What is a schooner in Australia?

A schooner is a 425ml glass of beer in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, and the ACT. But in South Australia, a schooner is a 285ml glass — what most other states call a middy. This is the most confusing aspect of Australian drinking culture and has caused decades of inter-state arguments. When in doubt, ask 'what's a schooner here?' and the bartender will tell you.

Do you tip bartenders at an Australian pub?

No. Australian pub bartenders earn a real minimum wage (~AU$24/hour) plus weekend penalty rates. Tipping is not part of pub culture and may visibly confuse the bartender. If you've been looked after well over a long evening, the local move is to offer to buy them a drink when you order — they usually decline politely and add a credit to their staff tab. That's the Australian equivalent of the tip.

What is the shout in an Australian pub?

The shout is the rotating round system: each person in a group takes turns buying drinks for everyone. If you're in a group of four, you each buy one round and everyone is back to even. Declining to shout when it's your turn is the social equivalent of leaving without paying your share — strongly noted. The shout is reciprocity, not generosity.

What is a parma at an Australian pub?

A parma (also parmi or parmy, depending on state) is a chicken parmigiana — schnitzelled chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, served with chips and a salad. It's the single most-ordered pub meal in Australia. The Victorian variant adds a slice of ham under the cheese; the rest of the country considers this controversial. The chips go beside, never under — that's the rule.

What should I wear to an Australian pub?

Australian pubs are extremely casual by international standards. Jeans, t-shirt, and thongs (flip-flops) are normal at the local pub. Some inner-city Sydney and Melbourne pubs have dress codes — no thongs, no singlets — for evening service. Country pubs are reliably casual, often with a 'no shirt no service' sign as the only requirement. Use common sense and ask if unsure.

First Time at an Aussie Pub — What to Order & How to Behave

The Australian pub is a national institution. It's not really "a bar." It's a public house in the old British sense — a place that does cold beer, hot food, a bit of sport on the screen, a counter you order at instead of waiting for a server, and a culture of small rituals that absolutely nobody is going to explain to you because they assume you know them.

This guide explains the rituals. Read it once, and your first visit will go from "tourist who needs help" to "person who clearly belongs."

1. Beer sizes — and why they vary by state

Australia has the most chaotic beer-size naming in the English-speaking world. The exact same word means different volumes in different states. You can order "a schooner" in Sydney and Adelaide and get different drinks. Here's the table to memorise — or just take a screenshot of:

Size	NSW / ACT	VIC	QLD	SA	WA	NT	TAS
Pony	140 ml	140 ml	140 ml	140 ml	140 ml	—	140 ml
Pot / Middy / Handle	285 ml (middy)	285 ml (pot)	285 ml (pot)	285 ml (schooner)	285 ml (middy)	285 ml (handle)	285 ml
Schooner	425 ml	— (rare)	425 ml	285 ml (!)	425 ml	425 ml (schooner)	425 ml
Pint	570 ml	570 ml	570 ml	570 ml (also "imperial pint")	570 ml	570 ml	570 ml
Jug	~1.14 L	~1.14 L	~1.14 L	~1.14 L	~1.14 L	~1.14 L	~1.14 L

The key trap: In South Australia, a "schooner" is the SMALLER size that the rest of the country calls a "middy" or "pot" (285 ml). If you ask for a "schooner" in Adelaide expecting a Sydney-sized 425 ml glass, you'll get a smaller drink. Order a "pint" if you want the big one.

If in doubt, just point to a glass behind the bar. Bartenders deal with this confusion every day.

2. How to order

You order at the bar. There is no table service in most pubs (some restaurants attached to pubs do table service for food — you'll know which is which). The standard format is:

"A schooner of [beer brand], thanks."

Or:

"Two pints of Carlton and a glass of the house red, thanks."

"Thanks" replaces "please" most of the time in Australian English. Saying "please" works but sounds slightly formal. "Cheers" works as both thanks and goodbye when you collect your drinks.

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The popular Australian beers

Victoria Bitter (VB) — the working-person's icon. Strong, bitter, no frills.
Carlton Draught — Melbourne's everyday lager.
Tooheys New / Tooheys Old — the New South Wales staples.
XXXX Gold — Queensland's beer; mellow, sessionable.
Coopers Pale Ale — South Australia's hero; expect it to be slightly cloudy.
Stone & Wood Pacific Ale — a Byron Bay craft beer that's become mainstream. Excellent.
Furphy Refreshing Ale — widely available crowd-pleaser.
Great Northern — brilliant when ice cold; the choice for a hot day.

Craft beer is everywhere too — ask "what's on tap?" and the bartender will run through the rotating options.

3. Paying

You pay when you order. Tap your card or phone, or hand over cash. Tipping is not expected in pubs. A few people round up or leave loose change on the bar for excellent service, but it's not a built-in expectation. Australian wages are higher than in the US, so this is a real "no tip needed" situation.

You can run a tab at most pubs if you're settling in for the evening — ask "can I open a tab?" and they'll hold your card behind the bar. Close it before you leave.

4. The shout — rounds of drinks

If you're drinking with locals, you'll quickly encounter the shout: the rotating round system where each person buys drinks for the group in turn. If there are four of you, each person buys one round of four drinks across the night.

The rules of the shout, in order of importance:

Keep track of whose round it is. Forgetting your turn is a faux pas.
You can opt out at the start. If you only want one drink, say "I'm just having the one, but I'll get this one" early. People will respect it.
Match the group's pace. Don't order a fancy cocktail when everyone else is on schooners — it slows the round down.
If someone shouts you and you can't return it, that's fine — just be obvious about appreciating it and offer next time.

Faux pas to avoid: Skipping your shout (buying only for yourself when it's your turn) is one of the few things that quietly reads as rude in Australian pub culture. If you don't want to drink, say so up front.

5. Food at the pub

Most pubs do food — this is called "pub grub" or "counter meals." Standards include:

Chicken parmigiana (parma / parmi) — breaded chicken cutlet with ham, tomato sauce and melted cheese, served with chips and salad. The benchmark dish for any pub.
Steak and chips — sirloin or rump with chips. Pub salt is mandatory.
Fish and chips — battered or grilled, usually with salad.
Burger — expect beetroot, fried egg and pineapple to be options. The "Aussie burger" is iconic.
Schnitzel — chicken or veal, breaded and fried, served with chips.

Pub food is the value menu of Australia. AUD $20–$30 gets you a substantial meal. Many pubs do a weekly "$15 parma night" or similar. Order at the bar, you'll get a buzzer or a table number, food comes out to you.

6. The pokies (Australia's secret pub vice)

Many Australian pubs have a separate room with poker machines (called "pokies"). It's screened off and you have to walk through it to get to the bathrooms in some pubs. Visitors are often surprised by how prominent gambling is in Aussie pub culture. You don't need to engage with it — most locals don't — but it's there.

7. Closing time & lockouts

Most pubs close around midnight or 1am during the week, later (2–3am) on weekends. Some inner-city venues have "lockout laws" remnants — you can't enter after a certain time, even if the pub's still open. This varies by city and changes; ask the bartender if you're not sure.

"Last drinks" is called 15–30 minutes before close. Drink up — staff will start asking you to leave at closing.

8. Pub etiquette — the unwritten rules

Stand at the bar to order. Don't sit on a bar stool waiting for someone to come to you — that's not how it works.
If the pub is busy, queue politely. The bartender will get to people in order, mostly.
Don't snap your fingers or wave money. Wait your turn, make eye contact when you're next.
Take your empty glass back to the bar when you're done — or leave it on your table if there's table-clearing staff. Not strictly required, but appreciated.
Don't ask for water in a tone that suggests you're judging the alcohol selection. Water is fine, just ask normally.
If you're underdressed (e.g. swimwear, no shirt), you'll be turned away. Most pubs require shoes and a shirt.

9. The unspoken thing: pubs as social hubs

Australian pubs aren't really about drinking. They're about being somewhere. People go to the pub to watch the footy, to celebrate a birthday, to read the paper on a Sunday afternoon, to commiserate after work. The drinking is incidental to the gathering. If you walk into a pub and just have a coffee or a soft drink, nobody will think you're strange.

This is also why the pub is the most genuine place a visitor can experience Australia: it's where social class collapses, the conversation is unforced, and the etiquette is forgiving as long as you're not actively rude.

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Quick cheat sheet

Order at the bar, pay when ordering
"Schooner" = 425 ml in most states (but 285 ml in SA — order "pint" for the big one)
Tipping is not expected
The shout: rotating rounds — track your turn or opt out early
Pub food is excellent value; the parma is the benchmark
"Cheers" works for thanks, goodbye, and toast
Don't snap, don't wave, don't judge the alcohol selection if you're not drinking

Test what you learned

12 questions on beer sizes by state, the shout, ordering, and the parma. See if you'd survive a Sydney pub.

Take the Aussie Pub Quiz →

1. Beer sizes — and why they vary by state

2. How to order

The popular Australian beers

3. Paying

4. The shout — rounds of drinks

5. Food at the pub

6. The pokies (Australia's secret pub vice)

7. Closing time & lockouts

8. Pub etiquette — the unwritten rules

9. The unspoken thing: pubs as social hubs

Quick cheat sheet

Test what you learned

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