Let’s be honest.
If someone handed you an iPad after you blinked at them and asked for a 25 percent tip… you’d blink again. 😅
Tipping has exploded over the last few years. Coffee shops. Takeout counters. Self checkouts. Suddenly everyone is flipping a screen around and asking for extra.
And now it’s happening in studios.
So here’s the real question for Paint Your Own Pottery owners:
Should you even be accepting tips?
Your studio assistants are not restaurant servers making $2 an hour. They’re paid a regular wage. They guide customers, clean brushes, load kilns, run parties, and manage chaos beautifully. But they are not relying on tips to survive.
So when that tip screen pops up, it can feel… awkward.
Unfair.
Or brand damaging.
But customers are used to tipping everywhere now. If you turn it off, are you leaving money on the table? If you leave it on, are you creating pressure?
Let’s break it down.
This cannot be random.
If you enable tipping, it must be passive. Your staff should never ask for tips. Never hint at tips. Never stand there while someone awkwardly chooses between 18 percent and 25 percent.
The only acceptable setup is this: the tip screen appears naturally during checkout with zero commentary.
Why?
Because pressure ruins the experience.
And experience is your product. 🎨
Studios are emotional spaces. Families celebrate birthdays. Friends reconnect. Parents make memories with kids. The second a guest feels pressured, you chip away at the magic.
If you allow tips, protect the vibe.
Now let’s talk money.
Starting in 2025, employees may not have to pay federal income tax on tips.
Sounds great for them.
But you as the employer still owe payroll taxes on those tips.
That means:
• More payroll reporting
• Higher payroll tax burden
• More administrative complexity
Even if employees benefit, your backend work increases.
This is why tipping is not just emotional. It’s financial.
If you want a studio that supports real income and long term stability, you cannot ignore this piece.
There is another path.
Turn it off completely.
Build fair wages into your pricing. Raise prices strategically. Support your team with predictable compensation instead of optional generosity.
If a customer asks, you simply say:
“We pay our staff a fair wage so you don’t have to depend on tips.”
Many customers actually appreciate that clarity.
No awkward screens.
No pressure.
No guessing.
But if you remove tipping, your pricing must reflect the value you provide. No undercharging. No hoping volume makes up the difference.
Intentional pricing is everything.
This is about systems.
It’s about financial management with ease.
It’s about supporting a healthy retail and event driven studio.
It’s about baking smooth financial systems into the DNA of your business.
Your business’s job is to support you, as you support it.
That’s exactly why pyop accounting exists.
For studio owners, entrepreneurs, and women owned businesses who want more than hobby income, pyop accounting is the full service CPA and business growth partner that helps you create a clear path to profitability.
We help you build a real business that supports income, retirement, and freedom.
Because life is too short for low returns on big energy. 💥
There is no universal right answer.
But there is a wrong approach.
And that’s being accidental.
If you keep tipping enabled, set expectations with your staff and understand the payroll impact.
If you eliminate tipping, adjust pricing confidently and communicate clearly.
The most important thing is consistency, clarity, and creating an experience that feels good for your customers and your team.
Your studio should feel joyful.
Not awkward.
And definitely not confusing.
Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Please make sure to check out our blog and our website link below. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell to be notified when we post. You can email me at donna@pyopaccounting.com.
Donna Bordeaux, CPA with PYOPAccounting.com
Creativity and CPAs don’t generally go together. Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can’t talk with people. Well, it’s time to break that stereotype. Lively, friendly, and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with your CPA, as demonstrated by Donna and Chad Bordeaux. They have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs. They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They have been able to help businesses earn many times more profit than the average business in the same industry and are passionate about helping industries that help families build great memories.
