| The "Tip-Out System" is an important part of a | | | | money than the waiters on average. Surely, they |
| restaurant's dining room staff success for many | | | | worked for it running giant food plates up 2 long |
| different reasons. Tips are the basic salary for | | | | flights of stairs. And, the runner shift was almost |
| most restaurant service employees, and must | | | | as many hours long as the waiter shift. It all |
| be divided with utmost respect and care. | | | | comes down to responsibilities and workload |
| The staff's reputation, morale and | | | | distribution. |
| income depend on a proper and fair tip-out | | | | There are even different types of tip-out |
| system. | | | | systems that exist in the restaurant world such |
| There are certain factors that must be taken into | | | | as the point system. For example, if $100 in |
| consideration, before deciding on a correct and | | | | tips is produced by the waiter, it gets spread |
| fair tip- out system. The most important concept | | | | out in a point system amongst all staffers. The |
| of the system is that it must always reflect the | | | | breakdown might be $50 to the waiter, $30 to |
| work load and responsibilities of each staffer in a | | | | the busser, $15 to the runner, $5 to the bar, and |
| delicately balanced manner. | | | | so on. Every restaurant is an enigma, so the |
| If this concept is strictly adhered to, then one | | | | tip-out system must fit the restaurant's |
| can't go wrong in devising the most efficient | | | | personality. |
| tip-out system for a restaurant. It must | | | | To physically perform the tip-out revenue split, |
| remembered that an improper system can make | | | | the waiters can place the tip-out |
| or break a dining room service staff to the point | | | | revenue percentages for the receiving dining |
| where employees may deliver poor service | | | | room service employees into envelopes. |
| or actually quit the job. | | | | The waiter name, date and particular shift should |
| A standard base system to work from is for the | | | | be included on the outside of the envelopes. Then, |
| waiter to tip out 15% to the bussers, 10% to | | | | this split for each receiving dining room service |
| the runners, and 5% to the bar. Now, this is only | | | | employee can be put back together in separate |
| a general guideline as the system needs to be | | | | envelopes with his/her name on the outside of |
| customized according to each individual restaurant | | | | the envelope to be distributed. The double-check |
| and tweaked evenly according to the workload | | | | system works best here to have 2 trusted |
| distribution. | | | | people witnessing all of the money envelopes |
| For example, if the runners are doing some | | | | that are opened. |
| busser work (clearing plates, replacing dining wares | | | | The restaurant service tip-out system must |
| etc.), then another 2.5% can possibly go to the | | | | always be fair and balanced with very few |
| runners while subtracting 2.5% to the bussers. It | | | | complaints from the staff. In fact, some |
| all depends on the restaurant dining room service | | | | feedback may actually help for the understanding |
| system, and on the "desired level of customer | | | | of the situation as the dining room service |
| service" ---so crucial for success. | | | | staff carries many solutions to restaurant |
| One must understand that just because the | | | | problems. Of course, there will not always be |
| bussers are being tipped out less of a percentage, | | | | 100% agreement amongst each and every |
| doesn't necessarily mean they are not making | | | | employee. |
| less money overall than the runners for that | | | | The tip-out system really works out beautifully if |
| shift. It all depends on how many waiters/runners | | | | done correctly using the concepts above. Again, |
| bussers are working for that shift. Less | | | | most importantly, the balance of the restaurant |
| employees available for the tip-out split means | | | | service labor and responsibilities must be in |
| more revenue for each employee. | | | | proportion to the balance of all the employee |
| In some of my restaurant service consulting jobs, | | | | tip-outs. |
| I have actually seen where runners made more | | | | |