Tipping Protocol?

Good Morning! I'd like to hear some of your stories about receiving tips. Many of my Clients aren't sure, first of all, whether it is appropriate to tip, or not. Those that do, don't follow any standard practice. They are all over the place with amounts! I've had tips that range from 6% to (believe it or not) 40%! For those that ask if it is appropriate, I tell them that we gratefully accept tips, and it's at their discretion. I ask them to decide if we've exceeded their expectations.

Does this kind of conversation make any of you uncomfortable? How do you handle tipping questions? I feel we're asking a professional salary, so positioning for more money seems a bit awkward.

Thanks for sharing!

Donna

First of all... tips are rewards and not salary expectation. I never EXPECT tips... it is very nice to receive them and I accept them gratefully but DO NOT solicit them.

No one has ever "asked" me if I accept tips - if they intend to tip they usally hand it to me. I had a dad once drop a couple of toonies in my alcohol container because he thought it was tip jar

My usual response is, "Oh that's okay, the painting is free for everyone as I have been hired by XXX today" and I've only had ONE person in all these years put the money back in THEIR pocket Mostly they hand it to me and thank me, I take it, thank THEM and put it in my pocket immediately.

I have one corporate client that regularly overpays me... usually by about 50% but the owner does that, not the actual company.

Typically I'll get $5 or $10, sometimes $20 if I have painted a couple kids in the same family... and the tippers are usually grandmothers and fathers... WHEN I get them, which is pretty rare.

I am paid well, and tips are a nice surprise, but I do not expect them and so if any amount of offered it is a welcome bonus... even a quarter is a bonus from a 5 year old!

I agree with not bringing it up, and I don't. I find that when they do, the conversation for me feels awkward. I will not accept an offered tip from a party guest either. I feel that is between the Client and me. They are already paying me well to be there. If offered, I simply refuse it, saying that I am already compensated for being there, but thank you for the compliment.

I was really just curious about this whole tip conversation, and what others think or say. Also, since me tips run a wild range, I was wondering if that was also everyone else's experience, or have other seen a standard.


Thanks! DJ

I accept them from anyone... when you're at a birthday party, they KNOW you are being paid to be there, so if you are offered a tip by a guest I don't see anything wrong in graciously accepting it. I've been tipped by the birthday girl's grandmother even!!

It isn't awkward... If some asks me if I accept them, I will say 'I do, but I am being paid to be here so it isn't necessary."

There is no standard... It is a regional thing in a lot of ways. We aren't in the usual tipping classifications like - 15-20% to wait staff, etc.

I work hourly... so, if an individual I painted at an event wants to tip I actually don't have a clue what a per face tip would work out to as I have never bothered to price it that way... But, if you charged $10 per face, then 10% would be $1... most people tip $5 or $10 in my experience... and it isn't really a traditional "tip" when I am not charging THEM in the first place is it?

What do you do if you're at an event where there's drinking, and the tipper is obviously tipsy, and they give you a rather generous tip? Are you hesitant to take it, maybe wondering if they'll remember tomorrow what happened to their money?

Funny you should ask that!!

I painted at a club where the some of the customers who wanted to be painted were wasted... and I was charging them a "fine" of $20 for every f-bomb they uttered. The manager of the club actually had told them to watch their language around me, and I said, "yeah it is $20 for every f-bomb" so... if one said it (and they said it lots!) the others would yell you have to pay her!! So... I ended up making a mortgage payment that night!

I was a little concerned and asked one of the bouncers about it - he told me not to worry, that those particular guys would drink it anyway if they hadn't given it to me.

It isn't YOUR problem someone who's had too much to drink becomes generous!!! Take it and don't feel guilty.

I usually paint at festivals and the biggest tip I've ever gotten was $10, but its usually a dollar or two... I live in a generally poor area, but I usually get at least a few tips every time I'm working. No one has ever asked me if I take them... they usually just hand it to me, I thank them gratefully, then tell them to have a great day, and put the money in my pocket or money box. I recently made a tip jar but I've only used it once... that one time I did get $2 but I feel a bit guilty putting it out there (it was when I painted at pizza hut).

I put out a tip jar when I am painting ppf or have given a discount on the hourly rate and putting out the tip jar is part of the deal. I felt weird at first, but got over it. I usually grease the wheels a bit also, by starting the tip jar out with 2 ones and a 5.

I have a big mug with a picture of a clown tipping his hat that says "Tips Appreciated." I put it out at events where I've been paid, but at a discounted rate... for example, the hockey games we were doing were for practically half of our regular hourly (we did it for the extremely repeat business and the exposure) so we bumped up our pay a little by taking tips. If you do that, you SHOULD put a couple dollars in there to start with to get things moving (nobody wants to be the first one for some reason).

I don't solicit tips if I've been paid full rate or if I'm doing PPF (although some tell me to "keep the change" sometimes). Never feel guilty about accepting extra money if it is offered. When I used to DJ weddings, I often got $50-$100 tips which, while I don't know what they were paying my boss, pretty much doubled my pay!

I've had guests tip me at hourly-paid functions before, and while I smile and let them know it isn't necessary, I do take them if they insist. I have hosts tip me sometimes, which I always am very grateful for. This isn't the norm though. When someone asks if I accept tips, I make sure they know it isn't expected, but that I do accept them.

Loves me some tip money! This weekend was exceptionally good one gig gave us $80 and one $40 I do a lot of private parties. I have never solicited nor have I turned it down.

I never ask for tips... but I get them fairly frequently, I just say thank you for the gift and let them know that I appreciate it.

When I do restaurants, I get tips from my regulars, but new people constantly ask if I accept tips. It actually just kinda slows me down, so I wear a button that says "tipping is okee dokee." Saves time and I hear people reading the button outloud to themselves and saying "oh, okay."

I also wear a big button with my name, and one with my slogan "normal is boring" I also wear a button that is a hand giving the ASL sign for I love you.

I have a couple of "buttons" as well (actually business cards printed and laminated with little luggage tag clips on them)... One says "tips appreciated" with a picture of me in clown at kind of a 45 degree angle... another (while a bit wordy) says: I CARE I use only FDA compliant, professional, cosmetic grade face paints and safe glitters. I do not use craft paints (acrylic, tempra, etc.) or markers.

I have a tip bucket for PPF, but I've not been paid to be at an event yet. Definitely not an expectation, but if my work seems worth more than the price listed, tipping is a very nice way of showing it.

I have no problem answering questions about tips. I have a tip jar for PPF but I have not been at a PPF event for over a year. I will take tips at prepaid events but do not put the tip jar out. A Shannon said, a tip is like a reward. Not expected but appreciated.