’s last sacred rituals.

Money pressures, it seems, have finally caught up with the humble schooner.

When shouting becomes a luxury

Rebecca Pike, money expert at Finder, says shouting a round is no longer the carefree gesture it once was.

“Money is tight for a lot of Aussies right now, so even something as simple as buying a round can feel like a financial stretch," she said.

“Many people just don’t have the spare room in their budget or the confidence they’ll be paid back later.

“Sometimes the favour isn’t returned, with some mates consistently avoiding or delaying returning the shout.”

Gone, it seems, are the days when grabbing four drinks at the bar felt like pocket change.

Women are pulling back faster than men

The research shows women are feeling the pinch more sharply. Almost one in three women, 32 per cent, have cut back on shouting rounds, compared to just 21 per cent of men.

Pike says rising drink prices and tighter household budgets are forcing people to rethink even their smallest spending habits.

“Not everyone gets around to paying their share. For someone living paycheque to paycheque, that $40 or $50 round could mean going without something essential later in the week.

“If you do go in a shout, follow the etiquette, buy the more expensive drink when it is your turn and not when it is your mate’s.

"If you're continuing to buy rounds, always make sure you're sticking to a budget and that you're keeping track of how much you're actually spending."

In other words, generosity now requires financial planning.

Pay-as-you-go friendships

Despite the souring mood at the bar, Pike says Aussies can still enjoy a night out without waking up to a financial hangover.

“Using bill-splitting apps or simply agreeing to pay as you go keeps things fair and transparent, and makes sure no one feels burdened by the next round," Pike says.

The rise of pay-as-you-go nights suggests Australians are trading tradition for financial self-preservation, one schooner at a time.

Pub etiquette in the cost-of-living era

Finder’s advice for navigating modern rounds now reads more like a budgeting guide than bar banter: Stick to the same type of drink you would buy yourself.

Use happy hour strategically. Set spending limits before you arrive, and split bills only with mates who always pay you back.

Because in 2025, even friendships are being quietly audited.