staff tips after wedding

tony glenn

What's the etiquette for tipping all the hotel team after a wedding reception?

Senna

None required what so ever(assuming gratuity isn't in your contract), staff are paid for their work and do not need to rely on tips to supplement their income.
I wouldn't give a tip to share either, as when its shared among 20/40 staff, it works out at nothing each.
But if someone goes above and beyond or if you genuinely feel they have added to the pleasure of your day more than there payment covered, then by all means give them a tip, I'm sure it will be appreciated.

nosietoes

I worked a wedding at the weekend (as a chef) and the team was tipped €200 which ended up being €10 each plus a little left over towards staff party kitty. It's not much but it's a couple of post work pints, or an extra hour pay for some of the wait staff.

It's the 3rd wedding I've worked, and the 1 st to tip but it was nice and appreciated tho not expected.

Gatica

We gave around a 6% tip to the hotel for the staff that worked the wedding, how they divided among the waiting staff though, I've no idea...

Clearlier

We gave about 10% but worth noting that the bill didn't include wine.

Larrson

Senna wrote: »

None required what so ever(assuming gratuity isn't in your contract), staff are paid for their work and do not need to rely on tips to supplement their income.
I wouldn't give a tip to share either, as when its shared among 20/40 staff, it works out at nothing each.
But if someone goes above and beyond or if you genuinely feel they have added to the pleasure of your day more than there payment covered, then by all means give them a tip, I'm sure it will be appreciated.

I really don't know what gives you the right to say Staff don't rely on Tips to Supplement their Income as I Certainly Do. As Nearly all Hotel Staff are on Minimum Wage and WORK BLOODY HARD FOR IT.

Mrs OBumble

Larrson wrote: »

I really don't know what gives you the right to say Staff don't rely on Tips to Supplement their Income as I Certainly Do. As Nearly all Hotel Staff are on Minimum Wage and WORK BLOODY HARD FOR IT.

Minimum wage in Ireland is enough to live on . Not a flash living. But enough.

This is different to some countries where the minimum wage is deliberately to low to live on, to ensure that the wait-staff do actually hustle.

Here, tips are a nice to have. Personally I would only give them if staff really did go above and beyond what would usually be expected. I certainly wouldn't tip for just doing the job.

pooch90

We kept an eye on individual members of the serving/bar staff.
Some really went above and beyond and we threw some of them €20, some €50 (the barman who did spins down to local B&Bs with guests).
The staff at our venue were great though, the barman mentioned above featured in quite a few guest selfies!!

Larrson

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Minimum wage in Ireland is enough to live on . Not a flash living. But enough.

This is different to some countries where the minimum wage is deliberately to low to live on, to ensure that the wait-staff do actually hustle.

Here, tips are a nice to have. Personally I would only give them if staff really did go above and beyond what would usually be expected. I certainly wouldn't tip for just doing the job.

So Minimum wage is Enough to support My wife 3 kids and a Mortgage, Thanks for You Comments

Preset No.3

Larrson wrote: »

So Minimum wage is Enough to support My wife 3 kids and a Mortgage, Thanks for You Comments

Well it is your own doing that you choose to work in a low income job with a wife and 3 kids to support. How about you do something about your situation instead of giving out about it here?!

We are not a tipping country. Its not expected but is a nice surprise.

Larrson

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Well it is your own doing that you choose to work in a low income job with a wife and 3 kids to support. How about you do something about your situation instead of giving out about it here?!

We are not a tipping country. Its not expected but is a nice surprise.

So now I choose to work in LOW INCOME JOB Your post Contradicts the-very Question that was asked about Tipping, and believe me I have tried to get other jobs and done Courses and I have worked in the Construction industry most of my life , and by the way I was not giving out about it here I was just replying to a quote?

Big Nasty

Pretty much every restaurant in the country will do a four course meal for under €25. Want to bring 150 people? That'll be €75 a head so.

They can afford to pay their staff well enough thanks.

Sam Kade

Larrson wrote: »

I really don't know what gives you the right to say Staff don't rely on Tips to Supplement their Income as I Certainly Do. As Nearly all Hotel Staff are on Minimum Wage and WORK BLOODY HARD FOR IT.

Boohoo cry me a river, how many other people work for minimum wage that aren't in a position to get tips?

Sam Kade

Larrson wrote: »

So now I choose to work in LOW INCOME JOB Your post Contradicts the-very Question that was asked about Tipping, and believe me I have tried to get other jobs and done Courses and I have worked in the Construction industry most of my life , and by the way I was not giving out about it here I was just replying to a quote?

Well, if you want tips to supplement your income you obviously believe it yourself

helimachoptor

pooch90 wrote: »

We kept an eye on individual members of the serving/bar staff.
Some really went above and beyond and we threw some of them €20, some €50 (the barman who did spins down to local B&Bs with guests).
The staff at our venue were great though, the barman mentioned above featured in quite a few guest selfies!!

We did the same. The night porter got 200 from us, stayed up both the night of the wedding and the next and kept drink going and even made a few ham and cheese toasties, he gave us a last big order around 6am and he went off to bed or home maybe

Fudge You

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Minimum wage in Ireland is enough to live on . Not a flash living. But enough.
.

Live where exactly???

You must mean live with the parents, because minimum wage is not enough to live, even without flash.

No one wants to stay on min wage, but to say its enough to live on is having a laugh.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

I work for minimum wage but if you calculated my actual pay per hour it comes in at much lower than that. I survive with no possibility of tips, granted without kids. I don't think tips are necessary in the wedding scenario since your paying a small fortune for generally very mediocre food. If the hotels don't give the employees a bigger cut of the wedding action that's an issue between the hotel and the staff. Its not up to the newly weds to supplement the income of the staff unless one of them goes above and beyond like the porter mentioned previously.

The Dark Side

Larrson wrote: »

So Minimum wage is Enough to support My wife 3 kids and a Mortgage, Thanks for You Comments

Of course not, your wife, 3 kids and mortgage should obviously be supported through our tips instead.:rolleyes:

Toots

Guys keep it on topic. The poster asked for info on the etiquette for tipping staff at the wedding venue, not for a debate about minimum wage jobs.

Omc1

I would like to start off by saying that maybe some people may think the Irish minimum wage is enough to live on if you are indeed working full time. Just about live on.

A very large percentage of hotel staff are on zero hour contracts. Meaning they aren't guaranteed hours each week and don't get paid when they don't work. Those that work at weddings are at risk of this. If there is no weddings or events on they don't work.

They don't expect tips because Ireland isn't exactly a tipping country but when they do receive them they are very grateful to the tipper. The hotels do not pay their staff well, the tips that couples give to the hotel to go to the staff goes into either the hotels pocket or towards a stupid party that never happens.

So those of you who say these staff members shouldn't get tips or they get paid well enough, read the above and then come back to me with a valid agrument.

Larrson

Of course it's up to the Wedding Couple Whether or Not they Give or can Afford to Give a tip for the Staff, at our Hotel a good few do give tips for Staff which is Very Welcome, but I don't expect it from all wedding couples as I know it is very Expensive to get Married, But Staff can And do go the extra mile to make sure the Wedding is The Best that can be for The Wedding Couple and Guests.

Larrson

Sam Kade wrote: »

Well, if you want tips to supplement your income you obviously believe it yourself

Omc1 wrote: »

I would like to start off by saying that maybe some people may think the Irish minimum wage is enough to live on if you are indeed working full time. Just about live on.

A very large percentage of hotel staff are on zero hour contracts. Meaning they aren't guaranteed hours each week and don't get paid when they don't work. Those that work at weddings are at risk of this. If there is no weddings or events on they don't work.

They don't expect tips because Ireland isn't exactly a tipping country but when they do receive them they are very grateful to the tipper. The hotels do not pay their staff well, the tips that couples give to the hotel to go to the staff goes into either the hotels pocket or towards a stupid party that never happens.

So those of you who say these staff members shouldn't get tips or they get paid well enough, read the above and then come back to me with a valid agrument.

That is So true.

Toots

Omc1 and Larrson, I'm not sure what part of "keep it on topic" is so difficult to understand. If either of you post anything else about minimum wage/living standards/anything else that's off topic you will get a 7 day ban from the forum.

Larrson

Sorry I thought my last post was on The Topic.

daheff

Personally I wouldnt tip at the wedding unless staff member goes above and beyond to the level that you really notice it. Dont go looking for superior service as it might disappoint you that you dont get it (or that you start noticing how bad service might be).

Its your wedding, enjoy the day/night and should staff do excellent work that makes your /your guests time more enjoyable then by all means tip them.

fits

We've budgeted for a tip. Not anywhere near 10% though. More like 3-4%.

Larbre34

We gave €600 in cash to two of the staff to distribute (never give it to just one person), but we did it relatively early on in the evening, so the drink was served all night and the second round of finger food arrived at 3am

Each staff member got probably €40 or 50. Far better value than a bar extension, I promise you.

Mrs OBumble

Remember that even if you give tips to individual staff, they most likely have employment contracts which say that all tips need to be put into the "pot" to be distributed among all the staff: a waiter may have been extra helpful, but his/her performance is strongly due to the (typically lower paid) back of house staff who you'd never see, and who don't get a chance for direct tips.

If you really do want to tip an individual, make sure you do it out of sight of the other staff, and away from the CCTV.



And if you want a debate about the adequacy of minimum wage, come on over to Work and Jobs. But be aware that we'll rapidly educate you about Child Benefit, FIS and council housing. Or try Politics, if you want to wax more philosophically about it.

Neyite

I've worked in hotels where the manager was given the tips from a large group or function and trousered the lot. Other places it was added to the staff kitty - problem is that a lot of the staff were keeping their own tips and taking a cut of the kitty when the time came.

I've never expected a tip from functions, especially since service charge was usually built in to the price, but it was very much appreciated on the rare occasion that I did get one.

Giving a tip to a mixed group of staff -waiting staff plus bar staff and porters ensures it gets shared by all.

Senna

Larrson wrote: »

I really don't know what gives you the right to say Staff don't rely on Tips to Supplement their Income as I Certainly Do. As Nearly all Hotel Staff are on Minimum Wage and WORK BLOODY HARD FOR IT.

I started working in hotels as a floor boy when I was 15. I worked my way up and I now manage a very busy hotel, that might give me some right to voice my opinions, but of course you are welcome to your own too. I don't believe in blanket tipping, tips should go to who deserves it.

I love to see hard working staff get tips, the staff that get the most tips are always the staff that put in the most effort and it shows.
If I'm given a tip and its not big enough to share out, I'll distribute it between the back of house staff, porters, chefs who regularly don't see anything but it doesn't mean they don't deserve a share. This is done as fairly as I can between everyone in the hotel.

Give a tip surely, give it to the staff in person or if that's not possible, give it to your coordinator with a request that it goes to all staff who helped make your day.

Electric Sheep

Larrson wrote: »

So Minimum wage is Enough to support My wife 3 kids and a Mortgage, Thanks for You Comments

Here's the thing - it is not the customer's job to pay extra for your non working wife and three kids.

Larrson

Electric Sheep wrote: »

Here's the thing - it is not the customer's job to pay extra for your non working wife and three kids.

Who said my wife is Non Working

Toots

Electric Sheep, I've already issued two on-thread warnings about off topic posting. Not only does your post ignore them, it's also fairly catty.

Larrson banned for 7 days for repeatedly posting off topic.

jockeyboard

I was at a wedding where the father of the bride went around at breakfast the next day collecting money from all the guests to give as a tip for the staff! (The wedding party and family stayed three days, as it was isolated venue majority of guests stayed the night)

Gatica

That's a little bit cheeky... As I understand tipping is supposed to be a way to reward and thank a member of staff who's taken extra good care of you (at least in Ireland) and is somewhat personal. Every person may wish to tip differently, so to be put on the spot by someone else to pool some tips, is a little unfair. If the couple wishes to thank those that took care of their wedding, it's up to them and not their guests.
...unless you mean there were a few members of the family staying at the hotel for the wedding reception for a few days and they were the ones wanting to do the tipping.
Some hotels stipulate a gratuity percentage into the contract. Our venue's was 5% but was waived in our contract, we still ended up tipping about 6% in the end.

sweetie

jockeyboard wrote: »

I was at a wedding where the father of the bride went around at breakfast the next day collecting money from all the guests to give as a tip for the staff! (The wedding party and family stayed three days, as it was isolated venue majority of guests stayed the night)

That's unbelievable! I'm sure the b&G were mortified. Did everyone donate without fuss?

mikemac1

If you want to tip then give cash to the staff directly.

If you give money to the manager or add money when the bill is settled the staff will never see it.

There may be some vague promise of a Christmas party but even if that happens some don't want to go and everyone just wants the cash and not a promise of drink in a few months

jockeyboard

sweetie wrote: »

That's unbelievable! I'm sure the b&G were mortified. Did everyone donate without fuss?

Well we just got a shock and stuck 10 or 20 note in the glass. Not sure if the b and g knew about it. My thinking was if you want to tip staff(which i would) that is part of your budget!

Toots

jockeyboard wrote: »

Well we just got a shock and stuck 10 or 20 note in the glass. Not sure if the b and g knew about it. My thinking was if you want to tip staff(which i would) that is part of your budget!

I've been to a couple of weddings where an individual table would chip in a few quid and give it to their particular waitress after the meal, but that's something we did on our own initiative (any times we did it was because the server was good, as opposed to just throwing the plate down in front of you).

I've never been to a wedding where a hat was passed to all the guests and they were asked to contribute. I remember a bride posting a thread on here a while ago asking what would people think because she was planning to do this at her own wedding, and the resounding consensus was that it was extremely unfair to put guests on the spot like that, and if the bride and groom wanted to tip the staff they can do it out of their own pocket.

IrishAlice

jockeyboard wrote: »

I was at a wedding where the father of the bride went around at breakfast the next day collecting money from all the guests to give as a tip for the staff! (The wedding party and family stayed three days, as it was isolated venue majority of guests stayed the night)

I was at a wedding where similar happened, the father of the bride went around after the main course asking guests to put money in for a tip!

I thought it was in bad taste but just assumed it was how things were done in that part of the country. After reading this thread I now know that's not the case.

kandr10

Toots wrote: »

I've been to a couple of weddings where an individual table would chip in a few quid and give it to their particular waitress after the meal, but that's something we did on our own initiative (any times we did it was because the server was good, as opposed to just throwing the plate down in front of you).

I've never been to a wedding where a hat was passed to all the guests and they were asked to contribute. I remember a bride posting a thread on here a while ago asking what would people think because she was planning to do this at her own wedding, and the resounding consensus was that it was extremely unfair to put guests on the spot like that, and if the bride and groom wanted to tip the staff they can do it out of their own pocket.

At a wedding recently one of the guests went round all the tables. His wife put him up to it because their waitress was really good. I was waiting so long for food that everyone else had finished there's by the time mine came out! And the skipped over me for the wine top up. Most people at the table begrudgingly stuck a few quid in.

YurOK2

The staff at our wedding venue were a bit of a joke to be honest so it was painful enough having to pay them the agreed amount. The only person in the whole place who went above and beyond just doing his job was one of the barmen, he really looked after our guests right to the very end, my husband gave him a €50 tip when he finished up at 5am.
I do not believe in blindly tipping everyone who works in the service industry.