Tip Pooling

Your tip rules, run automatically every day — no spreadsheets required.

Tip Pooling replaces spreadsheets and end-of-shift math with a rules-based system built into HotSchedules — calculating pools, tip-outs, and service charges consistently every day.


Tip distribution has outgrown the spreadsheet.

Excluding alcohol sales, splitting bar from dining room, different rules for lunch and dinner, tip-outs by role. Managed by hand, every decision is another chance for an error —and the questions, corrections, and disputes all land after tips are already paid.

“Tip pooling solution has been a major improvement over our previous process. It gives us the flexibility to handle real-world scenarios automatically, like adjusting tip share when support staff aren’t on the schedule, Nate Whatley, Director of Technology, On Deck Conceptswhich simply wasn’t possible before. We’re excited to continue partnering with HotSchedules as we expand the solution across additional locations.”

— Nate Whatley, Director of Technology, On Deck Concepts

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From shift data to employee account in one system.

One connected system: Pooling, payout, payroll export, and employee visibility in one place. No moving data between tools.

Embedded where work happens: Built into HotSchedules. No new tools, no new logins, no behavior change.

Real complexity, no workarounds: Day parts, service charges, and multi-location variation are native. Copy pools across locations.


From shift data to employee payment.

Data is collected: Tip, sales, and labor data pulled from your POS and HotSchedules. No manual entry.

Rules applied automatically: Configured rules calculate distributions daily by role, day part, and location.

Managers review & approve: Results surface in HotSchedules. Adjust if needed, then approve.

Approved totals flow to Tip Payout: Calculations feed payout automatically — no re-entry, no handoffs.

Employees paid with full visibility: Earnings delivered with a clear breakdown of every calculation.


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Ready to take tip pooling off the manager’s plate?

See how Fourth automates tip calculations into one reliable, auditable process.