Karaoke Forums

I have a tip jar, but it's empty at the end of the night more times than not.  I guess most people aren't used to tipping a KJ as they are their wait staff.  I have people who will occassionally throw me a bone because they're having the time of their life, or just happened to notice the tips jar after a year.

How do you all handle tips?  Do you let people know you have a tip jar and suggest they use it?  Do you have any tricks you use to make it fun to tip?

I was sitting at the bar one night with a buddy watching a game.  The place was dead.  The bar staff have a large recepticle next to the register that they keep their tips in.  My buddy and I started shooting baskets with quarters.  Made me think of the extra money these girls would garner if they had a backboard behind their tip jar so people could make a sport out of it.  Then maybe turn over a couple of glasses and offer free drinks or shots for hitting strategically placed targets.  Anything that misses the girls scoop up and keep in their tip jar.

Anybody do anything different to maximize tips? I was thinking maybe something with tennis balls and a basket or something; something people could have fun with.  Just looking for ideas so my tip jar doesn't get bored and leave me for another host.

As a general rule adding a dollar or two of your own to the tip jar makes people think others are doing it, and they are more likely to add some more of their own cash. Does not hurt you unless you have thieves in your venue. An empty tip jar looks very "optional".

Common trick, but it does help according to some conversations with others. I have never tried it.

Have not decided if I am going to have a tip jar or not.

Even though I have a tip jar out, I don't make any reference to it other than a 401K sign jokingly placed on it, never point it out, or insinuate someone should put something into it, nor do I allow anyone to 'pass the hat' - this is just tacky.  If you don't make enough at your gig that you need to maximize your tips, you  may want to consider charging more!  
I don't work for tips, but if someone gives me one, I thank them & make sure they understand that it will not get their song moved up any sooner, if that's their intent, I pull the tip back out & hand it back to them.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I agree Lonnie.  I don't want to advertise my tip jar, nor have the hat passed around.  I don't need the tips, but am always thinking ... there's got to be a way to make it fun so it doesn't feel like tipping, nor does it seem I'm asking for them.  I'm wondering if it's all in the visibility or creativity.  The wait staff gets tipped for serving food and beverage.  Why is it unexpected for a KJ to get tipped for serving entertainment.

The bar staff covers my tab at the end of the night.  That's their way of tipping me (or sharing the wealth so to speak).

.  The wait staff gets tipped for serving food and beverage.  Why is it unexpected for a KJ to get tipped for serving entertainment.

Not that a KJ doesn't deserve a tip, I've seen some bad KJs, and this alone makes me want to tip a good one, but ask what your servers make an hour, and you'll see why they need tips.
Also, if a dollar or two were charged to sing a song instead of no charge, not only would you "not" get nearly enough to cover the KJs fee, but I'd guess people would be even more reluctant to put any money in the tip jar. I've been places where I was the only one to tip the KJ.....for some reason on those few occasions, I got to sing the last song.....  :D

Bar staff makes minimum wage + tips.  On Wed. nights the bartender will usually pull in $100 - $150 in tips.  So their take for the night is somewhere between $150 and $200 (minus taxes and my tab ($10?)).

For an eight hour shift the tender is making around $20 and hour.  I make $18.75 an hour for the hours I actually am running a show.  I purchase and shift music, buy and repair equipment, build books, get pencils, cut paper for slips, babysit drunks (where's the hazard pay?  :)), etc. etc.  All time told, I probably make less than $1/hour for all the work I put into the shows.  

I just depressed myself.  

You don't charge much, but that's your decision, and around me, bartenders and servers won't make that every night.....you'd be surprised at what some people think is a tip, and believe me,normaly, a male bartender doesn't get nearly the tips a female bartender gets....especially if she got nice hooters......

Is that the going rate?  How many hours?  That seems pretty low.  Aven doing a 5 hour show isn't even $100.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I average $112.50 a night for my two shows.  I get there at 8 to set up, and leave around 2.  That's six hours.  112.50/6 = 18.75.  It's usually 5-6 hours, I was using crude math.

To Tip or Not to Tip???? How much should we make??? Is their an hourly wage for our profession? Should what we do compete against what a bartender does?? What about the waiter/waitress's jobs?

Is what we do better or worse than what "They" do? Where is the standard or the practice that shows us what we should be making so that Tips are just that? Tips.
A gratuity for our efforts in performing our entertainement for anyone who walks into our doors??
Tips are great, but if we felt good about what we made for the job we do, would tips really matter anymore?

With the economy, and pressures from within our own industry to modernize to make what we do look easy, and club owners that have no respect for what we do as a profession, should tips really play any factor in what we make at night, or just be the icing on the cake for a job well done????

What should be the common denominator in this decision, what we make, or tips to make up the balance??? I guess we will never know for sure.....Just my opinion
MV

I think tips can be an important part of the picture for the incentives for someone doing karaoke. But they can also detract from the Karaoke scene if done wrong.

The problem is that if done for the wrong reason such as a bribe to move up in rotation, it will annoy other regulars and hurt the gig in the long run. Depending on your gig, it may be in the KJ's best long term interest to turn down such tips, especially if it annoys regulars.

Pleading for tips by the kj also can make some people uneasy and in the long run drive away the singers, especially if it is too often.

Where I am it is important to keep tips really "optional". Many of the good singers may not be able to afford to give tips. If you make it appear expected, you may drive them away. Once the critical mass leaves, others who might be able to afford tips will also depart, as the scene may be less happening. An empty gig will get you no tips and eventually the venue will stop paying your fee as well.

On the other hand if you live in a place where the salaries are all high, and cost of living is high, encourageing tips in a small venue that is not able to pay much because of the size of the crowd may not be too bad.

Remember though trying to force tips from people who may be just getting by is a good way to drive them away. In the places I was singing, I almost never left a tip at one place, because they had a big crowd and I knew they were paid well. On the other hand another place had small crowds, and a KJ who was barely getting by financially (like many young people). I left good tips at the second place ($5-10 a night on average). Many of the other places I go don't even have a tip jar for the KJ.

While I don't personally use a tip jar, I do graciously accept tips, as long as they are not bribes.

Now, to maximize tips, I've seen the following done:

1)  Pass the hat around (usually initiated by patrons, actually)
2)  Call out whenever someone puts a tip in the jar.
3)  Ring a bell whenever someone tips (also helps the atmosphere)
4)  Announce that, if you get a good tip, the patron can get ahead of the line
5)  Place a sign next to/on the tip jar referencing karma or good luck

My personal favorite:

6)  Just run a good show.  Be fair and entertaining.  NEVER expect a tip and you will always walk away thankful when someone tips you.

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Karaoke:  Freedom of expression, or cruel and unusual punishment?

I use a fish bowl with a tip sign taped to the inside that says thank you.

Putting a couple of dollars in the tip jar before you start is called "Baiting The Tip Jar". I have 2 one dollar bills taped to the bottom of my jar permanently. when I'm done at the end of the night I put my tip jar in a bag and leave it by my stuff. i don't know if it helps get more tips or not, but it sure makes me feel better not to see an empty jar.  :D

I think tips depend on a lot of things. Regulars seem to appreciate what you do more than someone that comes in for the first time. I make more tips on a slower night, I think because they get to sing more. On a busy night when I'm working my butt off I'll see less. I never expect a tip, but really appreciate them. I try and make sure to thank anyone I see put money in.

I don't mention the tip jar at all, but sometimes the singers will say something in the mic.

Ways to increase tips. I have no idea. I can never predict a good tip night. I would bend over backwards for my people if they tipped me or not, but it seems like the people you do the most for never tip. Wierd.

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As the KJ after you make the announcement to "TAKE CARE OF THE BAR STAFF"
or similiar announcement  that you probably do once or twice a night--HAND YOU WIRELESS MIC to the Bartender/Waitresses and have them make the SAME ANNOUNCEMNET FOR THE KJ   !!!  LMAO  LOL  LMAO

Now why bring me into the picture?....I told you, what happens at karaoke, stays at karaoke......

Because the wait staff are employees, they don't own the business.  Etiquette rules state that you don't have to tip the owner of the business as they're already profiting from your patronage.  Obviously that's not as applicable when you're a hired gig for a fixed amount, but the principle still remains.

And tipping has gotten way out of control IMO.  Every freaking food place you go into these days has a tip jar out.  Sorry Quiznos workers, you don't deserve a tip because you spent 2 minutes making my sandwich.  Sorry restroom attendant, just because you're there holding a paper towel for me doesn't mean I'm gonna spend a buck every time I have to pee.  If you want a tip from me, you really need to do something that requires more than 30 seconds of effort in doing your regular job

I agree! sounds like we have the same train of thought on the tip thing.

In our neck of the woods there is no tip jar or any such "inducement" for a change in someone's position in the rotation .  The major karaoke companies in Calgary don't allow their KJs to put out any jar or advertisement.  If they get a tip it is unsolicited.  Normally the KJ does get to keep any overtime or extra pay for running longer.  Shows here pay to the company $200-250 for 4 hour night.  The KJ takes $75-125 out the take for themselves.

There is one place in Calgary that the owner/KJ expects a tip and will ignore you unless you pay.  Most people find this tactic very offensive so the patrons at this place tend to be drunks or primadonnas.

I have done shows as a hobby and had only a couple of times that I got a tip.  I have been at shows in the US where there is a tip jar and a sign saying "minimum $20 to change position in rotation".  That is the catch 22 with tipping - the assumption of favourable treatment.  Only had someone pay for me to sing once - a drunkard who wanted to hear some AC/DC  :O - he tipped to get me moved up before he passed out  :drinklaugh:

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Terryoke
Krazy Kanuck Karaokeist

Karaoke is the only social disease that you can get in public and not get arrested.

Now... this is a subject near and dear to my heart.

As a bit of history... I started this year KJ'ing as an aside to my regular job. Then due to unforseen and idiot self made decisions. Karaoke became my only job. Now at that time working 3 nights a week for a shade under a $100 a night and 70% of my weekly pay going to bills tips were the only thing that kept me in beer and smokes and most importantly gas(i have a 50ml roundtrip) so I am of course interested in them.

To make matters worse the bar owners forbid me from having a tip jar because a previous KJ (the one who I ended up taking friday nights over from) selling roster spots for tips.


Sooooo.... it's a tough thing. I use a couple of things to keep a bit of cash flowing in.

1.) About every hour on the hour I mention to take care of the bartenders and wait staff and "if you are having a good time and enjoy the show... take care of the DJ too" Usuallly i'll use some sort of funny bit for this... "Donate to the DJ's Gas money fund" or "Donate to the DJ's coke and whore money" or what have you.

2.) I have a crew of about 4 regulars who know when they get a hot mic in there hands that they either before or after the song say to "take care of the bartenders, waitstaff and most importantly the KJ"

Now... I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate to ever move someone up for a tip... but with some regulars.... and this is rare but it can also depend on who is spending money with the bar. I mean... if I've got a guy who's just drinking water or soda all night vs a guy who's buying beers or mixed drinks constantly.. I'm gonna take care of the guy spending money in the bar. Its just good business. I have on occasion taken care of those who tip me. Often times its more for the prestige(why singers think its prestigous) of singing the first or last song of the night.


So thats my two cents worth on the issue.

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KJ for Elite Entertainment at Charlie Horse Saloon in Ocala Florida.

for me i believe it should be the bar giving the tip. Ive worked for a few bars who would tip on a good night. sadly they stop after a while. I have had a couple singers tip me. Ive even had non singers offer a tip to myself or my cohost to sing a song. Im ok with this, but we will sing a request either way, and treat the first request the same as if the non singer was singing it as far as rotation goes. we even do songs we dont know (not always well but we try) so its nice when they tip for it.sometimes I tell them I prefer they take care of the bar staff if its a slower night for the bar.
     Im also not a hound for exact rotation, in fact i dont like it. we work really hard to create a party atmosphere the same as a dj. so normaly I group the slow  stuff together and work with my singers to get them doing songs that keep it a party. if we have a good atmosphere going we may bump somebody up for a tip. it hasn't happened but I will not rule it out. I do my best to comprimise between rotation and entertainment.I tell bar owners and patrons the same when I talk to them. normaly my shows are lucky to have 20% singers so it is the KJs job to keep 80% of the crowd from getting fed up or bored with karaoke. Ive never had a singer complain after I explain my views, and the bar owners seem to prefer it. they don't want patrons leaving either.

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas