By Amy Sung
Summary: Examines the practice of tip pooling, highlighting its advantages and disadvantages.
JK Consulting Quotes: “More and more restaurants are going to tip sharing or pooling,” says Jason Kaplan, founder of JK Consulting in New York. “This was brought about to promote camaraderie between servers, as well as to minimize animosity due to server sections and large-party gratuities.”
Kaplan adds that many diners have become more aware of tip pooling and are asking if the server shares the tip.
Pooling tips may also be seen as a model that lacks the incentive to work harder, Kaplan points out. “I advise my clients, depending on the situation with their new or current staff, to see if this would be an effective system in their business.”
“[Auto-gratuity] is due to the fact that after the bill is split, customers often neglect to tip between 15 to 20 percent,” Kaplan says. “With the troubled economy, many restaurants are adding a surcharge for shared meals; this occurs only if the other party does not order an entrée or anything else. But I have not seen an automatic gratuity for sharing meals.”
Since the dip in the economy, people have been slightly reluctant to tip as much, Kaplan says.
“Service can make or break a meal just as the quality of the food does. If your server provides you with an exceptional dining experience, then they really deserve something extra when it comes to gratuity,” Kaplan says. “Once the economy starts to rebound, I believe it will become standard practice to tip 20 percent and up, leaving behind the 15 percent and making 18 percent the low.”
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JK Consulting is a New York-based international restaurant & hospitality consulting firm. We specialize in restaurant & bar openings along with turnaround programs. Our expertise is in developing highly effective operational systems, management procedures, hospitality services, staff training, beverage, menu and mystery shopping programs.
