Am I being cheap?

[scarpiapiano]

The whole issue of the gratuity not being included in the new dining plan leaves me with some questions about what's expected and what other people do.

We're going to WDW June 14th-26th and we're purchasing the meal plan. Several of the meals we'll be doing are buffets (1900 Park Fare, Boma, Biergarten, Cape May Cafe). I know that the expectected grutuity is 20% on meals where we're being served however, if we're serving ourselves at these buffets, can I leave less then a $20.00 tip (2 adults, 2 children) for someone who just refilled our beverages. I don't want to sound cheap but I don't leave that sort of a tip anytime we eat at a Chinese or Indian Buffet. What do you think?

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

Hi there.
IMO, you're not being cheap at all and in fact, I feel the same way.

At buffets, we generally give only 15%. No less though...it's their job after all.

We never get the dining plan so I don't know how it works. Do you have to give 20%?

 

[Master Yoda]

Hi there.
IMO, you're not being cheap at all and in fact, I feel the same way.

At buffets, we generally give only 15%. No less though...it's their job after all.

We never get the dining plan so I don't know how it works. Do you have to give 20%?

You are not "required" to leave anything but the customary tip at a restaurant in between 15-20%. With the TiWL card an a gratuity of 18% is automatically added.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

*sits in the corner and waits for this thread to turn ugly*

 

[DMC-12]

They are just bringing you beverages... so tip accordingly.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I would agree. 15-20% is customary for good service, but many tip a bit less on the buffet, as low as 10% when I've been with other people.

But it is really up to your discretion and the level of service you receive.

Always try to remember that a tip should reflect the service, not simply be a customary number.

And yes, I have worked jobs where I depended on tips and still feel this way.

 

[mousefan1972]

Hi there.
IMO, you're not being cheap at all and in fact, I feel the same way.

At buffets, we generally give only 15%. No less though...it's their job after all.

We never get the dining plan so I don't know how it works. Do you have to give 20%?

No, you don't have to give 20%. What happens with the DDP is you will get a receipt with 2 "suggested" gratuity amounts. The suggested gratuities are 18% and 20% of the bill. (Even though DDP users pay with their meal "credits", the server still tallies the bill as though you were paying OOP, and the gratuity amount is calculated from that)


I usually tip the suggested 20% amount for TS where we are served, but at buffets I tip 15%.

 

[sublimesting]

I do not like tipping. I don't feel it is my responsiblity to pay a restaurant's employees or ensure that someone makes more than minimum wage for doing a minimum wage job. Restaurants are required to pay a server at least minimum wage if they don't make that in tips. I also feel other people deserve tips in their jobs which don't usually get tips, such as store employees, and as such I sometimes tip them.

That being said I tip 15-25% depending on service, but usually $1 for every $6 spent. At a buffet I tip 10% as the server really did nothing at all. If I have to get my own drink I only leave a couple of bucks.

 

[DMC-12]

At a buffet I tip 10% as the server really did nothing at all. If I have to get my own drink I only leave a couple of bucks.

Ditto... I stick with the 10% rule at a buffet.

However I do deviate:

-Sometimes I go a little more.. like at Boma... the servers there are always awesome... so I go about 15%.

-Now if I get shoddy service at Chef Mickeys (been there/done that) I give the least I can... 5-10%, if your lucky...lol

 

[Tink313]

Does anyone else think the whole tip thing in Disney world is kinda out of hand? It is so in your face. I dont mind tipping however I do mind being reminded through out my meal to tip. I eaten out plenty of times through out my life and I live in NY and I have never had a server remind me that tips are not included with my meal and circle the end of reciept so I wont forget,or hand write my order tally up the the amount and tell me while I eating how he came up with his tip fiqure (yak & yeti cm )

I mean would anyone ask or worry about tipping if you were going to your local restaurant :shrug:
Just tip whatever you feel is appropriate. I wish I could Im such a sucker I always tip whats on the reciept in disney even when I had horriable service

 

[Lucky]

I would agree. 15-20% is customary for good service, but many tip a bit less on the buffet, as low as 10% when I've been with other people.

But it is really up to your discretion and the level of service you receive.

Always try to remember that a tip should reflect the service, not simply be a customary number.

And yes, I have worked jobs where I depended on tips and still feel this way.

I agree on all of this, and I depended on tip income as a restaurant server for years.

 

[Lucky]

Does anyone else think the whole tip thing in Disney world is kinda out of hand? It is so in your face. I dont mind tipping however I do mind being reminded through out my meal to tip. I eaten out plenty of times through out my life and I live in NY and I have never had a server remind me that tips are not included with my meal and circle the end of reciept so I wont forget,or hand write my order tally up the the amount and tell me while I eating how he came up with his tip fiqure (yak & yeti cm )

My sympathies. That is truly classless, even if he otherwise did a great job.

 

[Master Yoda]

Does anyone else think the whole tip thing in Disney world is kinda out of hand? It is so in your face. I dont mind tipping however I do mind being reminded through out my meal to tip. I eaten out plenty of times through out my life and I live in NY and I have never had a server remind me that tips are not included with my meal and circle the end of reciept so I wont forget,or hand write my order tally up the the amount and tell me while I eating how he came up with his tip fiqure (yak & yeti cm )

I mean would anyone ask or worry about tipping if you were going to your local restaurant :shrug:
Just tip whatever you feel is appropriate. I wish I could Im such a sucker I always tip whats on the reciept in disney even when I had horriable service

One thing to remember is that Disney caters to a world wide audience and while tipping is commonplace in the US it is not in the rest of the world. The suggested tip is on the bill for two reasons. First to simply make it easier on the guest and second to help avoid servers getting stiffed not because of bad service but simply because an international guest might be unaware of the practice. However, what happened to you at Y&Y was a bit much.

Think of it like that memo that goes to everyone in an office about cleaning the microwave. Everyone gets it so as not to single anyone out but it is really only intended for that one jerk who will nuke a hot pocket for 10 minutes and not clean up the aftermath of the explosion.

 

[fascion216]

i think its all relative to what type of service you receive. last trip, at chef mickey's i left $3 coz .. its a buffet .. and my waitress didnt even refill my drink. and at boma, the service was just okay .. just again, i didnt leave much of a tip.
at cali grill, my server was great, recommended an awesome wine.. it was just an amazing experience .. just i left him more than 20%.

 

[njDizFan]

I also agree with most of these posts. As a person who was in the restaurant business for 20 years, 20% on a buffet is too much. For instance when our family of 5 went to Hollywood & Vine in January the bill was $175.00. I thought a tip of $35.00 for drinks and clearing the table was too much. Besides the fact that the server had 6 tables in her section. Turning 6 tables every 1 1/2 at at $35.00 clip would be a real nice salary. We left $20.00 which I thought was appropriate if not generous.

Also as stated above the servers at Boma really are great and do quite a bit of interaction, so I often tip them more than a regular buffet server.

As far as not tipping at all.... I do believe in some European counties the server is paid a regular salary and tipping is not required, but if we were to institute this is America the price for that dinner would go up dramatically.
If all restaurants had to start paying their servers/bus boys etc.. a commensurate salary to what they currently earn(in NJ anywhere from $8-$15+/HR) instead of $2.12-$5.15/hr imagine how that would impact the food prices.

 

[bgraham34]

I always start off with 20% no matter if its buffet or not. Depending on the service it goes down from there and sometimes up.

 

[Master Yoda]

I also agree with most of these posts. As a person who was in the restaurant business for 20 years, 20% on a buffet is too much. For instance when our family of 5 went to Hollywood & Vine in January the bill was $175.00. I thought a tip of $35.00 for drinks and clearing the table was too much. Besides the fact that the server had 6 tables in her section. Turning 6 tables every 1 1/2 at at $35.00 clip would be a real nice salary. We left $20.00 which I thought was appropriate if not generous.

Also as stated above the servers at Boma really are great and do quite a bit of interaction, so I often tip them more than a regular buffet server.

As far as not tipping at all.... I do believe in some European counties the server is paid a regular salary and tipping is not required, but if we were to institute this is America the price for that dinner would go up dramatically.
If all restaurants had to start paying their servers/bus boys etc.. a commensurate salary to what they currently earn(in NJ anywhere from $8-$15+/HR) instead of $2.12-$5.15/hr imagine how that would impact the food prices.

Yes they do.....especially the server that got me zebra domes at breakfast.:slurp:

 

[figmentisgreat]

My standard is around 10-15% at a buffet...if they do something to really, really be helpful and go out of there way for something, then I'll tip more.

My cousin is from Australia and came to NJ for 3 weeks over his summer break (our winter, so weird) last year and he could not get his head around the concept of tipping. At all - he had never heard of it!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I always tip a $100 at buffets as I'm more generouser than most, but if service has been good I double it and add my age.

 

[Tink313]

I dont mind tipping I even tipped oop when the tip was included with the dining plan (ahh the good old days) It's just over the last 2 years its more in your face. Before 2007 I can not remember one server telling me about the tip but in 2007 & 2008 it was metion every time we had a ts Its like they had a class in it.:lol: Some servers acted like they really didnt want to mention it (maybe that was good acting :lol

Oh and I like the 2 suggested tip prices at the end of the bill even when its tripled circle in red and highlighted with a yellow marker :lol:

Free Dining 2009 here I come (with a really big wallet ) JK