Over the last year our team has been supporting Gratuu founder Renate Kalnina on further developing her digital tipping solution. Gratuu allows customers to tip staff directly into their bank accounts via their mobile device either via the website or mobile app.

Following successful trials with Parklife Festival and The Warehouse Project in 2019, Gratuu has been enhanced to focus on tipping staff in near geographic proximity rather than through scanning QR codes. Nini Spa and Liquid Art Group bars are the first Manchester businesses to adopt the cutting-edge app to drive fair and transparent tipping for their staff.

“I used to work as a temporary waitress and often moved around venues, which meant I didn’t get tips that went through card terminals or were added as service charge. When I got a staff job in a restaurant my cash tips just kept disappearing in the tin tip box and I ended up with just £10 in tips at the end of each week.” Renate Kalnina, Gratuu Founder

Gratuu is totally transparent and will make leaving a tip a more open and pleasant experience for all.

Both customers and staff need to install the Gratuu mobile app in order for the system to work. Customers wishing to leave a tip simply download the app, with no need to register or provide any personal information, to have visibility of all staff in near proximity. Tips can be sent in less than 10 seconds and customers can choose to tip anonymously or customise their profiles.

Owner of Nini Spa, Ieva Stanka, said:

“I think it is a brilliant idea for everybody. Staff in the service and hospitality sector have been hit hard during the pandemic, but now they can earn tips even when customers don’t have cash. You can see your tips in the digital wallet instantly, it’s so fast.”

Gratuu and Indiespring worked in partnership to develop the disruptive near-proximity version of the app, which has streamlined the process for customers and staff.

“We’re delighted to be invested in this exciting technology designed to bring transparency to the mobile tipping world. Having an easy and fair way to tip staff is a game changer for the industry, and we look forward to growing our partnership.” Rob Sandbach, Indiespring MD

Gratuu is an HMRC-registered troncmaster and enables users to tip staff directly or via tip pooling. The mobile app is free to download, there are no set-up or licensing fees as Gratuu simply deducts a nominal 3.5% from each tip processed. In addition a 20p charge is added to the customers’ tip to cover the 3rd party payment provider transaction fee, which will be reviewed as the app increases in popularity.

Want to see for yourself? Download it now and check it out: