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Old Jun 17, 2014 | 6:16 am
  #36  
dgoedken
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Originally Posted by writerguyfl
I've worked in two upscale hotels. In one, tips weren't tracked. In the other, all cash tips were meticulously tracked. It had nothing to do with the guest. Rather, tips were tracked to ensure that the employees were adhering to tax laws. Additionally, that data was collected and used during union labor negotiations.

I can only speak to where I worked...but, I agree that idea that tips are formally tracked is far-fetched.

First, as a general rule, the overwhelming majority of Housekeeping employees don't ever use computers. That fact means they aren't tracking guest tips.

Second, the people who are assigning rooms are usually managers or supervisors. Even if tips were tracked via guest profiles, there would be no incentive for those folks to give a high tipping repeat guest a better room than a stingy repeat guest.

This seems to infer if used in negotiations, that the more that is tipped, on average, at a hotel, then they can use that to "pay less" on an hourly basis. I would imagine those tracking were mainly for tax purposes, but the union negotiation, while logical, seems to imply that encouraging tipping by guests just inflates profits by hotels....perhaps in lieu of raising room rates....perhaps to just pad the bottom line...
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