Common Tip Structures for Standard Restaurant Operations
Scenario: Casual Table Service
Employees
Hosts
Busser/Runner
Servers
Bartenders
Back of House
Tip Distribution
Servers
Server Share Rules Time of Sale
Servers tip out the Hosts 0.5-1% of Total Sales
Servers tip out the Bartender(s) 5-10% of Alcohol Sales
Servers tip out the Busser/Runner 1% of Total sales
Server Share Rules Daily
Servers tip out Back of House 2-4% of Food Sales
Server Cut
After tipping out the Support Staff and Back of House, individual Servers retain their remaining tips
Bartenders
Bartender Share Rules Daily
Bartenders tip out Back of House 2-4% of Food Sales
Bartender Pool Time of Sale
Bartenders Pool tips amongst themselves
Managers/Owners
Managers/Owners Share Rules Daily
Managers/Owners distribute 100% of tips between Servers/Bartenders/Support/Back of House
To-Go Orders/Delivery
To-Go/Delivery Share Rules Daily
100% of To-Go tips are distributed between the Host and Back of House
Delivery tips are retained by the fake employee where the sales are rung (DoorDash, OLO, Online Orders, Default Online Ordering) and sent back to the 3rd party delivery service from the restaurant's bank account at the end of the month.