Tip thieves

[rerant]

At my new job as a barista I make tips. They are minimal, some days only leaving me with a couple dollars, but they're mine and I appreciate every cent people leave for me.

This past Friday was my first closing shift alone. The cafe doesn't get a lot of foot traffic because of where it's located, so most closing shifts are done alone with the owner coming by to do the cash-out duties.

As a side not today I'm doing 3-10:30 alone and I suspect it'll be dead because everything else that's around will be closed.

Anyway, back to the point.

During my closing shift on Friday I had two people pilfer tips from me.
One was using the tip bowl as a Take A Penny Leave A Penny bowl, but not surprisingly did not leave a penny.

Another was a man who I thought was adding more change as I had my back turned because I could hear the sound of coins behind me.
I come to find out that there was now about $2 missing from the bowl.

Now I know the tips are small but I do my best to earn them, including going the extra mile of bringing people's drinks right to them if they've sat down rather than just calling them out.

So how do those of you who get small tips like I do deal with people who can't keep their hand out of the cookie jar, so to speak?

I don't want to call people out on it (well OK I do, but I don't want to lose my job) but I want them to know that I know what they did.
I don't want to hide the tip bowl, obviously, because that would defeat its purpose, but I would really like to think of some way to keep people from ripping me off for my hard earned pittance.

[Arm]

I've seen many places that have a lid with a slot in it. Can't steal the tips without unscrewing the lid, which most people wouldn't do because then everyone around them would know they're stealing the tips.

I don't know how well it works, but... maybe?

[Cordiform]

That's a tough one. You could, like, every hour take most of the money out of the jar and stash it somewhere else. But, on the other hand, it always looks good to have more money in the jar - money attracts more money.

[Daisy]

I agree with the idea of having a container with a small slot to put the money in. Or maybe something like a bartender's tip jar, where you basically have to pick up the jar and turn it upside down to get to the money - which would be noticed.

[jerkface11]

A clear vase would work too. No way to get the money out without picking it up and shaking.

[bainsidhe]

I'm not suggesting you smack these louts upside the head (tempting though it may be), but you certainly should call them on it. Leave a penny take a penny? No reason you can't point out that it's a jar for your hard-earned tips, not a freebie tray. Say it politely if you can, but don't feel bad about it. Someone taking coinage from your jar wasn't going to tip anyway.

And the guy stealing your money? Hope you catch him in the act next time. In this lawsuit-filled world nowadays, you may or may not wish to accuse him of theft. Which sucks, really sucks. I wish you luck.

And the slit on top of the jar, I think that's a great idea. If these jerks don't try to take the whole jar that is.

[RetailWorkhorse]

This is why I recently wrote KARMA JAR on my take-a-penny jar.

[TTAZ]

I feel your pain. When I was 17 I worked (briefly) at a deli where a tip jar was set up next to the register and ppl would do this ALL THE TIME. Drove me so nuts that I wiped off the original script on the jar and re-wrote it to say "TIPS are appreciated, thank you!" hoping the customers would get the hint that it wasn't a change jar. Next day my boss called me to the carpet for it because customers complained about the word "tips". I didn't last much longer there, I was fired for being "not happy enough". I wonder why?

I wish I'd had the foresight of the jar with the slit on top, although I'm sure it would have been shot down by the most spineless deli manager in IL.

[Snowbird]

Stealing from a tip jar is pretty darn low.

It took me a while but I googled and came up with this: Locked Box

Just type up a 'Tips Welcome' sign and you're good to go.

[Anakah]

Customers always ask us where our tip "jar" is. It's a box and its behind us. When they leave tips, we hold the money in our hand and tap it on the counter to show the cameras. It also has a slit on the top and says "graditude" despite the fact that the customers can't see it.

But that's crappy. Customers stealing your heard earned cash. I'd be pissed too.

[friendofjimmyk]

Everytime I leave a tip in one of those on-the-counter tip jars, I always recall that Seinfeld episode where George wanted to make a point to have the guy see him give him his tip but he turned away. So, George reached in to take the tip he left back out so that they guy would see him put it back in - but he got caught and it looked as though he was stealing tips. I think of that all the time because I do want to make sure that they see me tip - but often they turn their back. Do I reach in? No, I figure that its just my ego that tells me I need recognition for tipping them and they'll be just as happy later when they count it.

Now, I've worked in restaurants where the busser stole tips. That sucked. She was a little old lady - the owners mother-in-law worked on our busiest days - Sunday mornings - and we used to always see her stealing tips.

[CoffeeMonkey]

One of the problems we have is that about half the time, when people try to use the tip jar as a take a penny, it's so that they can put bigger change back in. So they fish out the few cents, and often they're putting the quarters youg ive them back into the jar. But you never know until AFTER they've done it if they're giving you any back, and of course you don't want to call them on it since it might mean losing those quarters.

And if they just keep the change, then it's too late to call them. Infuriating. I've heard tales from my coworkers of people fishing out the dollars to try to pay for stuff. No one's tried that with me, luckily for them.

[Shangri-laschild]

Yeah, having it in a bowl where it's easy to reach and grab is just going to cause problems. Something that you can't reach your hand into would be best.

[ravenrose]

Also make sure it's attached to the counter in some way (glue, velcro, a chain, etc), so that it can't be swiped or turned upside down.

I like the one that Snowbird linked to, but a mason jar with a slit cut in the lid will work just as well. Just make sure if it's glued down that it's big enough to not get your hand stuck .

[Rarzipace]

I like the idea of using something that must be turned upside down to open up the tips--something like a plastic peanut butter jar with the slot cut in the bottom and set upon its lid, although I'm sure you could find or manufacture something classier.

A Google search also turned up this thread on tip jar sayings, which also includes a suggestion of a 'wishing well' style jar with water in it. It might rule out bill-based tipping but it would certainly make thievery a messier prospect.

Finally, if you want to get fancy/annoying and spend $50, you could look up this electronics-enhanced monstrosity. I don't know how much that will discourage thievery, but I thought it was kind of funny.