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Gratuity charge vs. administrative charge?

Sars06Sars06 member
Fifth Anniversary 250 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
in Wedding Etiquette Forum
Our venue includes a 12% gratuity charge and an 8% administrative charge. Should these two charges combined be sufficient to cover tips for the servers? 

I ordinarily would tip more like 18-20% for service at a restaurant, so I don't want to stiff anyone at my wedding. But I don't know if the administrative charge also goes to the servers.
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Re: Gratuity charge vs. administrative charge?

  • pinkshorts27pinkshorts27 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    Sars06 said:

    Our venue includes a 12% gratuity charge and an 8% administrative charge. Should these two charges combined be sufficient to cover tips for the servers? 


    I ordinarily would tip more like 18-20% for service at a restaurant, so I don't want to stiff anyone at my wedding. But I don't know if the administrative charge also goes to the servers.
    Ask your venue what those charges go towards. Easiest way to solve that.

    If I had to venture a guess, I would say no. I suppose think it goes to whoever is organizing the wedding on their end.


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  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    Definitely ask your venue.  You should find out this stuff BEFORE you sign your contract!  If you have to add in another 8% for tips, you're up to almost 30% in fees and gratuities.  FWIW, we paid 20% service charge.  The only additional tip we had to give was for the maitre d.  There was no admin fees.  Or perhaps there was, but it was baked in to the cost per person.
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  • huskypuppy14huskypuppy14 member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    We had a 15% service charge (gratuity for the staff) and a 3% admin charge, as well as taxes. I think it's common to have both a service charge or gratuity and an administrative charge. I would bet the admin charge is not going to the servers.
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  • theartistformerlyknownastheartistformerlyknownas member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers First Anniversary
    Ask the venue. Their servers may make a much higher wage than a typical bar/restaurant server, or they may rely on people tipping above and beyond the 12%. I would not assume the admin charge goes to them.
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  • lyndausvilyndausvi mod
    Moderator Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its
    I would not combine them. 

    I've worked at a few places where service charge went to some of the admin costs.   There was a lot of confusion about the servers/bartenders getting the whole amount.   I bet the split it up to avoid those confusions.






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