Top 8 Ways To Improve Your Barista Tip Income

Aside from a flexible schedule, one of the main perks of being a barista is enjoying a potentially good income.

Your barista income really depends on the specific coffee business. Depending on your coffee shop, baristas are usually paid the minimum wage or slightly higher while getting much of their money from tips.

In busy shifts, some baristas can make up to $40 per hour in tips in addition to their hourly wage.
Coffee shop customers gravitate towards tipping well for great customer service, polite conversation, and a willingness always to deliver your best product.

Keep in mind that some customers may never tip. That doesn’t mean that you did something wrong – it may be for many different reasons, including habit, culture, or financial strain.

Regardless of your customers' tipping habits, it would help if you gave your very best customer service all the time. There are, however, some good ways to boost your barista tip income as a barista. Let’s discuss a few below:

Top 8 Ways To Increase Your Barista Tips

Your Barista Tip Income Can Improve

1. Be knowledgeable but not arrogant

Some customers don’t know so much about coffee as you do. Every customer comes to coffee differently. Whatever their experience was with coffee, you’re here to provide the best possible cup they’ve ever had.

When customers come to a coffee shop, a barista is a conduit to the world of coffee for them.
A barista can be a coffee educator who can respectfully transmit the knowledge and love of coffee to others.

Your job is to educate each willing customer gently. You can do this by telling them about the beans you are brewing with. If possible, you can discuss the hard work of coffee farmers, the unique qualities of the coffee you currently serve.

You want to generate a greater value to customers about the coffee you are serving. You do this by sharing your thoughts on the coffee you make.

There is a better way to educate customers. Decide on a non-judgmental way that engages the customer, motivates them to learn more, and try your coffee.

Discussing the coffee origin requires you to learn a little bit about your coffee roaster and what beans they are choosing. Consider visiting your coffee shop’s wholesale roaster and learning about their coffee.

Politely answer your customers’ questions, even if the questions seem silly to you.
Don’t ever talk down on your customer or give them an arrogant look. Please don’t make them feel stupid. People can quickly recognize when they are being patronized or made fun of.

2. Maintain cleanliness

This rule applies to both your workstation and your hygiene. As they say, cleanliness is next to godliness, especially in a food establishment or a coffee shop environment.

If you want to be a successful barista, you need to be clean and maintain a tidy look every day.
Hygiene is essential in the food and beverage industry. Having clean hair, cut nails, tidy clothes, and washed apron are all important.

It’s a trimmed beard for men and for ladies – clean hair collected in a ponytail (you don’t want your hairs to fall in a cup accidentally). It’s recommended that you avoid intense cologne or perfume as it can alter the smell and taste of the coffee you are serving.

Your cleanliness also extends to your barista workstation. It means that a barista is expected to maintain clean tabletops, a shiny espresso machine, wash cups and tools, mop water and milk spills.
A clean workstation is a good sign of coffee drink quality and whether a coffee shop actually cares for its customers. We’ve written extensively about the danger of a dirty café environment and how to avoid it. Start by cleaning your steam wand, washing, and putting your tools away after every use.

3. Remember your regulars’ drinks

Know your customers. This is one of the main rules for any barista. People like it when you remember their names and if you know what drinks they usually order.

Everyone likes to be acknowledged and remembered, and people generously tip for that. Your barista's secret is to make every customer feel unique.

Practically, it means to greet your regulars by name, ask them how things are going in their life, how’s their husband/wife/kids/dogs/cats are doing. Of course, making them an excellent coffee drink and brightening up their day by making them feel special and welcome is always a good thing too!

Always remember that people usually come to a café for an experience. If they get an amazing quality coffee and superior customer service – this is the combo they don’t want to miss.

Remember, happy customers are often repeat customers. Repeat customers often tip better.

4. Be personable

Even if you see the customer for the first time, you have a chance to make him or her your regular and, as a result, increase your barista tip income.

There are a few questions you can ask, for example,
“How’s your day going?”
“Is this the first time at our coffee shop?”
“What’s your favorite drink?”

Just play it by ear. Wish them a good day and express your hope to see them again. To make it sound natural, you should sincerely feel this way and get more regular customers.

If you treat a customer with a cold shoulder or don’t talk, you can’t expect generous tips or customer returns. Baristas who talk to customers get more tips than those who don’t. So, being personable is a sure way to get more barista tips.

5. Leave your worries behind

Coffee shop customers don’t want to know that you just broke up with your partner or have problems in college or have difficulties paying rent.

Even though you may mention it in a conversation, stay optimistic, and don’t act like your personal life is falling apart. This is your customers’ time, not yours. You are serving them, not they are serving you. They are leaving tips for you to make them a great espresso and ask about their day.

Consider yourself as an adviser to whom people come to talk, get some attention and comforting words.

6. Give smaller change

Giving smaller change is a proven way to ensure tips. Imagine you are giving a 10-dollar bill as a change. There is a lower chance that a customer will leave you an entire ten bucks. Some people will ask you to break it; others will be too shy and feel very uncomfortable for not leaving you any tip. Imagine if you give coins instead and a client feels more encouraged to leave you a dollar or two (or more). This is a simple psychological tip that helps you secure yourself a tip and make a client feel happy for helping you out.

7. Decorate a tip jar

Decorating a tip jar that catches the client’s eye is another great way of getting more tips.
Make your tip jar look nice and write something on it: “Barista college fund,” “Tips appreciated,” “Travel fund,” “Good Karma Jar,” etc. However, don’t write anything obnoxious or anything only you understand.

Don’t make people feel guilty by writing something like “Every time you don’t tip; a barista stays hungry” or things like that. Customers already feel some social pressure for leaving tips, and your job is to create an impression that tipping is the act of their free will and expression of gratitude.

8. Take pride in what you do

The main thing in your barista job is to have a sense of pride in your work. It takes your genuine passion for coffee and desire to serve people daily.

It will be challenging for you to be a barista if you don’t drink coffee yourself or if you are not eager to learn more about coffee or anything in particular except computer games. Lack of encouragement or inadequate management requirements can soon lead to burnout and, consequently, poor customer service and quality of drinks – and lower tips.

If you value your time, knowledge, and reputation, you will work in a café that supports a positive environment, friendly relationships among employees and management, and high-quality service.

One of the best ways to increase barista motivation and maintain consistency in a coffee shop is regular barista training that helps everyone stay on the same page and learn new coffee trends. Sending baristas to coffee expos and contests will make them excited to feel ambassadors of their particular coffee shop while networking with other baristas and increasing their professional development.

Other Things To Remember About Barista Tip Income

Depending on a coffee shop, you might find different tipping practices. Tipping etiquette can vary.
In some cafés, tips are already included in a bill. In others, you are supposed to share the tips with all the baristas on a shift.

If you work alone, you might take all the tips for yourself. Another thing is that today customers have an opportunity to tip with their credit cards. Don’t be afraid to ask your manager about barista tip income and tipping practices in your coffee shop.

What You Can’t Change as a Barista

As a barista, you got to work with what you got. And make the best of it. For example, the quality of the beans, milk, and business in general, is often beyond your control. Sometimes this impacts the coffee shop in general and tipping specifically.

You may not really influence the pricing policy, the quality of vendors, hiring practices, or marketing. You can do as a barista to be friendly and personable, maintain cleanliness, and prepare great-tasting espresso and other drinks.

When looking for a barista job, we recommend that you choose a customer-oriented place that cares about public opinion, has a strong and positive company culture, and treats its baristas with respect and appreciation.

Brought to you by Barista Training Academy, “The Beginning Barista,” Your Ultimate Prep Guide to Getting Your First Job as a Barista” is an ultimate resource that is available online. It is affordable for anybody who is looking to start a career in the coffee industry. For more information, visit our blog.