Karaoke Forums

the topic about KJ pay got me thinking.  some KLJ's in town put a tip jar out for themselves and some even have someone carry it around to each customer asking them to tip.  my feeling is this is VERY inappropriate.  i'm not saying you're wrong for doing it, but i feel like i'm already being paid by the bar.  the customers come in to drink ,so they're supporting the bar.  if they tip me, it leaves them less money to buy from the bar and even less money to tip the bar staff.  having said that, i don't have any customers who come, drink water and sing.  if that were the case maybe i'd feel different.
i'd love to hear how others feel on this subject.  am i in the minority?  don't get me wrong, if someone comes up to me and tells me "Great show!" and shoves a ten in my hand, i accept it graciously, but i draw the line at basically begging for tips!  which brings me to another subject....do you remember to recognize your bar staff to your patrons?  i keeps me in good graces with them, and usually at least once a night, they'll buy me a beer or two.
one more thing, just because you tip me, don't think you're getting moved up in the rotation!  i even have this in a karaoke etiquette section in the front of my song list books.

I accept tips on the premise that the tipper doesn't expect anything in return.  If they are just trying to tell me "thanks" then yes I will take them, if they are trying to get moved in the rotation, i'll tell them to keep their money.

I always take care of the bar staff.

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[font=Comic Sans MS]When I originally saw the last option it through me off; there are reasons other than enjoying the job not to take tips..  :)

We absolutely love the job and are only 3 years behind Lonman for being in the same club!  

We always have made sure the bar staff is taken care of and the bar staff has always taken care of us.  When we are working we feel as if the bar staff are our co-workers (& they are) and we do our best to recognize their hard work & vice versa.

Susie [/font]

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Karaoke with Full House Entertainment

[scroll]Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...... [/scroll]

I know where Lonman is coming from. At the place I used to work, we had a jar at my booth for tips. I was cool with it, but never wanted to pass it around, for some of the reason's that Crankitup was talking about. Eventually, I had to put a sign on it that said, "TIP jar, not bribe jar". After a while, I just got rid of it because too many drunk people were putting $2 in there thinking they would somehow get moved up 20 spots in the rotation, and not giving a darn that I was trying to run a fair show.

I've definately told people in the past to "tip the servers & bartenders, not me", because they're the ones who have to deal with loud music & low customer turnover all night.

It's good to see you've got a good conscience & care about the rest of the bar so much, Crankituprod. They will appreciate it!

I view tipping as an act of GENEROSITY by the custy. If they had a really good time and feel like expressing thier thanks in that way then I'm grateful to them for thier kind gesture. However I will never ASK someone for a tip-that equates to asking for a FEE. As to the wait staff Ill always encourage the crowd to treat the waitress and bartender right for busting their butts to take care of the the custies. But bottom line is TIPS is an act of generosity and a statement of gratitude for a job VERY well done--IE they had a ball at your show. NOT A  REQUESTED FEE.

And when someone does tip you--BE SURE TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

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I get flack from folks for not having a tip jar.... but you know, I remember seeing the looks on people's faces when they came up to give me the request slip and suddenly they're nervous.

And I know why. Most equate the "tip" jar with a "hey, if you tip me, I'll treat you REALLY well"... for Portland, OR really seems to have that type of scenario going! I personally hate it, so I don't use one.

I do like Lonnie's "401K Fund" on his big jar! !

usually I tell them to give it to the bartender he's the one that stays sober and puts up with all the drunks

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We are still doing mostly private parties, and since the host is paying is, have never considered a tip jar.  We have been asked to stay later than scheduled, and often the host and/or guests will 'pass the hat' to get the money for us to stay later - which sometimes can be a good tip over what we charge.  

Bar scenes may be different, but we have not requested tips or had a jar out.  We do remind folks to take care of the bartender and wait staff, so in turn, they sometimes have taken care of us......

I'm a little to lite drinker, usually getting soda or water, but still if the bartender doesn't charge I'm putting $1+ in the tip jar and continue to do so whenever I get a refill.  And if there's a KJ with a jar and they got good company with me.  Doesn't mean that I get bumped in, but if it was considerably fast when I get back up and they've got a tight show, I put some $ in their jar too.

I do a private member club twice a week. I am there to generate income for there club. We do that by keeping customers at the bar, so many nights we play 1 to 3 hours over without any charge to the club. So I do set a tip jar out. I never ask for tips but gladly accept them from the patrons who beg us to keep playing. As for the bartenders, we always mention them between songs and I tip them 15% of my fee at the end of the night. Although I don't feel too bad for them as they are raking in 350.00 a night in tips without a 20,000 investment in equipment and I am pulling 175.00!

Wait a minute, you are talking about when a few guys go & get drunk & they sneak up on a kj & tip them over - right?

Sorry just had a mental image & was watching a show that included "cow" tipping.

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NOW THAT"S FUNNY!

I don't accept tips and here's the story behind it:

Back before my KJ days when I was just your typical karaoke singer my local karaoke bar had this attractive, albiet flat-chested, KJ.

This KJ would pimp for tips all night almost between every song, which I thought was extremely tacky. I thought it even made everyone feel uncomfortable because she would go so far as to ask the singer that just sang for a tip right after their song over the mic!!

BUT THE REASON I DO NOT ACCEPT TIPS:

This flat-chested KJ always said that she needed these tips to pay for a boob job, and most of the patrons seemed to agree that this was a good cause for donation. After 3 years of gonig to that bar, she still had not put all of those people's hard-earned money to this stated use. False advertising I say!!

I even saw her the other day, a full 4.5 years after I first heard her begging for benign beings to bolster her boobs, and still nothing!! I don't know what all of this tip money actually went towards, but that whole charade certainly turned me off to tipping KJs that are getting paid already!!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

[quote]even saw her the other day, a full 4.5 years after I first heard her begging for benign beings to bolster her boobs, and still nothing!! I don't know what all of this tip money actually went towards,




Maybe she had an addadicktome and you just dont know it yet.

alliteration is alive and well!

(see mrs. luedke!?  and you told me i'd never learn anything in your english calss....HAH!)

Something tells me that TopherM's K.J. was wishing for D's instead of A's in HER English class. Sorry, couldn't resist.

I work at a small venue three times a week and work for less than scale. I never ever ask for tips, but do have a tip jar. I didn't at first ,but people kept handing me money. Call me crazy, but if someone hands me a $20 bill they will be next to sing. My biggest tip was a $100 bill for no reason. The guy didn't even sing. When I have a big tipper I definitely have to let them know nothing comes with it, if you know what I mean. I even had a guy offer me $40 to unbutton a button on my blouse, ewww. I told him it wasn't a strip club. I am fortunate also to have a good voice, so I do get tipped to sing. I won't sing when I am extremely busy because I'm there for the customers not myself. I see nothing wrong with tips as long as you don't ask for them.

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sorry newbie

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