The TipScan blog
Money guides for tipped work
No fluff, no corporate-speak — how checkouts, tip-outs, and tip taxes actually work, from the worker's side of the tray.
Updated 2026-08-20
Tip Out Rules Explained: How Much Servers Really Pay (and Who Can't Touch Your Tips)
The four tip out structures restaurants use, why sales-based tip outs hurt on slow nights, FLSA rules on managers in tip pools, and how to track it all.
Updated 2026-08-20
No Tax on Tips in 2026: The Complete Guide for Servers and Bartenders
How the federal tip deduction works in 2026: the $25,000 cap, who qualifies, what counts as a qualified tip, new W-2 boxes, and the records you need.
Updated 2026-08-20
How to Read Your Server Checkout Slip (Toast, Aloha, Micros)
Line-by-line guide to your end-of-shift checkout slip: credit tips, cash owed, tip outs, and what each POS calls them. Know what you actually earned.