Tips for tipping please!!

[stitchtastic]

Just need some advice on how much and who and who not to tip please. We have always tipped when in the USA and think that we have been quite generous. I also think that Brits get a bad reputation as poor tippers, probably quite rightly and admit I have seen the I'm never coming here again so it doesn't matter brigade a few times - and often they were rude and complaining Brits. So, how much do you tip at a bar and how often(every round? when you leave etc) - also get very confused at a table in a bar - what is the etiquette here? - we are used to pubs -buy your own and sit down. Restaurants - how much and when not to tip? - we had a bad experience in New York when we had really bad service and were accosted by the waiter for a larger tip when we already left 15%.
Valet parking? How much for mousekeeping now - we always used to leave $1 per head per day then last visit upped it to $5 for the room - this year we have 2 rooms. Bell boys etc- is it $ per bag. Collecting and dropping off rental cars at the airport? Anyone else - I'm exhausted spending all this cash before I even get there!!:lol:
Thanks for your help.:wave:

 

[Johnnypockets]

As far as restaurants and bars you should always tip. Unless the bottom of the check states that an 18% gratuity was already added. Some disney properties do add 18% and most don't. Normal tipping here in america should be somewhere in between 15-20 percent. With the decline in the economy I have seen tips starting to stay around 15% as opposed to a few years ago when they averaged closer to 20%

No waiter or bartender should get angry or cop an additude for recieving 15%. If they do then their just as bad as the jerks that stiff people on tips.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Let's see if I can remember all points...

Bars....usually leave a few dollars at the end of your stay (if you're having multiple drinks). If you are just stopping for one, you might leave a dollar or two, many leave nothing.

Sit down restaurants usually 15-20%
Buffet suggested is 10%, many leave less or nothing
At Disney, most sit-down bills have tip percentage and actual amount printed on the bill (as suggestions...)
Counter service...usually no tip

Valet parking, usually a couple of dollars each for drop off and pick up

Mousekeeping - many leave nothing, but for those that do, usually a couple of dollars per person in the room per day. $5 is generous.

For luggage delivery, usually $2/bag

OK, I can save you SOME money. No tipping at the rental car!

While many people at Disney are quite generous, there are probably more visiting here (many of which from the US) who feel they are paying enough for the vacation and rarely if ever tip at all. While it is "expected" here as compared to Europe, ultimately it IS at your discretion.

 

[Jenna]

We always leave quite generous tips when we're on holiday...maybe I'm tight but I don't see any reason to tip at all unless the service is outstanding! I mean why give someone extra money to do their job that they're already being paid for?!?! I don't get tips in my job!

 

[jakeman]

We always leave quite generous tips when we're on holiday...maybe I'm tight but I don't see any reason to tip at all unless the service is outstanding! I mean why give someone extra money to do their job that they're already being paid for?!?! I don't get tips in my job!

Unfortunately in America, "tipped" positions, such as waiters, bellhops, and others, only get paid about a half of what minimum wage is (about $2-3 an hour), because it is expected that a majority of their income will come as tips.

 

[partyoffour]

Unfortunately in America, "tipped" positions, such as waiters, bellhops, and others, only get paid about a half of what minimum wage is (about $2-3 an hour), because it is expected that a majority of their income will come as tips.

I agree u have to tip those jobs . Tips is what makes it seem like u are making money. I use to be a waitress back in college and if i made no tips then it would have been 40 bucks a pay check for 3 or 4 days. Please tip your servers. Even if it is 5 bucks.

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

We always leave quite generous tips when we're on holiday...maybe I'm tight but I don't see any reason to tip at all unless the service is outstanding! I mean why give someone extra money to do their job that they're already being paid for?!?! I don't get tips in my job!

Just a little off topic MAD4, but where in N. Ireland are you? My DD will be attending Queens University next spring - a long way from here in PA!

 

[Johnnypockets]

We always leave quite generous tips when we're on holiday...maybe I'm tight but I don't see any reason to tip at all unless the service is outstanding! I mean why give someone extra money to do their job that they're already being paid for?!?! I don't get tips in my job!

When I worked in the restaurant industry in Florida the hourly wage was around 3 dollars an hour. Here in South Carolina the wage is 2.13 per hour. Your income is entirely dependent on tips. When you get your paycheck normally you end up negative on taxes and owe money as apposed to making anything off that $2.13. I got tired of working for free and now will only work for a place that automatically adds gratuity.

 

[gspin2k1]

Valet $1-2
Baggage Service - $1-2
Magic Express Driver - $1-2

CMs in park who somehow help you get a magical day - whatever you want, they're not supposed to accept it, but if you felt compelled they won't say no...i.e. Photopass person helped me get a lot pictures when I proposed...I felt compelled to give him at least $10 for helping me out.


As for Restaurants...10-20 or more percent of the Subtotal BEFORE tax (if you on the dining plan use the subtotal of what the meal would have cost had you paid with cash). I personally tip 10% for run of the mill service, 15% for good attentive and friendly service, 20% (or more) for very good and/or extra ordinary service. But in all honesty, it's your money, and it's their job to serve you in a friendly and attentive matter, gratuity is just what the word implies, so tip however you like.

remember it's vacation, it's about you having fun. HAVE AN AWESOME TRIP!

~G

p.s. rental is usually not neccessary. as for housekeeping $1-2 a day...and/or a bigger tip on your last stay...and if you need more incentive, housekeeping tends to do fun stuff with your towels (i.e. fold your towels into animals and place it on your bed) and etc when you leave nice tips. So it's good for them and fun for you too.

 

[gspin2k1]

When I worked in the restaurant industry in Florida the hourly wage was around 3 dollars an hour. Here in South Carolina the wage is 2.13 per hour. Your income is entirely dependent on tips. When you get your paycheck normally you end up negative on taxes and owe money as apposed to making anything off that $2.13. I got tired of working for free and now will only work for a place that automatically adds gratuity.

I tell my friends who complain about their job (food service or not)...don't like what your job pays you? quit and find another job. or go back to school and find a better paying one after.

~G

p.s. Yes I did work in the food service industry from dish washer to server.

I agree u have to tip those jobs . Tips is what makes it seem like u are making money. I use to be a waitress back in college and if i made no tips then it would have been 40 bucks a pay check for 3 or 4 days. Please tip your servers. Even if it is 5 bucks.

If you make less than minimum wage because you don't get tips, it is legally required that you get paid the difference to at least make sure you're paid minimum wage. and if that happens, you'll probably get coached for having poor customer service which would be the only reason why you'd get tipped nothing all the time to make your pay somehow less than min wage.
The thing is everyone gets at least minimum wage or more..if most servers (at low and medium end restaurants) got paid at least minimum wage..in addition to tips. There would be no reason to get an education to find a better paying job. Being a server at Denny's is considered a "starter" position to get you through college or whatever for a reason.

~G

 

[gspin2k1]

Deleted

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Tip for the quality of the service you receive. If the service is horrible, don't give them a penny. It's their job to serve you, no one is entitled to a tip.

 

[Jenna]

Just a little off topic MAD4, but where in N. Ireland are you? My DD will be attending Queens University next spring - a long way from here in PA!

I actually go to Queens University! I live about 20 minutes outside of Belfast

As for the hourly wage of servers wow! I didn't realise it was so poor, it's ridiculous tbh and they deserve a decent wage for their job!

 

[gspin2k1]

I actually go to Queens University! I live about 20 minutes outside of Belfast

As for the hourly wage of servers wow! I didn't realise it was so poor, it's ridiculous tbh and they deserve a decent wage for their job!

If you factor in the tips you receive each night, it's not that bad. i.e. Even on a slow night you may get $20 in tips for 4 hours of work. If you make $4/hr. With the tips combined (which is sometimes is not taxed), that's still $9/hr you made. Which is pretty good in comparison to retail (which is the same category of entry level high school student job). And even then it's not unheard of to bring anywhere from $40-100+ in tips home from a 4-6 night shift.

I'm just bringing in the realistic picture here. There's way too many people who worked in the food industry that try to guilt trip everyone into over tipping bad service or run of the mill service. If anything I've become more critical on how I tip servers now than generous after I've worked food service myself. Servers with good customer service skills get good tips, those with bad customer service skills get bad tips, and then they complain about it online. Tip based on service not based on guilt trips.


~G

 

[sublimesting]

I tell my friends who complain about their job (food service or not)...don't like what your job pays you? quit and find another job. or go back to school and find a better paying one after.

~G

p.s. Yes I did work in the food service industry from dish washer to server.



If you make less than minimum wage because you don't get tips, it is legally required that you get paid the difference to at least make sure you're paid minimum wage. and if that happens, you'll probably get coached for having poor customer service which would be the only reason why you'd get tipped nothing all the time to make your pay somehow less than min wage.
The thing is everyone gets at least minimum wage or more..if most servers (at low and medium end restaurants) got paid at least minimum wage..in addition to tips. There would be no reason to get an education to find a better paying job. Being a server at Denny's is considered a "starter" position to get you through college or whatever for a reason.

~G

Very well said. I've always felt it is not MY job to increase your income, it's yours. I don't like hearing the standard (dishonest) line of we don't make minimum wage and lose money if you don't tip. Can any wait staff person in an average place honestly claim they make minimum wage or less. I'd wager, for hours worked a waitress at a Denny's makes about $15-20+/hour and significantly more during meal time with tips factored in.

 

[Jenna]

I'm just bringing in the realistic picture here. There's way too many people who worked in the food industry that try to guilt trip everyone into over tipping bad service or run of the mill service. If anything I've become more critical on how I tip servers now than generous after I've worked food service myself. Servers with good customer service skills get good tips, those with bad customer service skills get bad tips, and then they complain about it online. Tip based on service not based on guilt trips.


~G

I currently work in the food industry to work my way through University (I wash dishes in a restaurant) yet I get paid the same amount as the waiting staff and they get tips aswell!
Thanks for giving me a bit more info on the subject!!:wave:

 

[sublimesting]

I actually go to Queens University! I live about 20 minutes outside of Belfast

As for the hourly wage of servers wow! I didn't realise it was so poor, it's ridiculous tbh and they deserve a decent wage for their job!

They get minimum wage for a minimum wage level job. It requires very minimal skill and they are instantly replaceable. No offense to anyone, and I have been there, but that's how it is. It isn't my job as a customer of an establishment to up your hourly pay. ALOT of people deserve tips, and I give them, but I don;t like the guilt trip and the pushiness that I HAVE to tip you or you'll only get minimum wage.
Is minimum wage too low? Probably. But plenty of folks make minimum and we don't feel obligated to up their pay. Maybe garbage men should get a weekly tip for their service, or else it isn't fair cause they don't make enough and they take my refuse away weekly. Maybe the mailman should be tipped for daily service. Maybe the grocery bagger should be tipped....or the cashier, or the fast food window server.....

 

[sublimesting]

When I worked in the restaurant industry in Florida the hourly wage was around 3 dollars an hour. Here in South Carolina the wage is 2.13 per hour. Your income is entirely dependent on tips. When you get your paycheck normally you end up negative on taxes and owe money as apposed to making anything off that $2.13. I got tired of working for free and now will only work for a place that automatically adds gratuity.

That's just not so. If it is you were scammed by the owner of the restaurant. Federal law is you get minimum wage no matter what. You don't get negative on taxes (I'll bet you even get money back at the end of the year).

 

[njDizFan]

That's just not so. If it is you were scammed by the owner of the restaurant. Federal law is you get minimum wage no matter what. You don't get negative on taxes (I'll bet you even get money back at the end of the year).

I didnt want to get pulled into this thread but here it goes. I was in the restaurant business for 20 years , 5 of which as the GM of a NJ IHOP. I know for a fact that servers are taxed based upon the percentage of their sales. so if they start out at $2.13/hr and sell $1000 in food ,the government is going to estimate they made a approximately $120.00( or 12%) in tips. so when they get their paychecks, for 40 hours they are taxed at that estimated income. My servers know they had a good week when their paycheck was $0.00(we never had them go negative)

Now I don't know how Europe does it but considering we had 15 servers per shift and all were getting paid $2.13. Now that is 120 hours or $255/ per shift to pay server salary. If we had to pay the servers(not to mention bus boys) their regualar pay, which for a good server was at least 10-15/hr, that would cost us $1200-$1500/shift. That $7.00 omlette will now cost you $10.00 for the convenience of not having to tip.

I would much rather pay the $7.00 for the omlette and pay my tip which will be based on the servers ability and hospitality.

 

[sublimesting]

I didnt want to get pulled into this thread but here it goes. I was in the restaurant business for 20 years , 5 of which as the GM of a NJ IHOP. I know for a fact that servers are taxed based upon the percentage of their sales. so if they start out at $2.13/hr and sell $1000 in food ,the government is going to estimate they made a approximately $120.00( or 12%) in tips. so when they get their paychecks, for 40 hours they are taxed at that estimated income. My servers know they had a good week when their paycheck was $0.00(we never had them go negative)

Now I don't know how Europe does it but considering we had 15 servers per shift and all were getting paid $2.13. Now that is 120 hours or $255/ per shift to pay server salary. If we had to pay the servers(not to mention bus boys) their regualar pay, which for a good server was at least 10-15/hr, that would cost us $1200-$1500/shift. That $7.00 omlette will now cost you $10.00 for the convenience of not having to tip.

I would much rather pay the $7.00 for the omlette and pay my tip which will be based on the servers ability and hospitality.

Don't get me wrong I tip, but they do at least make minimum wage, they don't lose money, that is why tips have to be claimed.