Dining plan changes to KILL Free Dining???

[cymbaldiva]

What you don't tip when you get alcohol, you tip based just on food? As a Server I am confused by this, and it is not right. Maybe I am reading your response wrong. Even when you go to a bar you tip right?

General rule of thumb is when ordering a meal with an alcoholic beverage you base the tip on the cost of food only, not food + alcohol.

 

[daliseurat]

Free dining is a great perk. Even if you have to actually TIP, you are still getting a great deal. It's offered only as an incentive to get people to come during periods that would be slow otherwise. So if it were to go away, who cares? It was something you only got if you came during a particular period. It's FREE, so you aren't losing anything. Granted, for many, this was a good way to justify the expense of a WDW trip. However, it's a PROMOTION and promotions change all the time.

I do have a question, are the menus actually CHANGED during FREE DINING? If so THAT really sucks. That mean people who BUY the meal plan are stuck with the change as well.

Frankly all these changes to the Dining Plan are very frustrating. Removing the tips and an appetizer from the plan is like removing 10-15 dollars from it per day. ( depending of course on the price of the appetizer and check total.) And for a family it could be $30-60 per day removed for the family. But, when I do the math, it's still an okay, maybe break even deal. But what I REALL liked about the Dining Plan was no having to THINK about what I was ordering price wise, and being able to indulge in an appetizer I might not normally order. And then, the best thing of all was not having to figure out the tip. I could always give a bit more if my server was truly superior. So these changes really irk me. It was a nice way to keep me eating at the parks and resorts that they now taken away(as far as I'm concerned) and put me in the midset to eat elsewhere.

 

[daliseurat]

General rule of thumb is when ordering a meal with an alcoholic beverage you base the tip on the cost of food only, not food + alcohol.

I never heard that rule. That's absolutely ridiculous. I ALWAYS tip the bartender, and I always base my tip on total cost of meal plus alcohol. And, when I used the Dining plan and had a glass of wine that was not included, I tipped for that. It's only right. Not to tip for alcohol is really rude. Unless of course your server or bartender is massively rude. Which I've never encountered at Disney.

 

[brucie]

Free dining is a great perk. Even if you have to actually TIP, you are still getting a great deal. It's offered only as an incentive to get people to come during periods that would be slow otherwise. So if it were to go away, who cares? It was something you only got if you came during a particular period. It's FREE, so you aren't losing anything. Granted, for many, this was a good way to justify the expense of a WDW trip. However, it's a PROMOTION and promotions change all the time.

I do have a question, are the menus actually CHANGED during FREE DINING? If so THAT really sucks. That mean people who BUY the meal plan are stuck with the change as well.

Frankly all these changes to the Dining Plan are very frustrating. Removing the tips and an appetizer from the plan is like removing 10-15 dollars from it per day. ( depending of course on the price of the appetizer and check total.) And for a family it could be $30-60 per day removed for the family. But, when I do the math, it's still an okay, maybe break even deal. But what I REALL liked about the Dining Plan was no having to THINK about what I was ordering price wise, and being able to indulge in an appetizer I might not normally order. And then, the best thing of all was not having to figure out the tip. I could always give a bit more if my server was truly superior. So these changes really irk me. It was a nice way to keep me eating at the parks and resorts that they now taken away(as far as I'm concerned) and put me in the midset to eat elsewhere.

We went in Sept 2006 All because of Free Dining, had no plans to do Disney at all that year, and since then we have gone again and bought the dining plan and are planning on going Sept 2008, providing there is free dining again!! We love the plan, I don't know if I would pay for it now that it has been changed!! But it's awesome!!!

 

[Computer Magic]

We went in Sept 2006 All because of Free Dining, had no plans to do Disney at all that year, and since then we have gone again and bought the dining plan and are planning on going Sept 2008, providing there is free dining again!! We love the plan, I don't know if I would pay for it now that it has been changed!! But it's awesome!!!

Disney offers the free Dining Plan in Sept for exactly that reason. Sept is consider a slow time, so this is a way to get people into the parks. I start going in Sept for that reason.

I'm not sure you can call it a free Dining Plan if you have to tip. I'm paying something. My biggest grip is Disney is trying to hide a 18% cost. People are not stupid...are they :lookaroun

I just know every part of Disneyworld has increased. That is why I'm starting to look elsewhere like Adventure By Disney. For about the same price I can see real rocks instead of fake rocks :lookaroun

 

[Laura]

Quite frankly I would love if they did away with the plan all together.

I miss the spontaneity of just walking up to the sit down restaurant you feel like eating at and getting right in or waiting very little time.

I girl can wish . . .

I completely agree. I hate the dining plan.

 

[cymbaldiva]

I never heard that rule. That's absolutely ridiculous. I ALWAYS tip the bartender, and I always base my tip on total cost of meal plus alcohol. And, when I used the Dining plan and had a glass of wine that was not included, I tipped for that. It's only right. Not to tip for alcohol is really rude. Unless of course your server or bartender is massively rude. Which I've never encountered at Disney.

This rule of thumb doesn't have anything to do with tipping your bartender in a bar - it's a general guideline for tipping your server when you order an alcoholic drink as your beverage with your meal in a resturant.

All it is a guideline - you're free to tip however you choose.

 

[mbly]

This thread is odd. So many complaining about the free dining plan. We are going in September anyways so, Free food heck yea!. Even if I had to pay the tip it would still be a rock bottom bargain, even though I'd tip more. The food is still free! Those who complain they can't get adr's can go the other 48 weeks free dining isn't offered. As far as buying the DDP that would be up to the person buying it if it was a good deal. But don't be mad others who got the free DDP. Who would turn it down?

 

[Mr.Stitch]

Actually the tip is not 18% across the board for the DDP - from my experience the tip % varies by restaurant E.G if the server buses their own table etc... Just because Disney is adding a 18% tip to your bill doesn't mean the sever may get it all...
This is what I've found out by talking to various servers at several different restaurants.

Common practice for most people is to tip is from 15 - 20% - this is even recommended by AAA.

I will tip if the service warrants it - even with the free dining I've tipped the last 2yrs if the service was better than expected. I think last year we left an extra tip for every table service meal (7 in total). And yes - I usually tip the bartender too! As I said a tip shouldn't be automatic - it should be based on the service you receive - that's why 15% is usually the starting point for tips. An 18% tip would mean the server did an above average job to warrant an additional tip %.

I find it funny how people are complaining that it will cost them a ton of money for tipping when you are getting the food for FREE!! How much would have it cost you to pay for the food (even if you only ate at counter service)??? I agree that the tips should be included in the plan - keeps things less complicated & lets me know what my cost will be up front.

I still think the FREE DDP is a great deal - even if you pay for tips. Will I still take advantage of free dining next year - you bet as it saves me a few hundred bucks - even with tipping!! Would I pay for it?? Not sure - I think the value of it has gone down with the changes.

 

[The Mom]

This rule of thumb doesn't have anything to do with tipping your bartender in a bar - it's a general guideline for tipping your server when you order an alcoholic drink as your beverage with your meal in a resturant.

All it is a guideline - you're free to tip however you choose.

This is the first time I've heard of this! We almost always order a bottle of wine, which could easily equal or exceed the cost of an entree, and have always included the cost when computing our tip. There have been times when our alchohol cost has exceeded our food cost.

 

[kucarachi]

Dine No More Plan

Its ok if its free, how can you argue with that kind of value. But with all the trouble you have to go through to plan every day of your trip around what you are eating seems to kill some of the magic. If your really having a good time who wants to get so loaded on food there shoes dont fit anymore. And even if you dont eat it you have to carry your leftover spare ribs in your pockets on a hot summer day...which gets old after 10 min. I never had to carry one single, solitary dollar on me the whole trip...now they want you to order on the dining plan ..have your meal get into the high 80's or even 100 dollar range and you have to tip anywhere from 15 to 25 dollars now...over 7 days thats at the very least 105 bucks....And is the price of the dining plan going down since you have to cover some of the cost yourself...nope..in fact by the time i post this, its gone up another 10 bucks i bet. At some point disney is going to have to learn that people have no trouble spending the increasingly high prices of gas to get there....the increasingly high ticket and hotel prices when they get there..and now pay even more on something thats supposed to be pre paid. Why dont we mind? Because it wouldnt exist with out us thats why. And once disney realizes that we (the people that visit year after year) are going to start having to stay off site...and eat at mcdonalds just to get a few rides on space mountain. Or at least offer better perks to the people staying on property...such as a choice of one fast pass good on any 1 ride each day.....even if the fast pass machine is down which seems to happen on certain rides (TOT & Test Track) almost every trip!

And why do you have to tip the bartender? All they do is pour the drink from the big bottle and put an itsy bitsy drop in your little cup with a little bit of spritzer. All this for 4.50...with a tip of 1...so pretty much kool aid with a kick for the price of a counter service meal! Pop a few aspirins if you need to loosen up that much!

 

[MickeyFan77]

General rule of thumb is when ordering a meal with an alcoholic beverage you base the tip on the cost of food only, not food + alcohol.

NEVER heard of this rule. I have been in the service industry for 16 years serving and bartending and I ALWAYS tip based on the total bill. You have to remember that at most restuarants the server SHARES their tip with bus people, bartenders, etc. Also as someone mentioned bartenders also get paid a lower wage with tips in my experience.

 

[JimboJones123]

Im sorry but this logic seems silly. I am going to be at WDW and enjoying the free dining plan for the first time and have already planned to leave a tip for the servers just because I feel it is the right thing to do (unless for some reason they are rude to me and then since I don't have to I wont). So with your logic, if someone said "your meal will be free, just pay for the tip" you would say "no thank you, I would rather pay for my meal and then a tip to boot"? :shrug: I am also sure that the poor servers get stiffed with tips all the time. I will not pretend to be an expert, but in some foreign countries I have been to, you don't tip, period. If you leave a few coins on the table that is totally up to you and not expected. It is possible that if some people are not used to our customs they just might not know?

I'm happy you enjoy your Fantasyland where the world tips just like you. I'm also sure that the servers wouldn't share your point of view.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It isn't fair for Disney to offer a discount with a premium that you are to pay when using the "free" add on. Thus the offer won't come again. They aren't that stupid.

 

[JimboJones123]

Bad idea for who? Disney's concern is not with the waitstaff and their tips - its with filling the rooms on property.

If Disney feels that the cost/benefit analysis of offering so-called free dining next August/September will fill the resorts and not harm the bottom line too much, then they will do it - they've done it the past 2 years, and again this year.

Clearly you need to put in an effort to read the previous posts.

 

[brianhorn]

There has been a lot of discussion about tipping and I think where most people over tip is they base the tip on the entire bill and not the cost before tax. In MA there is a 5% meal tax so you should not have to pay a tip on tax. As far as the amount goes, I think 20% is standard, unless service is bad.
On a different note, the real advantage of the free DDP is that you only have to pay for one day magic your way to get the dinning for your entire stay. For us this works out great. Last year when we did the free dinning, we had an annual pass so we saved our one day MYW ticket for this year. We purchased the required MYW for this year, that gives us two days. We are attending the Pirates and Princess party, that almost gives us three, and the rest of the time we are just going to enjoy the amenities.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

There have been times when our alchohol cost has exceeded our food cost.

Lush....:animwink: or is it Skorrisshhhh blood.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Clearly you need to put in an effort to read the previous posts.

I did just reread every single post - twice.

You seem to have three major concerns:

1 - that the wait staff will not be tipped appropriately - perfectly valid concern

2 - that since the tip is no longer included, that the guests will tip less or not at all - again, perfectly valid concern

3 - that the guests will complain that they now need to worry about tipping, where they didn't before - I agree, some will


But from those points, you try and draw the conclusion that it would be stupid for Disney to offer the free dining plan again. Here is where I disagree with you.

The free dining plan is a big draw - people like getting something for free, even if it comes out to be not free since they don't get a room discount or need to pay tips out of pocket.

As long as people feel they are getting something for free, like a certain number of meals in their trip - the promotion will be a success - and it will fill rooms on property.

That is ALL that Disney cares about - getting the bodies on property, into the theme parks, into the restaurants, and into the gift shops - to spend their vacation money.

As long as that promotion continues to draw people, Disney will continue to offer it.

They are not going to stop offering it because the wait staff is unhappy, unfortunately.

 

[Erika]

This is the first time I've heard of this! We almost always order a bottle of wine, which could easily equal or exceed the cost of an entree, and have always included the cost when computing our tip. There have been times when our alchohol cost has exceeded our food cost.

:lol:

I always include the alcohol as well. I always thought that was the standard. :shrug:
Before tax, though.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It isn't fair for Disney to offer a discount with a premium that you are to pay when using the "free" add on. Thus the offer won't come again. They aren't that stupid.

Fair? Fair to whom?

It happens now. In order for anyone to get the free dining plan, you must purchase at least a single day ticket in your package. Annual Passholders "pay" this "premium" if they feel its in their best interest to get the "free" dining add-on.

Guests won't turn down free food, even if they need to pay the tip out of pocket - if they feel its in their best interest.

 

[Lucky]

General rule of thumb is when ordering a meal with an alcoholic beverage you base the tip on the cost of food only, not food + alcohol.

I have never heard this before in my life. I was a server in several restaurants when I was in college and never encountered this practice. I can assure you that this is not a "rule of thumb" for many people, at least in this country. The only thing I've heard that is often excluded from the tip calculation is sales tax: many people tip on the pre-tax amount.