Musicians and tipping

 By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, 955 The Heat, Phoenix Radio

In recent years, tipping has grown into a controversial issue. Some argue that too many people expect tips today, and that tip amounts have grown much too high, while others counter that without tips, the people working would not be able to make anywhere near a reasonable income for the work they are doing. Artists, and musicians in particular, are often caught up in this issue from both sides.

While it is always the final decision of the person giving the tip, there are certain situations in which a musician can expect a tip, some in which they can be hoped for but not expected, and some times that a musician would be expected to be the one giving the tip during the course of their work week.

You are performing live and offline at a paid gig. The performance goes as expected.

Performing the music you were expecting to perform for pay may or may not get you a tip. When you made arrangements to perform for your client, you likely either agreed to a percentage of the ticket sales, a percentage of the bar tab, or a flat fee. Whatever agreement was reached, this is what you are owed.

Should your client decide to tip you, they will likely pay you an additional 15% of your total fee for the event. This money is typically given after the event. Audience members are not expected to tip at most performances. If tipping is a part of the event you are working, the owner or manager will make an announcement and provide a tip jar, but audience members are under no obligation to put money in that jar. When they do, most tip anywhere from $1.00-$5.00 on their way out.

During the paid performance, audience members request songs. You honor their requests.

According to the website “etiquette scholar,” your client is not expected to offer any additional tip money, but audience members should tip musicians at least $1.00 every time their request for a song is honored. Like all tipping, this is optional, so it is entirely possible that someone may sit there and demand songs all night, and not pay anything for the extra personal service you just provided, but it is customary.

After the performance, you stop at a diner or other sit-down restaurant for a meal or snack.

Sometime in the past few years, the standard tip for a sit-down meal or snack has grown from 15% of the total bill to 20% of the total bill. Tipping 15% might make the server think they provided bad service. If your gig ended very late, and you’re running in the door at the last minute, you might even want to increase that tip to 25%, as the server was probably planning on doing their closing duties at that time.

During a break at rehearsal for your next performance, everyone takes a coffee and pastry or small snack break at a cafe.

Five searches for this information will generate ten different answers, but many seem to agree that 10% is the standard tip for service when you place the order at the counter, and either wait for it there, or the person brings you your order. If your band or other group has only ordered smoothies, sodas, or coffees, $1.00-$2.00 per drink is a standard tip. As with all tipping, this should be adjusted according to the amount of work it took to serve each person. If one person orders a cup of brewed coffee with two sugars, tipping the person who brings it to the table $1.00 is fine. If someone else wants a large latte with three pumps of vanilla syrup, extra foam, and a light sprinkle of cinnamon on top, they might want to tip $2.00 for that drink.

Everyone goes back to someone’s house or hotel room after the gig and orders food from UberEats, GrubHub, Door Dash, Postmates, or another food delivery app.

The topic of tipping can generate anger today, and tipping on food delivery apps can be especially upsetting. You’re likely already paying more for the food and drinks than what you would pay if you went to the restaurant. The corporation that owns the app is charging you a service fee, and in most cases, a delivery fee on top of that. Then they have the nerve to embed an obnoxious popup demanding you tip your driver several more dollars.

If the fees give you a bit of a shock, tip as much as you can, but if at all possible, tip 15%-20% of the total bill. The same holds true if the order contains non-food items. Just don’t tip low out of anger. The corporation that owns the app gets all the fees, and the driver gets the tip money. If you refuse to tip, or tip a small amount because the total upset you, all you’re doing is punishing the driver for something corporate did.

Somebody needs a ride to and/or from the performance, and must rely on Uber or Lyft

The cost of getting a ride through a ride share app is often startlingly high and only seems to be rising. A simple ride from a residential area of New Hartford to the Target can cost just under $20.00 one way. Seeing this pop up on your phone screen can make the idea of tipping seem preposterous.

But like food delivery from the same company, the driver in no way benefits from any fees tacked onto the ride and gets a tiny percentage of the fare. Withholding a tip only punishes a person who is just trying to earn some money, just as you are when you perform for money or work your own day job or side hustle. Try to tip at least 15% to 20% of your fare.

Tipping is controversial today. You may find people reluctant to tip during or after your performance due to frustration over feeling like they’re asked to tip for anything and everything today. At the same time, when it’s your turn to be the potential tip giver, you just might be one of those people who feels like you’re being asked for a tip everywhere you turn. Perhaps the best way to cope is to keep current on expectations, but err on the side of both grace and generosity.