Tipping

[righttrack]

I never tip less than 15%, and usually reserve that for buffets. I tip 15-25% for table service meals, typically 20%. I travel a lot, for business, and these are accepted standards. 15% is baseline, its a given, for anything, unless service was poor.

 

[jim1051]

I usually do about 10% at buffets.

 

[catne]

Saw an interesting story on local news this A.M.--talked about people's budgets getting tighter due to the economy, and the trickle down effect of that is really hurting wait staff. Apparently, many people are either cutting tip down to 5-10% or not tipping at all. The unions may be wanting to renegotiate w/Disney to get the guaranteed tip back...

 

[Minnietoo]

Saw an interesting story on local news this A.M.--talked about people's budgets getting tighter due to the economy, and the trickle down effect of that is really hurting wait staff. Apparently, many people are either cutting tip down to 5-10% or not tipping at all. The unions may be wanting to renegotiate w/Disney to get the guaranteed tip back...

That would be great but I am not holding my breath. We are doing the DDP when we go and were a little saddened to find out tip was not included. We were looking forward to having almost the whole trip paid for before we even went so the only true things we needed to by were fun stuff. Of course odds and ends come up but still having most of the trip paid was a really nice thought and now we have to take out money with every meal. Pain in the butt. imo

As far as handing some one a bill with suggested tips is RUDE! There are much better ways to do it. Maybe when you check in have the hostess mention a little polite reminder that the wait staff appreciates tips since they are no longer included in the ddp.

Either way I still like the idea of the ddp. We are now trying to decide between the basic and the deluxe.:veryconfu

 

[J_Krafty24]

I'd like to do some calculations on the situation the servers are in but must make some assumptions to do so. I will try to keep them conservative. If you are or have reacently been a WDW server please correct my assumptions.

I know most people who speak on here say they tip 20% + however I don't believe that is the norm with the general population.

Full Time Hours - 8 hrs a day - 5 days a week.

Base pay $2.15/hr - $17.20/day - $86/week - $4472/year

10 customers per hour
$25.00 average per person tab
Server Keeps 60% of tips after tipping out


Dining Plan 2007
4 on dining plan - Guaranteed 18% tip = Server gets $10.80
2 do not tip at all
Remaining 4 average 15% tip = Server gets $9.00

Hourly Total - $19.80
Daily Total - $158.40
Weekly Total - $792
Yearly Total - $41184 (Tips) - $45656 (Complete)

Dining Plan 2008
3 do not tip at all
Remaining 7 average 15% tip = Server gets $15.75

Hourly Total - $15.75
Daily Total - $126
Weekly Total - $630
Yearly Total - $32760 (Tips) - $37232 (Complete)

I realize that some of my assumptions may need tweaking and that this does not include taxes (someone know the approx tax rate for the area?).

I know this doesn't prove anything but with all this talk about how much the autotip from the dining plan was or was not hurting the servers I was curious on how the actual numbers panned out.

 

[cococola44]

What is the proper amount to tip at a buffet? Is it the same as a sit down restaurant?

I do maybe a little more then 10%

 

[photoflight]

I personally think that a buffet does not warrant as large of a tip as a full service restaurant but I did not know the guidelines.

No, it certainly doesn't. As far as I'm concerned a tip is not an obligation at all. If a waiter is slow, rude, careless, and makes having your meal a miserable experience then they deserve nothing. If they're providing average or normal service then they get around 15%. If they're outstanding they get 20% or more.

Buffets are no exception. A place with service that ends with showing you where an empty table is will get no tip from me. A place that brings drinks out, refills them constantly, and clears the plates immediately - will get 10% or more from me.

We used to go to a buffet for lunch at work all the time, several times a week in fact. We'd all get the $4.50 buffet with water. Can't get much cheaper than that. All four of us would always leave a $1 bill (each) as a tip. That's more than 20% for a cheap buffet...but our glasses would never be allowed to get more than half empty before they'd refill, and if we went back for more food they'd grab our old plates before we reached the actual buffet. I had better service in that place than I've had at some expensive restaurants.

My point, I guess, is pay for what you get. Figure 10%, but use whatever rule you feel comfortable with.

Just my, er... tip

 

[catne]

I'd like to do some calculations on the situation the servers are in but must make some assumptions to do so. I will try to keep them conservative. If you are or have reacently been a WDW server please correct my assumptions...
Dining Plan 2007
4 on dining plan - Guaranteed 18% tip = Server gets $10.80
2 do not tip at all
Remaining 4 average 15% tip = Server gets $9.00
Hourly Total - $19.80
Daily Total - $158.40
Weekly Total - $792
Yearly Total - $41184 (Tips) - $45656 (Complete)
Dining Plan 2008
3 do not tip at all
Remaining 7 average 15% tip = Server gets $15.75

I know this doesn't prove anything but with all this talk about how much the autotip from the dining plan was or was not hurting the servers I was curious on how the actual numbers panned out.

Sure wish we could hear from a real Disney wait person...are we sure the servers actually got an 18% tip via Disney on the 2007 DPP? And was the tip based on the actual menu-prices or some discounted amount based on the DPP charges? Math may be way off if one of these is different. Either way, sounds to me like it's fairly good wages for a waiting job. I would guess that most servers in Disney restaurants do not make 35-45,000 a year, though.

 

[J_Krafty24]

Sure wish we could hear from a real Disney wait person...are we sure the servers actually got an 18% tip via Disney on the 2007 DPP? And was the tip based on the actual menu-prices or some discounted amount based on the DPP charges? Math may be way off if one of these is different. Either way, sounds to me like it's fairly good wages for a waiting job. I would guess that most servers in Disney restaurants do not make 35-45,000 a year, though.

Those tip calculations are based on the server only keeping 60% of the total tip.

I don't know any of the answers to those questions but was hopeing that someone with experience could let me know.

35-45k a year sounded like a whole lot for a server in just about any resturant. I'd like to tweek my calculations so that they are more accurate and so we can get a better picture of how the changes to the dining plan has changed the big picture.