Question about Disney Gift Cards at Full Service Restaurants

[hulliechrisp]

I know many guests purchase Disney Gift Cards at Target or Sam's to save a few dollars for trips to the park. Has anyone ever used Gift Cards at full service restaurants (Storyteller's for example) and put the server's tip on the gift card? Can you do this or would you only be able to pay the cost of the bill and leave a cash tip?

Thanks!

 

[DharmaLou]

Yes. We did that on our last trip. You can tip using the GC. I specifically asked when I realized I didn't have any cash to use as the tip.

 

[tink89]

last trip I would pay with gift cards/cash whatever i had. For me it was easier to just leave cash for tip, but i am sure you can leave tip on gift card.

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

Yes, we do this all the time. Works just like a credit card—they bring back the bill and your card and you add the tip then write in the new total.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Just make sure the restaurant is Disney owned. For example, this won't work at the non-Disney owned restaurants in DTD.

 

[whistlinmickey]

We use gift cards all the time for tips in the full service restaurants. I find it a very convenient way to save a little bit of money. I suggest always using a gift card that you know has a balance that would easily cover all of the meal price, tax, and tip. It's just easier for the servers to have to deal with only one card. I've read others recommend avoiding using that card for a while to make sure it still has funds for the tip. That may be nice to do. But we have also found that the servers are aware that someone who immediately makes another purchase on the same card following a meal can cut into the tip. So they almost always seem pretty quick to run the tip charge after you leave the restaurant.
I recommend keeping track of the gift card balances and combining cards, as needed, on the https://disneygiftcard.com web site. I also keep track of card information and balances on my mobile phone since the web site only allows tracking up to 5 cards per account.

 

[hulliechrisp]

Thanks everyone!

 

[T0rrent]

Another thing you can do if you don't leave enough on the gift card for a tip, most restaurants will be willing to run your credit card/debit card for a penny so you can put the tip on your card. I've done that a couple of times at other places where the meal wound up being comped due to issues on the kitchen end, but wanted to make sure my server was still taken care of.