When it's the right restaurant environment, tip pooling can improve working relations among staff. Employees take greater pride in performing even the smallest tasks, knowing that the overall result is better tips. The sense of teamwork may improve. Staff is more inclined to help each other.

Should tips be pooled?

All tip pooling policies should be recommended and not mandatory unless specifically approved by your state. Your state might require a written tip pooling agreement between staff and management. Owners, managers, and supervisors are not permitted to ask employees to share tips.

Do most waiters pool tips?

Tip pooling—in which tipped employees contribute a portion of the their tips to a pool, which is distributed among a group of employees—is generally legal. However, under federal law, managers and supervisors are not allowed to participate in a tip pool.