Tipping Servers while using the Dinning Plan

[KTaylor]

I have never been a server at a restaurant, but while going to college I lived with a few so I have heard my fair share of stories about people not leaving tips. My husband and I have a rule that we go by when it comes to tipping, ever server that we have starts out with at least a $20 tip (depending on the restaurant) and depending on how well we are taken care of (keeping drinks full, asking if we need anything, ect) we will either add or deduct from that $20. When we travel to Disney this year we are using the Dining Plan and I know that tips are not included, but I was wondering if we need to carry cash or is that something that we can charge to our room. I don't want to go without cash and end up leaving someone without a tip. Thanks in advance for the help!!!

 

[mickey2008.1]

They charge 20% off the rip, whether good or bad service.

 

[Brewer]

I'm sure everything can be charged back to your room.

The only problem with that is whether your server will actually get the full amount which is why we always pay cash for the tip part.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

they do not add the tip automatically with the DDP. You are free to add what you want and I think you can charge it to your room. The Tables in Wonderland card is the only thing automatically adds in an 18% tip but that can be adjusted as you see fit. You can leave more if you want or if your feel the service was not worth 18% you can have it adjusted by a manager.

 

[mickey2008.1]

they do not add the tip automatically with the DDP. You are free to add what you want and I think you can charge it to your room. The Tables in Wonderland card is the only thing automatically adds in an 18% tip but that can be adjusted as you see fit. You can leave more if you want or if your feel the service was not worth 18% you can have it adjusted by a manager.

Everytime we have been, it has been added the last three years. We are a party of six, so that may have something to do with it. And mostly it is not worth the service charge. 18 or 20% for a buffet, really? I get it at Narcoossees or California grille, but not at Hollywood and Vine where I could not even get water. I think this year they will charge everyone 18% though. They changed credit card requirements as well.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Everytime we have been, it has been added the last three years. We are a party of six, so that may have something to do with it. And mostly it is not worth the service charge. 18 or 20% for a buffet, really? I get it at Narcoossees or California grille, but not at Hollywood and Vine where I could not even get water. I think this year they will charge everyone 18% though. They changed credit card requirements as well.

Yeah, parties of 6 or more it is automatically added. We will have that added next month since during the first 4 days of our trip there will be 6 people but we also have the TIW card so it is automatically added anyways. We usually tip 18% and then adjust accordingly. Thankfully we've never had to have a manager come and adjust our tip. We were a little afraid at first that when the servers found out that we had the TIW card they might not be as good since the tip is automatically added in but we haven't seen any difference in service.

 

[gregsanity]

@KTaylor The only time tips are automatically charged is if there are 6 or more people in your party. We just came back from our spring break trip. We just charged the tip to our room account using our Key to the World Card. The server will ask to see one card from every room or just yours if all of you are in the same room to check what dining plan you are on. Once your check is given to you, you will see prices which only matters to those who want to keep track or looking to tip a different amount. At the bottom of the receipt you will see suggested gratuity for 18% and 20%. It is your discretion as to what to tip. You can leave cash or charge it. Hope it helps!

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

I have never been a server at a restaurant, but while going to college I lived with a few so I have heard my fair share of stories about people not leaving tips. My husband and I have a rule that we go by when it comes to tipping, ever server that we have starts out with at least a $20 tip (depending on the restaurant) and depending on how well we are taken care of (keeping drinks full, asking if we need anything, ect) we will either add or deduct from that $20. When we travel to Disney this year we are using the Dining Plan and I know that tips are not included, but I was wondering if we need to carry cash or is that something that we can charge to our room. I don't want to go without cash and end up leaving someone without a tip. Thanks in advance for the help!!!

I say, play it safe and use cash. And no, it is definitely not added automatically unless you have 6 or more

 

[mickey2008.1]

Ok, but why charge a party of 6 or more 20%, but not a 2 top? I know the answer by the way, but I am curious to others answers. I do not think it is fair, because this is when most servers slack because they know it is guaranteed. I say something, so it does not pertain to me. I am in the industry as an executive chef, and I beat on my servers for the best possible service no matter the size of the party, but this is just me. I have been to WDW many times and have been dissappointed and surprised with service. I say it should be left up to an individual, but there are many people who like to cheap out. Like I said, it should be the same for all groups and table sizes. Also. I have to eat before a specific time with a party of six or more. Before 5:30 as I was told when making rADRS this past week. BS.

 

[bethymouse]

We either use cash, or charge it to our KTTW. We pay the credit card bill when we get home. We carefully check the charges @ the end of our stay ( I keep all receipts). We usually tip 20%.

 

[Pooh Lover]

We either use cash, or charge it to our KTTW. We pay the credit card bill when we get home. We carefully check the charges @ the end of our stay ( I keep all receipts). We usually tip 20%.

Same here...we charge everything to that poor card and hope it survives the vacation and normally tip 20%.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

We tip 20 percent

 

[crispy]

I like to tip in cash if possible.

 

[englanddg]

I like to tip in cash if possible.

The servers prefer this as well.

Not sure if Disney does tip pooling (many restaurants do), but I'm positive they do tip reporting.

Once you introduce cash into the equation, it's very easy for a server to increase his gross annual income by not reporting the tips to management (and subsequently the IRS, though there is an "assumed ratio" used if the employee is tippsed).

However, these rules only apply if paying "waitress wage", not minimum wage, so that's a question I would have...does Disney pay their servers minimum wage or the lower "waitress wage"?

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I like to charge it to my room. The only time I had it automatically applied was when we were a party of 6 or more, and I could have sworn that was 18%. Honestly, the only time this really bugs me is if we have a cake at a meal where we're a larger party since the cost of that cake normally gets tacked on to your meal total and the tip amount. i.e. imagine your bill for your meal is $250, but you had a $150 cake tacked on and suddenly you're forced to tip on 18% of $400. It's bothersome since most servers, even great servers, haven't done enough with that cake to justify that great of a tip on the privately ordered cake. Oh well.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

The servers prefer this as well.

Not sure if Disney does tip pooling (many restaurants do), but I'm positive they do tip reporting.

Once you introduce cash into the equation, it's very easy for a server to increase his gross annual income by not reporting the tips to management (and subsequently the IRS, though there is an "assumed ratio" used if the employee is tippsed).

However, these rules only apply if paying "waitress wage", not minimum wage, so that's a question I would have...does Disney pay their servers minimum wage or the lower "waitress wage"?

It's the lower waitress/waiter wage.

 

[englanddg]

It's the lower waitress/waiter wage.

I assumed it was. But wasn't sure. I worked for a different mouse, and we paid min wage to everyone.

Even as a teen I made min wage working for that rat (later mouse), and about 100 - 200 cash tips per weekend working birthday parties doing 2 10 hour shifts on weekends. That was a GOOD job.

 

[stevehousse]

At any restaurant regardless whether you pay cash or credit, the servers have to tip out bussers and bartenders, usually 1% of their sales...standard restaurant procedures..example-if you ring up $500 in sales, you need to tip 5 dollars to those people in the tip pool...

 

[englanddg]

At any restaurant regardless whether you pay cash or credit, the servers have to tip out bussers and bartenders, usually 1% of their sales...standard restaurant procedures..example-if you ring up $500 in sales, you need to tip 5 dollars to those people in the tip pool...

Not true. What you just described is called "tip pooling", not not all restaurants (or even restaurants within the same chain, if they are a chain) do this.

It is a fairly common tactic, but it is far from "universal"...

 

[englanddg]

At any restaurant regardless whether you pay cash or credit, the servers have to tip out bussers and bartenders, usually 1% of their sales...standard restaurant procedures..example-if you ring up $500 in sales, you need to tip 5 dollars to those people in the tip pool...

Also, the bartenders are the ones going home with the bank at most restaurants, not the servers. They are considered to be part of the tip pool as a server as well, contributing to BOH staff.