tips/gratuities

[wayneg]

I grew up in Cookridge but live in Churwell now. I give my hairdresser a couple of pounds, always give taxi driver £1 but never tip our window cleaner! It's funny how we all differ.

Then again I can't believe what people pay at the hairdresses without a tip, I cut my own now. Hairdresser next to my shop cut Karens last Friday, mates rates at £5.

We have relatives (Karens Auntie) on Harwill Ave, her Auntie & Uncle on Croft House Rd, her Cousin on Rooms Lane. We used to live on Springfield Rd next door to her Grandad so I know Churwell quite well.

 

[Claire Bear]

Then again I can't believe what people pay at the hairdresses without a tip, I cut my own now. Hairdresser next to my shop cut Karens last Friday, mates rates at £5.

We have relatives (Karens Auntie) on Harwill Ave, her Auntie & Uncle on Croft House Rd, her Cousin on Rooms Lane. We used to live on Springfield Rd next door to her Grandad so I know Churwell quite well.

£5!!!! That's cheap! I go without luxuries of getting my hair cut often because I'd rather save the £30 to put towards holidays! My friends say I'm thrifty
I live in the new estate near the bottom of Churwell Hill. Handy for work, white rose and motorways

 

[wayneg]

£5!!!! That's cheap! I go without luxuries of getting my hair cut often because I'd rather save the £30 to put towards holidays! My friends say I'm thrifty
I live in the new estate near the bottom of Churwell Hill. Handy for work, white rose and motorways

I'll keep that in mind if I want somewhere to park when going to Elland Rd

 

[Lisa x]

For everyone that tips in the UK.
Is it something you have always done, even before going to Florida?
Did your parents tip? or is it something thats come in in the past 20 years or so as more people travel the world?

As I have said apart from my Brother no-one in our circle of friends and family tip in the UK, I only started in recent years after spending so much time in the States, even now its just rounded up to the next £5, if the bill is £48.50, I will leave £50 (although last Friday the bill came to £45.50 so I left £50) but thats far more than anyone I know, they all wait for their change.

Thats our generation, I just can't imagine our parents leaving a tip, my Grandma & Grandad would turn in their grave giving money away for a tip

Always tipped even before Florida, my Dad tips too. My DH has been going to Florida since '83 and has always tipped and tipped in the uk, Europe and anywhere we travelled since then and before.

We tend to tip 20% in USA. Usually around 10% in UK.

Taxis we always tip a couple of quid on top, sometimes a little bit more if its on the way home from a night out and we've had a few

Even takeaway drivers we tip a little bit on top of the delivery charge.

I used to tip my hairdresser but as the prices keep rising, I pay more than enough for my hair without the extra £5 tip I have paid for the last 9 years!

Always give the postman £10 in a card at Christmas!

 

[Lisa x]

One thing that does annoy us in the states though is when we get the bill, if its say $66 and we only have $100 dollar bills, they more often than not ask us "do you need change?"

Erm.....YES!!! Might be in the holiday spirit but were not that generous

 

[Claire Bear]

I'll keep that in mind if I want somewhere to park when going to Elland Rd

People do park on the edge of our estate for Elland Road sometimes but I always think it's a bit far! I can see the main stand from my bedroom though!

Lisa, I never thought to tip the postman, now I feel bad! Ha. I tip takeaway drivers but I usually only give 50p -£1

 

[Cyrano]

Just out of interest, if the tip is a 'suggested' amount, what happens if you don't? ?

All depends on the server. Disney policy is probably to smile and accept, I am sure they don't want anyone to cause a scene in a Disney restaurant.
Offsite I have been shouted at, had rotten service so left $1 the girl came shouting and balling, I shouted back telling her she should not be working in a restaurant. I know others who have been chased into the car park having arguments.

I am happy to leave a tip.
However in Hollywood and Vine; which is a buffet restaurant, we had a very poor server.
No refills despite asking. We had dirty starter plates, main course plates all piled high while eating our desserts.
I left a $1 dollar tip and server challenged me that it was not enough. I said that she would need to get a manager as that the $1 was deliberate so she did not think I had forgotten.
Needless to say she skulked off muttering under her breath.

Out of 2 weeks this was the only time I left the server had not earned their tip

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

For everyone that tips in the UK.
Is it something you have always done, even before going to Florida?
Did your parents tip? or is it something thats come in in the past 20 years or so as more people travel the world?

As I have said apart from my Brother no-one in our circle of friends and family tip in the UK, I only started in recent years after spending so much time in the States, even now its just rounded up to the next £5, if the bill is £48.50, I will leave £50 (although last Friday the bill came to £45.50 so I left £50) but thats far more than anyone I know, they all wait for their change.

Thats our generation, I just can't imagine our parents leaving a tip, my Grandma & Grandad would turn in their grave giving money away for a tip

We have always tipped - even before going to Florida. I remember going out with family and they always tipped in restaurants and gave the taxi driver a bit of something. So it must come from family!

 

[edinburghlass]

I certainly remember my Dad tipping doormen, Christmas boxes etc, heck I even tip the bin-men with beer mainly because once I locked myself out half dressed when running out with a last black bag and they offered me a phone to call my daughter to let me in

First visit to WDW my friend from NZ joined us and they simply don't tip anyone and she had a row with a taxi driver over wanting her change, I walked away!

 

[scoobydooby]

I am happy to leave a tip.
However in Hollywood and Vine; which is a buffet restaurant, we had a very poor server.
No refills despite asking. We had dirty starter plates, main course plates all piled high while eating our desserts.
I left a $1 dollar tip and server challenged me that it was not enough. I said that she would need to get a manager as that the $1 was deliberate so she did not think I had forgotten.
Needless to say she skulked off muttering under her breath.

Out of 2 weeks this was the only time I left the server had not earned their tip

I have been to Disney multiple times and tip 20% at TS and 15% minimum at buffets generally. I also tip the mouse keeper.

However. A few years ago I left $1 at Hollywood and Vine. Same reason. Same point as you were making as to why I didn't just leave nothing. The guy tried to tell me he understood as we were from the UK we didn't 'get' tipping. I told the waiter my normal tipping etiquette and why he was the only person ever not to achieve it. Quietly and calmly. That place is problematic I think. We gave it two chances. Not going back.

 

[duffdo]

Tipping does get very expensive at WDW, but I totally agree it has to be done. I had a friend who did the International Exchange programme and found out how little these guys actually earn for the work they do. This time around I will be budgeting $400 for tips alone. I am going for 21 nights and have DDP, so reckon $20 ish per meal for the two of us. (Our TS bills usually come to $80 - $100 excluding tip, more for signature dining.)

To be honest though, I can see where people have problems given the size of the tips expected, but these guys don't have a national minimum wage like us and they pay tax on tips that they don't necessarily earn. So please guys, those who don't plan on tipping, spare a thought for your server who is earning around £2.50 an hour (around a third of the UK National Minimum Wage --I know it depends on your age!) And give them a minimum of 15-20%

As for other roles at WDW, I have tipped Mouse Keeping in the past and it was graciously received. On my last 2 trips however some days the money was taken, other days not. Personally, I don't consider that we are messy people so will leave $1-$2 dollars per day depending on what small bills/change we have and at the end of the holiday we leave all our dimes, nickels and pennies with a thank you note (around $10 last time!) I also attempted to make them a towel animal but failed at that!

Bell boys, $1 per bag, bar staff at least $1 per drink if however they aren't using measures and I plan on having a few drinks sometimes $5 - $10 (a good tip will buy you good bar service!) Taxis generally a couple of dollars and this year we are using DME for the first time so plan on giving the driver $5 regardless of whether he helps with our bags or not --we will only have 2 bags anyway.

 

[katiepompey]

I tip between 18% and 20% for table service and 15% for buffet. I normally leave a couple of £s over here in the UK. but I find the service we recieved every where in the Orlando was amazing be it in disney or out side. When we were in plant Hollywood the waitress couldn't apologise enough for our starter being slow or but we hadn't even realisedb that it was. She noticed our drinks were empty and she bright us 2 new drinks free of charge to apologise. She got tipped above the 20% mark. To many people are clearly stuck in there own ways. As many before have said "when in Rome". We also tip housekeeping and taxi driver.

 

[wayneg]

When we were in plant Hollywood the waitress couldn't apologise enough for our starter being slow or but we hadn't even realisedb that it was. She noticed our drinks were empty and she bright us 2 new drinks free of charge to apologise.

Last year I ordered a pint of beer at Orlando Alehouse. Brought the soft drinks out, beer took a few minutes extra, they have to wait for the barman to pour it. He appologised for the delay and brought me another pint. If you get a very good server you don't need to complain in the US, they know they should be doing better.

 

[wilma-bride]

If you get a very good server you don't need to complain in the US, they know they should be doing better.

I agree and I don't even mind if the service is slow as long as the server makes some attempt to apologise. A few years ago now (the one and only time we ever did the DDP) we had dinner at Le Cellier. We were chatting all the way thorugh dinner with a couple who were sitting next to us and they were just a minute or so behind us in courses. Our server took our dessert order, then took theirs immediately after. Their desserts came out first. Within seconds our server was over with our desserts, apologising profusely that the other couple received theirs first and brought us a free glass of champagne (fizzy wine) on the house plus two FPs for any ride we wanted as consolation. It was completely unnecessary - as I said, a matter of seconds but it was nice that she tried immediately to make it rgiht. That was when the tip was included with the DDP but she got an additional tip on top as she was so great.

 

[Ware Bears]

Tipping a hairdresser, windowman and milkman are new ones on me

My mum was a hairdresser and I can remember her declaring her tips on her tax forms! I don't know about now but in those days if they didn't declare the tips the taxman would hit them for six with his estimation which was always way over the correct figure.