Pub guide

Pubs in Britain

How to behave, and pubs from our guides that we checked: historic pubs, pubs with Sunday roasts, and pubs that say dogs are welcome.

Facts last checked Oct 25, 2026. Britlens is independent: see our editorial policy.

Pubs and restaurants with outdoor tables in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh
Photo: Ermell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pub etiquette

British people usually follow an unwritten code in pubs, a kind of mutual respect in a place that can look busy and chaotic on weekends.1

  • Order at the bar. Do not sit down and wait for table service. You order, pay for and collect drinks at the bar.1
  • No formal line. People crowd round the bar and are served in order; wait patiently. Do not tap money on the bar or shout.1
  • Buy in rounds. In a group, order together, either taking turns or from a shared kitty. It is quicker for the bar staff.1
  • Pay as you go. Most pubs now take contactless cards, especially if they serve food, but a few are cash only.1
  • Tipping. Not a tradition in most pubs. Offering to buy the bar worker a drink is the usual way to say thanks.1
  • Measures. Beer comes in pints (568 ml) and half pints.1
  • Closing. Staff normally call out or ring a bell about ten minutes before last orders, and again at closing. Times vary by pub.1

See also first-time visitor etiquette and pub food.

Historic pubs

Many pubs are very old and have traditional names such as the Red Lion or the King's Arms.1 The pubs below are marked historic in our data, or call themselves a historic pub, or say they are listed, on their own websites. We do not rank them or claim an age beyond what is stated.

London

Bath

Cambridge

Edinburgh

Oxford

The Cotswolds

York

Wooden bar with beer pumps inside a village pub
Photo: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Food pubs

These pubs' own websites mention a Sunday roast or Sunday lunch. Read how to order pub food and our Sunday roast guide.

London

Bath

Cambridge

Edinburgh

Manchester

Oxford

The Cotswolds

York

White-painted Baltic Fleet pub on a corner in Liverpool, beside a brick warehouse
Photo: LiverpoolJane, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dog-friendly pubs

On their own websites, these pubs say that dogs are welcome (assistance-dog notices alone were not counted). Some restrict dogs to certain rooms, so ask before you take a dog into a dining area.

London

Bath

Cambridge

Edinburgh

Manchester

Oxford

The Cotswolds

York

How we checked

We started from the pubs in our London and city guides and fetched each pub's own website on Oct 25, 2026. A pub is listed only if the page loaded, its name appeared on the page and there was no closure notice. 5 candidates were dropped because there was no website in our data, or the website did not load or could not be verified, and Ye Olde Mitre in Holborn was added after the same check. A listing is not a recommendation or a guarantee that a pub is open today: check hours with the pub.

Questions people ask

Do I wait to be served at a table in a British pub?

No. In almost all pubs there is no table service. You order, pay for and collect your drinks at the bar. Some pubs that specialize in food offer table service, but only if you are also eating a meal.

Do I line at the bar?

Pubs do not have a formal line. People gather round the bar and are served in the order they arrived, so wait patiently and do not push in. Eye contact or a discreetly raised hand tells the bar staff you are waiting.

Do I tip in a pub?

Tipping is not a tradition in most pubs and you should take all your change. Regulars sometimes offer to buy the bar worker a drink instead; some pubs have a charity tin on the bar.

What is a pint?

Beer in pubs is served in pint and half-pint measures, or in bottles. A pint is 568 ml. Asking for a beer on tap will usually be taken as a request for a pint, so say "half" if you want less.

Sources

Fetched and read on Oct 25, 2026. Rules, prices and opening times change: check the source before you rely on it.

  1. United Kingdom (travel guide: Tipping, Pub, Etiquette, Stay safe, Connect) (opens in new tab), Wikivoyage