How to track your tips as a server or bartender
A tip record takes a minute a shift, and it tells you which shifts are worth picking up, what you really make an hour, and what you earned in a year.
What to write down every shift
| Record | Why |
|---|---|
| Date and shift (lunch, dinner, double) | To compare shifts and days. |
| Hours worked | Tips per hour is the number that matters. |
| Cash tips | Cash is the part that is easiest to lose track of. |
| Card tips | These usually come with your paycheck; your record lets you check it. |
| Tip-out paid | What you gave to bussers, the bar and hosts comes off what you keep. |
| Tip pool share | If your house pools tips, your share is your take-home. |
| Sales (optional) | Tips as a percentage of sales shows how your tables tip. |
Do it the same night
The numbers are exact at the end of the shift and fuzzy by the next morning. A reminder on your work nights, at the time you usually cash out, is what makes a tip log stick.
Look at hourly, not nightly
A $250 double and a $180 dinner shift aren't what they seem until you divide by the hours. Tracking hours shows whether Friday dinner beats Sunday brunch per hour, and whether an extra lunch is worth it.
Keep a daily record for tax time
If you receive tips as an employee in the US, the IRS says you must keep a daily tip record, to report your tips to your employer and on your tax return; see IRS Publication 531, Reporting Tip Income. A shift-by-shift log with cash and card apart is exactly that, and a spreadsheet export makes it easy to hand to your tax preparer. This guide is not tax advice.