Increasing Tips By Getting Creative

My sister in law works at a coffee shop, and every time I visit, I see an almost-empty tip jar.  Service is great, the baristas do great work, yet people aren't giving that little extra.

Tips = To Insure Prompt Service.  If the person serving you goes above and beyond, you give them a little extra.  In a coffee shop, you usually tip if your drink is fairly extravagant (non-fat triple shot soy latte with extra foam and a shot of hazelnut, anyone?) or if you're wanting your java served fast.

Here, not so much.  And this particular coffee shop is hipster central in Idaho.

Always having a mind towards marketing & helping grow business, I told my sis-in-law about making the tip jar a little less bland.

I saw another coffee shop in a different state do this, and their tips were through the roof.  They made tipping fun by having a daily 'vote for the best' contest where your tip was your vote.

Contests include Batman v Superman, Tupac v Biggie, Mickey Mouse v Bugs Bunny, and more.  It was an awesome idea, and it was extremely successful for that business.

Sis liked the idea, and they implemented the 'new and improved' tip jars the next day.  They didn't change their service (it was already excellent) or their prices, but tips nearly tripled in one day.

All of a sudden there was a fun game to play.  Friends and colleagues would argue about which being better, Country or Rock and Roll, and they would try to out-tip each other.  Customers tipped more, and the low-wage workers who thrive on tips are now taking home more money.

The employees are happier.  The customers are enjoying it.  Everybody wins.

That is, except for the loser of the tip voting...  Sorry Biggie, I voted for Pac.  Gotta support the West Siiiiiiide!!!