What is typically the last step in closing out a credit card tab?

The last step in closing out a credit card tab is often to ask cash or credit before finalizing the transaction. This step is crucial as it confirms how the customer wishes to pay, ensuring that the bartender properly processes the payment without any confusion. By confirming payment method at this stage, it allows the bartender to securely charge the customer's credit card or prepare to accept cash, thus avoiding any potential issues with billing.

Typically, the payment method is confirmed just before printing the receipt. While thanking the customer for their business and confirming the drink order are significant aspects of customer service, they occur at different stages of the interaction. Thanking the customer could happen immediately after the transaction is completed, but it is not directly related to the closing out of the tab itself.