Business Events - Tipping

[mponce]

What is the "norm" when considering to tip for an expense like catering for a business event? I have a user who is ordering $20K worth of food from a catering company and asking what an appropriate tip amount should be. I checked the invoice and there are small delivery fees but no service/gratuity fees.

Separately, but similarly, is it normal to tip photographer's, hired event staff, or hotel staff etc.?

[KevinD]

@mponce I'd like to preface this by saying, this is just my opinion. For tipping, if a job is well done, 18-20% is usually the norm if dining at a restaurant, so I would apply the same. I don't know about photographers and hired event staff, but I do have a friend who works events at hotels and the tip is usually included in the price. For example, a group comes in for an event and it includes a dinner one night. The serving staff is usually tipped.

Anyway, I hope this helps somewhat. Let's see what other say. You might want to post this question in the admin group as well. I think you'll get more responses there.

[janetbell]

I would not automatically apply the standard restaurant tipping percentage to a $20,000 catering bill. For a business event, it is worth checking whether the invoice includes a service charge and asking the catering company how gratuities are normally handled.

If no gratuity is included, I would consider the quality of service, the number of staff involved and the overall arrangement before deciding on a reasonable amount. The delivery fee should also be clarified, as it may not go directly to the delivery team.

For photographers, tipping is generally optional, particularly when they own the business and have already agreed on a professional fee. Hotel employees and event staff may appreciate additional recognition for attentive service, depending on hotel policy.

There is also a distinction between voluntary tips and employment-related gratuity. In Saudi Arabia, end-of-service gratuity is an employee benefit governed by labour regulations. Anyone interested in understanding this distinction can learn more about end-of-service calculations.

Ultimately, I would prioritise fair compensation, the invoice details and the level of service rather than applying one percentage to every vendor.

[samasuraj]

Hi @janetbell 

Topic: Business Events - Tipping

Please see the below. Hope this helps. 
——-  

Business Events – Catering & Vendor Tipping Guidelines

For a $20,000 corporate catering event, gratuity should be based on the type of service, staffing arrangements, existing fees

and company policy rather than automatically applying a restaurant tipping percentage.

For a $20,000 catering invoice, we should not automatically apply the standard 15–20% restaurant gratuity tipping.

Verify:

1. Catering: Consider a reasonable fixed tip per staff member rather than a percentage of the total invoice.
2. Servers: Approximately $20–$50 per person.
3. Event Captain: Approximately $50–$100.
4. Photographers: Tipping is optional, particularly for business owners.
5. Hotel/Event Staff: Tip based on service quality and existing service charges

Actions:

1. First, confirm whether the invoice includes service charges or gratuities and whether delivery fees are distributed to the staff.
2. If gratuity is not included, consider a reasonable fixed amount based on the number of staff, service duration, and quality of service.
3. For photographers, tipping is generally optional, particularly for independent business owners. Hotel and event staff may receive discretionary tips depending on the service provided and venue policies.
4. A mandatory service charge is not necessarily a gratuity paid to employees. Confirm with the vendor whether it is distributed to staff.

SAP Concur: Verify company gratuity policies, expense types, approval limits, reimbursement limits, required approvals

and receipt documentation.

Gratuities should reflect the service provided, existing charges, and company policy rather than automatically

applying a percentage to the total invoice.

Thanks & Regards

—

Samantha Prathikantam

SF_EC & ECP / SAP Concur Consultant