This or That Tip Jar Ideas for Cafes, Bars and Food Trucks

Label two clear jars with the two sides of a question and let customers vote with their tips.

Random this or that picker

Tip jar
PancakesorWaffles
Next question

Change it every week or two.

Jump to a section (7)
  1. Food and drink tip jar ideas
  2. Pets and animals
  3. Lifestyle and everyday habits
  4. Pop culture and silly matchups
  5. How to set up a this or that tip jar
  6. What makes a tip jar question work
  7. Frequently asked questions

Food and drink tip jar ideas

Food matchups suit any counter that serves food. People hold strong opinions about breakfast and pizza toppings, so these pairs split close to 50/50.

  1. PancakesorWaffles?
  2. CoffeeorTea?
  3. Iced coffeeorHot coffee?
  4. Pineapple on pizzaorNo pineapple?
  5. TacosorBurritos?
  6. Crunchy peanut butterorSmooth peanut butter?
  7. FriesorTater tots?
  8. KetchuporMustard?
  9. ChocolateorVanilla?
  10. CakeorPie?
  11. SweetorSalty?
  12. BagelorCroissant?
  13. Cereal before milkorMilk before cereal?
  14. RanchorBlue cheese?
  15. Hot sauceorNo hot sauce?
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Pets and animals

"Cats or Dogs?" is the most common this or that tip jar question. Run it first, then rotate to the less obvious pairs below.

  1. CatsorDogs?
  2. PenguinsorOtters?
  3. Big dogsorSmall dogs?
  4. SharksorDolphins?
  5. OwlsorEagles?
  6. HamsterorGoldfish?
  7. LionsorTigers?
  8. BunniesorKittens?
  9. PandasorKoalas?
  10. RaccoonsorPossums?

Lifestyle and everyday habits

  1. Early birdorNight owl?
  2. BeachorMountains?
  3. SummerorWinter?
  4. BooksorMovies?
  5. TextingorCalling?
  6. Socks with sandalsorNever?
  7. Shower in the morningorShower at night?
  8. Toilet paper overorToilet paper under?
  9. Road triporFlight?
  10. SunriseorSunset?
  11. CityorCountryside?
  12. Paper maporGPS?
  13. RainorSnow?
  14. CampingorHotel?
  15. Pajamas all dayorDressed by 9?
  16. HoodieorSweater?
  17. Window seatorAisle seat?
  18. BathorShower?
  19. SneakersorBoots?
  20. PodcastsorMusic?

Pop culture and silly matchups

Silly pairs work best at bars and late-night counters. Customers laugh, argue with friends, and then tip to settle it.

  1. VampiresorWerewolves?
  2. PiratesorNinjas?
  3. ZombiesorAliens?
  4. Time travelorTeleportation?
  5. InvisibilityorFlying?
  6. DinosaursorRobots?
  7. HogwartsorNarnia?
  8. BatmanorSuperman?
  9. Star WarsorStar Trek?
  10. MarioorSonic?
  11. ElvesorDwarves?
  12. GhostsorBigfoot?
  13. UnicornsorDragons?
  14. Free pizza for lifeorFree coffee for life?
  15. Fight one horse-sized duckorFight 100 duck-sized horses?

How to set up a this or that tip jar

  1. Get two matching clear jars. Mason jars or deli containers both work.
  2. Write one option on each jar in large letters. Customers should read it from 6 feet away.
  3. Put the full question on a small sign between the jars, for example "Pancakes or Waffles? Vote with your tip."
  4. Place the jars next to the register or the pickup spot, where customers wait with change in hand.
  5. Count each jar at the end of the week and post the winner on a chalkboard or on your shop's social media.
  6. Swap in a new question the next day. Keep a list of 20 pairs so you never run out.

What makes a tip jar question work

  • Pick pairs that split the room. If 9 out of 10 people pick one side, the race feels over and voting stops.
  • Use 1 to 3 words per side. Customers decide in the second it takes to hand over change.
  • Match the crowd. Coffee shops do well with breakfast and pet pairs; bars do well with silly pairs.
  • Tie the question to the season: "Pumpkin spice or Peppermint mocha?" in fall, "Beach or Pool?" in summer.
  • Let staff pick sides. A barista cheering for one jar gives customers a reason to join in.
  • Announce the winner. Posting results gives regulars a reason to come back and vote on the next one.

Frequently asked questions

What is a this or that tip jar?

A this or that tip jar is a pair of tip jars, each labeled with one side of a question such as "Cats or Dogs?". Customers vote by dropping their tip in the jar they agree with. Baristas, bartenders and food truck crews use them because a playful vote gets people to tip who would otherwise walk past a single jar.

Good this or that tip jar ideas use two options with no wrong answer, such as Cats or Dogs, Pancakes or Waffles, Coffee or Tea, and Beach or Mountains. Pick pairs that split your customers close to evenly, keep each side to three words or fewer, and change the question every week or two.

A this or that tip jar works by turning tips into votes. You set out two jars, label each with one answer to a question, and customers drop their tip into the jar they agree with. The jar with more money wins, and you post the result before starting a new question.

Often, yes, but test it. A two-jar vote gives customers who skip a plain jar a reason to tip, because picking a side feels like a game. Results depend on your crowd and the question, so run one pair for a week and compare the total with a normal week.

Avoid politics, religion, sports rivalries in a divided town, and real public figures. These topics push some customers away from tipping at all. Also avoid pairs with an obvious winner, because a lopsided jar tells people the vote is already settled.

Use the pop culture and silly matchups on this page, such as Pirates or Ninjas and Vampires or Werewolves. Bar customers often vote in groups, so pairs that start a friendly argument at the table work better than food or pet questions.

Change the question every one to two weeks. Regulars vote once and then ignore the jars, so a fresh pair gives them a new reason to tip. Busy shops with many first-time customers can run a strong question such as Cats or Dogs for longer.

Use two identical clear jars so neither side looks bigger. Wide-mouth mason jars, large deli containers and clear acrylic tip boxes all work. Clear sides let customers watch the race, and a close race prompts more people to tip.

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