When it comes down to it, your employees are working for you so they can get paid. In a perfect world, you could pay your awesome employees a six figure salary, because we know that you (and your staff!) feel they deserve it. However, there are other ways to get some extra cash in their pockets. Tips are always welcomed by your hardworking employees, and there are different methods that can be used to try to maximize the amount they receive.
1. Design a creative tip jar
One method I have seen be successful in the past is by designing creative tip jars. I have seen one before that was holding up a small sign reading: “If you fear change put it in the tip jar”. A funny quote will catch the attention of many customers who might have not even paid attention to an average tip jar. Another method you could try is putting out two separate tip jars with different pictures/options on them, such as a dog and a cat, and have people “vote” for which one they like more by placing money in the respective jar. Each week you can change the contest and also post a note letting returning customers know which category won the previous week.
2. Use a tip friendly point of sale system
People these days are using cash less and less. So some customers might not even be able to contribute to your clever tip jars because they only have their cards. One way to increase tips from people paying with debit/credit, is using a POS system that makes it as convenient for them as possible. By simply tapping 10%, 20%, 30%, etc., on the screen, the tip is added to the total before they sign. Many people will tip in this instance because it is as easy as one tap on the screen. Square, Inc. is one company that makes these modern registers and they are perfect for food trucks. You can check out their online store at https://squareup.com/shop/hardware/us/en
3. Encourage excellent service
Lastly, the best way to increase the amount of tips your employees receive, is to provide excellent service. You can contribute to this by creating an environment that encourages positivity and friendliness. I know it might seem like a food truck is too small of an operation to have a real “culture”, but this is not true! Your employees will follow your lead when it comes to interacting with customers and how they carry themselves while working. Always make sure you are constantly providing feedback, to let them know they are doing great as well as how they can improve if possible. The tips will start to flow in if customers are provided with a great experience at your food truck/trailer.
Here at Insure My Food Truck, we pride ourselves in knowing we insure some of the top food trucks and trailers in the nation. Many of them already have these practices in place, which have contributed to their popularity, success, and expansion. If you are not a current customer, but are interested in joining our team, get a quote here.