Is the practice of 'tip pooling' very widespread?

I work in a small restaurant and we don't pool tips, I do tip out by bus boy/girl because they are helping me do my job (at my restaurant a server has anywheres from 5 to 13 tables and the busser fills drinks, clears the table during and after your meal, boxes up your food, etc).

I can understand the theory behind pooling the tips- it, hopefully, makes the waitstaff more of a team where they help out one another to keep customers happy so that tips stay up. However, I don't think its fair because in reality people don't, or can't help the others, So a server could be sharing their tips with someone who didn't help them at all and may have been getting all the help from the first server (I hope that wasn't too confusing lol)

If you are concerned about it you might want to ask your server next time you go out if they pool the tip or not. If it is pooled you can then ask if there is anyway you can tip only them or maybe slip them some cash and make sure they know its there's alone.

I've been a server before - all chain restaurants and I was able to keep my tips. I did have to "tip out" at the end of the night - I had to tip out a percentage of my total sales. If my sales were $1000 - I had to tip out $30. The rest I kept.

The concept of pooling though - I think is more common in little places, family owned. Not anything like a big chain (ie: Olive Garden)

It is fairly common but I am not in favor of it. A tip is something a waiter/waitress earns for good service. I do believe they should share their tips with the bus boy/girl but not other waitresses. It rewards those who do not do their fair share of the work or who are not customer oriented. I don't believe it is as common in more expensive restaurants but more common in those places where one person takes your order and someone else delivers it and a third person checks on you in a bit.

I worked in housekeeping that had tip pooling. I do not agree with this practice at all. What you get is what you get and if you are kinder faster and a better waiter then you should get tipped more lousy ones should not get as much or new hires their tips should go up as they get better. When in that situation I wouldn't even put all my tips into the pool, of course it would have to be your secret.

In high end restos, it's very common; less so in mom and pop establishments. I came to expect it during college; it was the norm in the houses I worked in.