Karaoke Forums

The other night at the end of my show one of the singers came up to me and gave me a $20.00 tip. I tried to give it back to her and told her that her coming to my show was enough tip for me. She was persistent and refused for me to give it back. Would like to hear some feedback from others KJ's.

I have a tip jar, but I don't ask for tips myself.

I do however remind the audience to remember to tip the wait staff, because they are
working hard to serve you.

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It's all good!

I use and encourage my hosts to use a tip jar. They know the rules that "Tips don't influence rotation" and that there is no second chance with that one. To date, I have never had a complaint about any of my hosts and no one has ever accused me of taking tips to bump people in the rotation.

I consider what we do to be a service industry. I tip service industry folks and have no issue accepting tips either. But I don't get bent if my tip jar is empty at the end of the night. I get paid a fair wage for fair work which is more than enough. Tips are the cherry on top of the whipped cream on top of the syrup on top of the ice cream for me.

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-Chris

i feel the same way as Chris.
tips because you enjoyed the night...sure
bribes to get you up faster...nope

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

This may be regional, but a tip jar at a karaoke show in my area is a very dangerous thing. While the no bump rule may be in place, not every drinking patron will believe it to be true. Plus, I live in an area with a lot of Asian residents. Those with experience in Asian style bars put tips up because "Bribe to bump " is a standard practice at those places. The hosts there are usually house shift workers who depend on those tips. NOT bumping would tick them off, while bumping would tick off everyone else.
That being said, I do accept "tips in hand " at the end of the night simply for doing a good job, or a dedication, etc....

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

TIP jars are practically unheard of in the NYC area (within the 5 Boroughs). For the most part, when you see a TIP Jar at a NYC Karaoke show, it means the KJ is giving preferential treatment to those that give by bumping them ahead of others in the Rotation and even putting them up to sing more often than others. There were a few times that someone approached me with a TIP (and no ulterior motive), and I have politely refused it (even when I was packing up my equipment at the end of the show). On rare occasion, I accepted the TIP (when the person was insistent about it). As far as TIP Jars go, I never saw one until I started to travel to other states for Karaoke, so I was ignorant of the fact that people did TIP the KJ for many years).

I have a tip jar. Never make reference to it, but if someone asks, i'll point it out which is right in front of both me & them. Has a nice sign on it stating 'tips are way to show appreciation, NOT to move your spot in the rotation'. Some nights I make $0 tips, other nights I've made up to $150 (very rare and the most I ever made in one night). Usually it's in the $5-15 range IF I make anything at all. I don't expect nor encourage people to put anything in, but do thank them much if they do happen to drop something in there.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

It's funny, here if I DON'T put out a tip jar I get harassed about it. . Everyone puts out a tip jar, from restaurants, (at the counter for take out orders), to bands, to KJs. Those of us who don't get looked at funny.

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I am the ONLY SANE 1 HERE

When I did gigs, I didn't put one out but frequently received tips.

I am more of a patron now. I always tip the KJ if the sound and rotation are good. Not so much if they have lousy equipment or they play lots of filler music. If they object, I tell them I want to do it because I want to help allay the cost of their good equipment.

I don't expect rotation bumps, of course. There are a few shows I go to where I tip regularly and the KJ knows me. They don't bump me up, but they tend to give me every benefit of the doubt.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

We don't have a jar, nor do we ask for or suggest tipping. I've always considered "passing the hat" to be somewhat unprofessional; the show was booked at a good rate, no more money is necessary.

That being said, I gladly accept any amount of money that anybody wants to give me.

I remember doing karaoke at Winnie's, and they, at least, expected you to pay with each slip you handed in. For a while, that was the only karaoke I had done--only when visiting friends in NYC. So when I got into karaoke out in western PA, hosts looked at me really weirdly when I'd include money with the slip every time. I just thought that was how it worked.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

When we first started, we had to work a questionable place just to get our foot in the door. The owner would try to get out of paying if it was a slow night so we had a tip jar to cover if that happened.

Now that I have places that pay a decent fee, I don't put out a jar. The owner will "tip" me extra if it is a real good night. People have told me I should put out a jar but I would rather they buy extra drinks or tip the bartender because a large till and happy bartender is what actually helps me the most as far as keeping shows. But if someone offers me a tip at the end of the evening then I am happy to take it. Cake counts.

I know of Winnie's, but have never gone there. Winnie's is one of those Tourist spots in Chinatown. They charge $1 per song for you to get up. I've also heard that "The Dragon Lady" (Hostess) doesn't even call your name. The song gets cued up, and you have to run to the stage and grab the Mic... No restarts either. There are some other places in Manhattan where the KJ also charges you $1 or $2 per song. I refuse to go to those shows.

I have only had an owner give me a little "bonus" a couple of times, and there have been many times they should have.

The Smog Cutter in Silver lake CA charges 2 bucks a song to sing. We don't go there anymore. They own the whole karaoke system and one of the owners runs it.

Having a tip jar just sitting out & 'passing the hat' are two completely different settings. One is just there, the other is actually walking out in the crowd with the jar asking people to put money in. I have had this happen to me once - very embarrassing & since that night, if I saw it happen I put a stop to it before it can leave my sight.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

whenever i did my own show, or pretty much whenever i just go out to sing now, i will usually announce over the mic "Just for everyone's information, I CAN be bribed not to twerk"

I also have a tip jar & here’s the reason why: Back then, I don’t have a tip jar; patrons were asking ‘where’s your tip jar? I tell them (politely) I don’t have it because I don’t accept tips. That’s when they insist on giving me the money – to the point of taking my hand & handing it to me. That’s when I decided to put a tip jar. I’ll never touch money being handed to me. I’ll point to my jar to please put it there.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

Follow-up: When money change hands for audience to see, the perception would be that I accepted a bribe, meaning I would give that certain tipper/singer a preferential treatment (they’ll think oh oh, its bump time). Words get around; my regulars know I cannot be bribed, they even witnessed I turned down $100 when one guy want to sing next.

They asked me why not, I told them my rotation is an integrity issue. It was written in my books “Tipping is optional (but greatly appreciated). A tip, however, will not buy you any preference in the rotation, or even get you to sing earlier. A tip is to show appreciation for a job well done. A bribe is essentially to expect something in return. ALL proceeds from the tip jar go toward purchase of new karaoke songs for your enjoyment”.

btw last sentence – “all proceeds from the tip jar..….” sign posted above the tip jar.

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To be fortunate enough to derive an income from a source as fulfilling as karaoke music has got to be as close to heaven as we can get here on earth!

Brian, that is a great idea! That way the are really benefitting themselves.