Tip pooling
Also called: tip sharing, tronc
Tip pooling is collecting tips into a shared pot and dividing them among staff by an agreed rule, instead of each person keeping what they were handed directly.
Why pool
The person who took the order is not the only reason the meal went well. Pooling recognises the kitchen, the bar and the runners, and it stops the section-by-section lottery that makes servers compete for the same four tables.
How shares are set
Usually by hours worked, often weighted by role — a bartender might count more than a runner. Whatever the rule, the two things that matter are that it is written down and that it was agreed before anybody saw the money.
The legal part
Who may be included in a pool is regulated, and the rules differ sharply between countries and often between states. Managers and supervisors are the most common point of failure. Check what applies to you before you design the split.