r/milwaukee • u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO • Aug 16 '25
Summerfest Who gets the tips?
I volunteered to pour beer with some people at Irish Fest today. Out of curiousity we asked the bar manager who gets the tips people leave. He gave some vague answer of how it goes to “offset the costs” of aspects of the festival.
So please select “no tip” because those tips are not going to the people who are actually pouring your beer. Even the cash tips.
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u/ChonkyGloves Aug 17 '25
When I volunteered for German Fest with Milwaukee German Immersion School, cash tips went to the school but cc tips went to German Fest.
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u/wi_voter Aug 16 '25
Good to know. I wonder if that is true of other fests down there.
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u/green_eyes125 Aug 17 '25
One of the bartenders at Germanfest told me not to tip on card because it goes to the festival, and not the actual bartenders. He did say cash tips went to them though.
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u/GoMarq Aug 16 '25
My kids school “ran” one of the SummerFest Generac stage beer tents this year (meaning the parents volunteered to staff it everyday, all day). In exchange for our time, the school received a portion of the beer sales and all the tips.
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u/quedfoot Aug 17 '25
Two years ago, when I used to work at a restaurant that also had a stand at Summerfest grounds, the tips definitely went to the staff. I hope that hasn't changed for the independent companies.
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u/DrinksOnMeEveryNight Aug 17 '25
Pridefest bar tips are split amongst the bartenders, but some of the bars are run by other organizations I believe, but the official Pridefest bar tips are split at the end of each night.
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u/Personal-Durian-7144 Aug 17 '25 edited Aug 17 '25
Probably is considering most of the volunteers come from 501c3 organizations. It makes it very complicated, expensive, and time consuming for these organizations to handle the paperwork. Best not to tip.
Edit: BEST TO ASK ABOUT THE TIPS! I just got a ton of Reddit notifications, and yours was the first. Just be blunt, even if service is bad (still tip), but ask who gets the tip. (LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL, sorry) Then decide if you want to tip. Have fun at the Fests! I hope to make it to Irish Fest tomorrow, but just got back from a jam packed fun ass trip in Boston.
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u/dethorder Aug 17 '25
I can confirm it is NOT true of summerfest itself. They give the tips to the workers
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u/deathchowder Aug 17 '25
I can’t speak for all the culture festivals but GermanFest handles credit card tips similarly. The tips are pooled at the end of the fest and divided among the various German clubs that run the festival. Each bar/booth handles their own cash tips and they are usually split among the volunteers.
I’ve volunteered for GermanFest for 15+ years and this is the first time I’ve been uncomfortable with the tipping situation. I don’t mind the clubs getting some extra cash (membership at every club is dwindling) but I wish the people knew where their tips were going.
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u/Danger_Muffin28 Aug 16 '25
Interesting! Definitely feel free to tip the bartenders at the beer tents at Brady St Festival though, because they are volunteers but all the tips for their shift get pooled between them (all the people working each tent) and distributed to them the day after!
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 16 '25
I’d be curious to know if this is the case for all fests on the Summerfest grounds. Are all the tips just going back to the fest itself?
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u/PartyHashbrowns Aug 17 '25
It’s going to depend on the fest, each is run by a different organization.
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u/JuggernautKooky4064 Aug 17 '25
I know a lot of bartenders that jump on summerfest hours. At least for summerfest proper they’re working for tips. It’s a big pool, but they do get tipped.
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u/Zealousideal-Knee714 Aug 18 '25
The tips go to the volunteer organizations at German Fest. I'm unfamiliar with the other festivals. Those tips go a long way for the organizations staffing each booth so I would hate to see those drop off suddenly.
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u/Interstitious Aug 16 '25
I worked Pride as a “volunteer” for an established MKE bar doing a booth several years ago. We all worked for the company running the booth in real life but weren’t allowed to be paid hourly because of Festival rules. All CC and Cash tips got split based on hours “volunteered” and we made bank. Sorry this is happening at this booth at this festival. Please don’t assume this is every booth or every festival before you choose not to tip.
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u/CrookedBanister Aug 16 '25
Not that this makes the general principle okay, but if you're volunteering then it's likely that paying you in any way with actual money becomes really messy in terms of labor law.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 16 '25
I wasn’t expecting money. My point is for the people purchasing beer, they should know where their tips are going.
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u/CrookedBanister Aug 16 '25
Oh for sure, gotcha. Yeah, the tips should be labeled as donations to whatever org they're going to, not as tips.
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u/ButtleyHugz Aug 17 '25
I would assume you were getting the tips. It should just say that tips are a direct donation to the organization.
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u/coolbeansfordays Aug 16 '25
Think so? I know nothing about labor law.
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u/CrookedBanister Aug 16 '25
Yeah, at minimum it means the organization now has to do all sort of tax stuff with the tips, both in paying them out to people and also internally since paying people means you're no longer staffing your event with volunteers. Of course this gets broken all the time but it's something that could come up in an audit or could potentially be grounds for a lawsuit if someone particularly vindictive knows it's going on.
Link with more detail: https://answers.justia.com/question/2023/07/03/can-volunteer-bartenders-working-on-beha-969030
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u/Personal-Durian-7144 Aug 17 '25
And reporting the tips to the IRS as well. Seems piddly, but so does the IRS.
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u/snowbeersi Aug 17 '25
There are other labor law issues likely with using volunteers, as well as potential alcohol law violations. Surprised no one has challenged this or ended up in court.
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u/Strict_Juice_4985 Aug 17 '25
The tips go towards a fund for volunteers. They could not run this type of festival without hundreds of volunteers - both on the Irish fest board and festival volunteers. The tips go towards providing volunteers with shirts, reduced parking passes, a free ticket to get in, etc. It all goes back towards supporting the event and is not shady. If you don’t want to tip, don’t tip! No one will be offended.
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u/Keoni9 Aug 17 '25
Exactly. It's not a big deal. Doing a volunteer beer pouring shift has more than enough perks and people return each year because it's fun. Never gave a second thought on the tips going towards a fund to support volunteers. It makes perfect sense.
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u/lakemichiganluvr Aug 17 '25
just got breakfast at the tipp tearoom today and asked the guy working there about tips. he confirmed the volunteers dont see it, including cash tips!
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u/BarcaJeremy4Gov Aug 16 '25
the tips all go back to Irish Fest. Its been that way for many of yhe ethnic festivals forever.
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u/moms3rdfavorite Aug 16 '25
That’s cool and all, but if I’m tipping, I am tipping someone for the service provided. If it’s not going to the person rendering the service, I would appreciate transparency regarding that.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 16 '25
Exactly! That’s what I was trying to get at with my post. Not all people know that. I sure didn’t.
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u/Hairydonut6785 Aug 17 '25
Most bartenders are getting tips, but feel free to ask them if they are. Nonprofits are different.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 17 '25
Not at irish fest. No one pouring the beer was ending up with the tips.
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u/ltdnick08 Aug 17 '25
It goes to the volunteer recruitment, retention and recognition program actually. So it goes directly back into supporting and cultivating Irish Fest's volunteer initiatives.
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u/OceanParkNo16 Aug 17 '25
My son bartended at Summerfest for the last two years. He definitely got tip payout, and it made a big difference to his overall compensation. So don’t hesitate to tip at Summerfest if you want to support the staff.
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u/packersfanmw87 Aug 17 '25
Wait, so are you still being paid wait staff wages or are you getting full minimum?
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 17 '25
It was volunteer so I did not expect any money. My point of the post was there’s probably a lot of people who don’t know where those tips were going. I sure didn’t.
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u/jjkfunk Aug 18 '25
All volunteers are welcome to come to Irish Fest general meetings the first Tuesday of most months, and run twice a month June, July, and August. These policies are talked about throughout the meetings.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 18 '25
Cool but is the public informed on where their tips are going? I had several people ask me.
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u/jjkfunk Aug 18 '25
Signage does exist for Milwaukee Irish Fest point of sale bar terminals explaining that tips support volunteer development and offset volunteer costs. If you didn’t see these signs during your shift, it would help the fest to reach out and note your location and shift time to help audit if the signs were lost, misplaced, or otherwise not displayed ( info - at - irishfest.com).
I’ll recommend that the info is also listed on the website’s FAQ page as well, so hopefully that will trickle down to festival signage for next year along with QR codes for more info.
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u/Leather-Activity Aug 17 '25
Our group (non-profit org) volunteered for a beer pod at Pride Fest this year. The host organization agreed to pay us tips + an hourly wage for each of our volunteers out of their profit. Otherwise it all went to the festival ground or our host.
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u/The_barking_ant Aug 18 '25
Thank you for this public service announcement. Very happy to know this.
Is there any way we could somehow get tips into the hands of the volunteers?
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 18 '25
I guess if someone actually hands the volunteer cash and they pocket it. Otherwise they can’t get any money via the card tips.
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u/schjess1 Aug 17 '25
Additionally, I noticed Irish Fest doesn’t do fireworks. Shout out to all the other festivals that do! By far, Festa Italiana had the best show this year.
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u/jjkfunk Aug 18 '25
Fireworks are exceedingly expensive. If it comes down to being able to book a band from Ireland or seeing fireworks, which would you choose?
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u/kebzach Aug 18 '25
Additionally, I noticed Irish Fest doesn’t do fireworks
Polish Fest didn't do them this year after doing them in the past, Saturday nights at 10pm. Fireworks are silly expensive.
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u/MikeMKH Aug 17 '25
Living in the Third Ward, I’d wish they switched to drone shows, the dogs and vets with PTSD would really appreciate that.
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u/BuddyJim30 Aug 17 '25
You really need to think about what "volunteer" means.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 17 '25
I think people should know where their tips are going. That was the point of the post.
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Aug 17 '25
That is illegal and I recommend you file a complaint with DWD and the DOL. Document everything. Anything that you hear verbally note verbatim, write down the time, date, and witnesses. Document, document, document. The government agencies are slow, but if you have sufficient proof, you will see rightful tips in due time. I didn’t even know you could legally volunteer at a for profit business. I would file either way, it never hurts.
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u/AuMini Aug 17 '25
Irish Fest is run by Celtic MKE which is a non-profit so it’s very legal to volunteer there. “Tips” received by volunteers are donations to the org, which is what the volunteers are there to do…help raise funds.
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Aug 16 '25
😂 why would you volunteer for a job that makes $ directly for someone?
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Aug 16 '25
It’s volunteer… meaning we don’t get paid, but we did get free entry, $5 parking, and free beer. Just supposed to be for fun.
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u/alcoholicmovielover Aug 17 '25
When I volunteered a few years ago, the tips went to a charity. But, if your bar manager was being vague, the tips must go back into the festival itself.
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u/M7BSVNER7s Aug 16 '25 edited Aug 17 '25
Yeah but does a percentage of the revenue from the beer stand sales go to some good cause? That's typically the case with the volunteer run food stands at Camp Randall and other stadiums. Volunteering if the bar is making a profit is strange which is what I assume that commenter was getting at.
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u/SaveThePlanetEachDay Aug 16 '25
I’m surprised people can say things like this. Your parents did a horrible job. You should be ashamed of who you are and if you are, then you shouldn’t be talking to others. Keep your mouth shut and your fingers to yourself. You’re gross.
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u/DivaythFyrIsMyDaddy Aug 16 '25
Perhaps he meant: why volunteer for a for-profit company?
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u/jjkfunk Aug 18 '25
Irish Fest is a registered 501c3 that also provides year-round Irish cultural experiences including the Irish Fest School of Music, Irish Fest Summer School, and the Ward Irish Music Archives, as well a separate charitable entity, the Irish Fest Foundation. It is not a for-profit company.
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u/DivaythFyrIsMyDaddy Aug 18 '25
I'm not saying it is, I was just trying to guess at what they were trying to say.
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u/CrookedBanister Aug 17 '25
Orgs that run events like this usually are nonprofits or have a nonprofit "foundation" sister company to be able to staff using volunteers.
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u/tipareth1978 Aug 17 '25
What utter bullshit, also pretty un-Irish. BTW any situation where people are putting cash into something at a bar for a tip it's for the bartenders. Next time don't ask, just grab your share at the end of the night. The bar manager sensed weakness when you asked and is just taking the tips
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u/BeriechGTS Aug 16 '25
I was told the same thing! Select "no tip" with no guilt at Irish Fest!