Short answer: create a tip page in an app such as TipIns, print the QR code and put it beside the card terminal, at the moment of payment. Customers scan it with their phone camera and tip by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. They do not need an app or an account.
A cafe tip was always the coins left over from a note. Customers who tap their phone get no change, so the jar stays empty even when the queue is out of the door.
How a QR code tip jar works
You create a tip page once and get a personal QR code and link. A customer points their phone camera at the code, a secure payment page opens in their browser, and they pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card. The tip shows in your balance straight away and is paid out to your bank account.
Where baristas put the code
- Beside the card terminal, at the moment of payment.
- At the pick-up point, where customers wait for a minute or two.
- On the jar itself.
- On takeaway cup sleeves or loyalty cards.
Size the code for the distance: a phone reads one from about ten times its width. The measurements are in how to make a tip jar QR code sign.
What to write on the sign
Great coffee? Tip the team. Scan to tip by card.
Put your own name where the brackets are. You can export a print-ready design from the app in business card, A5, A4 or A3 size.
How to mention it
Mostly you do not need to say anything. If someone says they have no change: "There is a code on the counter if you like."
Your own code or a shared one
One group code for the cafe with active shifts on, so a tip goes to whoever is working. See how to get more tips as a barista.
What customers usually tip a barista
Tipping a barista in the US is optional. A dollar a drink, or 10 to 20% on a large or complicated order, is typical.
| Situation | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| One coffee | $1, or the change |
| Four-drink order with modifications | $3 to $5 |
| Your daily cafe at the holidays | $10 to $20 in the jar |
Customers looking for the etiquette can read how to tip a barista without cash.
What it costs
TipIns is free to download and has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus a small card processing fee, and by default the person tipping covers both, so you receive the amount they chose. Weekly payouts to your bank are free. The details are in the FAQ.
Common questions
Where should a barista put a tip QR code?
Beside the card terminal, at the moment of payment. At the pick-up point, where customers wait for a minute or two.
What should a barista's tip sign say?
Try: "Great coffee? Tip the team. Scan to tip by card." Give a reason, show a large code and include your name.
Should I use a personal code or a team code?
One group code for the cafe with active shifts on, so a tip goes to whoever is working. See how to get more tips as a barista.