Short answer: create a tip page in an app such as TipIns, print the QR code and put it on the bar top beside the jar, facing the customer. 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.
The dollar-a-drink tip depended on customers holding change from a note. With tap-to-pay there is no change, and at open bars there is no bill either. The jar on the bar is still there and it is emptier every year.
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 bartenders put the code
- On the bar top beside the jar, facing the customer.
- On the back bar at eye level, so it is seen from a queue.
- On the card reader stand or the well mat.
- On table tents and drinks menus at an event bar.
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
No cash? Tip the bar. Scan with your camera. Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
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
When someone pats their pockets: "No worries, you can scan the code if you like."
Your own code or a shared one
Most bars pool. Create a group, switch on active shifts, and each tip is shared between the staff working at the moment it arrives. A private-event bartender should use a personal code.
What customers usually tip a bartender
In the US the custom is $1 to $2 per drink, or 15 to 20% of the tab if you are running one.
| Situation | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Beer or a simple mixed drink | $1 to $2 |
| Craft cocktail | $2 to $3 |
| $60 tab | $9 to $12 |
| Open bar at a wedding or event | $1 to $2 per drink, or $10 to $20 early in the night |
Customers looking for the etiquette can read how to tip a bartender 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 bartender put a tip QR code?
On the bar top beside the jar, facing the customer. On the back bar at eye level, so it is seen from a queue.
What should a bartender's tip sign say?
Try: "No cash? Tip the bar. Scan with your camera. Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay." Give a reason, show a large code and include your name.
Should I use a personal code or a team code?
Most bars pool. Create a group, switch on active shifts, and each tip is shared between the staff working at the moment it arrives. A private-event bartender should use a personal code.