What is tip pooling?

Tip pooling spreads gratuities across the team that produced the guest experience — not just the server who received the tip, but bartenders, bussers, runners, and sometimes kitchen staff. It is meant to reward teamwork and smooth out luck between sections.

The rules depend on the tip credit. When an employer takes a tip credit, the pool can generally only include employees who customarily receive tips (front of house). When the employer pays the full minimum wage and takes no tip credit, federal rules allow back-of-house staff (cooks, dishwashers) to be included too.

One rule is absolute: owners, managers, and supervisors may never keep any portion of a tip pool, regardless of the arrangement. Pools should also be transparent so staff trust the split.

Frequently asked questions