buffet question about tipping

wvdisneyfamily

wvdisneyfamily

Well-Known Member
unkadug said:
I agree that everyone should work in a service industry at some point in their life. The earlier the better.
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Agreed... I pulled my time in the service industry while I was in college. However, I still think that tips should be based on the quality of service presented. I have a problem generously tipping someone for a job they didn't do well.
 
mikeb1967

mikeb1967

Member
Automatic 18%

Rob562 said:
From what I've heard and read, Disney entered the last contract negotiation with the stand that the tip from the DDP would be removed, period. The union's response was "OK, what do we get in exchange?".

So, in exchange, the union got the party size lowered from 8 to 6 whereby an automatic 18% gratuity is added to a bill. Also, they got the automatic 18% gratuity added onto all Disney Dining Experience meals, regardless of number of Guests in the party. (Which I've heard was a pretty good decision for the servers... Some DDE Guests were leaving the original price of their meal before discount which meant a 20% tip, but many more were calculating their tips based on the post-discount meal price...)

-Rob
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Hello, this is my big question: If you have 6 people dining at a table, and they will automatically add 18% to your bill, how can anyone be forced to pay 18% gratuity? We will have 6 people dining each night in sept. from 2 separate rooms (2 parties of 3 sitting together) Will Disney force us to pay 18%, and how will they do this, we have the Free dining promotion. Is there some kind of gratuity law in Florida that we must comply with? Why should my family and I be punished for having 6 people on vacation. In Sept. this will be my 5th trip to WDW in the past 4 years, I have spent nearly $25,000 on these 5 trips at WDW. Why should I have to worry about an 18% gratuity when i go out to eat each night? I swear, when i sit down at my dinner on sept. 12 at Teppan Edo, and i get harassed about an 18% tip, i'm gonna freak out.

Has anyone had 6 or more dining that could share how this is handled at the restaurant level. I plan on leaving a cash tip, i just don't want to be told how much and be forced to do it, it's not the money, it's the point of the matter. I have gone so far as to plan not to have my credit card linked to my room key, for fear of misc. gratuity charges on my bill. This is a big hassle and burden that Disney has placed on it's loyal $$$paying$$$ guests.
MikeB
 
kjd469

kjd469

New Member
CanadianMegan said:
I think it is ridiculous that in the US they allow employers to pay servers less than minimum wage.

As mentioned previously, in all Canadian provinces you must be paid minimum wage. And then you may collect your gratuities which must be documented for taxation purposes. Servers and other restaurant staff who would recieve gratuities MUST report them on their tax return. And as it should, the gratuities are taken as wages and are taxed accordingly.

As for buffet servers VS table servers: I don't thin kthat they should be tipped the same. Obviously the server is doing a lot less work working the buffet establishment.

Also, do these servers have to pay out to any form of 'tip pool' for their support staff? Hosts etc.

I would tip 10-15% for buffet servers
15-20+ for table servers depending on the establishment and service. If I have a fantastic server I am more than willing to over-tip them.
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Not all Canadian provinces have this rule - Ontario has a much lower minimum wage for servers! Rules vary from province to province.
 
K

kimmychad

Member
mikeb1967 said:
Hello, this is my big question: If you have 6 people dining at a table, and they will automatically add 18% to your bill, how can anyone be forced to pay 18% gratuity? We will have 6 people dining each night in sept. from 2 separate rooms (2 parties of 3 sitting together) Will Disney force us to pay 18%, and how will they do this, we have the Free dining promotion. Is there some kind of gratuity law in Florida that we must comply with? Why should my family and I be punished for having 6 people on vacation. In Sept. this will be my 5th trip to WDW in the past 4 years, I have spent nearly $25,000 on these 5 trips at WDW. Why should I have to worry about an 18% gratuity when i go out to eat each night? I swear, when i sit down at my dinner on sept. 12 at Teppan Edo, and i get harassed about an 18% tip, i'm gonna freak out.

Has anyone had 6 or more dining that could share how this is handled at the restaurant level. I plan on leaving a cash tip, i just don't want to be told how much and be forced to do it, it's not the money, it's the point of the matter. I have gone so far as to plan not to have my credit card linked to my room key, for fear of misc. gratuity charges on my bill. This is a big hassle and burden that Disney has placed on it's loyal $$$paying$$$ guests.
MikeB
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if you feel the service doesn't warrant an 18% gratuity, speak to the manager and adjust it. i never understood why larger tables incur an automatic tip in the first place, wouldn't it be easier for the waiter to have all those people in one place versus seperate tables? i know when me and my wifes extended family visit in sept we won't be tipping $25 for the 7 of us at chef mickeys breakfast, i've been there a few times, the foods already overpriced and the server just doesn't earn that kind of tip, not for bringing us some drinks and taking some plates. the new way they print out the receipts is really confusing, theres 3 different totals, one accounting for an 18% tip, one for a 15% tip and then the amount you actually owe. i've never seen this anywhere else, and is actually kind of insulting - i'll give what i want anyways.
 
E

Eyorefan

Active Member
I have had some servers at character meals who earn their tip. They come and talk and brighten up the room, get refill our drinks and take our plates right away. I haven't thought twice about giving them a nice big tip.

On the other hand, most of the waiters I have had at buffets at Disney have been horrible. Once they bring our drinks, they are gone. I have had to trake others down for a refill, plates of piled up at our table. One time, it took us 30 minutes just to find out waiter to ask for the check so we could leave! On those occations I have spken with my wallet and left as little as one penny.

I get that being a waiter is a rough job, everyone has thier off day. But if you know you work for tips and you do nothing to earn that tip, I don't feel sorry for you at all.
 
mikeb1967

mikeb1967

Member
Guest Relations

Hello, All this talk about an automatic 18% on parties of 6 or more has really got me torked, so i called guest relations. I explained that we had 6 people dining each night and expressed that i intend to tip based on the quality of service rather than being forced to give a certain amount. She said that parties of 6 or more an 18% amount WILL be charged to my room automatically unless: i tell the server at the beginning of the meal that i prefer to leave a cash tip and they will not put it on my bill. I hate to have to do that right from the getgo cause the server is now thinking that they are gonna get a lesser amount. But, she told me that guest relations rarely gets a call about a dining problem verses earlier this year. She also stated that the 2009 DDP details should be released in the next couple weeks, last year details came around aug. 13. She said that everything seems to be being handled at the restaurant level. So i plan to tell them at the beginning of the meal, remind them when they prepare the bill and double check my room charge each day to make sure. I hate to have to even worry about doing all this but I certainly don't want to have had left cash on the table and then find a charge on my room bill. This way i'll leave what i want. I'm so torked about the whole gratuity deal, i don't want it to ruin any part of my vacation. MikeB

Anyone else with 6 or more have any recent experiences? Let us know.
 
Y

ypcat

Member
Iknewagirlnamed said:
It amazes me how many cheap people there are. If any server gets less than 15%, honestly 20%, it is an insult. Especially if they do a good job. 20% should be the minimum buffet or not. They still refill drinks, take plates away, make sure the food is alright, etc. They still have side work and make anywhere from $2.13/hr to $3.50.
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Service is between the employee and the customer. Compensation is between the employee and the employer. I have nothing to do with how much they make, but the servers agreed to work at that rate with the assumption the generosity of others will help them get by. I'd much rather see restaraunts pay their servers at least a minimum wage, not ask for tips, and then charge 15-20% more to pay for it. I'm sure some servers will still be tipped for going above and beyond.

That said, I do usually leave 18% just so I don't have to do math while on vacation. Around here, I will leave 10% at buffets if I get to see the server at all.
 
WildcatDen

WildcatDen

Well-Known Member
Well, 40% for a 3-way and a coke would be about $3, so I guess I am not as generous as you regardless of their height.

Of course, you would be rather popular at one of Ruby's steak houses.
 
ClemsonTigger

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
mikeb1967 said:
Hello, this is my big question: If you have 6 people dining at a table, and they will automatically add 18% to your bill, how can anyone be forced to pay 18% gratuity? We will have 6 people dining each night in sept. from 2 separate rooms (2 parties of 3 sitting together) Will Disney force us to pay 18%, and how will they do this, we have the Free dining promotion. Is there some kind of gratuity law in Florida that we must comply with? Why should my family and I be punished for having 6 people on vacation. In Sept. this will be my 5th trip to WDW in the past 4 years, I have spent nearly $25,000 on these 5 trips at WDW. Why should I have to worry about an 18% gratuity when i go out to eat each night? I swear, when i sit down at my dinner on sept. 12 at Teppan Edo, and i get harassed about an 18% tip, i'm gonna freak out.

Has anyone had 6 or more dining that could share how this is handled at the restaurant level. I plan on leaving a cash tip, i just don't want to be told how much and be forced to do it, it's not the money, it's the point of the matter. I have gone so far as to plan not to have my credit card linked to my room key, for fear of misc. gratuity charges on my bill. This is a big hassle and burden that Disney has placed on it's loyal $$$paying$$$ guests.
MikeB
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While I understand your frustration with being told that you must do this, Disney is far from unique with this. Most restaurants I know of have a similar type practice, although usually for parties of 8 or 10.

The bottom line however is you are entering a private dining establishment, as long as they make you aware of the fee's ahead of time, that is their perogative.

How about extra plate fee for sharing of entree's?
Corking fee for when I bring my own wine?

Not saying any of it is "fair"
but you can either accept it or exercise your choice
 
imamouse

imamouse

Well-Known Member
Rob562 said:
From what I've heard and read, Disney entered the last contract negotiation with the stand that the tip from the DDP would be removed, period. The union's response was "OK, what do we get in exchange?".

So, in exchange, the union got the party size lowered from 8 to 6 whereby an automatic 18% gratuity is added to a bill. Also, they got the automatic 18% gratuity added onto all Disney Dining Experience meals, regardless of number of Guests in the party. (Which I've heard was a pretty good decision for the servers... Some DDE Guests were leaving the original price of their meal before discount which meant a 20% tip, but many more were calculating their tips based on the post-discount meal price...)

-Rob
Click to expand...

AND - the same 18% is automatically applied to the bill at buffets and table service locations. So, with the DDE card, you are "forced" to tip 18% for buffets and for sub par service unless you speak to a manager.

Note: I usually tip 20% for good table service anyway and I always figure my tip based on the full price of the meal, not the discounted amount. And no - I've never worked in food service, but I have a lot of empathy for those who do. However, I disagree with 18% for buffets and won't be eating at any due to this new automatic charge.
 
BRER DAD

BRER DAD

New Member
Im just taking a guess, but dont the resturants at WDW see more attendence then your average resturant. Even if every diner put a 5$ on the table regardless of the price of a meal, I would think this would be a hell of a lot of money in a work day compared to a server at a non-Disney reaturant. Just my 2 cents.
 
Club Cooloholic

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
Why so cheap? I agree, on a buffett it seems hard to tip as much but they are probably clearing more, and delivering more, which is actually the tough stuff.
 
EpcoTim

EpcoTim

Well-Known Member
BRER DAD said:
Im just taking a guess, but dont the resturants at WDW see more attendence then your average resturant. Even if every diner put a 5$ on the table regardless of the price of a meal, I would think this would be a hell of a lot of money in a work day compared to a server at a non-Disney reaturant. Just my 2 cents.
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But thats assuming that every diner actually tipped, and my guess would be that the servers at Disney get stiffed or left with change more times than not.
 

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