Tipping – the only thread you’ll ever need to read on the topic.

[MangoPort]

The tips are split between all of the hosts, security, and managers = 80+ people

Little work! HAHA! Did you not read where i said we work 80 hour work weeks. Its more like a 24/7 job.

Here is my typical work day....
I wake up at 11
Meeting and office hours from 12-2
Street promoting as well as attending events to network from 2-5
Home to change into a suit 5-6
Hotel visits, meeting with clients from 6-8
Arrive at the nightclub at 8
Work all night on your feet from 9-3am or 4am
If your clients want to go to afterhours 4am-?
REPEAT 5 days/week

As for my days off, im required to attend outings for work, as well as keep up on my emails, *message boards* social networking, etc

In this time i still need to find time to eat, sleep, shit, and workout.

Welcome to the boards... ill excuse your ignorance.

How are tips split?

I.e. you get walked to your table and tip whatever to the host, then $100 to security etc, then 20% grats on your bottle. I was told the 20% also gets split many times as well - do you get any of that?

Just to be clear, a good, senior host getting tipped very well will split his tips with a junior host? And security not only keeps the 'door' tips but also host tips?

If I give you $200, what stops you from coming back and saying the guy gave $100?

Finally, the confusion about how much money hosts make comes from the fact that the amount of effort spent getting a client inside means they could probably walk 30 clients in a night. At two bottles average and $100 per bottle that's $6k in cash that goes into their pocket. Even if you split tips, since security is *also* getting tipped, as are waitresses (20%), it's not hard to believe hosts are over-paid.

Again, forgive the misconception, but it's easy to see how someone not inside the industry would think a host is a very well paying job. Hard work? Apparently yes. The comment is just saying that a good host would not starve.

[AnthonyHyde]

We dont split tips with the cocktail waitresses. They split it amongst themselves, bartenders, bussers, and operations managers.

As for host tips...

You walk in the door and hand your host a tip...He turns it into a lock box with all of the tips collected from the night from the door, tables, etc... Its all divided up at the end of the week and then we get it...
Host managers get the largest piece of that, then Sr, then Jr. Hosts and security

Security in the club is different than security at the door.

We always turn our tips in. If someone gets caught stealing they might as well pick up and leave vegas because they will never get another job in this industry and its way to good of a job to lose.

Yes we may get $6k in tips from 30 people... we may get $50k, but its still all divided amongst a shit load of people.

In no way am i saying that im not compensated for what i do. we dont starve. We make good money... im just saying that most of that money is from tips.

Bottom line, is that your host is the one who is planning and executing your amazing night in vegas. Just know that the majority of his money is coming from your tips, and not from a salary. Take care of him and he will take care of you.

[sirdeez]

Coming from long experience in the service industry, I think those last 2 lines explained it the best:

Bottom line, is that your host is the one who is planning and executing your amazing night in vegas. Just know that the majority of his money is coming from your tips, and not from a salary. Take care of him and he will take care of you

[VEGAS88]

A group of 10 guys, we've organised bottle service at clubs and bungalows/cabanas at the pools. How much should we tip the host? Want to have the best time and make sure the other 9 guys do, so happy to pay them up to 400-500 tip to get a good spot? Is this enough?

[AnthonyHyde]

Yes. just let the host know up front your intentions of the tip. Say things like "there is $500 in it for you for the best possible spot in the house." by saying how much you take the guessing game out of the equasion. Just the other day I heard "I'm going to take care of you" and when I walked him to the ropes he handed me $20 bucks to skip the line for 4 dude. He had a mildly embarrassing walk to the back of the line.

[pantlessbellman]

We dont split tips with the cocktail waitresses. They split it amongst themselves, bartenders, bussers, and operations managers.

As for host tips...

You walk in the door and hand your host a tip...He turns it into a lock box with all of the tips collected from the night from the door, tables, etc... Its all divided up at the end of the week and then we get it...
Host managers get the largest piece of that, then Sr, then Jr. Hosts and security

Security in the club is different than security at the door.

We always turn our tips in. If someone gets caught stealing they might as well pick up and leave vegas because they will never get another job in this industry and its way to good of a job to lose.

Yes we may get $6k in tips from 30 people... we may get $50k, but its still all divided amongst a shit load of people.

In no way am i saying that im not compensated for what i do. we dont starve. We make good money... im just saying that most of that money is from tips.

Bottom line, is that your host is the one who is planning and executing your amazing night in vegas. Just know that the majority of his money is coming from your tips, and not from a salary. Take care of him and he will take care of you.

So I'd day its safe too assume you make +100k a year, working for a nightclub, tax free. Pretty legit if you ask me.

[AnthonyHyde]

Dont know where you're getting your numbers, but i would love for you to be my accountant! Managers, i would say make around 100K max... not hosts.

Its not like it was back in the day, where most of our money was tax free... The IRS are down our throats. We claim everything for the most part.

[AnthonyHyde]

Here's a great idea, since everyone is such a moral crusader about my salary and tipping... book a table at XS... go to the table reservations line early... i mean real early...argue with the guy at the door about tipping. You will be kindly directed to the general admission line because "the club has just sold out."

sorry, it may sound kind of harsh but its how it works. I have some good contacts in pittsburgh... im sure i can get you a table there for your next vacation.

[BCEagle]

Great Thread!

[josemcorona]

Take care of your host and they will take care of you. Most of the jobs in the industry make most of their money from tips and repeat customers. Its the 80/20 rule. They make 80% of their money from 20% of their customers, it might not makes sence to most of you unless uve worked in the entertainment or retail business. What it all comes down to is tipping those that are making ur night the best one ever.

[alrvd83]

Dont know where you're getting your numbers, but i would love for you to be my accountant! Managers, i would say make around 100K max... not hosts.

Its not like it was back in the day, where most of our money was tax free... The IRS are down our throats. We claim everything for the most part.

nice...I bet! Is there a health care plan with full benefits (health, dental, vision)? What about retirement such as 401k?

This thread has made me very interested in the profession...

[MissV]

Anthony, you sound really defensive. I'm not judging, I just think you put more energy into this thread than you needed to. Look, you don't have to defend the industry to a damned soul. And your salary is no one's business!

The situation is easy. Understand the money involved with skipping lines and bottle service and either you pay it or you don't. If you're not okay with what it costs, go somewhere else. But don't take the person working in the industry to task for something beyond his control. Would you call Bank of America and ask to talk to the CEO on Wall Street so you knew exactly how much of you $39 overdraft fee went in his pocket? No.

[jrelera]

Bottom line, is that your host is the one who is planning and executing your amazing night in vegas. Just know that the majority of his money is coming from your tips, and not from a salary. Take care of him and he will take care of you.

I don't know if I agree that the host is planning my night or executing an amazing night. I spend a great deal of time planning a bachelor party. If I tip the host what he asks for, I expect a good table, period. If I get bumped, the tip should be back in my pocket, the host nullified the purpose of a tip. If a host "plans" my night, they should tell me, "here is what it's going to cost to sit here or VERY close to here, and let me tell you why.". That for me, this is stage 1 planning with a host. Additional tips, could be for bringing girls to my table, getting me quick access to after hour clubs, etc.

[AnthonyHyde]

Bottom line, is that your host is the one who is planning and executing your amazing night in vegas. Just know that the majority of his money is coming from your tips, and not from a salary. Take care of him and he will take care of you.

I don't know if I agree that the host is planning my night or executing an amazing night. I spend a great deal of time planning a bachelor party. If I tip the host what he asks for, I expect a good table, period. If I get bumped, the tip should be back in my pocket, the host nullified the purpose of a tip. If a host "plans" my night, they should tell me, "here is what it's going to cost to sit here or VERY close to here, and let me tell you why.". That for me, this is stage 1 planning with a host. Additional tips, could be for bringing girls to my table, getting me quick access to after hour clubs, etc.

Absolutely. I dont expect anything from someone i didnt come through for. I work a little different than most host though. Some people on this board can vouch for that too. If you call me, im more than happy to set up your entire weekend, just like an independent host would, except you will be dealing directly with my other host friends at other clubs. I do this for my clients(as well as people that dont come to my club) free of charge. Its just a way of networking in my eyes. I dont care about being individually tipped at all. Ive never once kept an entire portion of money that was given to me. It always goes into the tip pool.

[teknohead]

I wanted to add my own bit to the conversation but have decided to bite my tongue as I have nothing nice to say. What I can say though is that on my upcoming big night I know a host I won't be contacting, their attitude is all wrong.