Tips

babystar

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
I have travelled to Florida lots and lots of times and have just been looking at my budget for our next holiday. I was working out roughly how much meals at different restraunts will cost inc a tip when I suddenly got baffled.

I have always been under the impression that at a sit down meal where the waiting staff bring your food a tip is generally 15 - 20% but at a buffet you tip approx $3 per head (give or take for service recieved on both figures)

If this is correct (which it may not be in which case I appologise to all the buffet waiting staff for bieng mean on my tip!!!) why do you pay a % tip in Disneys buffet restraunts? :confused3
 
I have travelled to Florida lots and lots of times and have just been looking at my budget for our next holiday. I was working out roughly how much meals at different restraunts will cost inc a tip when I suddenly got baffled.

I have always been under the impression that at a sit down meal where the waiting staff bring your food a tip is generally 15 - 20% but at a buffet you tip approx $3 per head (give or take for service recieved on both figures)

If this is correct (which it may not be in which case I appologise to all the buffet waiting staff for bieng mean on my tip!!!) why do you pay a % tip in Disneys buffet restraunts? :confused3

i think it would be the same.
but the last time i was out in florida we got talking to some locals and they told us if the person who served you was ok just give 10% excellent service 20 and bad service don't leave a thing.

that came from a manager of ponderosa.

les m :santa:
 
Maybe we have just been blessed with wonderful servers, but honestly, 99% of the time we eat out in the US the service ranges from good to outstanding and to me a 20% tip is well justified.

However it is a personal decision, not a law. It does say "tip" not "fee" so it really is up to you. Regarding buffets, there are mixed views on this. If you had a party of 6 or more (or is it 8) at a Disney Buffet restaurant, the gratuity added is the same percentage as at a non buffet. I would say do what you feel comfortable with.
 
Thank you!

I had never really thought about it before so just wondered if I had been doing something wrong. Would hate to think that the server thought I was mean!!

Back to sorting out my budget now.:)
 


Thank you!

I had never really thought about it before so just wondered if I had been doing something wrong. Would hate to think that the server thought I was mean!!

Back to sorting out my budget now.:)

What restaurants do you have lined up? Are quite a few of them buffets?
 
When we have had good service I never think twice about a tip in the 20% region - sometimes more when it is 'rounded up'
But the one thing that has always bugged me - and always will I would think - is tipping at a buffet. After showing us to our table and bringing us a round of drinks (most of the ones we have been to the server then disappears and only returns when we leave to collect their tip) I fail to see what the server has done to justify the same level of tip as those is in a table service restaurant. :confused3
 
When we have had good service I never think twice about a tip in the 20% region - sometimes more when it is 'rounded up'
But the one thing that has always bugged me - and always will I would think - is tipping at a buffet. After showing us to our table and bringing us a round of drinks (most of the ones we have been to the server then disappears and only returns when we leave to collect their tip) I fail to see what the server has done to justify the same level of tip as those is in a table service restaurant. :confused3

There was a WDW Today (Unofficial Guide) podcase earlier this year about this and actually, regarding buffets, it seems like the general consensus is right along the lines of what you are saying. If I can find it I will post a link (it's not a subscribed podcast so anyone can listen). It was really interesting to hear the take on it by those who frequent Disney on a regular basis.
 


But the one thing that has always bugged me - and always will I would think - is tipping at a buffet. After showing us to our table and bringing us a round of drinks (most of the ones we have been to the server then disappears and only returns when we leave to collect their tip) I fail to see what the server has done to justify the same level of tip as those is in a table service restaurant. :confused3

Opposite for me, they work harder. Went to Trails end at Easter, I don't like plates piled high with mixed food, 2 plates of salad, 3 plates for main course & 2 for desserts but with a buffet the whole table finishes at different times coming and going to the buffet, I would guess the server had to make 10-12 visits to the table. A TS meal they bring & take away twice, main course & dessert and usually wait until all have finished, probably half the visits to the table.
 
Opposite for me, they work harder. Went to Trails end at Easter, I don't like plates piled high with mixed food, 2 plates of salad, 3 plates for main course & 2 for desserts but with a buffet the whole table finishes at different times coming and going to the buffet, I would guess the server had to make 10-12 visits to the table. A TS meal they bring & take away twice, main course & dessert and usually wait until all have finished, probably half the visits to the table.

If I went to a buffet and experienced that level of service then I would have no hesitation in leaving a good tip. :goodvibes
 
If I went to a buffet and experienced that level of service then I would have no hesitation in leaving a good tip. :goodvibes

Actually we have had that at several buffets there, most notably the Crystal Palace where we have enjoyed outstanding service on more than one occasion. DD doesn't like foods to touch each other or mix on her plate. I say no more. Yet whenever we looked, the empty plates were removed, beverages never got the chance to reach halfway, a dropped napkin and fork magically appeared almost instantly ..... and most amazing of all, the server was completely unobtrusive. The only reason we knew she was there was that whenever we looked up she was around. This is just one example. Oh and she earned her way more than 20%. It was breakfast and I was in SUCH a good mood the rest of the day.
 
Actually we have had that at several buffets there, most notably the Crystal Palace where we have enjoyed outstanding service on more than one occasion. DD doesn't like foods to touch each other or mix on her plate. I say no more. Yet whenever we looked, the empty plates were removed, beverages never got the chance to reach halfway, a dropped napkin and fork magically appeared almost instantly ..... and most amazing of all, the server was completely unobtrusive. The only reason we knew she was there was that whenever we looked up she was around. This is just one example. Oh and she earned her way more than 20%. It was breakfast and I was in SUCH a good mood the rest of the day.

I would agree with this 100% about the Crystal Palace - less so about the woman who served us at Chef Mickey's though!

mo x
 
Remember you are probably tipping the cooks, washer uppers, cleaners, laundry staff (alright they probably don't get anything but perhaps they should after my kids have been busy with the crayons!)

As someone who worked in kitchens behind the scenes in his youth, please remember that the person bringing your food actually did very little of the work, no offence to waiters and waitresses.

Try working in a busy kitchen for less money than front of house getting shouted at just because chef is expected to! They deserve a tip for turning up even if the food is horrible.

I'm assuming they are on the same base salary plus tips scheme that most restaurant staff are in the US.
 
I would agree with this 100% about the Crystal Palace - less so about the woman who served us at Chef Mickey's though!

mo x

Now it is me agreeing with you! :thumbsup2 We've never had awful service at CM, but last year we had a bill on the table before we got up to get our hot food. Now I always try to be reasonable and judging by the way the lady was running around I got the impression that the servers here (Chef Mickey) are way overstreched in terms of the number of tables they are given. She was all over the place too so she had tables upstairs and downstairs. I think the table allotment there is way to big to expect them to give adequate service and this venue in particular seems to boast a larger than usual number of reviews along these lines. Very inconsistent. I decided that CM last year was our last, at least for a while and we are skipping it this year. It costs more there too so the tips are proportionately larger.
 
Similar to Wayne, when we eat at a buffet we do not pile everything onto one plate. I tend to graze and therefore may use 3-4 dinners plates, couple of dessert plates, similar for appertizer. Usually tip 15-20%.

On the rare occasion we get back service (never had bad service at WDW), I will tip $1. This is to indicate I understand the culture of tipping but you were rubbish.
 
On the rare occasion we get back service (never had bad service at WDW), I will tip $1. This is to indicate I understand the culture of tipping but you were rubbish.

i do this but leave 1c:rotfl2::rotfl2:, im obviously tighter than you rob:thumbsup2

once a waitress chased me and said id forgot her tip, i told her no, i hadnt but as she was so bad, id left her 1c, she was very unimpressed...but then spo were we...:lmao:
 
i do this but leave 1c:rotfl2::rotfl2:, im obviously tighter than you rob:thumbsup2

once a waitress chased me and said id forgot her tip, i told her no, i hadnt but as she was so bad, id left her 1c, she was very unimpressed...but then spo were we...:lmao:

:rotfl2: Tracy that is even better, will have to remmeber that
 
When I worked in the middle east I worked with a lot of Americans and had some quite interesting conversations regarding the tipping culture in the US.
They had told me of the 1cent tip, although I have never had to use it myself. I also have a totally different outlook on the 'Brits are poor tippers' argument that I have seen on many boards and forums.
When I mentioned what we generally tip for good service they were gobsmacked as it was at least 5% higher than what they would tip for excellent service.
 
once a waitress chased me and said id forgot her tip, i told her no, i hadnt but as she was so bad, id left her 1c, she was very unimpressed...but then spo were we...:lmao:

Waitresses chasing customers for a tip! :mad: Was this at Disney?
 

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