Short answer: create a tip page in an app such as TipIns, print the QR code and put it on a card on the desk or bedside table. 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.
You are tipped by people you never meet, at a moment you are not present, from wallets with no cash in them. Guests who would happily leave something find nothing in their pocket at 6am on checkout day.
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 hotel housekeepers put the code
- On a card on the desk or bedside table.
- On the back of the "your room was cleaned by" card.
- On the door hanger.
- In the checkout email, if the hotel allows it.
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
Your room was cared for by [name]. If you would like to say thanks, scan to leave a tip.
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
The card speaks for you. Sign it by hand: a name makes guests far more likely to tip.
Your own code or a shared one
Usually a housekeeping group, so tips are shared across the team on shift that day. A personal code suits small guesthouses where one person cleans every room.
What customers usually tip hotel housekeeping
In US hotels the usual tip is $2 to $5 per night, left each day and not only at checkout, because the person cleaning your room can change from day to day.
| Situation | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Standard room, per night | $2 to $5 |
| Suite or a family room | $5 to $10 |
| Extra requests such as a crib or extra towels | $2 to $5 at the time |
Customers looking for the etiquette can read how to tip hotel housekeeping 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 hotel housekeeper put a tip QR code?
On a card on the desk or bedside table. On the back of the "your room was cleaned by" card.
What should a hotel housekeeper's tip sign say?
Try: "Your room was cared for by [name]. If you would like to say thanks, scan to leave a tip." Give a reason, show a large code and include your name.
Should I use a personal code or a team code?
Usually a housekeeping group, so tips are shared across the team on shift that day. A personal code suits small guesthouses where one person cleans every room.