Poor service because of the DDP?

[chairol]

I was on the DDP from 8/13 - 8/17. We received excellent service throughout our trip

 

[Mom2Evie]

We've been to Disney on the DDP two different times now. On both occassions we received excellent service and not once did a server seem upset that we were. Quite the contrary, they were very helpful explaining the plan if we had any questions about choices. If one of us didn't want dessert, they offered us fruit or something we could take back tot he room for later.
My DH & I both waited tables to put ourselves through college, so we know exactly how hard their job is. Eventually, I was a dining room manager, having to deal with both rude servers and hateful customers. That being said, there are jerks in every line of work. I've even seen a Mall Santa with a bad attitude about his job. I refuse to feel sorry for the server that doesn't want to claim his income on his taxes. So he's been cheating Uncle Sam and now that he can't, he wants to take it out on guests. In short, if I were the manager, I'd fire him.

Even with the included tip, if DH & I got excellent service, we left extra money. But we didn't have to do it, because they're already getting a tip. It was our choice and in most cases, our pleasure to leave it. In all my sit down meals in my life, some of the best experiences with food and service have been at Disney.... DDP or not.

 

[marivaid]

We've used the DDP and the DDE and saw no difference in service whatsoever. Also no server acted "relieved" when we said we weren't on the plan.

 

[PISCESANGEL]

maybe when you're asked if you're on the dining plan you say, 'yes, but we tip extra for good service.'

then if they know that in advance, they may try a little harder

 

[princessofcandles]

We'll be using the DDP on our upcoming trip in Nov. I've done Disneyland but this is my first trip to Disneyworld. But.....

I think this really depends on how much eating out you do regularly and how much of an understanding you have of the Servers job. At home, its just the two of us (me and DH). So we eat out a lot. Like 3-4 times a week, at the least. Its pretty cheap for us to do that. We are pros at working a menu. We split entrees and both get salads. We look for buy1get1free coupons. We use the Entertainment book (great for nokids and/or datingsingles). BUT we totally get the Servers because of it. Not only do I have lots of friends who are servers, but we are in the environment enough to see whats "normal". Its hard for us to have bad service. We have had it but if I have to complain about bad service you know its been really really bad.

I understand about tipping, and wait times, and double-seating and such. I can not tell you how many times we have seen customers upset and cranky because they feel thier meal has been ruined by a "poor server" when its obvious to us that its not necessarly the servers fault.

Its also obvious to us that the customers were not used to going out a lot and so ANYTHING can ruin their meal. To Issure Prompt/Proper Service.... I talk to the server and ask questions about service, try to make our order easier or more affective. I have asked slammed servers to not worry about putting my dressing on the side or heaven-help-them bake potato toppings on the side. Cuz they have to expo that themselves. I look to see where the tea pitcher is at so I can refill myself if needed. Or I have even had a busy server give us an extra glass of just tea (no ice) to use as a mini refill. You got to work with them and they will NEVER mess your order.

ok... extreme example... We were going out to a nice chain Italian resturant. It was a Tuesday evening (the best time to go out to eat). We get to the half empty parking lot and the half empty resturant and find we have a 30-45 min wait. OK???? So I ask the Host "are we short staffed?" (meaning did someone call in sick and they had to close a section) He smiles and said "We had one call in and we have one guy on his first day solo (out of training) and he is having trouble keeping up with his tables." I smiled and said great! We would like to get seated and start on our teas and such but don't mind the flustered server. If he could seat us right away in the "new guys" section I promise not to complain no matter how long it takes. We were seated in 5 minutes. Poor guy really was having a tough time. Anyhow, we gave him our entire order right from the start. Told him not to worry about us. We can take care of ourselves. Just keep an eye on the food. He looked grateful. Anyhow, yes I did have to go to the expo window and ask for our appetizer, yes I refilled our own teas, and yes it took a while to get our foods. But we knew what we were in for and didn't get fustrated. And we did tip him because he gave us great service... he was just not good at keeping up with different tables. And boy did he thank us like crazy.

We're going to Disneyworld Thanksgiving week. I know what to expect. And if I have to refill my own teas and sweetly remind my server to check on our salads then so be it.

PS: btw, when you use a cc for the meal, tip in cash because the cc tip usually goes to thier paycheck and they are taxed on it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

maybe when you're asked if you're on the dining plan you say, 'yes, but we tip extra for good service.'

then if they know that in advance, they may try a little harder

Yes, because that shows a lot of class.

 

[kaytieeldr]

To Issure Prompt/Proper Service.... I

Respectfully, no. I realize you’re on the good side of this discussion, but realistically, a gratuity potentially provided after a meal or other service can in no way ‘insure prompt/proper service DURING the meal, etc.

 

[Barbers2005]

PS: btw, when you use a cc for the meal, tip in cash because the cc tip usually goes to thier paycheck and they are taxed on it.

No offense, but they should be taxed on it...that's part of their income. Personally, I never carry cash, so if a restaurant doesn't take cc and put tips on it, I don't eat there.

 

[Barbers2005]

maybe when you're asked if you're on the dining plan you say, 'yes, but we tip extra for good service.'

then if they know that in advance, they may try a little harder

I think that would be a little tacky. It's kind of like saying "I don't think you'll do a good job, so let me bribe you to do better. JMO

 

[NJDISMOM]

I read this thread before we left for our trip and was concerned about the level of service we would get for our first trip with the DDP. We did have a couple of servers that weren't as good (at Capt'n Jacks and Kona Cafe), but I think it was just those 2 servers, not due to the DDP.

At all the other restaurents we were at, I advised at the very beginning that we were on the DDP. We even paid for my DS12's meal OOP on several meals since he doesn't eat a lot! All the other servers but the 2 above were excellent, explaining exactly what was available, refilling drinks before we even had to ask, etc.

We did eat most of our meals at earlier times (between 5-630), so that may have helped us get better service as well.

All in all, my experiences with service on the DDP were actually much better than I typically receive out in the real world!

 

[BrADmatt]

We used the DDP from 8/18 - 8/25 and had no problems with service at all.

 

[wilde_oscar]

Respectfully, no. I realize you’re on the good side of this discussion, but realistically, a gratuity potentially provided after a meal or other service can in no way ‘insure prompt/proper service DURING the meal, etc.

The union voted this change in, this is the way the tip works in the rest of the country. You get a tip if you provide good service. That is pretty much where the controversy ends... if you wanna tip bad service, go ahead tip bad service... one of these days you'll visit the real world, wake up, and realize that you are not always right and not every one else is always wrong.

Your salery is your reward for doing your job, the tip (bonus) is the reward for doing your job well. This is how the service industry is set up, heavy on the reward, so that workers are inspired to give good service. (Kinda like sales, a regular salery.. but a heavy bonus to inspire drive and to motivate excellence) If you don't like the pay, don't take the job... go work an hourly wage at Walmart. Don't spew that crap that some poeple have no choice but to take a server position, the world needs ditch diggers as well.

Ug, the lenghts that some poeple goto to defend bad service boggles the mind. Perhaps you can adopt all the servers that give bad service and they can live in your guest bedroom in that great place that sits over in Fantasy Land.

The servers had it good for a couple years... 18% and they knew they will get it no matter how crappy they do their job. OH yeah, I know when you were a server, you were nice to everyone, worked hard everyday, and walked up hill to work both ways in the snow. And your babies had to eat dog food cause you were so poor from all the lousy tippers. Then how is it that the good servers get tipped, and the bad servers don't... I mean, there is a bit of a clue that is how the job works.

... I'll say it again... Tips = To Ensure Prompt Service. If you provide the prompt service, you get the tip, or ya don't that is part of the risk of the job... much like coal miners take the risk of a cave in, Soldiers take the risk of getting shot in combat, Mailmen take the risk of getting barked at by dogs. Keep trying to defend your point that servers should make a fair wage, run for office, get a law passed and enforce it, other wise live in the real world where a tip is TO ENSURE PROMPT SERVICE.

 

[LilGMom]

To answer the original question about service being different if on the DDP or not.....We never experienced a difference in the amount of wonderful service that we got at a TS regardless of how we were paying for it. This past May was our first DDP trip and I can honestly say that not once did I feel that we were being 'slighted' because the CM knew that we were on the DDP. The level of service that we got was the same outstanding service that we have been getting for years.

 

[pta-mom]

oh good, some one revived a dead thread so that kaytieeldr can get on her high horse after riding to the sables on her huffy bike.

The union voted this change in, this is the way the tip works in the rest of the country. You get a tip if you provide good service. That is pretty much where the controversy ends... if you wanna tip bad service, go ahead tip bad service... one of these days you'll visit the real world, wake up, and realize that you are not always right and not every one else is always wrong.

Your salery is your reward for doing your job, the tip (bonus) is the reward for doing your job well. This is how the service industry is set up, heavy on the reward, so that workers are inspired to give good service. (Kinda like sales, a regular salery.. but a heavy bonus to inspire drive and to motivate excellence) If you don't like the pay, don't take the job... go work an hourly wage at Walmart. Don't spew that crap that some poeple have no choice but to take a server position, the world needs ditch diggers as well.

Ug, the lenghts that some poeple goto to defend bad service boggles the mind. Perhaps you can adopt all the servers that give bad service and they can live in your guest bedroom in that great place that sits over in Fantasy Land.

The servers had it good for a couple years... 18% and they knew they will get it no matter how crappy they do their job. OH yeah, I know when you were a server, you were nice to everyone, worked hard everyday, and walked up hill to work both ways in the snow. And your babies had to eat dog food cause you were so poor from all the lousy tippers. Then how is it that the good servers get tipped, and the bad servers don't... I mean, there is a bit of a clue that is how the job works.

Common lady, did ya take a high dive in a shallow pool? To Ensure Prompt Service (Tips)... I'll say it again... Tips = To Ensure Prompt Service. If you provide the prompt service, you get the tip, or ya don't that is part of the risk of the job... much like coal miners take the risk of a cave in, Soldiers take the risk of getting shot in combat, Mailmen take the risk of getting barked at by dogs. Keep trying to defend your point that servers should make a fair wage, run for office, get a law passed and enforce it, other wise live in the real world where a tip is TO ENSURE PROMPT SERVICE.

Wow! That was really harsh! Can you not make your point without being so rude?

 

[kaytieeldr]

pta-mom, don't you think it would be really great if posters would not make assumptions about people of whom they have no knowledge except via Internet forums (disclaimer: pta-mom being addressed ONLY because she is the most recent poster in this thread and her actual post applies, not because I have any idea who she is, what she did or does for a living, or anything else about her - or even if she's actually a 'her')? I have simply asked a reasonable question several appropriate times to which I have not yet gotten a reasonable response.
Apocryphally, "tips" stands for "to insure prompt service". Aside from the grammatical issue - the proper word being ensure, not insure - nobody has yet reasonably explained how money potentially given/expected AFTER the service is completed in any way insures/ensures prompt service WHILE the service is being performed.

 

[kaytieeldr]

For the record, I am not defending anything. I am asking a simple, brief, clearly-worded question and would appreciate a simple, brief, clearly-worded response.

 

[pumba]

please try to be considerate of other opinions..thanks

 

[ajsmommy1129]

We have used the DDP three times, with our fourth starting next Saturday! We have only had bad service at one TS, and I do not think it was because we were on the DDP, I think our server was too busy flirting and chatting with a waiter in an adjoining area. This had nothing to do with DDP, we have had this problem at local DE eating establishments. We ordered wine with our dessert, which came after we had finished eating our dessert....and we waited like 15 minutes to start eating it. My meal came after both DS and DH had finished their food, because she had my order completely wrong (I ordered chicken and got fish, not like I was being picky about sauce or something). She spilled not one but TWO glasses of apple juice on my son. This was just the WORST meal, service wise, we have ever had, DDP or no DDP. I spoke with the manager, and advised him that I was not paying for the wine that arrived after dessert, as well as having the tip removed from the drink I had with dinner. He was very understanding, and agreed that the service was not acceptable. This was the ONLY meal, in three DDP experiences, that we did not leave an additional tip. My DH worked his way through school as a waiter, so we always tip well for good service, but he is also the first to NOT tip for bad service.
Tips are bonuses...I get paid to do my job, and if I do it really well, I get a bonus. If I don't, I just get paid.

 

[Tricia1972]

We went in April on the DDP. We ate at LeCellier with DDP, Kona Breakfast OOP, Victoria & Alberts with DDE, Mama Melrose with DDP (F! DP), and Boma Breakfast DDP.

The ONLY restaurant we had subpar service at was Kona for breakfast (OOP). All other servers gave us excellent service.

I think it has less to do with DDP and more to do with individual servers. We're going back at the end of the month for a 14 day trip on the DDP. I'll let you know if I revise my opinion after 14 days on the plan.

 

[PEANUT1]

I am doing the DDP for the first time next month and I can't wait.....I am going to go into it with an open mind, a hungry belly, and try to remember that I am in the happiest place on earth. I will be grateful that I am blessed enough to go to Disney and save the whining for when I have to go home.