Tips for catering staff?

Hmm, this is kinda confusing. I would assume labor fee is service fee. Bc they’re providing a service through their labor. You know? But then it says the personnel charge does cover staff wages, so it seems like they’re getting paid but doesn’t include tip.

Yes, you would tip on this. The labor fee does not include gratuity at a certain %.

I would tip the standard 20 percent as a courtesy.

Yes, they should definitely be tipped.

A “labor fee” is essentially you paying money toward their wages and other expenses involved in running a business. A tip is called the “gratuity”. It’s automatically included in the bill when you go out to eat with a large group so it doesn’t need to be paid twice. In a catering setting, the gratuity is not included and is at your discretion. Some couples pay a tip because they are told to give one to everyone without question regardless of the quality of service. A tip should only be given to those who went above and beyond the call of duty on the day of the wedding and many couples are not aware in the moment of how well each vendor performs, due to human limitations. That is why it is recommended to wait a week or 2 until after you come back from the honeymoon and are able to objectively assess all vendors and give tips at that time only to those who went above and beyond the call of duty.

Hey guys -- wanted to close the loop on this. I spoke with some folks who work in the catering business. Actually, the recommendation isn't to tip as if you're in a restaurant. Cater waiters and other employees make a salary with benefits, unlike folks who work in a restaurant. You should give each person -- servers, bartenders, chefs -- around $30 each before the event starts. Put the tip in an envelope with their name on it and give it to the person directly so the manager can't steal the tips. You tip the manager based on their performance, after the event.

View Quoted Comment This is good to know Whitney! Thank you for sharing!