5 Simple Techniques to Increase Tips in Your Taproom

Guests aren’t tipping more because of your beer. It’s the human interaction. Your taproom staff can make or break a guest’s experience, and as an owner or manager, you play a critical role in shaping your staff’s work environment.

You probably invest a lot in your brewery, but how much do you invest in your staff and equip them with the strategies to sell more beer?

You probably invest a ton in your brewery. But how about your staff and giving them the strategies to sell more beer? Looking at industry-wide Employee Satisfaction Reports from 2023 to 2024, there’s a growing dissatisfaction among Front of House employees regarding their pay.

Ultimately, it’s about creating mutually beneficial employment experiences for your team with fair compensation. Assuming you’re already doing that, here are 5 easy-to-implement techniques you can train your team on to help them earn more tips.

#1: Greet your guests with a smile or “hello” upon approaching the bar

Start with a strong first impression. If a guest is made to wait too long or feels unappreciated, they’ll not only have a less positive experience but also spend less money. Encourage your team to find authentic ways to greet guests as they approach the ordering spot. If there’s a long line, a simple “I’ll be with you shortly” can go a long way. In fact, guests tip 13% higher when their visit begins with this welcoming gesture. The biggest mistake you can make here is failing to welcome your guest.

#2 Suggest starting with a flight

Putting aside all your feelings on flights, the data shows that they’re a pretty solid way to increase tab size and boost tips. On average, tabs are about $6 higher, and tips increase by 11%. Training and motivating your team to adopt small habits, like encouraging flights, benefits everyone—the company’s bottom line, management, taproom staff, and guests. Everyone enjoys a more engaging experience, leading to higher tabs. Offering flights and properly engaging with guests who order them provides an excellent opportunity to educate them and build a meaningful connection.

#3 Suggest ordering a beer after the guest completes their flight/first beverage

On nearly 40% of taproom visits, guests aren’t encouraged to have another drink. However, when staff do ask, tabs increase by 13% (around $6.11), and tips rise by 6%. Higher tabs equal higher tips, which is a win for your team. When interacting with bar guests, train your staff to regularly check in and monitor drink status. If your model is counter service, consider having a manager or floater occasionally stop by tables to encourage guests to order another beverage through the appropriate process.

#4 Quick service

I don’t like to wait. You don’t like to wait. Your guests don’t like to wait. We all want prompt service. And guess what? Guests reward your team when they deliver. If your staff can serve the first pint in less than a minute, they’ll earn tips nearly 10% higher than if it takes over three minutes. While it may not seem like a huge difference, consistently providing elevated service adds up to greater compensation over time. What should your staff aim for? To offer the most professional and speedy service possible, depending on how busy your taproom is.

#5 Encourage beer to go

It’s a common misconception that guests don’t tip on to-go beer. While a guest stopping by solely for a to-go purchase might not tip like a taproom guest, in most cases, it’s your taproom guests who are also buying beer to go. When staff suggest taking beer to go, guests tip 6% more on average. It all adds up.

The behaviors described above are those of staff members who aim to engage at a high level. You might already have rockstars demonstrating these steps of service —encourage them to keep it up. For staff who need a bit more training and attention, don’t overwhelm them with this entire list. Instead, pick one habit and dedicate a week, or even a month, to it. Walk them through customer interaction scenarios, help them find authentic ways to master the habit, put it into real-world practice, and then track the progress.

Even the smallest habit improvements can generate positive changes in your taproom for everyone.

The data was collected for a set of 1327 unique taproom visits from November 16, 2022 to February 27, 2024. Each tab represents 2 guests and includes tip.