Tipping the Host(ess) (not venue)

Krell Karu · Tipping the Host(ess) (not venue)

Aiiieeee! Not another tipping thread!

Wait - I've searched, and haven't yet seen this discussed. I'm in a new and foreign land, with strange customs and norms, and wish not to offend.

OK, so I've been to a couple of open mic events. While waiting for my time slot to roll around, I typically tip the preceding musician and the venue. No big deal.

But here is where my confusion lies. In each of these instances, the show has been organized by a hostess - other than the venue owner. No tip jar in sight for the hostess (at least not that I've seen).

So I guess I am confused as to whether it is customary for a performer (or patron, for that matter) to tip the host(ess)? Or is that expected to be a business arrangement between the Venue owner and host(ess)?

ticious

If there's no tip jar for the hostess, I assume there is an arrangement between the hostess and the venue. In fact, the only time I tip a host or hostess separately to the venue is if there is no venue tip jar. This is because it's my own feeling that the reason the venue has a tip jar is so they can pay their expenses and that includes staff salaries.

Disclaimer . . . this is only MY opinion. Others feel differently about this, so there's no clear right/wrong in the case where there are tip jars for both. But where there's only one tip jar, assume there's an arrangement that you don't need to worry about.