Bringing transparency and efficiency to tipping in Irish hospitality

Mobile platform JUSTTIP is designed to bring transparency to tipping, for both employers and staff

JUSTTIP co-founder and CEO James Fahy and co-founder and chief marketing officer Ciara Walsh.

Just as the pandemic was at its height, James Fahy noticed cash was literally disappearing from sight as the world embraced digital and mobile-based payment systems. As a result, when businesses finally started to reopen, thousands of service and hospitality staff saw their income drastically reduced because no one had any cash to tip. 

In addition, those customers who added a tip to the bill often did not know if their server actually got the tip. James and his co-founder Ciara Walsh realised something had to be done and JUSTTIP was born in July 2021. 

Since then, the pair have successfully on-boarded more than 400 locations across Ireland, in addition to building an executive management team — and the platform has just gone live in London and Las Vegas. 

Offering a next-generation mobile tipping solution for table service establishments, it is designed to streamline the process for both businesses and employees. 

“We launched the platform to bring transparency to tipping, but found so many businesses didn't even know the charges they were paying on tips and requirements with updated legislation,” Ciara explains. 

The platform is built to help businesses and employees manage tips, with end-to-end transaction reports, bringing businesses in line with legislation, and offering complete transparency to their staff. An added bonus is that the customers love it too.” 

With tipping legislation in Ireland updated in December 2022, companies must now provide clear information to customers on how tips are shared among employees, promoting transparency and trust in the tipping process. 

Legislation also states staff should receive a breakdown of electronic tips received and how they are distributed, and guarantees employees the right to receive their tip, protecting them from unfair distribution. 

All tips generated through JUSTTIP's systems are collected and pooled, and distributed weekly directly to the employees' bank accounts in proportion to the hours they worked, bypassing the employer's business completely. 

Co-founder James added: “As the hospitality industry continues to embrace digital transformation, JUSTTIP remains committed to driving innovation and setting new standards for excellence. We guarantee regulatory compliance for businesses and equitable tip sharing for employees.”

In a move that is set to further transform the hospitality industry, the company has expanded its offering with the introduction of JUSTTIP Flex, a new mobile tipping solution developed for restaurants, pubs, and hotels offering table service. 

The latest hospitality solution saves business owners the 11.8% PRSI liability on every tip managed through the system, reduces administrative burdens, and brings them in line with tipping legislation to avoid on-the-spot fines of up to €1,500. 

With the new Flex option, as well as existing fixed terminals and QR code solutions offered by JUSTTIP, customers can securely tip hospitality staff, safe in the knowledge that everything goes directly to staff. For customers, JUSTTIP Flex allows them to choose their tip amount in a separate transaction from paying the bill, thus increasing servers' tips while separating them from the business's income.