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Mobile business tip jar: ok or not ok?

Lucky Dog Hot Sauce

Lucky Dog Hot Sauce

At one market/festival a restaurant booth that was run by the owner / sole proprietor had a tip cup out, hanging from the tent.

No employees - just the dude running it, slinging food. It's the only time I've ever seen this.

Your thoughts: is this ok, or not ok?
 
not sure?  i woud have to see it i guess.
 
 
ill tell you what i think is crap. my old liquor store closed so im forced to go to another. they have a tip jar that i refuse to even look at.
 
I'd say it's fine. People tip for the service end, and even though he's taking the money for production he's still providing a service. May as well be compensated for that end of his labor as well, right?
 
my opinion-
 
As owner of a restaurant, when working as a waitress, I kept my own tips.  I worked 8 hours on the floor same as the other girls, why should I give away my tips?  and to who? 
 
Seems to me, if the booth had 2 people in it, one slinging food and the other serving it and taking money and there was a tip jar, I'd think both people should share the tips regardless if the owner was the server or the slinger.  You just happen to know the person slinging and serving is the booth owner.  Would it make a difference if you knew the person was an employee?
 
I tip the hairdresser who cuts our hair and she's also the owner of the salon.
 
Nothing wrong with an owner making and keeping tips if they are performing a typically tipped job, imo.
 
JoynersHotPeppers said:
A rule of thumb in the service world, owners DO NOT take tips. Regardless of having employees there or not, owners taking tips rubs me the wrong way. 
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That was my gut feeling.

If he wants extra $, charge more for the food. He owns the place after all.

8 prepared food vendors, he's the only one who hangs the tip cup.

I overheard a customer criticize him for it after asking who the owner was...got me to thinking so I figured if poll y'all. Unofficially of course. ;)
salsalady said:
my opinion-
 
As owner of a restaurant, when working as a waitress, I kept my own tips.  I worked 8 hours on the floor same as the other girls, why should I give away my tips?  and to who? 
 
Seems to me, if the booth had 2 people in it, one slinging food and the other serving it and taking money and there was a tip jar, I'd think both people should share the tips regardless if the owner was the server or the slinger.  You just happen to know the person slinging and serving is the booth owner.  Would it make a difference if you knew the person was an employee?
 
I tip the hairdresser who cuts our hair and she's also the owner of the salon.
 
Nothing wrong with an owner making and keeping tips if they are performing a typically tipped job, imo.
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This is a pop up business with no tables and no service provided other than handing food through a hole in the tent. Not at all the same as waiting tables IMO.
 
Then the issue is that none of the other food vendors have tip cups, not that the owner is taking tips.  Mobile food trucks have tip cups, but I guess that's a different scenario also.  If none of the other food vendors have tip cups, I guess that's the norm for that market.  Food vendors at our local market have tip cups. 
 
Fair enough - I dunno what's right or wrong. I just thought it was odd they were the only one.

I've seen tip cups on food trucks with employees - but not on owner-operated ones.
 
I've no problem with the tip jar.  Customers do not have to tip after all.  Those who did obviously felt they were getting service above and beyond what they paid for their food.
 
The person who criticized the owner for having a tip jar is a prick.  
 
Here is a tip jar for you....
 
14393890740_9b14552230_m.jpg
 
Maybe I am crazy, but I have a problem with tip jars in places where there really isn't a reason for one.  There is this self-serve frozen yogurt place by me.  You walk in, grab a cup, fill the yogurt yourself, put on the toppings yourself, weigh it yourself, and then when you go to pay there is a tip jar by the register.  I usually just tip myself in that situation and leave the money in my wallet.
 
i guess the biggest thing in my book. is if its a liquor store or pizza shop or a booth at farmers market. i feel like its a guilt trip. and that makes the customer feel bad. like others have said raise the price on your product a quarter and get a tip from everyone.
   
on a side note:
i have a huge problem with people that stiff waitresses/pizza delivery anything where someones wages depend on you.  going out to eat should be a thing you do with full attention of tipping.  if you can not afford to go out to "outback" and throw down a couple bucks to the person thats getting paid almost nothing because they are working for tips, then maybe just pick up a pizza from little ceasars,or cook your family dinner instead.
 
I occasionally put my barber owner. I always tip the guy who has to rent the chair.

I don't see a problem with it.
Th is probably a good way to tell whether he's doing a good job or not.
 
I don't like seeing tip jars at places where, other than handing you your food, no other service is provided such as a server who tops off your drink or takes away dirty plates or if I ordered a delivery, etc. I've already paid for you to make my food, I'm not going to tip you for that too!
 
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