Tipping--how to handle?

[gettingsmaller]

Hey,
This isn't another thread about how MUCH a person should tip (to beat that horse some more, I think we'd have move up the food chain and beat the dog that the horse has been fed to by now...). Rather, I am wondering about your opinions on HOW to tip. We have a trip coming up in December, and I can't decide if I should take some cash and handle it all with cash, OR if I should just put it on a credit/room card. I've heard of double-charges on cards, etc., and I wonder: what IS the most "fool-proof" method for handling tips (esp. when on the DDP, as we will be)?
Cash would NORMALLY be an easy way to assure that you are not double-billed, etc., BUT they have to take my KTTW card to charge the credits, right? So, couldn't they just charge that tip back to my room (and I wouldn't find out until later)?

 

[maelstrom]

Charging to your room key works just like charging to your credit card; put a line through the tip line and put the total without a tip on the total line, then leave a tip in cash. Keep your receipts, just in case a dishonest employee tries to charge a tip on your room key (this happens with credit cards, too).

Anyone I've ever known who has waited tables has preferred a cash tip.

 

[tigsmom]

We always leave the tip in cash and hand it to our server.

 

[Senderella]

We did cash last trip and it worked well. DH would cash a Traveler's Check every morning at the concierge desk. This trip, however, I'm going to use a tip I saw someone post on one of the other threads. I'm only going to have charging privledges on one card and use the other card for redeeming DDP. Can't charge tip on a card that doesn't have charging privledges. It will stink that DH (or I depending on how we rock, paper, scissor it) won't have charging privledges like a grounded child, but better to be safe than have someone double charging tip..even accidently. A lot less hassle in the long run.

 

[gettingsmaller]

We did cash last trip and it worked well. DH would cash a Traveler's Check every morning at the concierge desk. This trip, however, I'm going to use a tip I saw someone post on one of the other threads. I'm only going to have charging privledges on one card and use the other card for redeeming DDP. Can't charge tip on a card that doesn't have charging privledges. It will stink that DH (or I depending on how we rock, paper, scissor it) won't have charging privledges like a grounded child, but better to be safe than have someone double charging tip..even accidently. A lot less hassle in the long run.

I was wondering about this... So, can I have NO CHARGING PRIVILEGES at all and this wouldn't be a problem? I thought I had seen someone suggest that things could be charged to the room, regardless of linking a credit card, etc.. Hmmm... so that brings up another question: are charging privileges a separate issue from linking a credit card to your KKTW? Can you set it up so that NOBODY has charging privileges? I don't mind using a credit card for any purchases I might make...

 

[Phonedave]

Charging to your room key works just like charging to your credit card; put a line through the tip line and put the total without a tip on the total line, then leave a tip in cash. Keep your receipts, just in case a dishonest employee tries to charge a tip on your room key (this happens with credit cards, too).

Anyone I've ever known who has waited tables has preferred a cash tip.

I think the OP is asking about when they include the tip automaticaly.

If the tip is not included, and I am leaving cash, I do what you do, but I write "cash tip" on the tip line.

If the tip is included, and I want to break it out in cash, then I do the same thing. Make the adjustment to the bill, and write "CASH TIP" in big letter on it. That way they know you are leaving a cash tip, and they dont assume you meant to include it on the charge.

-dave

 

[Mori Anne]

People don't get double charged the tip... most of the time... but what does happen is this

When you pay with your credit card, the resturant will swipe you card for the bill total and the machine is set up to add an additional 18 percent. This becomes a pending charge. So regardless if you leave a tip or not, your card was just temporarily charged for the bill plus 18 percent. Although, when you get your bill to sign, it will just show the bill total, it won't show that they already "temp. charged you a tip also". Many eating places do this because they don't want a charge to come back "declined" when they try to process a tip. And, many managers etc., aren't even aware that the credit card machine does this either.

When the restaraunt deposits the charges into the bank, and no tip was processed (assuming you left cash and not on the card) the original amount of the bill will be deducted from your account and the additional amount will "drop off". It will seem that you got charged for a tip even when you really didn't. The "additional amount" will drop off after the restuarant actually runs the credit card machine at the end of the night, therefor, the pending with the additional tip will drop offf to just the bill a day later.

HOWEVER, Not all resturants do this nightly, some do at WDW and some don't. I also notice that many rest. it takes them a few days to actually deposit the credit card charges... Therefor, it eats away at my available balance until the charges are deposited and the "tip" drops off.

It sounds confusing, and I am not good at explaining things, but if credit balance is an issue (prepaid credit cards, this is a big issue as it takes days at times for a "pending" to show corrected) than don't even use your credit card at all.

Cheers

PS. Not all eating facilities do this practice of "temporarily authorizing of a 18 - 20 percent tip" but many if not most do. My stepdad is a bank Vice President, and this is one of the biggest things that gets people upset when they see "pending charges" on their accounts from the resturants they just ate at "overcharged" them, but when the charge posts it posts the correct amount.

 

[fosse76]

Leave cash. I once didn't tell the waitress I was going to charge my tip to the room key, so when she returned to the table after deducting my meal credit, she couldn't charge my room key because there was no longer a meal to associate the charge with. So I ended up going back the next evening to give her a cash tip. You bet I tipped cash the rest of the trip!

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Tipping cash is always, always, always appreciated. I have worked for tips, and have friends who do, and not only is it easier but it leaves no record. Cash transactions are a hand-to-hand business, leaving no paper trail.

People who work for tips prefer this method over all others and it has the benefit of never bouncing or disputed charges or anything of the like. Also, I've known employers to take a cut of credit card tips.

 

[Lucky]

Hey,
This isn't another thread about how MUCH a person should tip (to beat that horse some more, I think we'd have move up the food chain and beat the dog that the horse has been fed to by now...). Rather, I am wondering about your opinions on HOW to tip. We have a trip coming up in December, and I can't decide if I should take some cash and handle it all with cash, OR if I should just put it on a credit/room card. I've heard of double-charges on cards, etc., and I wonder: what IS the most "fool-proof" method for handling tips (esp. when on the DDP, as we will be)?
Cash would NORMALLY be an easy way to assure that you are not double-billed, etc., BUT they have to take my KTTW card to charge the credits, right? So, couldn't they just charge that tip back to my room (and I wouldn't find out until later)?

But you sign for it whenever you charge to your room key. Check the bill and receipt to make sure what you're signing for. Draw a line through the tip section of the receipt if you're leaving a cash tip. If your party is 6 or more, the bill will include an 18% tip. Also, the tip is included in the basic price at a few places - you should check to confirm, but I think Cindy's Royale Table and maybe the dinner shows.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Also dont forget that 18% is automatically included for people who are using the DDE/TIW discount card or for parties of 6 people or more at one table in a restaurant.
A question for the people who have worked with tips, I had heard that if a person charges the tip, there may be a delay in the server getting it. Is this true? Belle

 

[Eyorefan]

Tipping cash is always, always, always appreciated. I have worked for tips, and have friends who do, and not only is it easier but it leaves no record. Cash transactions are a hand-to-hand business, leaving no paper trail.

People who work for tips prefer this method over all others and it has the benefit of never bouncing or disputed charges or anything of the like. Also, I've known employers to take a cut of credit card tips.

I think most employeers take a cut of credit card tips and call it a "processing fee". I worked on a case where our client was taking a 6% cut of all their workers credit card tips. They had to go back and pay a settlement since in Texas its illegal to take more than 3%, but still.... that made me want to always tip in cash.

 

[dmagickingdom]

I think most employeers take a cut of credit card tips and call it a "processing fee". I worked on a case where our client was taking a 6% cut of all their workers credit card tips. They had to go back and pay a settlement since in Texas its illegal to take more than 3%, but still.... that made me want to always tip in cash.

Ok, I can answer this question and be 100% accurate. I worked for Disney as a server at a Vacation Club resort and here is how it goes. The employer (Disney in this case) does NOT TAKE ANY CUT from the tip. Whatever you decide to tip (18-20% is Disney recommended) goes directly to the server. If there is a party of 6 or more, 18% is automatically included. If a Disney CM comes in and uses their discount, 18% is added. In the event that "Grat" is automatically put on, the cast member will get this money on their check on Thursday. If you leave cash, charge it to your credit card, or leave it on your room charge, the CM will get the cash at the end of the night when leaving. They then disperse their total sales for the night and give 2.2% of their total sales to their food runner and give 10% of their bar sales to the bartender as a tip, minus bottles of wine since the server is doing all the work on wine presentation.
So, if I worked and had 950.00 in sales, I would give $20.90(2.2%) to my food runner and keep the rest of my tips which I would hope would total around $171 (18% of my sales which doesn't always happen) minus the 20.90 minus whatever i had to tip the bar.

I know this was a LOT more than the original question but wanted to describe the whole process to anyone that didn't know. So, in conclusion, at Disney it doesn't matter whether you leave cash or credit card tip. They still get it when they leave that night!

 

[disneydiva72]

If you have a party of 6 or more in the restaurants, do they automatically add the tip in the bill?

 

[dmagickingdom]

if you have a party of 6 or more in the restaurants, do they automatically add the tip in the bill?

yes

 

[cameronmouse]

Hey,
This isn't another thread about how MUCH a person should tip (to beat that horse some more, I think we'd have move up the food chain and beat the dog that the horse has been fed to by now...). Rather, I am wondering about your opinions on HOW to tip. We have a trip coming up in December, and I can't decide if I should take some cash and handle it all with cash, OR if I should just put it on a credit/room card. I've heard of double-charges on cards, etc., and I wonder: what IS the most "fool-proof" method for handling tips (esp. when on the DDP, as we will be)?
Cash would NORMALLY be an easy way to assure that you are not double-billed, etc., BUT they have to take my KTTW card to charge the credits, right? So, couldn't they just charge that tip back to my room (and I wouldn't find out until later)?

my wife and i are going in december and are going through the same exact dilemma. I think we decided that we're gonna just go ahead and tip in cash though. Have a great trip

 

[mikeb1967]

Double charging

I was wondering about this... So, can I have NO CHARGING PRIVILEGES at all and this wouldn't be a problem? I thought I had seen someone suggest that things could be charged to the room, regardless of linking a credit card, etc.. Hmmm... so that brings up another question: are charging privileges a separate issue from linking a credit card to your KKTW? Can you set it up so that NOBODY has charging privileges? I don't mind using a credit card for any purchases I might make...

Hello, READ THIS CAREFULLY! You CAN get double charged. You CAN get a tip charged to your room, EVEN if you don't have charging privileges on your room key. It happened to us during our trip in September. I checked the day before we left just to make sure no charges were on our room and guess what? Four restaurants charged the gratuity onto our room account even though i did NOT have charging privileges and I left a cash tip at every meal. I was outraged that this could happen, the desk manager apologized and said that servers can "force" a charge through to your room, she said it happens a lot. Looks like a broken system to me. I was not impressed! I even wrote "cash tip" on all copies of receipts. Keep your receipts and check with the front desk before you check out, after you get home it is hard to dispute the charges. MikeB

 

[dmagickingdom]

Hello, READ THIS CAREFULLY! You CAN get double charged. You CAN get a tip charged to your room, EVEN if you don't have charging privileges on your room key. It happened to us during our trip in September. I checked the day before we left just to make sure no charges were on our room and guess what? Four restaurants charged the gratuity onto our room account even though i did NOT have charging privileges and I left a cash tip at every meal. I was outraged that this could happen, the desk manager apologized and said that servers can "force" a charge through to your room, she said it happens a lot. Looks like a broken system to me. I was not impressed! I even wrote "cash tip" on all copies of receipts. Keep your receipts and check with the front desk before you check out, after you get home it is hard to dispute the charges. MikeB

hmmm...I am sure this happened to you...You have no reason to make stuff up but this is REALLY odd...working as a server before, if you swipe the card that has "NOT VALID FOR CHARGING" written on the card, it would decline. When you visited there may have been some odd fluke in the system. One thing I will state confidently though, the servers CANNOT override ANYTHING. We do not have access to override. It requires a management card which they hold to dearly so they may feel important. A manager would have had to do that if it was possible at all.

 

[unkadug]

Hello, READ THIS CAREFULLY! You CAN get double charged. You CAN get a tip charged to your room, EVEN if you don't have charging privileges on your room key. It happened to us during our trip in September. I checked the day before we left just to make sure no charges were on our room and guess what? Four restaurants charged the gratuity onto our room account even though i did NOT have charging privileges and I left a cash tip at every meal. I was outraged that this could happen, the desk manager apologized and said that servers can "force" a charge through to your room, she said it happens a lot. Looks like a broken system to me. I was not impressed! I even wrote "cash tip" on all copies of receipts. Keep your receipts and check with the front desk before you check out, after you get home it is hard to dispute the charges. MikeB

Just another reason added to the growing list of reasons to get rid of the free dining plans.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Hey again all, As far as bogus charges ending up on your room key, that HAS happened to me before in regards to the valet parking. I have the DDE card and part of the benefits of that is free valet parking. I showed it at each location and at several points during my trip, the valet fee was charged back to my room using the info on my parking pass!!!!! I called and disputed the charge when I got home and it was removed VERY promptly and without any fuss at all, but still!!!!! ALWAYS double check your room charges to insure the accuracy of them. Anything can happen and you might be surprised at how they can charge you, but it is good advice for everyone!!!
I am glad to see the servers at Disney are treated well as far as getting the tips, regardless of the format they are given in, cash or credit.
Hey Doug, I dont see the correlation between free dining and having a tip charged to your room?? Did I miss something? Belle