I don't prompt for tips. I do notice encouraging the following actions seems to help customers:

1. Welcome them In: when you see them come in, say: "Hi, welcome in." It honeslty makes all the difference to see a barista notices the customers and lets them know you are happy they came in.

2. Talk to Them Like a Friend: It doesn't work for every customer, but showing genuine interest in them seems to go a long way. I've actually made a few friends from customers that way.

3. Get Their Drink Ready Ahead of Time: If there are a few customers, regulars, who typically get the same order, start preparing it ahea of time. This is another way to show that you pay attention to them and tends to get them coming back to the store.

4. Make the Moment Right: I have noticed customers will come back to a location that fixes their beverage. Some people will come into our store and say: "This wasn't made right at anoter store, and I didn't realize till I was too far away to turn around." I tend to apologize and remake the beverage as a Right Now Recovery. And more than a few times people have been so happy that they've tipped extra in person and online. Word of mouth has the power to do a lot for a store.


I've also noticed that when customers see you enjoying your day, and that you and your co-workers have a good vibe between them - the customers tend to tip higher in those locations. There hasn't been a store I've worked at where I've had to prompt people to tip.

we do a "tip wars" at my store (i.e "does pineapple belong on pizza? yes or no) and that helps cause it draws their eye to the tipping jars!

This might seem silly, but make sure your tip jar is cute and alluring! Add some fun pictures or drawings on the sides, and make sure it’s super visible to the customers. Ours is directly next to the register, right on the checkout counter. 95% of our tips are just people tossing in the coin change they get back when they pay with cash, and the only reason they give us the coins in the first place is because the jar is so visible.

I tell lots of jokes. If I see they're dressed up for work I'll give them a compliment before they start ordering. Just making them feel good about themselves. Tips will naturally get higher after that. People almost never remember each interaction they'll have while ordering at your store, but they'll remember how you made them feel.

I play a joke sometimes with people in DT when they just get coins for change to “not spend it all in one place now” and they’ll always crack a smile and commonly pop it in the tip jar

[deleted]