River Street businesses anticipate big crowds, hefty tips for New Year's Eve celebrations

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) -- Events planned along the riverside are supposed to bring lots of visitors to the hostess city, so River Street businesses are expecting to be extra busy. "Tips are going to be great,” said Rusty Rudders Taphouse general manager Kyle Waddell. New Year’s Eve has a big impact on River Street every year. “Hopefully my bartenders walk off with lots of money,” said Waddell Businesses are stocking up and fully staffing for this year’s celebrations, anticipating longer lines and heavier foot traffic. “Lots of families come out early on,” said Waddell. “Then you have the funner crowd which comes out at night.” Waddell says they’ll push to stay open all the way until River Street’s last call at 1:45 a.m. “[There’s] lots of drinking, lots of people enjoying themselves really,” said Waddell. News 3 asked a few bartenders about tipping. They’re expecting to bring home anywhere from $500 to $1000 by the end of the night. “You already spend a bunch of money during the Christmas season so once that credit card starts sliding, it’s easy to keep sliding it,” said John Lawftin, a bar patron visiting from Atlanta. “If you know it’s really busy you just tip your bartender a little bit more, maybe he’s a little more attentive.” Robert Allison tending bar at the Frosty Frog says this weekend he could make close to double what he would normally. “The New Year’s Eve crowd, they’re normally really good,” said Allison. Even with the wait times they anticipate, he says he won’t see too many difficult customers. “The awesome thing about being in a bar, if they’re not nice then they can get their drinks somewhere else.” Allison and Waddell both warn that New Year’s drinking should be more of a marathon than a sprint, meaning pace yourself. “Remember Uber is always cheaper than a DUI,” said Allison.