Thoughts on Tip Jars at the bar

My thoughts: Yes, it's tacky, and were you seriously just going to leave your bartenders with a 15% tip anyway? That's cheap.

Yes it is.

And there are those who will tip.

People will tip the bartender without you telling them to. Unnecessary to put a tip jar out, plus you will be tipping anyway which solves that problem.

Yes, it's tacky. Just pay the additional gratuity...I promise, a good bar staff is SO worth it.

I think it's super tacky. The hosts cover the tip for the bartenders. Guests will tip anyway, but I don't want a tip jar there to to make them think they are supposed to. That's my responsibility.

I would tip more than the 15% that is in the contract so I wish they wouldn't include that part, even though from a business-view I can see why they do it. So it seems tacky of the vendor to both include the gratuity, AND a penalty if you don't have a tip jar. Mine is the same way though. I think if it is clear that the tip is going to the bartender and not the married couple it wouldn't be tacky.

Tip jar or not, those who want to tip will tip. I know I do. I give a BIG tip at the beginning of the night to ensure bartender serves me quickly when they see me coming to the bar.

Nope! It's not tacky. You are giving the bartender the option to be tipped for his service. What if you pay an extra 7% and your guests hate his "watered down drinks" and he doesn't handle the crowd fast enough? Save yourself money! LOL

Of course this is the worse case scenario and I am in no way wishing the worst for your bar service.

To me, tips from guests would be considered a bonus. I would still tip the bartender (s) myself. There's no way of knowing how much the guests tipped so I wouldn't count on that.

Of course they would get a tip from us at the end of the night along with the other vendors. I just don't want my guest to fill obligated to come out of pocket. Thanks for the opinions!

Yes,it's tacky. And I can tell you that at every single wedding I've attended (like over 1000), the guests tip the bartenders, tip jar or not. It's a bad call on the service's part, and if they spent five minutes behind the bar, they'd realize that a tip jar has no effect on tipping at all.

Pia, she should save herself money and have her guests spend theirs?

LOL my arse.

How dare they get more than what you tip them? No jar, guests will tip on their own

This has been brought up over tree times in the past 24 hours. I recommended lurking or searching.

Feel* obligated. Sorry. Southern spelling nazi

You don't need a jar to leave a tip. Most adults realize they should tip their bartender. I bartended for 12 years and let me tell you, I always remembered the people who did NOT tip and they were served after those who did.

I don't understand why they even need to put a tip jar out... tacky.

I think a tip jar would be fine! Most people know they should tip on their own, but I see no problem in a jar

I don't know why this is such a big deal. Who really notices the tip jar and gets offended?

I know I wouldn't think twice.

Karie, if people know, putting a jar out smacks of entitlement.

Aoki, I would and plenty of posters here would.