Tip Jar on Bar???

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I think all your points are fair.

I would absolutely not allow a tip jar and I think the fact that she sent you a "guideline" for tipping is kinda ridiculous.

We tipped 22% of bill to our venue (this is the bar portion) and called it the day. I think if she expected that much more money she should've added that to the contract.

All in all, I am sure some people will tip regardless, my husband and I for instance always do, we don't need a tip jar, we lay the money on the counter every other drink or so.

Stand your ground.

View Quoted Comment First, I never said she is entitled to or should think she is entitled to $280 in tips. I just believe that $10 an hour is extremely low. Bartenders in some stated don’t make an hourly wage. I do, minimum wage. And the states that don’t pay them an hourly wage tipping is that much more important. As I said, there is so much more to bartending than people realize. Most states require a certification because serving alcohol is a high risk job, this can be paid by the establishment but not all cover it. It may not be keeping people alive to you but that is also part of the job. We are required to ensure that we don’t overserve people so they don’t get alcohol poisioning or drink and drive and kill someone. This includes not overserving them when you have no idea what they may have drank prior to entering your event or bar. If something does happen, you are liable and can be personally sued so a lot of bartenders I know carry special insurance for events. Then, there is the underage drinkers which can earn you a $500+ fine if you miss it (easy to do especially at an event when you’re out numbered 80 to 1) and the fighters because if there is no security keeping the peace is on a bartender. The set up fee of $300 usually covers the time to gather all of the supplies and travel to the venue, the cost of the supplies (ice, lemons, limes, cups, alcohol in some cases), the hourly wage and their insurance. So when you take all of that out it is a lot less than $300. I was not saying that you needed to tip the amount she quoted, I was simply giving my thoughts as someone who has experienced it. There was no need to bash what I do for a living for giving an alternate perspective.

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Yes I agree with this - bartenders tips are generally a % of the alcohol bill (mine is 22% of the alcohol) not a % of their hourly wage.

I am having a similar issue. We're hiring 2 bartenders for 8 hours and paying a total of $600.00. We are supplying all of the beer & wine ourselves, including (obviously), bringing the bottles & kegs to the venue ourselves. Anyway, they too want to put a tip jar out and I find it to be super tacky. I don't want my guests to feel obligated to tip or awkward if they don't want to or simply can't tip (why would they bring cash to a wedding with an open bar anyway?).

I looked into other bartenders and I'm finding that most of them want to do this. Ugh. And having to cover the tip ourselves, after already paying $600.00, seems a tad absurd. Ooooof

View Quoted Comment Which you definitely need.

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Why would you bump this old thread to post that weird dig?

It's not always cut and dry. I was requested not to have a tip jar by the bride and groom for my last wedding. People still left tips on the bar, and it ended being one of my top earning weddings. It may be tacky and may not be. I honestly get equal. In the end. If its cash tip, that's different. If its charge. That bartender is not getting that 15 -20%. If theres two bartenders. Then after taxes. They only even end up with 6%. We are different and use full bars. The stress level and what us as bartenders have a lot to deal with. In our case, our time is definitely worth it.

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Your work is worth a tip, but the tip should be coming from the hosts, not from the guests. Putting out a tip jar indicates to the guests that they should be tipping you.

A bartender that we were looking at is requesting the same about as Kelli, $300 base pay and requesting a tip jar, saying they will be losing money on weekends since they work full time in a restaurant doing the same thing. I thought it was okay at first but not after reading this thread. Now, I'm not sure so sure. I think a 20% tip should be enough, no? Sorry I couldn't be more help, Kelli!! I'm in such a similar situation as you!!! I'm still on the hunt for a bartender. But where I'm from,$300 for a bartender for 5-6 hours is a fantastic price.

Just NOPE , that's not normal at all, but unfortunately if u can't fire the bartender maybe consider to pay the tip yourselves since it's really not nice to put a tip jar sorry that u have to deal with this nonsense.

I am the MOB. My daughter wants a full bar. The cost of the full bar is $5600! I am not having a tip jar because I think it's tacky however there is no way I'm tipping 20% on top of what they are already getting. I am not going to tip $1300!! Ugh!!!

I am the MOB.

LOL. this whole (old) thread is very intriguing.. clearly none of you work in the service industry.

View Quoted Comment Wow, Please let me bartend your next event. I wish more hostesses thought like you

View Quoted Comment Wow, please let me bartend your next event, i wish more ppl thought the way you do

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Well said. As a gig/cater bartending company runner out in L.A. your breakdown is pretty spot on.

I think this whole "tip jars are tacky" thing is a misconception for non industry ppl, but they should offer an option for hosts to tip directly. However, oftentimes the host is the newlyweds themselves and they shouldnt have to worry about vendors on their happiest night. Other times, sometimes the "event planner" is a family member with no experience hiring vendors.

As bartenders who tip other bartenders, yes 18-20% is typically standard. But in a cash bar environment, a $1 a drink is fine. So theoretically with a jar, thats $480.
Following stars math, but even if drinks were $4/drink, thats $1920 in liquor x. 20= $384.
Ive always thought it should be based on merit and what type of experience youre getting. If your bartender does flair, is flaming twists, pouring towers and pyramids of shots and putting on a show for your guests like we do, its implied that were going above and beyond just pouring jack and cokes and opening beers.

If thats all youre looking for, im sorry to say youre better off going to hooters for your bartender. But yes, her fee is a tad high, and so is her tipping guide.

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Actually, contrary to common belief, the opposite is true. As a 13 year bartender turned engineer, i used to think that too. But in a dive bar you have regulars, usually limited selection, have memorized most of their orders which are usually simple. Beers or liquor/mixer. No blender, no craft, high volume/turnover and tipping. As opposed to 5 to 15 minute craft cocktails in a lounge at the four seasons, ive seen "well off" people order 3 course meals for a family of 12 and tip a dollar on a $1000 tab. So no, just because ppl are "rich" doesnt mean they know how to tip, or believe in it.


Also, a "dive bar" is usually patronized by ppl who dont look down on bartenders and their occupation as being beneath them, or less than. Especially as someone in a short notice pickle sjch as yourself. Thats kinda how the free market works. You need a service she offers, but she should have negotiated her fees up front.

Not true, out in calitornia we make a minimum plus tips.Did she curate and name those drinks?How many ingredients? How complicated?Muscle memory, speed, not spilling. Social skills, phsyical activity lifting kegs, cases, refilling ice.In an open or cash bar, have you memorized over 200 drinks?

Im dying to know how this night went.If she was a bartender worth her salt, shes absolutely worth $300 if not more. Because your wedding was probably competing with a good slammed night at her regular bar on a friday/saturday night. Serving ppl that didnt look down on her as "the help".
Sounds to me like you want to have your cake and eat it too. You want a classy wedding bar, but you want to pay dive bar prices. In my experience, that usually doesnt pan out well. Inexperienced bartenders can ruin an event, let alone your WEDDING.
You get what you pay for, but yeah her fee was a tad high.
And you should absolutely tip on alcohol volume, not a percentage of her fee. You dont tip based on your servers hourly wage do you? You tip a percentage based on what you order and are served. Some people order more than others, and you are volunteering to cover the gratuity of how much labor goes into serving your guests. So if youve got a particularly high maintenance aunt, you should probably be generous.

View Quoted Comment In cali its $3k fine and you lose your license, the est loses its license, you lose your job and you cant work in another bar for a year. And you can be sued

View Quoted Comment If this seems to be the industry standard practice in the area for career professiknals, but this is im assuming your first and only wedding, shouldnt that tell you something? Just because you were previously unaware doesnt make it absurd, but i understand your sticker shock. Im curious what state youre in that pays these prices, maybe ive been undercharging....

View Quoted Comment Not so tacky now, is it?