Karaoke Forums

I do tip our night crew that cleans up. They get there from closing time and are there until the bar opens - but they also do the entire complex (store, both lounges, restaurant and the offices).

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me thinks some people should just stay home and karaoke.......tip yourself, if you think you deserve it too.....

No tips but I do buy myself drinks...

A little off topic, but Bruce's rant reminds me of a karaoke bar I've been to in Orlando's Old Town called the Blue Maxx. They have a great sound system and a great layout with a proper stage for karaoke, BUT the one thing that drives me crazy about that place, is you have to basically BUY karaoke "tickets" to sing.

I recognize that it is likely just because it is in Disney's backyard, but literally, if you want to sing you have to either go buy a karaoke ticket, or they give you one with each alcoholic drink you order.

Again, I recognize the need when you have thousands of tourists that want to dip in and sing without patronizing the bar, but as a singer that would never dream of singing without buying something from the bar/restaurant, it is really tacky to me, especially when I'm next in the rotation to sing and haven't finished my drink yet, and I have to buy another drink prematurely to maintain my place in line.

Off topic, but it just popped in my head.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Interesting, I too did the karaoke thing in Orlando at a place called Kitty O'Sheas right across the street from the entrance to Disneyworld. There was no coupons to buy. Just fill out a song slip, come up and sing. The host is still on my fb. Set up was basic but adequate for karaoke and he was by all means not a pirate. My wife and I had fun there 3 years ago last month.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

To weigh in, I'm not a tip jar kind of host, but I harbor no ill will toward those who are, and will willingly contribute. A tip really only doubles as a bribe if the tipper receives preferential treatment due to their tip, correct? Now, I will say, I've been a bartender before too. And as a bartender, if I had regular patrons that did not tip, they were not my priority. But that's a tip-based industry; karaoke is not. Therefore the expectations are different. If you don't tip a bartender or a server, you're actively withholding income.

All that said, I will accept tips if offered, albeit with the caveat that many others have mentioned that a tip does not lead to preferential treatment. If this is known and accepted and they still want to offer me a few appreciative dollars, I have no problem with that. The exception being, of course, that if a severely drunk and/or stupid individual wants to try to bribe their way up the rotation and they wouldn't actively mess up the rotation (i.e., they're next anyway and they just don't realize it), I will happily take advantage of their poor decision-making. I'm a KJ; I'm not in the business of morality.

Another kind of, sort of exception: I had an older man do karaoke for the first time at one of my shows. He fell in love with it and immediately became a regular at my Tuesday night show, attending every week without fail for the better part of two years. We developed a friendship; I'm an early bird when it comes to work, and he'd often get there before me, so we had ample opportunity to talk. He started supporting my other shows, showing up to my fill-in work, often coming to new shows to beef up attendance a bit. Somewhere along the line, it became clear that he was going to give me money every night; he was quite well off, so he was more than happy to throw an unsolicited tip my way. He never asked for anything in return, other than to maintain his fair spot in the rotation; however, I was aware that he liked to go first, which is why he arrived so early. If he took some extra time choosing and someone beat him to the punch in turning in the first song slip, I'd often bump him up. It never bothered me too much, ethically speaking, because the other person was never put out (except for singing at 9:03 instead of 9:00), but I guess it was a roundabout bribe of sorts. (He turned out to be a homophobe and a racist, so he's no longer welcome at my shows, but I got $20-$30 a night out of him while it lasted. It's hard to regret that, but it happened.)

Whenever I see a KJ with his tip "pitcher" prominently displayed; it always reminds me of a homeless man shaking his tin cup as pedestrians walk by him.

A karaoke host with a tip jar is like that man in the bathroom who hands you a paper towel and stands there with his hand out as if I couldn't have taken that paper towel out of the dispenser myself.

They're all beggars as far as I'm concerned and I wouldn't want anyone to think of me as a beggar. If I negotiate a price with a bar owner, then that is what I expect to make for the time involved. If someone wants to give me a little extra something on their own; I'm more than gracious about it but you will never see a tip jar on my system.

I have nothing against tipping. I have something about giving people a nudge to make sure they feel like they're supposed to do it as a matter of course.

If you want to put out a tip jar; go right ahead. It tells me more about you than anything else you could possibly do or say. ACTIONS Speak much louder than words.

I have tipped to sing songs after the official karaoke has ended. Most of the time the host in question was just about the pack up, and i'd offer him $5 to sing another song. Sometimes he'd go an extra hour from the people who followed suit..

But the question remains; do they put out a tip jar?

...Johnny R, yes I've been offered WOMEN as BRIBES. But only at my wedding gigs.

...As far as the tip jar being put out. Well, back when I first got into karaoke and started hosting shows for other KJs and Venues (late 80's thru 2001), I never saw or noticed a tip jar being used by anyone. I've been back in the business since 2009 and did a couple of Commercial Venues for several months until they sold out or closed their doors (economy issues). Since then it's been nothing but Private Events. However, I am about to go out and try to get some weekly events and the Decorated-Up-Not-In-Your-Face-Tip-Jar-Idea is a possibility. Again, I have never taken any money as a Bribe for rotation favors but would not mind a tip for a job well done. Although with that idea in mind, I have no tip expectations from anyone.

johnnyR. I know a place where they offer brides. It’s in Transylvania, Romania. They bite & they will suck you dry - - - - - of your blood until you’re drained of energy, without even laying a fang on you. You like that? Never mind, I already know the obvious answer.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

Sorry that this thread got hi-jacked to way down south. But they started it. I was just doing a follow-up. I know, I'm just as guilty. I apologize

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

You got the place wrong....you mean right here in the good ol' US of A....

The $60, 000 question for me would be....does this mean if you walk through the door, and you see a huge tip jar, right smack in the front & center of a KJs table/booth....you will turn around and go right back out of the door you just came in from?........

If I go out of my way to visit a place that I've never been to before and I see the tip Jar right out front and center; No I will not turn right around and leave but I will already be leary of the KJ running a fair rotation. I've been to places where the KJ makes it plain and simple. They pick up their tip jar and shake it around in the air while announcing that MONEY TALKS. As soon as I see a tip jar, that memory jumps right up to the front of my mind.

A beautiful Stripper doesn't have to ask a guy for a tip....but the ugly ones sure do.

A good KJ gets paid enough so that he doesn't have to try to sell himself or beg for a tip.

You don't have to agree with me. I don't really care. I'm just telling you how most "CUSTOMERS" feel about it. Of course your fellow tip beggars are going to agree with you. What's next? Will the kids at McDonalds start putting out tip jars too?

And of course there will be someONE here that has seen someONE tip a McDonald's drive thru person as if it happens every day. sigh!

They have little TIP Cups at the Dunkin Donuts on my block.

If you ever see me pick up, shake, point at, mention or anything else my tip jar, I will send you the money that ever goes in it for that month. You will probably get maybe $20-30. Just because a tip jar is out, doesn't mean a host isn't fair in rotation. I do not even allow patrons to grab it to 'pass the hat'. It's there simply for someone that wants to say thanks, and nothing more.

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Seriously thinking about getting a tip jar. Sounds like a ring of garlic!

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

I don't know, Rip, it might be fun to have Bruce at a show.

I don't know......all that pizzing & moaning......doubt I'd feel much like singing.....