Tipping caterer question....

A

arriba

Well-known member
I am having a catered dinner for husband's birthday which will include the caterer and 2 server/clean-up people. The caterer owns the business but I understand many people tip regardless. I would like to tip workers--could I include it all in one check or should I give cash to each worker? I just hate having to deal with handing out cash but want to be fair.

Any suggestions.

 
Arriba, I can tell you a tip will be appreciated by the owner. (who made up that rule about not

tipping owners?)

You don't need to have cash--you could add it to the check you write at the end and ask the caterer to disburse it. If you want to tip individually, have cash or a check in an envelope for each person. The envelope makes it a little more proper.

I once catered a huge birthday open house--7 hours of hors d'oeuvres. The hosts were really nice and when they paid me the balance, I saw they had included an extra $200 for me and my server. I added $100 to the check that I wrote the server, and went to bed happy. The next day when I looked at the check I noticed that what I had thought was a "5" was a "3." No tip! And I was out a hundred bucks. I heard from mutual friends that the clients had been very happy, so I guess it just didn't occur to them.

 
I agree with Joe - definitely tip. Make it easy on yourself by lumping it and

let the owner disburse to the others.

 
Thanks. I have always heard that it is not proper to tip the owner of a business...

but I know most people tip caterers who own the business. I prefer to just put it all in one check but if I gave cash tips, how much is appropriate? A percentage of the total like in a restaurant? I haven't used a caterer in years and just am not sure of what might be expected and appreciated. This is a dinner for 16 with clean-up, food put on buffet, not table service. Using my dishes, glasses, silver, linens. Thanks for all input.

 
A percentage of the total doesn't really apply as in a restaurant. In my experience, my tip

is usually $50.00--$100.00, and for the servers, $25.00-$50.00, regardless of the total. One point--if they were supplying rented silver, dishes, glasses, etc., they would charge you for it, (and would only have to rinse them). Your own things, I assume, will be thoroughly washed and put away, at no extra charge.

How do you feel they went out of their way to make the evening a success? That is what you would base your tip on.

As for not tipping the owner, I think that is more European, where the restaurant prices include a fair commission and a "tip" is just that--a tiny bit extra. Here in America. restaurant people live on tips so a percentage is more expected.

 
Those are the figures I had in mind....

They will be cleaning up my dishes, I had suggested to the caterer(who also has a restaurant) that I would be glad to use hers becasue I figured they could just haul them away but she wanted to use mine. This is going to make my holiday a lot less hectic!

 
I have always tipped the individuals at the end of the night. Some are real sloths and clearly

that reflected in the size of the reward. Others were just exceptional. I keep a pot of bills ready to sort out at the end, accordingly.

I always think that it's the personal contact with the public that establishes the tip. (and I think we do far too much of it if it extends into the background) The performance of some of the waiters both at home and in the restaurant can really make a difference and if it makes a positive difference I tip BIG. And I like to demonstrate that fine performance is noticed, rather than shelling out the same to everyone regardless.

The owners get paid in full, the staff in the kitchen get paid in full. But I always count on the waiters to go beyond and compensate them if they do.

I had one affair at which the caterer admitted having made a mistake by misinforming one of the waitpersons, so that I had no bartender. When they all arrived, he refused to tend bar, said he was told he would be serving food, too. Now really, what's the big deal? I don't get bent out of shape over silly people. He refused, my husband and (although we didn't ask them to) the other waiters watched the bar and otherwise we told everyone to help themselves. This guy basically did nothing all night since more people on food would have been underfoot. And had we all not ignored him, he could have made the evening miserable. Guess how much he got. Had I just tipped in whole, he would have been compensated the same as all the other flexible and helpful waiters.

 
I had read (years ago) that the owners made more profit from the business than the salary

they paid their workers. The worker's salary was expected to be augmented by tips, while the owner got their income from the business.

My knowledge is based on book-reading. I'm a geek who read Emily Post as if it were a novel. Our dinner plates came out of the laundry soap box and our glasses from jelly, so I learn't my culture from the library.

No one in my personal circle owns a private business that would involve tipping, so "thank you" for adding to my knowledge base.

The only time I used a caterer, I was told right up front there would be a 20% tip added to the bill for the servers. So I wrote a check for the bill I was handed. Perhaps your clients thought the same thing--that a tip had been included?

 
You're right in theory, but in practice I think if the owner is waiting on the tables himself

there's probably not a lot of profit going on, LOL.

You did right--20% is plenty.

In my case I'm just one guy working out of my home. I charge a base fee for myself, a flat rate for each server, and then the price per person, so it's not as if we've been stiffed. Still, we work very hard to do things just so, and it's nice to get a little extra appreciation.

 
When I sit down with a client to sign the contract...

Each item is outlined and priced out. My staff is priced out as a lump sum; I'm always working, so I'm there to take any heat for anything that doesn't go quite right (no problems yet). If we're merely serving a buffet, and aren't expected to be clearing tables, and so on, I don't add a tip to the contract. However, if guests will be having table service, a 15% gratuity is automatically added to the contract for evening service; 12% for luncheon service. Then I don't worry. My staff is covered. Any additional, is equally shared. I don't look good if they aren't spot on, so we share all the "glory" equally.

 
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