How To Write a Restaurant Employee Handbook

A restaurant employee handbook is a document that outlines a restaurant’s policies, procedures, and expectations for your team. It’s an essential guide for owners, managers, and employees that clearly communicates information necessary for a restaurant to operate safely and efficiently.

In this article, we’ll review the steps required to create a practical and effective employee handbook for a safe, profitable restaurant.

What Is a Restaurant Employee Handbook?

A restaurant employee handbook is a comprehensive document that outlines the policies, procedures, and expectations for employees and managers in a restaurant business. It serves as a valuable resource for both new and seasoned staff members, offering a clear description of their roles, responsibilities, and the standards they’re expected to meet.

The purpose of an employee handbook is to establish clear safety practices and sound procedures for operating various aspects of a restaurant business. It is the go-to guide for the restaurant’s mission, values, and culture. Items covered in a handbook typically include dress code policies, guidelines for customer service, health and safety procedures, tips and gratuity policies, and procedures for reporting grievances or issues in the workplace.

Why Restaurants Need an Employee Handbook

Like any other business, restaurants use employee handbooks as a critical tool for managing employees and communicating expectations. A well-written handbook is an ideal way to articulate the company’s objectives, culture, and values. Furthermore, it provides clear guidelines on how to conduct oneself in various situations, minimizing misunderstandings and helping to ensure all of a restaurant’s employees and managers are on the same page and working towards common goals.

Additionally, an employee handbook serves as a reference for legal issues and disputes such as fair treatment, equal opportunity employment, and harassment policies. This protects the employer and the employees by outlining their rights and responsibilities. Such a guide helps ensure smooth operation, improves employee morale, boosts productivity, and contributes to the restaurant’s overall success.

Sections to Include in a Restaurant Employee Handbook

A restaurant employee handbook is an essential communication tool for restaurant owners and employees. A well-written and comprehensive employee handbook can be an effective tool for onboarding and maintaining a satisfied and informed staff. These are some of the main sections to include in a restaurant employee handbook:

Welcome and Restaurant History

Most employee handbooks start with an introduction to the business and an overview of the restaurant’s journey. These items serve as a welcome to new team members and convey appreciation for joining the restaurant’s team. This section should also review the restaurant’s history, including significant milestones and the vision for the business. It should discuss the restaurant’s culture and values, touching upon its mission and the standards it wants to meet.

Policies and Procedures

Next, a restaurant employee handbook should set forth various policies and procedures that employees must follow. These include punctuality, attendance, dress code, and behavioral expectations. The handbook should also describe how to call in sick, request time off, and follow scheduled break times. Customer service standards, food safety, and cleanliness policies should be clearly defined. This section should also include the restaurant’s policy on tip sharing, handling cash, and what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behavior in the workplace.

Remember, the aim here is to foster a culture that embodies the restaurant’s values and promotes a safe, respectful, and professional environment. Providing clear guidelines helps to eliminate ambiguity and sets clear expectations for all employees, including managers.

Employee Dress Code

The dress code section is a crucial part of the restaurant employee handbook as it details the appearance standards employees are expected to maintain. This section should clearly outline the restaurant’s specific dress code, whether it requires uniforms, guidelines on acceptable casual wear (if allowed), or formal attire. It should also provide information about required accessories, such as name tags, aprons, or specific footwear.

This section may additionally cover policies concerning personal hygiene, tattoos, piercings, and other aspects of personal presentation that could impact an employee’s professional appearance.

A well-dressed, neat employee makes a positive impression, reflecting the restaurant’s commitment to professionalism and high standards. Furthermore, roles involving food handling, hygiene, and cleanliness are not just about making a good impression—they’re vital for maintaining food safety standards.

Employee Conduct

The employee conduct section should clearly outline the codes and ethics governing each employee’s actions. This section might include guidelines about maintaining a positive and respectful attitude towards coworkers, supervisors, and customers and rules against workplace harassment, discrimination, or any other form of misconduct. It can also cover honesty, integrity, confidentiality, and adherence to the restaurant’s policies and procedures. This section can address the fact that alcohol and drug use are not tolerated in the workplace due to their potential to impair employee performance and jeopardize safety.

The employee conduct section lets you set your restaurant’s behavioral standards and cultural tone. It’s essential to laying the foundation for a respectful and harmonious workplace environment. Outlining the consequences of not adhering to these guidelines also provides a measure of disciplinary control, ensuring each employee is aware of the potential ramifications of failing to meet the standard you set.

Compensation and Benefits

The compensation and benefits section of the restaurant employee handbook should detail the remuneration employees can expect and the benefits provided. This section should clearly explain the pay structure, including the frequency and method of payment, such as whether it’s hourly or salaried and whether payments are made weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The handbook should also include information about overtime pay, holiday pay, or other special pay rates (if applicable). The restaurant’s policy on tips—whether they are shared, pooled, or given directly to individual servers—should also be clearly laid out.

Additionally, this section should outline the benefits offered by the restaurant, such as healthcare plans, retirement options, meal discounts, paid time off, and any other employment perks. Also, clearly explain the eligibility criteria and processes necessary to obtain these benefits.

Health and Safety Guidelines

The health and safety guidelines are some of the most essential items in a restaurant employee handbook as they ensure the well-being of the staff and patrons. This section should emphasize the restaurant’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy work environment. It should detail measures to prevent accidents, such as keeping walkways and workspaces clear of hazards and correctly storing and using equipment. It should also include guidelines for the following:

Food safety: Describe applicable food safety regulations to prevent foodborne illnesses, like correct food handling, storage, and preparation, personal hygiene standards, and procedures for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and surfaces.
Handling of alcohol: If the restaurant serves alcohol, include guidelines on responsible service, including checking identification and refusing service to intoxicated patrons.
Emergencies: Dedicate a portion of this section to emergency procedures, including what to do in case of fire, injuries, or other urgent situations. Include clear instructions on how to use fire extinguishers, the location of first-aid kits, and the protocol for reporting accidents or injuries. This section should also outline the restaurant’s policy on handling health-related issues, such as what to do if an employee is sick or suspects they have contracted a contagious disease.

Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policies

This section should outline the restaurant’s commitment to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, or disability. It should clearly state that discrimination is unacceptable and will result in disciplinary action. It should also provide information on how to report incidents of discrimination or harassment and the steps taken by the restaurant to address such issues. This section should align with federal and state employment laws and promote a workplace culture of diversity, inclusion, and fairness.

Communication Policy

An employee handbook should also include a section outlining times and methods of communication between employees, supervisors, and management. It should outline the procedures for addressing grievances or concerns without fear of retaliation. It should promote transparency, trust, and a healthy work environment where management can address problems promptly and effectively.

Tips for Writing a Restaurant Employee Handbook

Creating a restaurant employee handbook is essential to establishing a well-structured and smoothly operating restaurant business. Here are some tips to ensure your restaurant employee handbook is practical and user-friendly:

Make it comprehensive but concise. A good handbook covers all necessary topics but avoids unnecessary complexity. Use clear and concise language to ensure the information is easy to understand and digest.
Use a positive tone. Even though the handbook contains rules and regulations, strive for a positive tone. Doing so will help your employees feel welcome and valued rather than overburdened by numerous rules and policies.
Comply with legal requirements. Ensure your handbook complies with all local, state, and federal laws. Consult an attorney if you’re unsure about any particular items or sections.
Include visuals when possible. Photos, diagrams, and infographics can make your handbook more engaging and easier to understand, especially when addressing things like safety procedures or the proper handling of equipment.
Regularly update the handbook. Laws and restaurant policies can change, so update your handbook regularly.
Encourage feedback from employees. Let your employees know that their feedback on the handbook is welcome. This can help you identify any areas that may need clarification or improvement.

Your restaurant employee handbook is vital in communicating with your staff. A good handbook can foster a positive work environment where everyone understands their roles, rights, and responsibilities, making it easier to train employees and reducing unnecessary turnover among your staff.

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Industry Trends, Restaurant Management

FAQ: What the “No Tax on Tips” Act Means for Restaurant Operators and Your Restaurant Team

We’ve been talking about “No Tax on Tips” for months, and now it’s a reality. But what exactly does that mean for restaurant operators and their tipped employees?

Signed into law on July 4, 2025, as part of the broader “One Big Beautiful Bill” tax package, the new policy eliminates federal income tax on tipped earnings (up to a cap…along with some other caveats…) for qualifying workers.

While No Tax on Tips garnered widespread support from hospitality employees and employers alike, there’s still a lot of confusion about how it works, who qualifies, and what it means for your restaurant team.

Our FAQ breaks it all down: the fine print, the benefits, the limits—and how you can make sure your team is positioned to take full advantage.

What does “No Tax on Tips” actually mean for my team?

The No Tax on Tips Act has created a new federal income tax deduction — up to $25,000 of “qualified tips” per year for employees in traditionally tipped occupations.

Tipped employees can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their federal taxable income. (For added context, based on Kickfin customer data, the average tipped employee earns $125 per shift and works 15 shifts per month. That totals $22,500 in annual tip earnings.)
The deduction starts to phase out at $150,000 in annual income.
The deduction is currently restricted to those who earn $160,000 or less in 2025, but that’s expected to change in coming years to account for inflation.
These earnings are assessed based on employees’ income as of December 31, 2024.

Two other important items to note:

Deduction, not exclusion: This is a deduction, not an exclusion. That means all tips still need to be reported; the deduction will be claimed when your employees file their taxes. The deduction is on top of the standard deduction ($16,000 for individuals, $32,000 for married couples filing jointly).
Other taxes still apply: This bill is all about federal income taxes, so Social Security and Medicare taxes still apply. Also, keep in mind that this is a federal tax deduction. States will individually decide whether or not to align with the change.

Which types of tips are eligible?

The bill applies to cash tips—but it’s technically a little broader than that. According to the Senate Finance Committee, “cash tips” includes:

Physical cash tips
Credit card tips
Tips shared through pooled or tip-sharing arrangements

Other types of charges and fees that restaurant customers pay are not eligible for the dedication.

Mandatory service charges
Surcharges
Automatic gratuities

Essentially, any earnings from compulsory charges are not considered tips. Even if a restaurant passes those funds on to employees, they’re not eligible for the deduction. Do employees have to report their tips to get the deduction?

Short answer: Yes. And aside from being legally required to fully report their tip earnings, it actually behooves them to do so.

It’s no secret that many tipped employees don’t fully report their tip earnings. There are a variety of reasons for this: general confusion about tip reporting, poor tracking, and of course, a desire to avoid taxes.

Credit card tips are automatically tracked in most POS systems, so those are typically accounted for. Cash tips, on the other hand, are often underreported.

Again, because this new bill is a deduction, not an exclusion, employees must report their tip earnings to qualify.

Not only will this (legally) allow employees to reduce their tax burden; reporting their full income can really come in handy with things like loan applications, unemployment benefits, and Social Security earnings.

Is this all good news for employees?

Again, for the most part in the hospitality and service industry, there’s a lot of support for this legislation.

It will put money back in the pockets of many tipped employees—which can make a meaningful difference, especially for those who live paycheck to paycheck.

But some in the industry have voiced concerns:

Lowest-earning tipped workers won’t see much benefit. Many of the lowest-earning tipped workers wouldn’t benefit much, or at all.because they’re not paying a significant amount in federal taxes to begin with.
Some workers excluded: Not all hospitality employees are tipped employees – if you’re not operating a tip pool for example, a lot of your BOH employees aren’t going to see any benefit here.
Service/surcharges/auto-gratuity: Compulsory charges are not considered tips, so even if all of those funds are going to the employees, they will still be taxed. Again, that means BOH workers who aren’t tipped but who benefit from service charges won’t get a tax break.

What do restaurant operators need to do?

While there’s no major compliance burden on employers (yet), the smartest operators are thinking ahead—especially when it comes to digitizing tip management.

Here’s why that matters:

Accurate reporting: Employees need clear, auditable records to claim the deduction
Transparency: With platforms like Kickfin, employees can log in to view their full payment history—no guesswork required
Tip pooling: If you want your BOH team to benefit, you’ll need to operate a formal, compliant tip pool.
Efficiency: Automating tip pools (and ensuring accuracy), managing payouts, and syncing with payroll is easier than ever.

Is it time to hit the reset button?

If you’re already using a digital tip management platform like Kickfin, you’re a step ahead—your team will be well positioned to take full advantage if and when the law goes into effect.

If not: This new policy is a great reason to refresh your tip management approach, including digitizing your distribution process, re-evaluating your tip pool policy, and improving payment tracking for your team. And good news—Kickfin can help with all of that. Let’s talk.

Restaurant Management

Tales from Reddit: (Brutally) Honest Opinions on Tip Pooling

Have you ever wondered how your employees really feel about your tip pool?

While you can (and should!) source feedback from your own team, Reddit is always a great place to get brutally honest opinions on…well, just about anything.

So we did some digging in a few lively Subreddits (r/TalesFromYourServer and r/KitchenConfidential, among others) to understand how real workers feel about their own restaurant’s tip pooling policy.

Of course, no two tip policies are alike, but these Reddit tales may offer some helpful useful insights as you evaluate your own tip policy — and help you avoid common pitfalls.

Tip Pooling Tales from Reddit

Not surprisingly, there are strong feelings about tip pooling from servers and other restaurant employees on Reddit. The conversations often centered around these high-level themes:

Does tip pooling really foster teamwork?
Do top performers take the biggest hit?
Can tip pooling help with income consistency?
Is it fair to include back-of-house?

Read on for a deeper dive!

1. Tip pooling and teamwork

Many Redditors noted that tip pooling can help to create a collaborative, team-first culture where everyone wins.

Of course, that comes with some caveats from the Reddit crowd:

“I own a fine dining restaurant with tip pooling. … servers help each other out and care what’s going on in others sections … the servers REALLY care about training their coworkers right.”

“It’s the best system in the world if you work with a team where everybody is competent and pulls their weight.”

“We do tip pool… Less drama, more teamwork… efficient when you work with people that are hardworking and pull their own weight.”

“It forces a stronger team mentality…No system is perfect and the strongest servers definitely take a hit most days, but it’s the positive environment that makes up for it usually.”

“I think it helps encourage the senior staff to invest in the newbies. Obviously, if the newbies efforts or attitude aren’t cutting it, time to go.”

The takeaway: If you have the right people, then your tip pool becomes a motivator for your employees to have each other’s backs, to participate in training the newbies, and to be accountable to each other. As the last Redditor here noted, it also means you have to be willing to weed out your weakest links.

2. Does tip pooling penalize top performers?

On the flipside, some commenters highlight how employees — particularly top performers — feel the system redistributes their hard-earned earnings to less productive coworkers, which can erode motivation to upsell, promptly turn tables, or cultivate regulars.

“You lose the need to hustle…tip‑pools have taken away my ability to control how much money I walk with … which made me less willing to hustle.”

“‘Lazy people…hold up the tables so they work less than others but make the same money.’”

“I was pulling $400‑$600 by myself and then … only saw $150‑200 of it which really sucks.”

“Personally not a fan of tip pooling. I typically have the highest tip percentage and I’d rather keep that for me.”

The takeaway: When the link between effort and reward is weakened, the drive to earn more through performance can dwindle. Again, as always, the goal is to have a team of top performers across the board — but in reality, you’ll always have a range of talent.

If you’re using a tip management system like Kickfin, you can track your employees’ tip payouts over time and see how payouts actually stack up across your team. You can always tweak your tip pooling policy to ensure your performers are getting rewarded for their extra-hard work. Or consider offering shift-based performance bonuses outside of the pool, based on things like guest feedback or upselling performance. This keeps the pool intact but allows standout employees to earn more.

3. The case for income consistency

When tips make up the majority of your take-home pay — as is the case for many restaurant workers — you may not know what to expect from one shift to the next. That can make managing finances hard, especially for workers who are living paycheck to paycheck.

Tipping is supposed to reward high quality service, so theoretically, tipped employees wield a fair amount of control over what they earn. And tip-pool detractors argue that tip pooling takes away that control.

But in reality, it’s not so black and white. For example, some sections are busier than others; the employee working the patio on a warm summer evening might be set up to earn more than the server working the back corner next to the restroom. The bartender working the night shift is going to earn more than his coworker who’s there for lunch.

And unfortunately, research shows that customer bias and discrimination can impact tip earnings.

As some Redditors pointed out, tip pooling can help reduce this income variability.

“Pooling tips offsets any issues with tables that don’t leave a tip…Overall, this system has increased the quality of service…”

The income might decrease a little bit on busier days but it does usually increase on slower days. And the income is more consistent.”

The takeaway: Of course, it’s not fair to always work the busiest section of the bar, only to split tips evenly with bartenders who work in a much more laid-back section. If you’re pooling tips to help with income variability, it’s wise to find additional ways to control for other variables. For example:

Strategically rotate busy and slow sections among your different servers.
When scheduling, make sure the same people aren’t always opening and closing — and as much as possible, rotate your employees through high- and low-volume shifts.
Offer easy section or shift trades for employees.

4. Should Back-of-House Be Included in Tip Pools?

In addition to the general pooling benefits (collaboration, culture) — there are some valid reasons to include BOH in your tip pool:

Guest experience: When tipping, guests take into consideration things like quality of food and speed of service — which BOH staff heavily contribute to.
Guest expectations: Guests may assume that their tips are getting distributed to everyone — not just servers. (And taking it a step further: clearly communicating that to your guests could generate higher tip volumes.)
Retention: With rising labor shortages, offering tip sharing can help attract and retain skilled BOH workers who might otherwise leave for better-paying jobs.

(Keep in mind: There are some legal restrictions when it comes to including BOH in your pool — e.g., if you’re taking the tip credit, you generally can’t include BOH. Find more details on tip pooling laws and compliance here.)

So what do real-life servers say about including BOH?

“Many places in new orleans had made the switch after quarantine. It’s a God send to the back of house, for most cooks it can be life changing. The FOH is a revolving door now though, why split tips with the kitchen when you can make 600 a night at the bar down the street.”

“I am not upset, I’m getting paid decent and I know how hard it is to smile and be nice all the time and interact with the dreaded public. They are welcome to the extra money and the headache.”

The takeaway: First and foremost, ensure you can legally include back-of-house workers in your tip pool. If you feel it’s right for your restaurant, a few ways to make it work well for everyone:

Get buy-in from FOH and BOH: Clearly communicate how and why the structure works. Share real numbers and example breakdowns, and emphasize shared success — tips reflect everyone’s effort (not just what happens tableside).
Start small: If FOH is resistant, make the tip-out percentage minimal and see how it goes before increasing
Use a weighted distribution model: To fairly divide the tip pool, assign different weights or percentages to each role based on their contribution.

📝 Final Thoughts

Reddit feedback makes it clear…that there’s a lot of gray area when it comes to employee perspectives on tip pooling.

Ultimately, restaurant workers seem to agree that well-executed, shift-based pools under strong management can foster unity and a dependable livelihood.

But in mixed teams or mismanaged setups, performers lose motivation, and the culture quickly deteriorates — which ultimately affects morale and retention. And unfortunately, all of that can spill over into the guest experience.

If you’re pooling tips, one of the most important things you should do (aside from ensuring your tip pool is compliant!) is track everything. Having a digital paper trail not only ensures accuracy and prevents tip disputes — but it also gives you the hard data you need to truly evaluate your tip policy.

Has Reddit swayed your opinion on tip pools? Or made you rethink your current tip policy? With Kickfin’s tip pooling software, you can easily customize and automate your tip pooling policy — then track every payment, all in one place. Schedule a demo today!

Restaurant Management

Tip Pooling: Pros and Cons

For restaurant owners looking to boost teamwork and make sure every employee gets their fair share, a tip pool or tip share seems like a natural solution. But like there are pros and cons to tip pooling that every operator should be aware of.

Of course, it doesn’t always make sense to pool tips. (And when it does make sense, tip pooling policies are definitely not one-size-fits-all!)

If you’re on the fence, check out our tip pooling pro-con list below and consider how they would affect your restaurant’s unique dynamics.

What are the pros of tip pooling?

It takes a lot of hard work and collaboration to deliver an excellent guest experience. For most restaurants, the primary goal of tip pooling is to ensure all employees are fairly rewarded for their contributions.

Here are a few of the benefits that tip pooling offers restaurant teams.

1. Improved performance

When executed strategically, tip pooling can bring your team together around a shared goal — delivering a top-notch guest experience — and reward them for doing so.

And when employees are all working toward a common goal, they’re much more likely to work together and go out of their way to lend a helping hand or fill in gaps. This can be particularly true for tip pools that include employees who generally aren’t directly tipped, like bussers, hosts, and back-of-house employees.

2. Reduced competition among servers

Does one section get all of the large parties (aka all the large tips)? Or does your patio section get too hot for most guests during the summer? When employees aren’t sharing tips, your workplace culture might start to feel (overly) competitive and even lead to tension or disputes. When servers start feeling slighted or get hung up on who-got-which-table, not only does that affect morale — it slows everyone down.

An equitable tip pool can keep servers from feeling like they need to keep score, so they can focus on providing top-notch service to all of the guests in the restaurant.

3. Increased focus on training

When you bring on new staff, you typically have them train with your best veteran servers. And when those vets know that their trainee will be part of their future tip pool, they’ll be more invested in the training, making sure to give them a master class in upselling and customer service.

4. More equitable distribution

Unfortunately, customer biases — conscious or not — can impact tip amounts. Whether based on race, gender, or other factors, this kind of discrimination can affect your employees’ livelihoods.

While restaurant operators can’t control if some employees receive preferential treatment, they can help to compensate for those injustices by pooling and fairly distributing tips.

Cons of Tip Pooling

While most restaurants these days run some form of tip pool or tip share, there are some common drawback and pitfalls to tip pooling, which are worth considering before you implement a new policy

1. Top performers may feel negatively impacted

If your best servers are consistently bringing in far more than the standard 18-20% in tips, they might not be so pleased to share with employees who may not have the same experience, talent or work ethic.

Couple that with the fact that some servers can turn tables much quicker than others, resulting in a higher volume of sales and a whole lot more tip income — well, your top earners could start feeling cheated by the tip pool.

And in a tough labor market, if a hardworking employee isn’t happy with their earnings, they likely have other options.

2. Under-performers can slip through the cracks

On the flip side of that: a tip pool could allow lower-performing employees to slip through the cracks. If you’re not closely evaluating the average tip amount (and average check size!), you may miss that one of your employees is struggling with their customer service.

3. Compliance is an added consideration

Tip pooling is regulated at the federal and (usually) state level. Some municipalities also have their own rules around how to legally pool tips. These laws can get pretty complicated, making it all too easy to fall out of compliance without even knowing it. For example: managers can’t participate in a tip pool; but what happens if a manager is also performing server duties? Can you include back-of-house in your tip pool? Does your eligibility for the tip credit change if you operate a tip pool? It’s important to know the answers to all of these questions and fully understand the laws that apply to each of your locations. (Especially if you have locations in multiple states!)

Tip Pooling Pros and Cons at a Glance

That’s a lot of information to take in, so here it is a handy-dandy pro-con chart.

To Pool or Not to Pool?

The majority of restaurants in the U.S. operate some form of tip pool. At Kickfin, we’ve worked with thousands of restaurant teams who participate in tip pooling or tip sharing. We’ve found that often, the positives outweigh the negatives.

But that comes with a major caveat: the best tip pooling teams have been strategic and intentional with their policies — and as a result, no two tip pooling policies look exactly the same.

If you want to set yourself up for tip pooling success, here are a few general rules of thumb.

Evaluate your requirements: Ask yourself why you’re running a tip pool. What needs are you trying to address or problems are you trying to fix? Specifically consider your restaurant type, team size, org chart, and local market to find the best policy for you.
Don’t overcomplicate: It shouldn’t require a degree in calculus to calculate your tip pool. If you feel like it’s getting unwieldy, it’s possible you’re setting your team up for mistakes and tracking issues.
Get feedback for better buy-in: This shouldn’t be a decision-by-committee scenario, but it’s worth checking with management and even some of your team’s unofficial leaders to get their input before running with a new policy. This can help get the rest of your employees on board.
Write it down and run it by your counsel: Your tip pooling policy should be on paper, in black and white. You should also have your legal counsel review it to make sure you’re not inadvertently out of compliance with tip pooling regulations.
Communicate everything: Once you’re feeling good about your policy, share it. Make sure every tip-eligible employee understands how it works and has the opportunity to ask questions.
Ensure transparency by tracking everything: It’s not enough to share your policy. It’s important that every payout is tracked, including how those payouts were calculated. Not only does that streamline accounting and reporting; it also creates a culture of trust with your employees. If there is ever any question around a payout, having a digital paper trail is invaluable.

The best tip pools are automated

Tip pool calculations often happen in a spreadsheet, which is less than ideal. Kickfin integrates with your POS, so you can eliminate spreadsheet math, reducing the risk of human error and ensuring every payout is accurately calculated and tracked. Plus: Kickfin customers can send instant, cashless payouts directly to their employees’ bank of choice.

The result: All the benefits of tip pooling, without the hassles, risk, and time required. (In fact, many of our users can calculate and pay out tips at the end of each shift in under 60 seconds!)

Want to learn more? Request a demo today.

Product and Company News

Kickfin Recognized on the 2025 Inc. Regionals List

Kickfin has earned a top spot on the 2025 Inc. Regionals list in the Southwest region! This recognition places us among the fastest-growing privately held companies in America—and we couldn’t be prouder of what this means for our team, our customers, and the restaurant industry at large.

A Milestone Achievement

As the #1 tip distribution platform, Kickfin is trusted by thousands of restaurant teams to automate tip pooling and payouts. Since 2017, our technology has given managers hours back in their week while improving accuracy, visibility, and reporting for operators.

Only 951 companies made the cut across all regions, and in the Southwest alone, the businesses on this list contributed 13,809 jobs to the U.S. economy while achieving a median growth rate of approximately 106 percent from 2021 to 2023.

Powering the Future of Tip Management

In the past year, Kickfin has taken automated tip management to a whole new level. In addition to exciting new features that make our platform more robust than ever, we continue to add to the list of our direct integrations with the leading POS brands—which currently includes Toast, SkyTab, Square, Heartland, RPOWER, PAR POS, Oracle MICROS, NCR Aloha, and more.

→ See how the Kickfin-Toast integration “changed everything” for HOBNOB restaurants

Kickfin’s POS integrations give our customers the ability to auto-calculate even the most complex tip pools in just a few clicks, which eliminates unwieldy tip spreadsheets, saves managers even more time, and gives operators unprecedented visibility into payout calculations and history.

A Heartfelt Thank You

This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the trust of our customers and the dedication of our team.

As Justin Roberts, co-CEO of Kickfin, puts it: “We’re incredibly grateful to our customers who have made this growth possible by trusting Kickfin with their tip management needs. This recognition is a testament to the value that automated tip management brings to restaurant teams—helping them save time, reduce risk, and take care of their people.”

We’re honored to be included in the 2025 Inc. Regionals list, and we’re excited to see what the rest of 2025 has in store!