Venue/Reception gratuity?

goldfish+

How much do you give as a gratuity for your event?  Where we're looking they already charge a 20% service fee on total food and bar sales but the fine print says this is not a gratuity and you're welcome to include one, however, it's not a requirement.  Is it really not a requirement?

I'm thinking an additional 20% on top of everything else adds $$$$$.  So how do you figure this out?  Just food and beverage before added fees and taxes?  Or do I take their "not a requirement" to heart?  I'd hate to feel like I'm stiffing someone.

HELP!

goldfish+

Oh and there's already a management fee added in as well...

Cackle6

That seems crazy for them to charge you a 20% service fee! I've always seen it where the venue charges a 20% gratuity. I wouldn't tip on top of that - they're being super greedy if they expect you to pay a service fee AND a gratuity.

Sscholfield

Did you ask where the 20% service fee goes? That sounds like gratuity to me, and I wouldn't tip anything more. Our venue includes 20% gratuity, which goes to the wait staff. I plan to tip our reception coordinator separately, but that's it.

ceh789

If they specify that it isn't a gratuity, it's not.

I'm tipping 15% on the cost of food + beverage.  I'm not tipping on the delivery or service fees or tax.

ETA: Yes, it's really not a requirement but yes, you would be stiffing someone who is normally tipped for their work.  Banquet servers and bartenders make more than "normal" servers/bartenders but not that much more and they do expect to be tipped.

goldfish+

Yes it actually says "this is not a gratuity".  It says it covers the labor.

sarahlee2012

I think our venue does something similar - I asked about it and learned that since the venue brings in outside staff for an event like this, the "service charge" goes to pay their hourly rates.  So, we'll be tipping on top of the service charge.

elisaandjeremy

I too have encountered the same verbage.  So mine is a 'house fee' at 18% and after I inquired upon receiving proposal, they said:

The House Fee covers some of the non-itemized costs of producing events.  May go to the dishwasher’s wages, the chef’s salary, equipment purchases, staff training, etc.  Guests sometimes confuse this with a “service fee” or gratuity, and it is not that.  It does go straight to the house.

BUT

my brother, who runs a third generation banquet & catering company in New Orleans (a top hospitatlity & food service city), he explained to me that this type of fee does overlap and that he wouldn't tip any additional amount.  He explained that since I have labor charges, house fee, tax, and delivery fee that it's very weird model they'd expect gratuity on top of all of that.

SO

What I have decided to do is determine if I feel there should be an additional gratutity at the end of the party.  If so, I'll be doing a small percentage (nothing over 10% for sure).  If they stunk then I'm not going to go the extra mile to show my appreciation.

HOPE IT HELPS!

jlk13

The service fee is to pay the hourly wages of the staff. NOT A TIP. Your gratuity will be their tip.
 
I'm glad you asked this question because I feel as though a lot of brides aren't aware of this-typically because of the tricky wording in the contract.

It would be in VERY POOR taste not to tip.