Pittsburgh Business Daily

What is the best way to distribute monetary tips across groups at the same business? Do we keep them separate?

We recently added a kitchen to our winery. The employees mostly work in either the Tasting Room or the Kitchen and generally not both areas on the same night or same event. When people offer tips, what is the best way to fairly distribute them? Before the kitchen opened, the employees put the money in an envelope to use at an end of the year party (usually around $200). However, now with our chef, what is the best way to handle tips that the kitchen received separately from the Tasting Room. My view is the kitchen is separate from the Tasting Room and tips should not be shared across the groups but only with the employees that work in that group. Can anyone offer insight into this problem? Thank you!

Public Comments

1. I'd say combine "all" tips from both areas, then distribute them, to be fair.
2. it would depend on what sort of amounts you are talking about, if after each function there are tips then IMO honest opinion I don't see why they should be saved for your own staff to pay for their own party at the end of the year.......so I am not sure if you work there or are the boss, if the boss then come on dig deep for your good loyal employees, if a member of staff then I would put forward the suggestion that tips from both places are pooled and divided out at the end of 3 months, again with the bosses picking up the tab for the staff party. reagsrds
3. Your instinct as far as to the front of the house not sharing are correct. Rarely is it done otherwise at the results usually end up badly. The chef probably makes more money than the front house people anyway and no good chef would ask for or expect tips. If he does you have a whole seperate issue. Ok you said it was about $200 a year. Are you just serving appetizers or also entrees? How many seats do you have. How many employees? Regardless you need to start thinking like someone running a restaurant. Once you start serving food people will start tipping 15 to 20 percent on the checks. It is the front of the house that sets the stage, creates a happy atmosphere. Their job description is be polite, chatty, cheerful and informitive. Plus if food is served get it out promptly, checking back after it is served, removing plates promptly, etc. It's a whole new ball game. If you do enough traffic tips in the front of the house alone might become an issue in itself. What if one person consistantly brings in more tips will meanwhile someone else slacks or doesn't get the idea. Of course that would cause resentment. Or that person says to themselves "now I have to share with the chef"? It is the front that works hard to please the guests and should reap the rewards of giving that little bit extra. Service in the front (and tips) is not a chefs focus. Serving great food while saving you money is. When you serve food it become a whole new ball game. You could have awesome wine but if say the baked brie with a fuit compote blows people will remember that.......... not the wine. Yes, I am sure you added a kitchen to add to your guest experience but I assume it was to expand your business. You have many things to ponder. Like if the tips get larger how do you disburse the money because a party slush fund won't do it. People want to be rewarded. Everyday could be difficult but once a week would not. But what if one person works 6 days a week and another works 2? Just a thought. Point is it depends on your situation and plans. The bottom line is that it is never a good idea to mix front and back of the house in regards to money. The people up front will just not try as hard and the chef will be thinking about things other than food. What if things are going well and you expand later? Are you suddenly going to change it all later? So best to follow your instincts (which are excellent) and keep the tips seperate from the get go. That part is clear..... the rest is hard to explain in Answers. Email me if you want.