Bar Owner Taking Bartender Tips....Is this a common practice

Posted May 19th, 2009

I work at a small bar in Philly pa. The bar owner sits at the bar through out the evening. At times through out the night he will help. Never more than 30% of the work. Before the end of my shift he cashes in my tip jar, and takes his share. I have no idea how much money is made and how the split is decided. Is this acceptable?

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An owner of any establishment

Submitted by Guest on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 6:52am.

An owner of any establishment should always refuse a tip. They are already making $$$ off each purchase. That is so tacky and distasteful!!!

Tipsy Boss

Submitted by Demitri on Fri, 05/29/2009 - 9:33am.

I've always had bar owners and managers "roll up their sleeves" to help the team when the chips were down. Not only is it occasionally required, but even when it's not required, it builds strong comraderie. It says "I'm in the treches with you!"

Of all the times I've seen bar owners and managers pitch in, I never remember them taking a cut of the tips unless they were on the schedule. If he was on the schedule, he deserves half the tips. He may not do half the work, but it's tough to decide another way to split the tips. When I worked with other bartenders, we'd count tips together at the end of the night.
Also, a 50/50 split only works if you both punch in/out at the same time. Otherwise, when someone punched in or out, the tip jar would be counted at that time or pulled, set aside to be counted later and replaced with a seperate, empty jar.
If this is still difficult for you to work with, do you have any fellow-bartenders that like their jobs and bosses? If so, maybe you should buy one of them a drink...

Good luck,
Demitri

The tipsy Boss!

Submitted by Guest on Wed, 06/24/2009 - 7:35pm.

Well I worked as a bartender in a small town and the two bars that I worked at, my bosses helped me numerous times and NEVER EVER took any of my tips. Usually the old "if your ever off and want to buy me a drink you can do that!" If they helped me because I was in the weeds up to my elbows busy, then I would force them to take the money. I wouldn't feel right but a boss knows what his bartender makes and those tips make up for what what you don't make hourly that is so not fair! And what the heck, he's drinking and serving? Around here that's a big no no! Liability! Not good! I would find a new place to work!