Question on tipping with free dining plan

[I_heart_Tigger]

For your benefit, I'm adding a link to a printable tip table. I've seen these for sale at certain stores. They are about the size/durability of a credit card. It will help with the calculations on 15% and 20% tips. If you want to give 25%, just divide the 20% number by 4 and then add it to the 20% number.

Standard tipping in the US is 15 - 20%; however, large parties in restaurants usually get an automatic gratuity of 18%.

http://www.itipping.com/free-tip-table.htm

my 2 cents...

dave

Great idea very helpful, I'll be taking that with me.

Thanks to all for your advice. It is important to me that servers get a decent tip if they do a good job especially since I know I could never do that job half as well as the servers I usually get at Disney.

 

[kitten2299]

Especially as the highest state sales tax in the U.S. is California at 7.25% (and there's a few others at 7%). Doubling that wouldn't even get you to the "suggested minimum" 15%... And doubling Florida's 6% only gets you 12%.
Here in Massachusetts, we have 5% sales tax (though in a few weeks, who knows...) and it's simple to triple or quadruple it to get 15-20%.

-Rob

sales taxes in Upstate New York is 8.75% it was just lowered from 9.25% so I guess we win for highest sales tax :brick:

 

[I Heart Figment]

sales taxes in Upstate New York is 8.75% it was just lowered from 9.25% so I guess we win for highest sales tax :brick:

NYC Sales tax is 8.375%. Also higher than California.

Sales Tax in Orlando is 6.5% so doubling the tax would only give a 13% tip. You're better off using the handy dandy tip calculator that most phones have now.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Especially as the highest state sales tax in the U.S. is California at 7.25% (and there's a few others at 7%). Doubling that wouldn't even get you to the "suggested minimum" 15%... And doubling Florida's 6% only gets you 12%.
Here in Massachusetts, we have 5% sales tax (though in a few weeks, who knows...) and it's simple to triple or quadruple it to get 15-20%.

-Rob

While California might have the highest STATE sales tax, there are a number of places in the country where you pay city or county taxes on top of the state amount. As states, sales tax in New York City is nearly 8.5%. I am in upstate New York for school. We pay 4% state sales tax and then 4% county tax on that as well.

So in some places the tax doubling system can work if you aren't looking to tip too high. However, the math isn't that bad so you can figure out what 20% or so should be.

 

[unkadug]

drop the last digit off your total - then double it.

Total bill = $37.62

drop last digit = 376
double it = 752 or $7.52


Presto 20%

 

[MissM]

Aren't tips pooled in many cases?

Not really. Typically, a server gives a percentage to bartenders and busers but...it depends on the restaurant. If it's a set-up where you have servers and runners then, yes, tips are often shared and/or pooled. But at LTT, we had one server the entire time. So I presume that any tip would be the server's alone in that type of situation. Perhaps if there's a CM who's a server at WDW can clarify how it's handled there.

*shrugs*

I'd just hate for a good server who went above and beyond not to get some recognition and appreciation for their help.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

While California might have the highest STATE sales tax, there are a number of places in the country where you pay city or county taxes on top of the state amount. As states, sales tax in New York City is nearly 8.5%. I am in upstate New York for school. We pay 4% state sales tax and then 4% county tax on that as well.

So in some places the tax doubling system can work if you aren't looking to tip too high. However, the math isn't that bad so you can figure out what 20% or so should be.

And I was thinking how lucky I am that in the past few years my taxes were lowered from 18% to 15% to 13%...that 13% is NOTHINg to me now (although the 15% tax was easy to do in your head when you were purchasing something)

 

[gspin2k1]

I don't see why you couldn't pay tip either charge to room or in cash. From most of my food service friends they prefer cash because they don't get taxed on it, but hey it's about your dining experience when you're on vacation not their tips. So honestly if you have cash and don't mind giving it as tip please do, if not, charge the tip. Automatic tip gratuity on the DDP is 18% for parties of 6 or more...if less it's up to your discretion.

Tipping in the US in general is much higher than anywhere else i've ever seen (I travel a lot). In the US the typical tip is 15-20% for normal service, more for extra ordinary service. Honestly I tip based off of service. 10% run of the mill, 15% pretty good...and upwards up to however much I feel if you do outstanding service...and 0-5% if you give me garbage/rude/bad service...but I highly doubt you'll get rude/bad service from a CM in Disney World.

So to sum it all up...I think you're safe tipping 15-20%...but in all honesty, it's your money (not everyone is in the same financial situation as others), tip how you feel.

~G

 

[gspin2k1]

drop the last digit off your total - then double it.

Total bill = $37.62

drop last digit = 376
double it = 752 or $7.52


Presto 20%

Not necessarily. Because tip theoretically is calculated based off the total before tax. i.e. which is why for a 15% tip most people just double tax...(if it's 7.5% sadly here in Washington it's now a whopping 9.5%)

So if florida state tax is 7.5%, and you're tipping $7.52 for a $37.62 meal. You're actually tipping closer to 21.5% or 22% if you want to round up.

~G

 

[unkadug]

Not necessarily. Because tip theoretically is calculated based off the total before tax. i.e. which is why for a 15% tip most people just double tax...(if it's 7.5% sadly here in Washington it's now a whopping 9.5%)

So if florida state tax is 7.5%, and you're tipping $7.52 for a $37.62 meal. You're actually tipping closer to 21.5% or 22% if you want to round up.

~G

According to who? :brick: The tip is based off total price.

Not price before tax, not price before drinks, not price before dessert.

You can't make up the rules as go along. The server can't pay bills on a percentage of what you decide should be tippable, just as your can't decide what should be taxable.

And if you think that saving yourself a few cents is worth it then perhaps you should eat at home.

 

[Lucky]

According to who? :brick: The tip is based off total price.

Not price before tax, not price before drinks, not price before dessert.

You can't make up the rules as go along. The server can't pay bills on a percentage of what you decide should be tippable, just as your can't decide what should be taxable.

And if you think that saving yourself a few cents is worth it then perhaps you should eat at home.

I've heard many times that tip is calculated on the pre-tax bill. IF anyone is making up a rule, it's you.

And whatever you think is the appropriate percentage, remember there's always another holier-than-thou person out there who tips higher than you, and could tell you to stay home if you're too cheap to tip appropriately.

 

[gspin2k1]

Thank you. I tip to award good service. Not to impress my friends/strangers with how much extra money I can throw on my bill and/or make them feel like cheapskates because I tip more. I'm pretty sure a business and server would much more appreciate someone showing up and buying a $7-10 burger and tipping $1-2 than staying home and not spending any money (or tips) there at all... especially given our current state of economy where businesses are already starting to de-staff and close down all over.


~G

 

[TURKEY]

I've heard many times that tip is calculated on the pre-tax bill. IF anyone is making up a rule, it's you.

I've always tipped on pre-tax as well. It has nothing to do with what you are ordering or the service. Tax is the one constant. It's not set by the restaurant and the restaurant doesn't really get any money from it either.

Why should I pay tip on the tax other than to increase the tip?


I normally tip about 20% pre-tax and then round up to the next dollar. It just depends on the quality and amount of service. If a server takes my order, brings my drink, then my meal, and does nothing else, they aren't going to get the same size tip as someone that brings 4 or 5 refills and stops by the table multiple times.

 

[unkadug]

This whole thread makes me sad for you people.

Perhaps it should be a requirement for everyone at some point in their lives to work in the service industry.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

I really didn't think this would cause an argument here...I realize tipping is an individual thing and really just wanted a guideline of what amount is reasonable, though I will adjust based on my experience at the restaurant and my budget, as anyone naturally would.

Thanks for letting me know that tips aren't included, though because that's something else I will have to budget for when I get my US currency.

Let's just all say we tip what we can when we can based on service and leave it at that, shall we.:shrug:

 

[TURKEY]

This whole thread makes me sad for you people.

Perhaps it should be a requirement for everyone at some point in their lives to work in the service industry.

What about it makes you sad? :shrug:

 

[gspin2k1]

Let's just all say we tip what we can when we can based on service and leave it at that, shall we.:shrug:

The tipping debate happens a lot anywhere (believe me it's worse on food review websites). Mainly due to a lot of people who have worked the food industry and feel the need to "Educate" the rest of the world on how tipping should be. I actually did work the food industry in college which made me even less generous with my tipping lol. But I agree tip what you want based off of what you feel was good service and worth your money.

~G

 

[Lucky]

I worked for many years in restaurants, and tips from waiting tables basically paid my way through college. But if a customer didn't think I provided good enough service, it was his or her right to leave me a smaller tip.

I'm not sure tips are the best way to pay servers. But the whole point of it is to create incentives to provide better service. If customers didn't reduce tips in response to poor service, there would be no incentive, & they should be paid like regular hourly employees.

Waiting tables can be a hard job, and not everyone is very good at it. The ones that aren't should do something they're better at, and make room for someone else who can provide better service. If they're all tipped 20% that will never happen, and you'll have many more unhappy restaurant customers and lower restaurant revenues.

In my experience servers at WDW tend to be better than at other restaurants. The most common "problem" we have is that some of them actually try too hard, instead of letting you relax and giving you your space.

 

[Mickey-Mommy]

We tip between 15-20+%. If service is bad, I tip 15%. If it is average, it's about 18% and if they go above and beyond to make us happy then anywhere between 20-25%. We always figure tipping on the pre-tax amount.

We look to see how long it takes for our server to get to our table or at least great us in any way, take our drink and then food order. Refill drinks without being asked and check on us regularly. If all of that is done, then they'll get 20+%. I expect that type of service at any restaurant, not just Disney. I don't feel I need to tip more just because I'm at Disney, I tip on the service I receive.

 

[DisneyJoe]

From most of my food service friends they prefer cash because they don't get taxed on it,...

That's a completely separate can of worms!!!