Automatic Gratuity for large parties despite poor service

BrerJon

Well-Known Member
A Disney server has a certain amount of guests they can deal with at once. The system works by different tables being at different stages of the meal, so you normally shouldn't notice the delay. But large parties throw things off - with everyone at the same stage, of course the meal will be harder. It's unreasonable to expect the same service with 20 on one table as 4.

Also, I don't know why, but people on big tables are far more likely to move seats, want refills at different times, forget what they ordered when the food comes, and generally make like difficult for the server. Plus the other tables they are serving may suffer worse service because so much of their attention has to be on you. And think where else your tips go. It's not just the server. The bar staff who mixed your drinks, the people who brought your food out when it was ready - what did they do wrong? You're punishing everyone.

So yeah stiffing the tip on a large table is a real d*** move.

A far better solution is to split into smaller parties, or request two or three different servers. Visit the restaurant in the morning before your booking and ask to speak to the seat assigner and explain, they will be sure to do their best to accommodate you.

There are reasons why these meals tend to go awry and take too long, but it's as much the fault of the guests as it is the restaurants.
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
So yeah stiffing the tip on a large table is a real d*** move.

18% is pretty much the average as far as tips go. Anything less than 15% if just being cheap.

I think Disney's policy is totally fair given how much work goes into preparing and serving meals and drinks for 8 or more people.

If the OP is looking for a fast way to feed 15 people, without paying gratuity, the best option would be to split everyone into smaller groups and go to different fast food spots.
 
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Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
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18% is pretty much the average as far as tips go. Anything less than 15% if just being cheap.

I think Disney's policy is totally fair given how much work goes into preparing and serving meals and drinks for 8 or more people.

If the OP is looking for a fast way to feed 15 people, without paying gratuity, the best option would be to split everyone into smaller groups and go to different fast food spots.
Right on. I think people who complain about this kind of thing never worked a service job in their life. Here goes my 2 cents, coming from a former waiter at a Times square ESPN Zone.
1. Large parties are a lot of work. Your tables are set aside early so that's less customers in a section for awhile and waiters are assigned sections so your costing us money.
2. Four 4 top tables will seat up to 16 people. Push them together for that large party and cut the number down to 10. Yes there are other table sizes but regardless seats are lost.
3. The waiter never wants your meal to be a snails pace. Inattentive waiters are out there, and thatbstinks but believe me. The one handling your large party just wants to keep get you in and out as fast as possible to free those tables up(unless your drinking a lot) and if there is a problem it's the logistics of trying to serve a party all at once with a kitchen ready to serve 3 to 6 entrees at a time.
4. To the Brits chiming in and other Euroz, we hate when we have to serve you. Because you often do cheap out. Brits not as bad as say Italians , but yeah we know the score, stop feigning ignorance you know our customs.
5. If you want a smootherbdinjer for your large parties, eat ar a buffet, or book a private room, but considering the complaining of 18 percent tio doubt you want to pay the room fee.
6. Please understand. The waiter is literally living off those tips. He makes less than minimum wage, actually like 2.50 and hour. and he does not get to pocket that whole tip. Some nights, after tipping out to the bartenders (who get the same cut weather they were fast or slow with hlgetting the waiters drinks) the busers... you might be taking home 50 bucks for an 8 hour shift if you got stiffed enough times.
So if your water took awhile. Just chill. The only way I would say you ever ask a manager to adjust something is if the waiter was straight up rude and inappropriate or you could see him just hiding and on his phone. A slow meal for you should not mean a guy can't afford to pay his bills.
 
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Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
This is why American waiters dread foreigners lol. Listen large parties are pain for a restaurant. If you want special service whee things all come out together book a private party. The amount of tables they have to set aside is hard. Consider this 4 four tops serves 16. Push them together for the large party, and you caonly nl

See that wasn't my point, I still tip, just tipping should not be used to rectify bad service. Bad service should be complained about to the manager same as it would be in other jobs.

In an ideal world, everyone is paid the same minimum wage, so it doesn't matter if you work retail or wait tables you should be getting $15 an hour (or whatever). But in reality the law is in many states that restaurants can pay a lower wage as it is made up by tips.
But if the cashier in Walmart was rude to you, you can't withhold the tip to them, as you were never going to give one. Treat restaurant complaints the same, tell the manager, don't just drop the tip.
 

Hockey89

Well-Known Member
See that wasn't my point, I still tip, just tipping should not be used to rectify bad service. Bad service should be complained about to the manager same as it would be in other jobs.

In an ideal world, everyone is paid the same minimum wage, so it doesn't matter if you work retail or wait tables you should be getting $15 an hour (or whatever). But in reality the law is in many states that restaurants can pay a lower wage as it is made up by tips.
But if the cashier in Walmart was rude to you, you can't withhold the tip to them, as you were never going to give one. Treat restaurant complaints the same, tell the manager, don't just drop the tip.
Waiters would earn less if it was 15 dollars an hour with tips.... Food costs have gone up 20-25% at restaurants that got away from tips in the states....
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
Waiters would earn less if it was 15 dollars an hour with tips.... Food costs have gone up 20-25% at restaurants that got away from tips in the states....

Then the minimum wage should be higher. But this isn’t about the minimum wage anyway.
It’s the fact that complaints should be treated as a complaint. Bad service should be complained about as all lowering the tip does is means someone earns less, it doesn’t mean their manager knows what went wrong.
 

Hockey89

Well-Known Member
Then the minimum wage should be higher. But this isn’t about the minimum wage anyway.
It’s the fact that complaints should be treated as a complaint. Bad service should be complained about as all lowering the tip does is means someone earns less, it doesn’t mean their manager knows what went wrong.
100 bucks an hours? 200? 500?
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
Also, I don't know why, but people on big tables are far more likely to move seats, want refills at different times, forget what they ordered when the food comes, and generally make like difficult for the server.
Servers should note names next to orders when working large parties, just in case people move/forget... And I've seen restaurants fix the "refills" issue by putting pitchers of water and iced tea on the table so people can fill up when they're empty.

99.9 percent of people don't go to restaurants to ruin servers' days... they go to have fun and eat. Anticipating the gripes you mentioned can help the servers make that happen, thus customers will be less likely to scrutinize that 18% automatic tip.
 

Hockey89

Well-Known Member
Servers should note names next to orders when working large parties, just in case people move/forget... And I've seen restaurants fix the "refills" issue by putting pitchers of water and iced tea on the table so people can fill up when they're empty.

99.9 percent of people don't go to restaurants to ruin servers' days... they go to have fun and eat. Anticipating the gripes you mentioned can help the servers make that happen, thus customers will be less likely to scrutinize that 18% automatic tip.
Just to follow up... The servers should know all the names of the guests and remember their names if they move seats?
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
Just to follow up... The servers should know all the names of the guests and remember their names if they move seats?
No. Many places I've experienced, meals are delivered by someone other than the server who took the order. While lots of places key orders by seat number, if someone does switch places after ordering, I think it's better to say "Larry?" than it is to say "Who ordered the club sandwich with chips?" (Not that I usually order a club sandwich with chips, mind you)
 

Hockey89

Well-Known Member
No. Many places I've experienced, meals are delivered by someone other than the server who took the order. While lots of places key orders by seat number, if someone does switch places after ordering, I think it's better to say "Larry?" than it is to say "Who ordered the club sandwich with chips." (Not that I usually order a club sandwich with chips, mind you)
So you are going to ask every single guest as they order what their name is so you can write it down.... I'm legit baffled at your point...
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
So you are going to ask every single guest as they order what their name is so you can write it down.... I'm legit baffled at your point...
Yeah. You asked them what they wanted... how much more trouble is it to note their name? If they can do it at Starbucks...
 

Chi84

Premium Member
Yeah. You asked them what they wanted... how much more trouble is it to note their name? If they can do it at Starbucks...
I'm sorry, but I think this is a terrible idea. I don't mind servers telling me their name when they first approach the table, but it would be very intrusive for the server to ask the name of everyone who is ordering, especially with a large table. And I'm not particularly paranoid. Can you imagine some server asking a child for his or her name lol? Or someone from a generation that doesn't care for such informality?
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
I'm sorry, but I think this is a terrible idea. I don't mind servers telling me their name when they first approach the table, but it would be very intrusive for the server to ask the name of everyone who is ordering, especially with a large table. And I'm not particularly paranoid. Can you imagine some server asking a child for his or her name lol? Or someone from a generation that doesn't care for such informality?
It's just your name -- not your CV. But, you're the customer, so you get what you asked for. If you didn't move, they still match you by table/seat number.

If you DID move, and you opt out of providing your name, you get your food last, since the server will have everybody else's food delivered already.
 

Chi84

Premium Member
It's just your name -- not your CV. But, you're the customer, so you get what you asked for.

Just that if you opt out of providing your name, you get your food last, since the server will have a very easy method of matching food with diner until they get to your plate.

Works for me.
I have to ask. Do you eat out much?
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
I have to ask. Do you eat out much?
Both in large and small groups. I find the restaurants that have their act together much easier to deal with, and they're the ones that use the techniques I've mentioned.
 

Chi84

Premium Member
Both in large and small groups. I find the restaurants that have their act together much easier to deal with, and they're the ones that use the techniques I've mentioned.
That's interesting. I've been dining in restaurants for more years than I care to admit, and no server has ever asked for my name. It's certainly not the practice at Disney. Imagine that - all those people with all of that education in hospitality and experience with service and no one has come up with that simple idea to improve service. One has to wonder why.
 

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