Tips and service charge — Paloma POS 2

This article is about Paloma POS 2 — the new Paloma point-of-sale app. It covers how to configure the automatic service charge (auto-gratuity), how it flows into the cart and payment, how to override the charge on a single line, how it splits across a divided check, and tip presets and the tip pool. If you are not sure which product you have, start with «How to tell you have Paloma POS 2».

Overview

The service charge is an amount the register adds automatically by a rule: a percentage, the order types it applies to, and a minimum party size. Set it once, and the register applies it on its own.

• In the cart the charge shows as «Service charge ({percent})» — for example «Service charge (10%)». In the order fees block the section is labelled «Service charge».
• On the payment screen the charge is included in the total and shown as «Service charge».
• A cashier can override the charge on a specific line — a custom percent or none.
• When a check is split, the charge divides across parts proportionally; each part shows an «of which service» sub-line.

Tips are a separate amount from the guest. They are entered on the payment screen via presets («Tip presets») and distributed among staff at the end of the shift in the «Tip Pool».

Configure auto-gratuity

1. Open Settings → the «Auto-gratuity» row (in taxes and fees). The row shows the current state: «Parties of {min}+», «All orders» or «Off».
2. Tap «Manage auto-gratuity».
3. Turn on «Enable auto gratuity».
4. Fill in the rule:
   • «Name» — how the charge appears on the receipt.
   • «Percentage» — the rate, e.g. 10.
   • «Minimum party size» — from how many guests to charge a dine-in order.
5. Under «Order types» tick which orders get the charge: «Dine in», «Quick order», «To go», «Pick up», «Delivery», «Kiosk». The charge appears only on the ticked types.
6. Optionally set «Charge service on tariff» — when off, rental (time-charge) lines are excluded from the service charge, while food and drinks still carry it.
7. Save. The register shows «Saving…», then «Auto gratuity saved». A freshly saved rule applies to the next order.

If «Quick order» is not ticked, the charge is not added to a table-less order — neither in the cart nor in payment. For a dine-in order the charge applies only when the guest count is at least the «Minimum party size».

Service charge in the cart and payment

1. Ring the order (see «Quick sale» or «Table orders»).
2. As soon as the order matches the rule, the cart totals show a «Service charge ({percent})» line with the amount.
3. Tap «Pay check» — on the payment screen the charge is inside the total and shown as «Service charge».
4. Take payment as usual (see «Paying an order»).

The charge is computed exactly, to the cent — no manual rounding needed. The rate in brackets comes from the active rule.

Per-line service override

A cashier can change the service on a single line without touching the rule.

1. In the cart, tap the service icon on the line — tooltip «Set service charge» (or «Edit service charge» if a charge already exists).
2. The «Service charge — {item}» dialog opens. In the percentage field, enter the rate.
3. The dialog note reads: «Applies to this item only. Enter 0% to remove service from this item.»
4. Apply. The cart «Service charge» row and the payment charge line recalculate.
5. To return the line to the order-wide rate, tap «Remove override».

A per-line override works even on an order that does not match the rule: if a quick order has no service and you set 10% on a line, the «Service charge» row appears in both the cart and payment.

You can also override the charge for the whole order from the order-actions menu: the «Service charge · {value}» entry (or «Service charge» if nothing is charged yet). The override dialog states: «Applies to this order regardless of order type or guest count.» — tap «Apply» or «Remove» to drop the charge.

Service charge on a split check

1. On the payment screen tap «Split…» (see «Paying an order»).
2. The register shows the parts. If the order carries a service charge, each part shows an «of which service» sub-line — its share of the charge.
3. Pay each part separately. The charge is distributed across parts proportionally and sums to the order's service charge.

Per-table service rate

The rate can be set per table, overriding the sales-point rate.

1. In Settings, open the tables editor (sales points → hall → table).
2. In the «Service charge, %» field, enter the percent for the table.
3. The field helper reads: «Leave empty to inherit the sales point rate. 0 means no service charge on this table.»
4. Save. The value stays with the table and applies to its orders.

Tips: presets and pool

Tip presets are quick options the cashier offers the guest at payment.

1. In Settings, open «Tip presets».
2. Tap «Add tip preset».
3. Pick the «Type»: «Percentage», «Custom amount» or «No tips». For a percentage, set the percent.
4. Give it a «Name» and save.

Presets appear on the payment screen as a «Tip» line.

The tip pool distributes the shift's tips among staff.

1. Open «Tip Pool» from the side menu.
2. The screen shows «Tip pool» and «Hours on shift» metrics per employee on shift.
3. Tap «Copy distribution» — the register confirms «Tip pool distribution copied.».

Common problems

• «Auto gratuity saved» after saving the rule — the charge is set and applies from the next order.
• «Couldn't save auto gratuity» — the rule did not save. Check the connection and retry; when offline, the register sends the change later.
• No charge on a quick order — the «Quick order» type is not ticked. Tick it under «Order types».
• No charge on a dine-in order — the guest count is below «Minimum party size», or the table's «Service charge, %» is 0.
• Need to drop the charge on one line — open «Set service charge» on the line and enter 0%, or tap «Remove» in the order override dialog.
• «No tips collected today.» in the pool — no tips yet this shift; the line appears after the first payment with a tip.
• «No eligible employees on shift…» in the pool — nobody is clocked in. Clock staff in from time tracking and reload the screen.

FAQ

Why does a dine-in order carry a service charge but a quick order doesn't?

The charge applies only to the order types ticked under «Order types». If «Quick order» is not ticked, a quick order has no charge. Dine-in orders also honour «Minimum party size» — below that guest count no charge is added.

How do I remove the service charge from a single line?

Tap the service icon on the line («Set service charge»), enter 0% and apply. The «Service charge» row recalculates. To return the line to the order rate, open the dialog again and tap «Remove override».

Can I add a service charge to an order that doesn't match the rule?

Yes. Set it manually — per line («Set service charge») or for the whole order from the actions menu. A manual override applies regardless of order type or guest count, and the «Service charge» row appears.

How does the charge split across a divided check?

Proportionally. On «Split…» each part shows an «of which service» sub-line — its share of the total charge.

What's the difference between a service charge and tips?

The service charge is applied automatically by the rule and included in the total. Tips are left voluntarily by the guest at payment via «Tip presets», and distributed at end of shift in the «Tip Pool».