How Viceroy Chicago Collected $4,000+ in Digital Tips in Its First Three Months

OPERATIONS

Viceroy Chicago is a luxury hotel in Chicago's Gold Coast with 180 rooms and 18 suites, named among the Top 10 Hotels in Chicago by Condé Nast Traveler. Guests wanted to thank room attendants, but few carried cash, so the in-room tip had all but disappeared. Viceroy launched eTip with room-specific QR codes and separate codes for bell staff, and collected more than $4,000 in tips in the first three months.

Why it matters: Room attendants do the hardest job in the building and rarely meet the guests they serve. A QR code in the room gives cashless guests a way to tip, and a reminder that they should.

$4,000+ in digital tips in the first three months, including several $100 tips.

Top 3 Core Objectives: Viceroy wanted to bring tipping back for room attendants and bell staff in a way that fits a luxury guest experience, and to run it without adding work for managers.

Bring Back Tipping: Few guests carry cash, so the in-room tip had all but disappeared. Viceroy wanted guests to tip room attendants by card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, right from the room.
Include Bell Staff: Bell staff needed their own way to receive tips, separate from housekeeping.
Launch Team-Ready: Viceroy wanted staff trained and excited before go-live, so education started a month ahead of launch.

Innovators Mentioned

Viceroy Chicago

eTip

Chanielle Beach

Director of Operations

Viceroy Chicago

"Just hoping a guest leaves a tip in the room doesn't happen anymore. Unfortunately, seeing the QR code sticker in the room almost reminds them, 'Hey this is actually a good thing to do."

Chanielle Beach

Director of Operations

👍 Director of Operations Chanielle Beach said that On why in-room QR codes work::

"Just hoping a guest leaves a tip in the room doesn't happen anymore. Unfortunately, seeing the QR code sticker in the room almost reminds them, 'Hey this is actually a good thing to do."

⚖️ The selection process: During their research process, Chanielle Beach evaluated eTip's product differentiators, customer support, and holistic value as a strategic partner and ultimately decided that eTip was the best fit solution:

Director of Operations Chanielle Beach said, about their decision: "I think it's a really great system — there shouldn't be any hesitation. It's a minimal cost with a greater reward"

📈 The results: Tips came back, guests tipped amounts they rarely leave in cash, and the program now doubles as a retention and recruiting tool. Day-to-day admin sits with supervisors, who assign tips daily.

$4,000+ in digital tips in the first three months, including several $100 tips that were unlikely with cash.
Guest feedback that names staff feeds Viceroy's "First and Always" recognition program, which adds rewards for those team members.
Viceroy now promotes eTip as a staff benefit in hiring and retention. "Who would leave if another hotel opens and looks shiny and new but they don't have a tipping program?" says Director of Operations Chanielle Beach.