Card payments are becoming more and more common in almost every establishment, even without a minimum amount of payment in most cases. What a priori might seem like an improvement when it comes to charging for hospitality establishments like bars and restaurants, has become a negative factor for workers: the decrease in tips.
“Definitely, yes, we have noticed a decrease in the amount of tips with the normalization of card payment,” says one of the hospitality workers of the Magadascar bar, in the central square of Parque de Vila.
“In this bar we distribute the tips among the workers, which is usually, depending on the shift, between three or four people. We have noticed that tip income has dropped by 60 to 70% in the mornings and by 50% in the evenings. If before you could receive 140 euros a night, now we receive 70″, assures the same employee.
“Those who used to pay in cash left several euros, and now the right amount is paid in most cases”. Ani, who works in a bakery in Vara del Rey, attests to this: “With a card, it is always the right amount. Unless it’s foreigners, for example, if it’s eight euros, they round it up to ten. We Spaniards are more reluctant to tip more, at least with a card,” laughs this employee.
In the case of Gelateria Ibiza, on the same promenade as the previous business, this year looks complicated to receive extra money from customers: “We can’t accept tips by card because of possible problems with the cash register closing,” comments Agustina, a worker at the gelateria. However, she adds, experience from previous years tells them that depending on the profile of each customer, they tip more depending on the method of payment: “We notice that depending on the profile of the customer it costs them more or less to tip. Many even perceive it as less expensive when paying by card, because when they see the cash they have the feeling of spending more,” he stresses.
Hospitality between Ibiza and the Caribbean
Francesca’s case is different. Born in Naples, she arrived on Ibiza six years ago, but she lives between the Caribbean island of St. Martin working in hospitality – half Dutch, half French – and Ibiza: “In winter I live in the Caribbean and there I practically have a paycheck only with tips. Most tourists come from the United States and have the habit of leaving a good tip,” she says.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.