Automatic Gratuity with the DDP

[JamieD]

We got back from the World a few weeks ago, and sorry if this has been discussed in a previous thread. Our party of 8 (two rooms) used the DDP. Before I state my displeasure with the auto-grat, know that I have delivered pizzas and waited tables, so I understand tipping. I do however think that it's my decision as a consumer. Tipping is a voluntary gift to show appreciation. When did we start letting businesses dictate how much? Why is the tip tied to how much you spent? When does the percentage of the check quit going up? Does the waiter at a fine dining restaurant (or Disney TS) work 5 or 10 times harder than the guy at Friday's?

On to my experience, our party, using two plans, ate at two character buffets. The breakfast buffet tip was just shy on $20, while the dinner buffet was nearly $40. A $40 tip at a buffet? I think that's crazy! I know someone is going to say not to eat there if you can't afford the tip. Both servers removed our dining credits and then stated that we owed the tip. When questioned, one server said the company mandated that we pay the 18% gratuity.

When we returned, I researched the rules/laws of tipping. Some states allows the auto-grat. Others say it's voluntary and must be removed if requested. A few even state that it's OK if it's called at "service charge" or posted in plain sight. I called Disney to comment about our trip...both goods and not-so-goods. I received a call from Guest Services, stating that the tipping system is in place to keep up with the norms in the Orlando area. Disney doesn't want their employees to feel like they got cheated. Understandable. She then said that while it's the standard practice, it's up to the guest to decide. Wow, that's not what I heard from the servers, who obviously would want the auto-grat. Just thought you should know that you're entitled to leave the tip that you feel is appropriate, no matter what the server says. Thank you for your time and feel free to call me cheap.

 

[Dwarful]

On our 2008 trip we put charging prvldgs on the 2 adult KTTK. This was our first trip on the dining plan that DID NOT include the tip and apptzr. Our first restaurant visit the waiter told us we had to put the 18% tip on our card. I kept close tabs on things and we had been charged twice for the tip. It took about 30 minutes to get it taken care of, but it was an annoyance. After that we always used one of the kids cards to use our dining credits. They didn't have charging prvldgs, so we could keep close tabs on our tips. Some were well over the 18% because of wonderful service, others were under due to poor service.

We have traveled with large groups before - as large as 36 at WDW, thankfully that was when tips were included. We did notice at certain dining locations, esp. certain buffets, once they knew we were a large group or on the tip included plan (old days) our service was lackluster.

The one thing no one has ever explained to me is why, as the OP asked, are dining tips based on the cost of the food. Search the boards and you will see similar tip pricing for mousekeeping regardless if you stay at the values or the deluxes. I specifically asked prior to our last trip at the Boardwalk. The room prices vary considerably, yet people still tip a few $$ per person each night. Why should I have to tip more for a steak dinner at Le Cellier than at Tony's IF the waiter does the same amount of work?

Then add the fact that WDW has some highly inflated prices and those tips become super sweet. When we went June 6-13 this year buffet prices were esp. high because they were on what they called 'seasonal holiday pricing'. That was one reason we ended up back on the dining plan because the out of pocket costs were only going to be a few dollars less on most days for just the sit down dinner.

Now if the food quality and service were back where it was I'd happily pay the extra $$.

 

[muteki]

Just out of curiosity, how does this factor in at places like Biergarten? I can't remember last I went, but if a party of two gets placed with 6 other guests, how does the tipping get handled then?

 

[Phonedave]

Just out of curiosity, how does this factor in at places like Biergarten? I can't remember last I went, but if a party of two gets placed with 6 other guests, how does the tipping get handled then?

Each party gets their own check, and tipping is handled accordingly.

Just because you are sharing the table, does not mean you are sharing the bill.

-dave

 

[PryncessLace]

^^^^

Glorified bussers who keep your glasses full, make sure everything is to your liking, ensure you have everything you need, and (when applicable) make sure you've seen the characters and have had plenty of cream for your coffee. If they visit my table as many times as any other TS server and ensure that my dining experience is top-notch then, to me, they earned the same as any other server because they've effectively done the exact same job in that sense. To each their own, I suppose. I just hate to short change people who work hard no matter what job they do.:animwink:

I think that if I had ever had that level of service from a buffet server (in WDW or otherwise) my opinion might be different. Unfortunately it hasn't been that way. So, perhaps my opinion is a little jaded.

 

[domndebs]

This is just my own opinion from a different perspective from the Uk.

Over here, we don't have the same tipping culture. In most resturants, there is not the same expectation to tip. Later this year our government are hoping to pass a law to stop resturants using tips as part of the servers wages - meaning any tip that I would choose to leave (or not) would not be part of the servers wage, but would be a 'reward' for superior service.

The whole tipping thing is one of the most annoying things I find about visiting the USA. On one trip I had an argument with the guy driving the rental-car bus back to the airport at the end of our holiday. Without me asking for or even wanting him to do it, he carried one of our cases off the bus, and then demanded a tip for doing it. As this was the end of the holiday, I had no dollors left and so could not give him a 'tip' even if I had wanted to (which I did not).

But this has got me thinking. We are planning a trip to AKL next year with free DDP, which is going to take a lot of saving to do. If I was to tip at 18-20% for every meal, how much extra do i need to budget?

 

[yankspy]

On our 2008 trip we put charging prvldgs on the 2 adult KTTK. This was our first trip on the dining plan that DID NOT include the tip and apptzr. Our first restaurant visit the waiter told us we had to put the 18% tip on our card. I kept close tabs on things and we had been charged twice for the tip. It took about 30 minutes to get it taken care of, but it was an annoyance. After that we always used one of the kids cards to use our dining credits. They didn't have charging prvldgs, so we could keep close tabs on our tips. Some were well over the 18% because of wonderful service, others were under due to poor service.

We have traveled with large groups before - as large as 36 at WDW, thankfully that was when tips were included. We did notice at certain dining locations, esp. certain buffets, once they knew we were a large group or on the tip included plan (old days) our service was lackluster.

The one thing no one has ever explained to me is why, as the OP asked, are dining tips based on the cost of the food. Search the boards and you will see similar tip pricing for mousekeeping regardless if you stay at the values or the deluxes. I specifically asked prior to our last trip at the Boardwalk. The room prices vary considerably, yet people still tip a few $$ per person each night. Why should I have to tip more for a steak dinner at Le Cellier than at Tony's IF the waiter does the same amount of work?

Then add the fact that WDW has some highly inflated prices and those tips become super sweet. When we went June 6-13 this year buffet prices were esp. high because they were on what they called 'seasonal holiday pricing'. That was one reason we ended up back on the dining plan because the out of pocket costs were only going to be a few dollars less on most days for just the sit down dinner.

Now if the food quality and service were back where it was I'd happily pay the extra $$.

Mousekeepers get paid a somewhat liveable wage. A servers wage is anywhere from $2.13-$6.00 per hour. A majority of a servers income is based on tips. Without some sort of standard, it would be difficult for a server to make a living. It would be tough to pay rent, utilities, etc. if one had no idea whatsoever of what they were going to make. With this system, a server can actually estimate how much they are are going to make on a weekly basis. (there are many other factors as to figuring out a servers income as well).

The thought is that the more you are paying, the higher the level of service. You tip more at a Morton's as opposed to a Denny's simply because the expectation for a higher level of service exists. You will also probably spend twice the amount the amount of time dining in a Morton's as opposed to a Denny's which also factors in as to why the tip is bigger as prices increase. In general, this may be true, but in places like Disney, this rule of thumb can be skewed because of higher pricing across the board as you have mentioned. It is not necessarily a perfect system, but the only other alternative is to pay servers an actual liveable wage which would be rather difficult for restaurants to do under current conditions.

 

[rkelly42]

This is the second thread on this, just pay the gratuity or go somewhere else. Even if you go outside the park large parties will most likely have the gratuity added. Either that or split up your party so it is not added on.

 

[Candyland]

Just another person who will find something wrong with everything. Don't go if you're going to cry, whimper and whine.

Why come and post at a Disney site if you are just going to be rude to people asking questions?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I often wonder if the gob es who boast about the size of their tip in percentage terms actually have a plate of something shared between 5, cause 20% of ________ all is still ________ all! And Id guess that if you have loads of money, like me, you dont have the need to brag about it to faceless no marks on an internet board.

If they want a tip, wear a coat if its cold, or get an education where you have a job not elying on begging.















That should do it.

 

[njDizFan]

I agree 18% at a buffet is too much. But if the restaurants had to pay all the employees at a restaurant a fair wage(servers, bussers, dish washers), your meal would probobly cost 20% more to make up for their bottom line.

Tipping is a mostly American concept, not sure why?

Tipping threads always get ulta heated and controversial. I was verbally threatened on the last one that I posted on, so I will bow out. Good Night.

 

[yankspy]

I often wonder if the gob es who boast about the size of their tip in percentage terms actually have a plate of something shared between 5, cause 20% of ________ all is still ________ all! And Id guess that if you have loads of money, like me, you dont have the need to brag about it to faceless no marks on an internet board.

If they want a tip, wear a coat if its cold, or get an education where you have a job not elying on begging.















That should do it.

Are there no prisons, are there no workhouses?:lookaroun

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Look at the size of my wadd.............

 

[mikeb1967]

Outragous!

Hello, Check this out. In Sept. '08 we had 6 dining each night including 1 10 yo. Each night was a battle to leave the auto-grat, not only because it was disproportionate to the service we received( especially buffets), but because it forced upon me while i was already spending thousands of $$$ to vacation at WDW. The night we ate at Mama Melrose, the auto-grat was like $27, the service was not that great but i saw no reason to beat the waiter up and complain to the mgr, even though we were told we "owed" the grat amount to settle our bill. We paid the bill (free dining) and left $20. We walked to the shop across the street and our waiter, still in his apron, walked up to me, in the shop across the street and proceeded to tell me i did not pay my bill... i just about flipped. We walked back into the restaurant where i spoke with the manager, where i gave him the definition of a gratuity. Surprisingly, he did not think that the waiters action were out of line??? Huh??? Anyway, i had my say and left the $20 as a gratuitous act. I purposely did not leave charging privileges on my key to the world card so servers could not charge excess grats, guess what??? In 3 restaurants, the servers charged gratuities to my room without my permission and without charging privileges even on my key card. I was outraged that this could happen... but it did at WDW. The charges were removed with much apology, and the resort CM said it happens everyday!!! But most people don't check their bill before they leave, so most end up paying it. Stand up for yourself, don't be guilt-ed or forced into paying for something that you do not think is fair or reasonable, even if it is a "rule", it is not lawful. BTW, there were only 2 occasions where we gave 20% for service, at Planet Hollywood and Captains Grille, all other locations were not even close to 18%. MikeB

 

[yankspy]

It's threads like this that give me just one more reason for hating free dining.

Edit: No offense to the OP.

 

[Monty]

Hello, Check this out. In Sept. '08 we had 6 dining each night including 1 10 yo. Each night was a battle to leave the auto-grat, not only because it was disproportionate to the service we received( especially buffets), but because it forced upon me while i was already spending thousands of $$$ to vacation at WDW. The night we ate at Mama Melrose, the auto-grat was like $27, the service was not that great but i saw no reason to beat the waiter up and complain to the mgr, even though we were told we "owed" the grat amount to settle our bill. We paid the bill (free dining) and left $20. We walked to the shop across the street and our waiter, still in his apron, walked up to me, in the shop across the street and proceeded to tell me i did not pay my bill... i just about flipped. We walked back into the restaurant where i spoke with the manager, where i gave him the definition of a gratuity. Surprisingly, he did not think that the waiters action were out of line??? Huh??? Anyway, i had my say and left the $20 as a gratuitous act. I purposely did not leave charging privileges on my key to the world card so servers could not charge excess grats, guess what??? In 3 restaurants, the servers charged gratuities to my room without my permission and without charging privileges even on my key card. I was outraged that this could happen... but it did at WDW. The charges were removed with much apology, and the resort CM said it happens everyday!!! But most people don't check their bill before they leave, so most end up paying it. Stand up for yourself, don't be guilt-ed or forced into paying for something that you do not think is fair or reasonable, even if it is a "rule", it is not lawful. BTW, there were only 2 occasions where we gave 20% for service, at Planet Hollywood and Captains Grille, all other locations were not even close to 18%. MikeB

Be grateful you weren't asked to leave the parks. :shrug:

The gratuity is billed in accordance with the terms and conditions of dining, of which you are obviously aware. If the waiter had chosen to call Security, they might well have simply escorted you out and barred you from re-entry. While you might think the mandatory gratuity is not legal [a stance I personally see no basis for], your choosing to abscond without paying it is most definitely grounds for Disney to take whatever actions against you they deem appropriate.

 

[mikeb1967]

Ejected?

Be grateful you weren't asked to leave the parks. :shrug:

The gratuity is billed in accordance with the terms and conditions of dining, of which you are obviously aware. If the waiter had chosen to call Security, they might well have simply escorted you out and barred you from re-entry. While you might think the mandatory gratuity is not legal [a stance I personally see no basis for], your choosing to abscond without paying it is most definitely grounds for Disney to take whatever actions against you they deem appropriate.

Hello, Not to sound rude, but you're crazy. I guess you are one of those people on this board who just takes the opposite view of every other persons view. Anyway, next time i'll just complain to the manager about the lack of service and have them remove the gratuity all together. I guess you must have money to throw around, i do not. I work hard for my money and when i go to WDW for 12 days and take 6 people and spend nearly $10k on vacations every year at WDW, the least i'd expect is someone to refill my drink or bring an extra napkin or even been seen after the order was taken, the servers don't even bring the meals anymore. I'll gladly reward for outstanding service and often do when i get it which is not often. If you're stuck on rules of an establishment, i understand your point, technically. If we would have received what was promised, ie. good service worthy of 18%, then i would have paid/ given the total amount requested. You do realize the is the gratuity we're talking about here, the bill for the food is paid and i did leave 13.5% gratuity. The servers need to earn it and not expect it, if not, find another job. You have to admit that good table service has greatly declined in the past 4 years because these servers don't have to do anything and still get a huge tip. Thanks for your input, it certainly is an interesting point of view. MikeB

 

[Dwarful]

Honestly, I wish they'd do away with the dining plan and get back to providing service. We have been with numerous large groups..as many as 36 in our group and it seems that when many servers see a 'group' they think 'auto tip' and the service falls far short from acceptable. I'd rather have a per person tip instead of a % of the bill. I don't agree that the cost of the meal should be the basis for the tip.

We started putting charging prvldgs on my card and my husband's card, leaving it off of the girls cards. Then we always use the girls cards for meals if we are on the dining plan. On more than one occassion I have left less than the 'requested amount' for the tip simply because service at the parks has been on a serious decline and I am not even going when free dining is offered. Unfortuately we seem to get stuck going when the inflated 'holiday' or summer meal pricing is in effect. I believe the dinner buffets at Crystal Palace and others were up to $35 per person for dinner...when traveling with kids 9 and over that puts a family of four at $140 with nearly a $26 tip, sorry thats a bit much for a buffet, esp. if the service isn't there.

 

[Dwarful]

Mikeb,
If that happens again, speak to the manager before hand. We had a group of 12 at the Biergarten for a late dinner. It was late, only one buffet line open, most tables were empty. The server seemed to know 'guaranteed tip' and left us on our own. We put the empty plates behind us, asked another server for drink refills (got them once). At the end of the night we spoke to the manager, explained our service and got the tip reduced. Let management know though so they can address the issue.

 

[goofykt]

I've actually never had a problem with auto gratuities - especially after talking with a CM on my last trip. We had an awesome waitress at 50's Prime Time, and since it wasn't very busy that night we got the chance to talk to her for a while. Somehow we got on the subject of tips, and my husband asked if they got stiffed a lot - especially with the dining plan. She said it happens A LOT, much more often than you'd think, because people either think it's included, or they think they've paid enough as it is for the dining plan and shouldn't have to give tips on top of it. She wasn't being grouchy or complainy about it, just giving a straightforward answer to my husband's question. Being a person that always gives at least 15% (15% = mediocre, 15%+ for good to excellent...and always 20% at WDW), I was completely horrified.

I hate when people are chincy tippers. Even though I've talked to my father-in-law multiple times about how people often punish the waiters for things that may or may not be in their control (food is bad or slow coming out), or how many restaurants don't even pay minimum wage because their tips are supposed to make up the difference (which is ________________ by the way)...he is the world's worst tipper. He thinks 15% is the tip of the iceburg and should only be given for stellar service, and he calculates tips on the pre-tax total because he refuses to "tip on tax"...and I quote..."I'm not paying tip on sales tax! that's ridiculous!"

 

[dormouse72]

Bussing isn't really an easy job. I know at home, the one job NO ONE wants to do (other than washing the dishes) is cleaning the table.

Think about it - those plates are heavy, especially at buffets where people think "I don't have to do the dishes!" so they get a clean plate for each trip up. Not to mention separate plates for salad, bread, etc. And if what you took isn't as good as you thought it was going to be...that's ok. Leave it and go get something else! And can I have a clean fork? Can't possibly eat a fresh plate with the old fork! And can you clear some of these dishes away so I have room for yet more plates?

Dirty napkins with God-knows-what in them (I was a waitress in a coffee shop in college and had to bus tables as well - one time I found someone's dentures!!! And how many kids take their retainers out to eat and fold them up in napkins? Or mom's who wipe Junior's nose after his sister makes him laugh and milk comes out?) Cups with half-melted ice cubes and watered down drinks with someone's chewed up straw. Placemat masterpieces covered in crumbs. Half-used creamers and butter packets. Empty baby food jars. They've got to clear the table anyway!

And that's only what's on top of the table....

And do it now because the next party of 7 is here and they want to sit down now...at a cleaned-up, properly set table.

The waitstaff will have to answer questions like "Is the iced tea sweetened or unsweetened? Really - is that all you have?", "Only Coke? But I like Pepsi better - are you sure you don't have any?" (or vice versa), "Oh leave me till last...I ALWAYS take so long to make up my mind!". And somehow - people don't think the waitstaff can hear them when they sigh "Honestly - the service just ISN'T what it used to be around here!":hammer:

We're a group of 13. Some people are on the meal plan; others are not. The waitstaff who gets our table is going to have to write up at least four different bills so that everyone's dining credits get charged to the correct rooms. We are only doing one buffet but I don't see how we'll be any easier to take care - the only thing would be that if what's on my plate isn't what I want it's my fault, not theirs. And with the auto-gratuity, I don't have to wait for my mother to whip out her calculator to figure out her portion to the final penny.

From answering my inane questions (which they've answered about 80,000 times already before I walked through the door), making sure that everyone gets exactly what they want, that dining credits are properly calculated, and my table is clean, 18% is not a lot to give to say "Thanks for doing something unpleasant for me so that I can have the luxury of getting up and walking away from my own mess!"

And I don't even have to do math :ROFLOL:

And this isn't to say I haven't had poor service. Someone who is clearly NOT doing their job requires that a discreet conversation with the manager takes place. But even then I'd probably have the tip adjusted lower rather than give nothing.