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Tip jar or no tip jar?
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Author:  kameragurl [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 5:55 am ]
Post subject:  Tip jar or no tip jar?
At my shows, I don't use a tip jar. The establishment pays me to have me there. I have had instances where a customer would ask me,"Where is your tip jar"? I told him, "I don't use one." What I found was that I would still get tips without one and the customers like that. A show I went to a while back, the kj had his son walk around begging for tips. This was at a restaurant; not a bar. To me, that's tacky and stupid. The kj's son was 14 years old but still I thought it was dumb for the kj to do that. I know that some kj's don't charge very much to play at a venue, but still I think it's ridiculous to have someone walk around and beg for tips. The kj's son had passed right by me because he knew I wouldn't tip him.
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
Personally I don't have a TIP JAR --I see nothing wrong with HAVING ONE though?

I wouldn't ASK for tips ..but thats just me
Author:  Nlouch [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
As I've said before, tipping in the UK is a very different beast to that in the US. As such, I don't have a tip-jar.
Author:  kameragurl [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
I darn sure wouldn't have a kid do it.
Author:  MustangMarty [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
As far as the tip jar goes, it's only there to keep me up and runnng till 2 if folks want me to. NOT to get bumped up. Bar only pays me till 1:00. Every ten dollars in the jar is an extra 15 minutes to keep going. Seems to work out well most of the time.
Author:  spyderstan [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
I'm not a pro karaoke dude.
But I worked for years as a professional musician & singer.
Every band I've been in, we didn't promote a tip jar. But some club owners did, and the extra money was nice. So... go for it.

BTW, as a retired pro, but frequent karaoke participant, I find most karaoke entertainers have a tip jar. And I usually tip $5 or $10 for the night for my wife & I.

What do most tip?
Author:  darway [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
I tip a dollar a song, sometimes less if I forget. :roll:

I was at a pool hall kind of place a few nights ago, and the KJ's wife walked the room with the jar. I was not offended, though. The jar was empty halfway through the night and I thought the customers were being chintzy.
Author:  spyderstan [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
$1 a song seems reasonable.
I notice most karaoke tip jars are fairly empty.
I assume most karaoke singers don't tip. Am I right or wrong?
Author:  Gryf [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
Tried both with and without a tip jar and it never made a difference in how much I made in tips. What I did notice was I had more ask me how much it cost to move up in the rotation if they did tip me. I can't conclusively say that visibly taking tips increases folks thinking they can bribe their way up the rotation but it feels that way to me.

I get tips in batches and typically from the big spender of a large party. The real regular singers rarely tip at all and I'm fine with that but only if they're drinking :)
Author:  jamkaraoke [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
darway @ Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:56 am wrote:
I tip a dollar a song, sometimes less if I forget. :roll:

I was at a pool hall kind of place a few nights ago, and the KJ's wife walked the room with the jar. I was not offended, though. The jar was empty halfway through the night and I thought the customers were being chintzy.


She must not have been good looking ..... :mrgreen:
Author:  DannyG2006 [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
I don't accept tips for the reason that if someone saw it they might think I can be bribed and I can't. My rotation is first come first serve period in the order I receive singers. I have never bumped a singer unless they are the bartender and can't sing at the momnet I call them or they are in the restroom.
Author:  Flipper [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
When I first started in the business I did not have a tip jar but many of my customers would tip me anyway so I started putting a jar out to put the tips in so it did not look like I was taking bribes. I have called it many things over the years like "401K Fund" etc. Now I just have a small sign on there that says "Tips Are Fun" that the bartender made for me.

I use the money for purchasing new songs and keeping the books updated. This is important as the price I charge to the bar has not gone up in the past 5 years yet my expenses have gone considerably. It helps defray the cost of doing business.

The jar just sits there and I do not promote tips in any way other than having it near my equipment. I just have very generous customers who appreciate my show.

On the other hand I do promote tips for the bar staff via the microphone which I think is totally fine and they appreciate it.
Author:  Lonman [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
I have had a tip jar out for years. Sometimes it gets used, most times not. I do not promote it in any way other than it has the 401 K label on it rather than tip. If soemone asks where it is, i'll tell them. No favors are given as far as moving up.
Author:  johnny reverb [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
I don't use a tip jar.....they slip anywhere form 5 to 20(depends on how crowded) in my hand, and I move them up in the order.....also, the owners pay me pretty well, and I wouldn't think of hitting up my customers for any more than I do already.....hey, I've got some scruples.. :lol:
Author:  Lonman [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
johnny reverb @ Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:48 pm wrote:
I don't use a tip jar.....they slip anywhere form 5 to 20(depends on how crowded) in my hand, and I move them up in the order.....also, the owners pay me pretty well, and I wouldn't think of hitting up my customers for any more than I do already.....hey, I've got some scruples.. :lol:


One thing I do notice is I get more tips on slower nights than busy.
Author:  Karen K [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
I have 'struggled' with this issue in the past - some tippers are embarrassed to ask where the tip jar is and to actually place the tip money in your hand. I try to ease their embarrassment by just reaching out and shaking their hand, telling them how much I appreciate their patronage, and take the focus off the money changing hands. I have put a tip jar out in the past - depends on the place for sure, as at a big weekend gig where there are a lot of tippers, you really have to have one. (Frankly, I don't even know where the darned thing is.)

What I don't like is when the first thing you see is the tip jar. Just seems tacky to me. Earn the tip first!
Author:  ericlater [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
Tips are good. And while I used to give what I got to the servers, I've decided to keep my tips from now on!

And I will be using a jar because people asked for one. And I felt "embarrassed" by receiving tips in my hand and then having to make some special acknowledgment of the gesture.

With the jar, I just plan to give each tipper a nod and a smile, if I even notice that they gave a tip!
Author:  BamaRob [ Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tip jar or no tip jar?
Much like others here, I dont make it an ordeal. I have a jar sitting near where they sing. I never mention it or promote it. If they tip, fine. If they dont, fine. Far more often then not, they're not tiping anyway. Its just a small bonus if it actually happens.
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