Pooling tips together when working with multiple artists

I worked a large event with a group of painters this week where we were paid hourly, but we were also accepting tips. This was my first time working with them so I wasn't aware that at the end of the day we all put our tips together and split them evenly...

I actually refused, partly because I was a bit surprised that they just assumed I would be ok with it, but mostly because I feel that if tipping is optional, it is considered a gift. I don't think anyone should have to share their gift, especially if they earned it.

A man asked me if I had change for $100, when I asked how much he wanted back he said, "$80"! I painted a butterfly on his daughter but I spoke with her the whole time, answered his questions about removal, paint safety, and such and such...

So I felt like I had pushed my customer service to the limit and it paid off. If we had a large tip jar in the middle rather than individual ones I would understand, but these gratuities were definitely personalized to the artist.

I wasn't selfish either, for all I know the other artists made a killing more than I did. I don't think it's anyone's business who made what, I just think that whatever you got you deserved.

What do you think? Have you worked in situations like this before? Was I out of line?

Tips should never be done that way in my opinion. When a customer places a tip in YOUR jar, they are acknowledging YOUR quality and efforts, not the quality of the group. I wouldn't have done it either.

Thanks for your input Whitney, that's how I felt too.

I told them that if a customer put a $20 in their jar there's no way I would expect any of it! If I walk away with nothing at the end of the day, I better start brushing up on my skills/friendliness. I'm not going to assume I get anything but my hourly pay... I think I would feel almost belittled to ask the others for tips...

So many people don't understand tipping these days. Tipping is gauged by two things customer service and % of bill. If I get bad service at a restaurant, salon, or even face painter I don't tip. Never be afraid not to tip if you have bad service. For good to great service 15% to 20% of total bill. You and I both know people that tip us do it randomly. You can paint the same $5 butterfly on 2 different kids and 1 parent will tip you $1 and the next will tip you $5. Many more people either never tip or only tip waitresses. My hairdresser is always surprised when we tip her and that's a big shame.

So what's your take on the tip pool HillbyillyDiva? Should the tip be for the artist or the group?

I worked in restaurants and your tips were always your tips. If another waitress was rude to customers or was just plain bad at her job, we weren't expected to compensate for the lack of tips. Those girls usually got fired, actually.

Tips are for customer service your great service your tip! I only split tips with my Daughter and that's only because she would get the money out of me anyway. Even grown up they still find ways.

I agree. Your tips are separate from your face painting proceeds. I've had a festival organizer try to make a play for my lovely brimming tip jar when he came in to collect his 10% at the end of the night and we had a nice discussion about how the tips were not part of the agreement, but my net proceeds were. When I explained to him that if he didn't weild a brush and help me paint for 7 hours with one bathroom break, then it stands to reason that any gratuities for good service would belong to the person rendering the service...greedy twit.

You did right by refusing to drop your tips in a jar and split them...that anyone would even ask is rediculous! Good for you!

Yeah, that is absolutely ridiculous!! Your tips are your individual reward for the extra effort that YOU put into your customer service and your work. Why would any of the artists really even strive to go the extra mile if they know everyone else will get a piece of their rewards? Ugh. I'm glad to hear you refused!

Thanks everyone, I questioned my decision when I got home and figured I'd ask you all today. I feel good about what I did.

Did the other painters give you any grief?

I would have done just like you. Your tips are for you!

Ditto here...

Tip are YOURS, you got that big tip cause the guy liked either YOUR service or how YOU handled his child...it had nothing to do with the other painters.

When I go to a restaurant that I know pools the tips, I'm less likely to tip big. I probably don't even tip 10%.

Anywhere else is different. If I have a wonderful waiter or waitress then I tip well anywhere from 30-50%. If I have bad customer service with no apologies then I don't tip.

Wow , what nerve of the other painters. I would never think of asking everyone to split their tips!!! I am glad you stood your ground, you did nothing wrong, that was YOUR money YOU earned. Don't think twice about it

Most painters didn't say anything. We were working for the one artist's company so I guess you could say we were employees and thats just what they've been taught to do. I'm glad I stood my ground awsell... Like I said, I may have ended up with less than them. Nothing selfish about it, I just believe that what you got, you earned.

Thanks all.

Jessica...you should stand up and take a bow. I am so proud of you. You rock girl.
How dare they even suggest that or make the others feel like they needed to share and pool tips.
That is outragous and good for you for stnading up for your rights and hopefully the other ladies will realize that it isn;t a must in the industry.
Cheers to you.

I've worked in the service industry for a long time and have seen times and places where it did make a lot of sence and was only fair to split tips. Those are situations that everyone works as a team to get the entire job done. Places where a bad position for example could earn you nothing, but is just as important and takes just as much effort as the person "out front".
This was not one of those situations. Good for you, and I bet the other painters will follow suit.

I'm thankful for everyone's support

What lovely postings to wake up to!

tips belong to YOU. if you, in turn, want to tip someone who was overly helpful to YOU, it should be at your discretion.

I firmly believe the tip is intended for the individual who performed the service. Frankly, if it is obvious tips are pooled I often will not tip. If the person that served me doesn`t get the entire reward I want to give them then why bother...

Being part of a team who provides a service is not how face painting happens IMO - only one person painted the person who gave the tip, right? So the tip belongs to THEM no one else. If people wish to share their tips it is up to them to make a decision to share IF THEY CHOOSE.

I would be mightily pissed off if told I had to pool my tips.

It doesn't bother me to split my tips at all I want people to all feel good about themselves and I am fine with painting an amazing face and I get a huge tip and I share it with my colleagues it doesn't bother me at all. If I painted an awesome face that I am told is amazing thats good enough for me.

Well, as Shannon said, that's good ... for YOU. For a lot of us being forced to pool hard earned gratuities is not about fun and good will...it's about taking what doesn't belong to you and distributing it to others who haven't earned I too get great pleasure from knowing that I rocked a face out...but that feeling doesn't in any way shape or form entice me to want to split my tips. You just have to do you and everybody else will do the same. To each his/her own.

I don't know why, but this thread bothers me! LOL

If I painted a face for, let's say 20 minutes and someone else painted another person for 5 minutes. I think I should be rewarded the bigger tip(if someone tipped me). No way would I share. That's like saying a manager should share their wages with the other lower money making employees.

I have had some crappy waiters in some restaurants and I've had some great service. It would tick me off if I tipped a great waiter for their service and he had to share with the bum waiter out back.

I think tips are like apart of etiquette for a service.

The other way around...If I painted with a higher "master" painter, in no way would I expect them to hand their tip over to me