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tips, trends, and insights

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industry trends

Cashless Tipping: (Literally) Everything You Need To Know

Cash is no longer king — but what does that mean for people who were traditionally tipped in cash? Enter: cashless tipping.

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Technology & Software
  • Product and Company News

Kickfin Ranked 65th Fastest Growing Company on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500

We’re thrilled to announce that Kickfin made the Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ list, a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies in North America.

How Kickfin stacks up

Overall, 2024 Technology Fast 500 companies achieved revenue growth ranging from 201% to 153,625% over the three-year time frame, with an average growth rate of 1,981% and median growth rate of 460%.

Our 2,144% revenue growth earned us the 65th spot on Deloitte’s list. It’s another exciting milestone for Kickfin — but more importantly, it’s a meaningful validation of our mission to take the clunk out of tip management, so payouts are faster, smarter and safer for every restaurant team we serve. 

Based on Deloitte’s ranking, Kickfin is:

  • The highest-ranked restaurant tech company on the list
  • The *only* tip management company on the list
  • Austin’s fastest-growing tech company

Growth driven by product innovation, demand for automation

Kickfin was the first digital end-to-end tip management solution on the market — and with more than $2 billion payouts to more than 250,000 restaurant employees, we continue to be the largest and top-ranked.

Why?

It comes down to working the way our customers work — and not the other way around. Not only do we automate the tip pooling and payout process for thousands of restaurants and bars; no two tip policies are alike, so we’ve built a solution that gives them the flexibility and customization they require.

With more than $2 billion payouts to more than 250,000 restaurant employees, Kickfin continues to be the largest and top-ranked tip management software on the market.

That’s a big reason we’ve focused on building direct, robust integrations with the leading POS systems on the market. So far, we’ve rolled out integrations with Toast, SkyTab, Oracle, PAR, Heartland and Square — and the list continues to grow.

“In recent years, digital tip management has become table stakes,” said Justin Roberts, Kickfin’s co-founder and co-CEO. 

“Operators now understand the significant efficiencies to be gained by eliminating manual tip-out processes. It’s no longer a question of ‘if,’ but ‘how.’ As a direct result of our commitment to innovation and customer success, we’re thrilled to see more and more restaurants select Kickfin to modernize their tip management.”

A big thank-you to our customers who trust us with their payouts, to our partners who support, collaborate (and integrate!) with us, and of course, every member of the Kickfin team.

About the Deloitte 500

Now in its 30th year, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest-growing

technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies — both public and private — in North America. Technology Fast 500 award winners are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2020 to 2023.

In order to be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary intellectual property or technology that is sold to customers in products that contribute to a majority of the company’s operating revenues. Companies must have base-year operating revenues of at least US$50,000, and current-year operating revenues of at least US$5 million. 

Additionally, companies must be in business for a minimum of four years and be headquartered within North America. 

Ready to take the next step?

See how brands like Walk-On’s, Marco’s, Bar Louie and more are automating tip pooling and payouts with Kickfin. Schedule your 10-minute demo today! 

  • Industry Trends

How the 2024 Presidential Election Could Affect Taxes for Tipped Employees

It’s an election year, in case you haven’t heard! 😉 This one has major implications for tipped employees — specifically, when it comes to taxes.

It’s no secret that our Democratic and Republican candidates are running on very different platforms. But when it comes to tip regulations, Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump actually both support reducing taxes on tips. 

A little context on taxes and tips

We’re just going to state the obvious: For the average American, tax reporting can be pretty, pretty confusing. For the millions of employees working in tipped occupations — well, that creates another layer of uncertainties.

(Do I have to report my tips? Do have to report my cash tips? Will anyone know if I don’t report my tips? What happens if I don’t accurately or fully report what I earned?)

Historically, there’s been a trend of hospitality employees underreporting cash tips to prevent higher tax burdens. And while this may reduce what employees owe Uncle Sam in the moment, there can be downsides: e.g., if they find themselves eligible for unemployment, if they’re trying to qualify for an auto loan or mortgage, etc.

However, that urge to underreport could be relieved in the near future, given the tax code changes both of our presidential candidates have proposed. The TL;DR: Both Trump and Harris have voiced their intention to relieve some of the burden on tipped workers in restaurants, bars, hotels, and other service positions. 

Here’s a quick summary of each candidate’s plan, as well as some potential impacts for restaurant employees. 

Trump’s plan for tipped employees 

Trump shared his plan to reduce tipped income tax burden at a rally in Las Vegas — fitting for a city that’s built on the gig economy. Nevada is home to the highest concentration of tipped employees who work in the many hotels, casinos, and restaurants that millions of tourists flock to annually. 

During the rally, the former president announced that he would make tipped income exempt from federal income tax, stating it would happen “right away” when he takes office. 

Since speaking at the rally, Trump has not yet clarified what this would mean for tipped employees. Many servers want to know if this is an exemption just on federal income tax or if the proposal includes payroll taxes (social security and Medicare). 

Harris’s tip tax proposal 

Harris also took the opportunity to speak on her tipped income policy while visiting Nevada. Much like Trump, she knew she’d have a captive audience when it comes to tipped earnings. 

Her proposal promises to exempt tipped income from the federal income tax, but she has made clear that tips will still be subject to payroll taxes. While not yet confirmed, campaign insiders say Harris is considering placing some guardrails on her plan — like a caveat that the tax exemption only applies to employees earning less than $75,000 per year. 

Is one plan better than the other? 

In short: probably not. (Most service and hospitality workers do not earn above the $75,000 threshold that’s been suggested by the Harris campaign.) So either way, servers, bartenders, and hospitality staff can expect to see a lower tax burden during the next administration. 

But what does that look like in practice? 

Most tipped employees aren’t receiving their tips on payroll — they’re walking out of every shift with their earnings for the night, deduction-free. Instead, the taxes are paid on payroll out of their hourly earnings, which is why many servers get $0 paychecks every two weeks. With a reduced tax burden, most servers will see the difference in higher paychecks.

On the other hand, economists are wary of the impact of eliminating taxes on tips, citing the reduced funding for social security and Medicare. And with so much negative sentiment around “tipflation” these days, experts also speculate that a reduced tax burden may result in even more hesitance at the tip screen. 

Increasing minimum wage 

We’re closely following campaign promises about an increase to the minimum wage — especially in regards to the tipped minimum wage and the tip credit. 

Minimum wage earners have been eyeing an increase, noting that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour hasn’t increased since 2009, and servers, bartenders, and other tipped employees have been earning $2.13 per hour for over 30 years. An increased minimum wage paired with the reduced tax burden could make a major difference for service workers trying to keep up with the rising cost of living. 

In the Harris camp, removing tax on tips is just part of the plan to take some pressure off service workers. While Harris hasn’t shared a detailed plan for bumping up the minimum wage, she has indicated that she would support an increase. 

In previous election cycles, Trump stated that he would consider a minimum wage increase, but he has not shared his opinion on the matter during the 2024 presidential campaign. 

Of course, we’re a ways out from any real policy changes actually shape — but if you’re looking to make your tip management process less taxing in the interim (see what we did there?), Kickfin is here for you! Check out how you can use Kickfin to auto-calculate tip pools and send payouts directly to employees’ bank accounts in seconds.

  • Restaurant Management

Top 4 Ways to Protect Your Restaurant from Cash Shrinkage

No matter what industry you work in, there’s always a risk for shrinkage and theft. Ninety-five percent of all businesses experience theft in the workplace, and up to 75% of employees have admitted to stealing from their employer.

Most of the time, it’s not intentional or malicious. For restaurants, it could be something as innocent as giving your friends a free drink or asking the kitchen for food and neglecting to ring it in. 

But when you have a lot of employees handling cash day in and day out, it can be very tempting for someone to take advantage of systems and pocket extra money at your expense. To make matters worse: because cash is hard to track, it can be tricky for operators to put their finger on exactly what’s happening — at least, before it starts to impact your bottom line.

While cash shrinkage can jeopardize your business, operators do have the power to protect their restaurants. Ultimately, it comes down to having the right processes, systems and partners in place.

Here are 4 things you can start doing today to protect your restaurant from cash shrinkage.

1. Create a culture of trust with employees 

Most people want to come to work, do their best, and make an honest living. Creating an environment where your employees trust you with their earnings should encourage them to also be responsible with company assets, including cash. 

Of course, it starts with doing your due diligence when building out your team. That means interviewing new hires in person, asking the right questions, and always checking references.

But the fact of the matter is that even good people can make poor decisions, especially when they’re struggling. As an employer, there are things you can do to keep your staff from ever getting to a place where they feel the urge or need to steal. That includes:

  • Paying a fair and competitive wage
  • Paying wages on time, in full
  • Giving people instant access to their earnings 
  • Offering employee benefits and perks if possible
  • Adhering to federal, state and local labor/wage regulations, especially as they relate to tips

Bottom line: If you show that employees you take their financial well being seriously, it can foster an environment of mutual respect, making employees less likely to consider theft as a reasonable (or justifiable) option.  

2. Minimize cash touchpoints

It’s simple. Less cash on hand = less opportunity for cash shrinkage. 

In the unfortunate case that a high-ranking employee is stealing from your restaurant, cash tip outs make it much more difficult to catch and trace. Anyone with access to cash registers and safes has the opportunity to take a few extra bills — and you may not notice until well after the cash is pocketed and spent. 

Instead of locking up cash and making only a few employees responsible for the massive task of paying out tips, take advantage of new technology that eliminates cash from the tip out process. Fewer people will need to manage cash, which adds one extra layer of security against theft. 

Bonus: cashless tipping vendors like Kickfin give your employees more flexibility with their earnings. They can opt for tips to be sent directly to their bank or to have them put on their payroll check, empowering employees to make their own financial decisions. 

3. Create a digital paper trail

The trouble with cash is the inability to track it. Half the battle is realizing that the cash is missing; and once you know it’s gone — well, now what? 

Digital gratuity management software makes it easy for restaurant operators to create a digital paper trail for all tip payouts. You’ll be able to identify any improper payments, who they went to, and who authorized the payout — removing a major security soft spot.

Not only will you feel more secure, but your loyal employees will thank you for making tip outs much easier. 

4. Select a secure tip management partner 

Removing cash-on-hand is a great first step, and it should make any potential theft traceable back to the person responsible. But wouldn’t you rather prevent theft before it happens? 

If you’re ready to bring your gratuity management into the future, make sure to thoroughly vet your options — because not every digital tip out software has strong protections against theft. 

That’s why Kickfin has optional guardrails that can mitigate your risk of employee theft. 

  • Maximum tip amounts: Limit the amount that can be issued in any individual payout. 
  • Role policies: Create policies to limit who can receive payments by role type, and limit who can send payments to themselves. 
  • Multi-factor authentication: Set your own rules to require MFA at any point, whether at every login or once a month. 
  • Payment interval approval: Trigger a requirement for second approval for an employee’s first payment or their first payment in a determined number of days. 
  • Payment velocity approval: Trigger a requirement for second approval when an employee receives a determined number of payments within a certain interval. 

For our POS integration partners, Kickfin can also put guardrails around your tip calculation policies to prevent fraud. While we offer the ability to send payments through manual entry, spreadsheet upload, or using our tip calculation software, integration users can disallow manual and upload payments to prevent any ad hoc payouts. 

Integration users can also lock in their tip calculation rules, so that only certain users can make changes to the calculation policy. 

How Kickfin helps in the event of fraud 

Even without the temptation of cash in the safe, where there’s a will, there’s a way. 

If you find yourself in a regrettable situation with an employee, your tip management partner should be there to back you up. Thankfully, our platform tracks each payout which will help you identify irregularities and the source of the problem. 

The Kickfin team will always be there to support our partners who experience security breaches. 

Check your Kickfin security settings

Do you want to make sure you have the most up-to-date protections on your Kickfin account? We’ve got you covered. Reach out to your Kickfin customer support team to ask about a free security audit, where we’ll go over your current settings and offer guidance on how to minimize your risk. 

Not yet a Kickfin user? Find out more about our platform and security settings with a demo today.

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Free Tip Pooling Calculator Template

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  • Restaurant Management

4 Ways to Save on Restaurant Labor Costs with Kickfin

In the restaurant industry, profit margins have always been tight — and these days, they’re only getting tighter. 

Running a restaurant is a labor intensive business. You need a strong back of house team to push out food, front of house workers to greet and care for guests, and managers to keep everyone in check. Naturally, labor is one of the most significant expenses for restaurant operators. In order to keep costs reasonable for customers, even a slight overage on labor can break your budget — but thankfully there are levers you can pull to reduce labor costs. 

If you want to secure your business’s financial future, you’re going to need to streamline scheduling practices and keep a close eye on labor costs… without frustrating employees who want more shifts. 

Don’t worry: you can turn to traditional wisdom, sales forecasting, and emerging restaurant technology to make sure that you stay on budget. 

Here are a few ways you can save on labor costs at your restaurant:

1. Rethink the schedule

Obviously, the most straight-forward way to cut labor costs is to reduce the number of people you schedule on a given night. 

We get it — you don’t want to see hour-long ticket times and poor guest experiences. But you might not need as many folks on the line or servers on the floor as you think — at least, not all the time.

Staffing and scheduling isn’t a perfect science, but there are some tactics operators should test if they’d like to “right size” every shift — including:

  • Analyze your daily schedule. Don’t make assumptions about your peak times and slow periods. Analyze sales trends and let the data be your guide.
  • Anticipate seasonal trends. If you’re in a college town, don’t wait until your servers are twiddling their thumbs in July to implement a new summer schedule.
  • Let your seasoned staff shine. Your veteran employees likely thrive on those super busy nights when they’re running on pure adrenaline (and earning way more in tips). Consider giving more experienced workers more responsibility — assuming they’re willing and able — and you might be able to get away with fewer people on a shift here and there.

>> Learn about scheduling software that helps you manage labor and engage with employees

2. Assess and address productivity 

Are you making the most of the team that you already have? There are a few ways you can identify your highest-producing employees and make the most of their success: 

  • Evaluate employee performance. Most employees want to be successful; observe your team and analyzes things like sales per labor hour, table turnover rate, and tip volume to get a sense of your strongest players and those who could use more training (and bonus: this can reduce turnover and boost team morale)
  • Provide incentives. Create a fun bonus system that rewards strong performance and high levels of productivity. You can use data from the previous data point to set goals. 
  • Cross-train employees. Training your staff to handle multiple roles – or hiring folks with vast service experience – offers flexibility for scheduling and can reduce your need for additional hires. 

3. Don’t pay employees to wait for their tips

No, we’re not saying to cut all of your servers early (no matter how much they ask).

But, you can send your servers on their way much quicker when they don’t have to wait around for managers to count out cash tips. Once they’ve finished their sidework, servers can clock out and see their digital tips sent directly to their bank account, instead of hanging around on the clock waiting for the shift manager to do their check outs. 

4. Prevent labor overages before they happen 

Most restaurants simply can’t afford to pay overtime for staff. But sometimes your full-time staff creep toward 40 hours of work without anyone noticing…and suddenly you’re paying 1.5x what you expected for a single worker. 

This, too, goes back to proper scheduling policies. Give yourself a bit of wiggle room for the employee who clocks in 10 minutes early or often takes a long time on sidework by never scheduling anyone for more than 38 hours each week. 

5. Pay close attention to clock-outs 

People make mistakes, and tired servers often leave their long double shift without clocking out for the night. Usually, they’ll realize their mistake and call the store to have someone clock them out (still adding extra time to their shift). 

But sometimes, the clock keeps running all night, and no one notices until it’s time to process payroll. Two weeks later, your admin team is spending way too much time correcting clock-outs so that you don’t end up paying for 8 extra hours of work. 

Try using technology that puts guardrails in place to prevent any clock-out mistakes before they happen. Kickfin doesn’t allow you to process and pay out tips until an employee is clocked out, so managers can make sure everyone is clocked out at the proper time. 

(We also have some other exciting new features that can make your life easier!) 

Not only can Kickfin help you reduce labor costs, but we’re ready to simplify your entire tip management process. Reach out to us to learn more about our instant tip calculations, integrations, and smarter tipping solutions.

  • Restaurant Management

How to Get Your Restaurant Ready for Football Season

Football is back! Whether you’re rooting for your alma mater or just hoping to see massive sales at your restaurant, it’s an exciting — but often stressful — time of year. 

If your restaurant has at least one TV, you’re going to have some customers asking you to switch it to ESPN. And if you’re running a sports bar … it’s officially crunch time. Expect your tables to be full (and harder to turn) and your staff to be running on pure adrenaline as the restaurant fills up with fans hoping for a bite to eat. 

You probably know the drill: hire more staff, add more servers to game day schedules, and manage your inventory with hungry fans in mind. But if you want to get the most out of football season, get game-ready for some of the busiest weekends of the year with our tips for a successful season. 

Consider a game day menu

When your restaurant is at full capacity with hungry football fans, you might want to consider a limited menu for the weekends in order to keep wait times down. Shorten the food menu down to shareable apps, best sellers, and items with the simplest prep so that your kitchen isn’t lined with tickets at halftime. 

At the bar, don’t limit your customers to certain cocktails — but consider the power of suggestion and list out some easy-to-batch cocktails that will keep your service bar out of the weeds. 

Make sure they can watch their game

Is there anything worse than a group of die-hard fans walking in to see their team play — only to realize you don’t have the right subscription service to stream it? Next thing you know, some guy has commandeered the remote to sign into his YouTubeTV account. 

Before that embarrassing situation arises, check your cable listings and subscription services to see if you’re missing any important channels. You’re probably going to need to upgrade in order to show games that aren’t carried in your market. Here are just a few channels you might need: 

  • ESPN+ 
  • Hulu + Live TV
  • Peacock  
  • NFL Sunday Ticket 
  • YouTubeTV or cable
  • Netflix (yep — Netflix will be streaming a few NFL games this year)

If viewing options are limited, or you don’t have enough screens to air multiple games at once, make sure you’ve got a strong wifi connection (free, of course) so that your guests can watch on their phones — or more importantly, talk smack to their fantasy league.

Offer game day deals 

Now that you’re logistically ready for the season, it’s time to draw in the customers. Make your restaurant the place for fans to gather by offering drink specials and deals on appetizers. 

Leverage social media to get the word out about your game day deals. Consider paying to boost a post or running a giveaway for people who share a post about your game day specials. 

Plan for Post-Game

You don’t want the restaurant to empty out as the clock runs down. Entice fans to stay and celebrate (or lick their wounds) once the game ends by extending deals. That could mean a discount for fans of the winning team or an extra-long happy hour. 

Pay out your employees — quickly. 

After a long game-day shift, your servers and managers are going to be more tired than usual. Let them head home early by using Kickfin to pay out tips instantly. We take care of all of the tip calculations and send tips directly to servers’ bank accounts in seconds, so your exhausted team members don’t have to wait to put their feet up and rest. 

Want to see our instant digital tip outs in action? Get a demo of Kickfin today.

  • Hiring, Training and Retention, Restaurant Management

The Art of the Upsell: Teach Servers to Increase Average Check Amounts

You want to make more profit. Your servers want to make more tips. A crash course on upselling is a win-win for everyone. 

Your servers might not realize it, but their words have a lot of power. Knowing how to present a higher shelf vodka or a premium side could make a world of difference for their wallets. 

And beyond the increased checks, pro servers who are able to successfully upsell are also recommending your restaurant’s very best for guests. Those bigger ticket items are often your best dishes or most unique cocktails that will stand out in guests’ minds and make for an elevated dining experience. 

Here are a few ways your servers can gently suggest some pricier upgrades that will boost their average check size, making everyone a few extra dollars. 

1. Consider your memorable dining experiences 

Before you dive into our upselling go-tos, take a minute to reflect on your last really good experience at a restaurant and how your server’s language, attitude, and knowledge affected your experience. 

Did your server walk right up and ask if you want an appetizer? Or did they take the time to talk through specials, field questions about menu items, and give you the space you needed to make a decision? 

Was your server’s demeanor generally excited and upbeat? Or did they actually look a bit disappointed when you said you’d just be having water? 

These small, unspoken cues are what make or break a server’s night. Leading with confidence, positive energy, and genuine concern for your guests’ experience is what will build trust between server and customer, so they’ll be more open to suggested upgrades. 

2. Value authenticity

Upselling just for the sake of a higher tip is not a successful strategy. 

Remind your servers that while upselling can improve guest experience and your tip, it’s important to flex to the needs of your guests. Don’t continue to push higher priced items if guests are starting to look uncomfortable. 

They say the most successful salespeople believe in what they are selling — and the same goes for servers. Your servers should have tasted all of the higher priced menu options and be able to explain to guests why this upgrade brings their dining experience to the next level. 

3. Start with the drinks

Alcohol sales are restaurants’ bread and butter. So when a table orders the first round, servers should make it count. 

Scenario #1: A customer orders a simple spirit + mixer drink 

If a guest asks for a vodka soda, this is an opportunity to turn a $10 drink to $15 or even $20 — which will add up after a few rounds. 

Naturally, most servers would ask what vodka the guest prefers. Teach your servers to resist that urge! Instead, servers should offer them a selection of higher-shelf options. For example, a server could respond with, “Vodka soda? Sure, would you like that with Tito’s, Ketel One, Grey Goose…?” And keep listing options until one resonates with the guest. That gives the guest the impression that they have a seasoned, well-informed server, but this framing also leads the customer to choose from the higher-shelf suggestions, rather than just asking for the house vodka.

Scenario #2: Ordering a glass of wine

We’re not suggesting you hire a sommelier, but getting more familiar with common flavor profiles and notes in wine can be a game-changer for servers’ nightly tip income. 

Customers often ask for something similar to pinot grigio, cabernet sauvignon, or a pinot noir, and if their server can give a detailed description that makes a wine sound irresistible, they’re probably going to splurge for the higher-end wine. Bonus points for servers who can successfully suggest splitting a bottle (because once they taste it, they’ll want more than one glass!).

Consider hosting a weekly wine training to help your servers get more familiar with what your bar has to offer. Another pro-tip: Teach your servers about beer and wine pairings! When servers let guests know which entrees pair well with the drink they’ve ordered, guests may opt for a higher-priced entree to match their favorite beverage. 

Don’t skip over the apps 

Not everyone is going to order an app — but there are a few small changes servers can make to their dialogue with customers to convince those who wouldn’t normally spring for a first course. 

For one, servers shouldn’t just ask if they’d like anything to start. Instead, teach your servers to approach tables with a suggestion for a specific menu item. For example, they could say, “Would you like a charcuterie board to start? We just added a really delicious local cheddar to our rotation.” 

Offering patrons a specific menu item and talking up the details makes it a lot easier to add that extra course to their meal — increasing their check size and making it more likely that they’ll order a second beverage. 

Taking the order 

When it’s time to take the entree order, this is your servers’ time to shine. Just like the previous courses, they should know how to create opportunities to upsell guests by making entree upgrades too enticing to pass up. 

From fine dining to fast casual, many American restaurants offer a burger on their menu. Rather than simply asking, “Great, are fries ok with that?” task your servers with turning a simple cheeseburger into a deluxe meal with several upsells. 

First, make sure your staff knows your menu options well, so they can pass along those options to customers. Here are a few common upgrades that servers should be asking guests if they would like:

  • Pretzel or gluten-free bun 
  • Added cheese 
  • Premium toppings, like bacon, egg, avocado, etc. 
  • A premium patty, like bison or imitation beef

Rather than asking if fries are okay, instruct servers to say, “What side would you like? We have french fries, macaroni and cheese, caesar salad…” and continue with options until one piques the guest’s interest. If they succeed in getting at least one upgrade to a customer’s burger and a premium side, the check can increase by around $4 per person, depending on the pricing at your restaurant.

Higher-end restaurants should follow the same formula, subbing in an option for steak oscar rather than a bacon cheeseburger. The goal is for servers to provide options for guests who may not realize that their favorite accoutrement is on the menu — and will gladly pay for the upgrade. 

The grand finale 

“Did you save room for dessert?”

Servers often bring out this line while pre-bussing tables, usually expecting guests to say that they’re far too full to even think about dessert. If you want to convince more guests to stick around for a final course, ask your staff to remove that phrase from their vocabulary. 

Dessert is a rich treat for the senses that most of us crave at the end of the night, so servers shouldn’t treat it like an afterthought in front of customers. As they’re clearing away dishes, servers can tap into their senses by talking about your pastry chef’s perfect chocolate cake with buttery layers of icing, or the warm peach cobbler served with house-made vanilla ice cream on the side. 

Even if guests seem like they’re truly full, your team can still offer them a slice to-go, since they’ll surely be wishing for something sweet in about an hour anyway. 

Reap the rewards 

After putting on their best smiles, connecting with guests, and using these upselling tricks, your servers should ring in above-average size checks — and an above-average amount of tips. 

Once your servers see their huge tip out for the night, they’ll want access to those funds ASAP. At Kickfin, we provide instant digital tip payouts, so managers don’t have to waste time counting cash and servers can clock out of their shifts sooner. 

Check out a demo of Kickfin today. 

  • Product and Company News

Kickfin Ranked Fastest Growing Restaurant Tech Company | 2024 Inc. 5000

Kickfin ranked in the top 3% of Inc.’s 5000 fastest-growing companies — and we’re leading the charge for tip management software. 

Every year, Inc. identifies 5,000 U.S.-based companies that have seen the highest rate of growth over the past three years based on revenue — and this year, Kickfin was at the top of the top.

A few stats we’re pretty proud of:

🏆 Kickfin ranked 189th overall.
🏆 We’re the fastest-growing restaurant tech company on the list.
🏆 We’re in the 💥 top 3%💥  of all 5000 companies.
🏆 We ranked 24th in the Software category.

Since 2020 — in spite of a pandemic, supply chain disruptions, The Great Resignation, and record-setting inflation — we’ve grown by 2,066%.

Our Keys to Success 

We’ll cut right to the chase: We owe our success to our customers. (It’s not cliche if it’s true, right?)

The bottom is that we know the way you pay your staff matters, a lot. Thousands of restaurants are trusting us to handle that for them, and we don’t take that trust lightly.

And of course, we might be biased, but we think we’ve got the best team and partners in the biz. Thanks to everyone who has helped build, support and evangelize Kickfin. This has been a big year for our small but mighty company — and there’s a whole lot more to come. 

This kind of growth doesn’t happen overnight. We’ve been putting in the work to make Kickfin even better for the thousands of restaurants we serve. Here are just a few ways we’ve expanded to better serve Kickfin customers. 

Integrations 

We’re making it easier to access and use Kickfin by integrating with dozens of leading POS systems, including Toast and SkyTab. Using our integration, managers can pull tip data directly from their POS and Kickfin will handle even the most complex tip calculations in a matter of minutes. 

Thanks to our POS partnerships, we’re able to bring a further simplified version of Kickfin to new and existing customers so they can kick cash to the curb. As an early adopter of our Toast integration, Bar Louie has already saved around 15,000 hours in labor annually by cutting their tip calculation time from hours to minutes. 

>> See more customer success stories

Find out if your POS integrates with Kickin, and reach out to our support team to learn how you can activate the integration.

New Features 

Kickfin is no longer just an alternative to cash tip-outs — we’re a holistic solution to your entire tip management system. 

In case you missed it, 2024 has been a big year for our product. In addition to our new integrations, we’ve rolled out some exciting new tip management features, including:

  • Splitting large party tips 
  • Increased security 
  • Reallocating manager tips 
  • Preventing labor cost mistakes 

>> Learn more about Kickfin’s newest features 

Each of these new updates is inspired by requests from operators, managers and restaurant employees who use our product daily — and that’s something that will never change. As we continue to innovate our best-in-class tip management solution, we’ll always be listening to and learning from our customers so we can ensure every need is met and every expectation is exceeded.  

What’s next for Kickfin? 

We’re not stopping anytime soon. Expect to see more POS integrations, more user-friendly features, and more guidance from our amazing customer support team. 

Not a Kickfin user yet? Now’s the time to rise with us! Get a demo of our restaurant-revolutionizing product today. 

We’ll see you next year on the Inc. 5000!

  • Product and Company News

Kickfin Announces New Integration with SkyTab

Exciting news: Kickfin has a new integration with SkyTab!

When SkyTab users activate the Kickfin integration in the Shift4 Marketplace, they’ll have the power to build custom tip pooling or sharing policies, calculate tip amounts, and send tip payouts directly to their employees’ bank of choice! Forget about hours of calculations and counting cash: your entire tip out process can be run in a matter of minutes.

“As an all-in-one restaurant platform, SkyTab has helped tens of thousands of restaurants modernize and optimize their operations,” said Jay Shavitz, Shift4’s SVP of SkyTab Product. “Kickfin is a valuable addition to our marketplace, helping SkyTab customers realize significant time and cost savings by simplifying and improving the tip payout process.”

What does this mean for SkyTab customers?

If your restaurant is going to take advantage of the new Kickfin integration, here’s what to expect:

  • For employees: You’ll be able to leave your shift as soon as you finish your side work — no need to wait around for your manager to count out your tips in cash. All of your tips will instantly hit your bank account, saving you the trip to the ATM and empowering your financial decision-making.
  • Managers: Put away the calculators and spreadsheets. Using Kickfin through your POS will automate all of your complex calculations, allowing you to send tips with just the click of a button. Your late nights in the back office are over!

If you’re already a Kickfin customer, don’t hesitate to contact our support team for help setting up the integration.

When will Kickfin integrate with my POS?

We’re ready when you are! Check out our list of current integrations to see if yours is on there. If not, reach out to us! We’ll let you know if your integration is on our roadmap.

And hey, even if your POS doesn’t support a Kickfin integration (yet), we have simple solutions to your tip management headaches that don’t require an integration. We’d love to tell you more — so drop us a line today.

For more details about the SkyTab integration, check out the full press release here!

  • Product and Company News, Technology and Software

Kickfin x MasterCard: How Real-Time Payments Drive Better Experiences for Businesses and Employees

We know how important same-day payments are for veterans of the service industry who are accustomed to quick cash — and we’re now seeing that same demand expand into other industries as well. 

Kickfin co-founder Justin Roberts joined MasterCard’s InConversation Webinar series to discuss why immediate payment disbursal is key for the restaurant industry and the gig economy as a whole.

Watch the webinar here or read our recap for the highlights: 

People live paycheck-to-paycheck

Not just some people are living paycheck to paycheck. Most people are. 

That’s right: around 64% of U.S. consumers are just getting by. Even more shocking, 51% of consumers who earn over six figures are still living paycheck to paycheck, despite their higher tax bracket. 

It’s a major reason why employees need access to their earnings sooner rather than later. The pressure of watching your bank account slowly drain in the two weeks between payday is putting a lot of pressure on people, leading to a much greater demand for instant payments than ever before. 

Instant payouts are now table stakes

A PYMNTS study found that people of all ages prefer to be paid out immediately, as well as some other interesting statistics:

  • When given the choice, 68% of respondents said they would opt for an instant pay out
  • 40% of gig workers surveyed were willing to pay a fee for an instant disbursement
  • 81% of respondents were willing to switch jobs to an employer that offers instant access to earned wages and tips

It’s safe to say instant payouts are becoming the expectation for today’s modern workforce. But not all instant payouts are created equal.

Consumers are much more likely to engage with an instant payout system if they aren’t required to share their bank account and routing numbers and can access funds with just their debit card credentials. Why? It’s faster, more convenient, and feels more secure. 

Instant payouts and tip management: a perfect use case.

Instant payout innovation has come at the perfect time for the restaurant industry, which is struggling more than ever with the hassles and cost of cash.

If you’re in the restaurant biz, then you know: Most consumers pay with credit cards these days, not cash. That means there’s rarely enough cash on hand to pay out tips at the end of a shift. But employees still want and need instant access to their tip earnings.

Enter: instant payouts. Offering employees the option to receive their tip earnings directly to their bank of choice, the second their shift ends, can go a long way in improving employee satisfaction and ensuring their financial security.

But instant payouts are more than a work perk for employees. The operational benefits for employers range from reduced administrative burden and significant time savings to stronger compliance and streamlined reporting.

Modernizing your tip management strategy: 5 best practices 

There are three key components to your tip management strategy: 

  • Tip pool policy: How are you divvying up tips among your staff? 
  • The payout method: How are you distributing those payments?
  • The systems and tech: What are you using to facilitate those payments?

Under the current circumstances, restaurant operators are under immense pressure to bring their tip management into the future. 

5 best practices for tip management 

Based on our experience working with restaurant operators across the country, we’ve found that these five practices are the perfect recipe for building a successful tip management system.  

  1. Determine the right model and method for your restaurant, based on your location and tech stack
  2. Get a written tip policy (and get it legally approved) 
  3. Solicit employee feedback in a structured way
  4. Leverage technology for efficiency, accuracy, and compliance
  5. Don’t over-complicate (but do over-communicate!)

Tip management solution must-haves

When seeking a new tip management solution, make sure you carefully vet each system to see if it really meets your needs, or if it’ll be just as frustrating as cash. Here are a few suggestions for what should be on your checklist: 

  • Instant payouts
  • Direct to bank of choice
  • Availability of employee funds
  • Payroll option 
  • Integrations 
  • Simple implementation + onboarding process 
  • Around-the-clock customer service 

Big emphasis on strong customer support teams. Restaurants and bars don’t have “typical” business hours, so neither should your tech support.

Bar Louie automates payouts with Kickfin 

In a recent case study, we took a deep dive into our partnership with Bar Louie, a chain with over 60 locations that took advantage of our new integration with Toast. They made the switch from cash payouts to Kickfin’s instant, direct-to-bank payouts and haven’t looked back.  

Two-minute tip-outs

Before Kickfin, managers spent an average of 45 minutes per shift working through Bar Louie’s complex tip out policy and counting cash. The tip pooling rules were important to them — it’s what makes the entire staff feel like they’re getting their fair share. 

Using the Kickfin Toast integration, Bar Louie was able to automate the tip pool calculation process and send tips straight to employees in under two minutes – a potential annual savings of 15,000 labor hours across all locations.

>> See more customer success stories 

Do you want to see these kinds of cost-saving results at your business? Let’s talk. Get a demo of Kickfin and see why restaurant owners and employees alike trust us to manage their tips.

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