Lonely schooners: 1 in 3 Aussies have stopped shouting rounds at the pub
The Aussie tradition of 'shouting a round' is falling out of favour as it's becoming too expensive, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,010 respondents found almost 1 in 3 (27%) have stopped 'shouting' food or drinks with friends in the past 12 months to save money.
A further 17% admit they have cut back on buying rounds of drinks or food while socialising with friends.
Rebecca Pike, money expert at Finder, said shouting a round was becoming a luxury many could no longer afford.
"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.
"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."
Finder's research found women (32%) were much more likely than men (21%) to have cut back on shouting rounds when out with friends.
Pike said gone are the days when shouting a round was a no-brainer.
"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."
Pike said Aussies can still enjoy a night out without the 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."
Have you stopped "shouting" food or drinks with your friends in the last 12 months to save money?
| Yes | 27% |
| No, but I have cut back on shouting food or drinks for my friends | 17% |
| No, not at all | 28% |
| I never shouted any food or drinks for my friends in the first place | 28% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,011 respondents, October 2025 *shouting means buying drinks or food for your friends knowing they will pay you back by buying more drinks or food. Some people refer to this as 'taking turns buying rounds'. |  |
Sources
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,011 respondents from October 2025.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
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