The Disney Tipping Info Thread *Updated 9.1.09*

[crimsontide27]

Is it considered distasteful to leave giving only the 18% if the sevice was okay? We normally do 20% for all service but just wondering... Also is it considered distasteful to leave only the 20%? Should we always leave more? Just wondering? Also what is customary for tipping concierge for making reservations for you?

Thanks

I have never heard a server complain about a 18% gratuity, and trust me...I see them 5 days a week for about 8 hours a day.

 

[Tiffany_MommyOf3]

I have never heard a server complain about a 18% gratuity, and trust me...I see them 5 days a week for about 8 hours a day.

Thank you.. exactly what I needed to know

 

[KSG'sDisneyMem]

Thanks for all the great info.

 

[DznyDreams]

Okay . . . here goes . . .

I know this question is going to sound SUPER picky, but I am getting ready for a family meeting regarding our upcoming grand gathering, and I know someone will ask this question because they're "on a tight budget."

Is gratuity based on the total price of the menu items ordered BEFORE or AFTER sales tax? (I'm sorry, but I'm laughing at myself for even feeling the need to ask this question -- you just gotta know my family to truly appreciate this.)

 

[Disney8704]

You always wanna tip BEFORE taxes. Why tip on tax?

Okay . . . here goes . . .

I know this question is going to sound SUPER picky, but I am getting ready for a family meeting regarding our upcoming grand gathering, and I know someone will ask this question because they're "on a tight budget."

Is gratuity based on the total price of the menu items ordered BEFORE or AFTER sales tax? (I'm sorry, but I'm laughing at myself for even feeling the need to ask this question -- you just gotta know my family to truly appreciate this.)

 

[DznyDreams]

You always wanna tip BEFORE taxes. Why tip on tax?

OH yes! ITA! I "wanna" tip before taxes, but is this the way Disney figures it?

Actually, I'm sure it is . . . I'm just stressing over this family gathering 'bout the grand gathering. Thanks for the confirmation!

 

[Disneymommie]

We are going in 2 weeks. We are on the DDp with a large party. So all the work for figuring the tip is done for us. However, How do we work the tip? We will be leaving cash. So when the waiter brings the bill and we give him/her the room key for the DDP how do we make sure they do not charge the tip to the room. Should we just tell them we will be leavig cash for the tip? Seems a little tacky to say it to them...but what do I know. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Wendybird55]

Hi,

I posted these questions as a response on a thread and now that thread is closed..this is not continuing the direct topic of conversation on that thread, but is just a "I'm curious" question related to the thread.

Here goes....I'm on DXDP. I know tipping is not included. My plan for tipping is to put together a "tip kitty" which should more than cover tips for all our ADRs (I'm figuring 20% tip on most expensive items on menu so I know I'm covered). Then just leave a cash tip after each TS meal so I dont' have to fuss with credit cards and whatever.

ANYWAY..here's my question...If you're on the DDP and don't have enough cash on you for the tip or want to tip with a credit card or charge the tip to your room. Can you do this and how? Do you tell the server I want to put your tip on a credit card or charge it to the room and then do they have to prepare a seperate "bill" for the tip?

Also if you're in a party of 6 or more and they automatically add the 18% tip onto the bill does that mean it's automatically charged to your room? What if you want to leave cash instead? And if they don't automatically charge the 18% tip to anything, how is it paid for? What's stopping people from not leaving the 18% in cash?

Since I haven't done DDP with out tip yet - it just seems to me the easiest way is to leave a cash tip. But depending upon where your eating and how many people are in your party that can be alto of cash and I know many people prefer not to carry alot of cash when traveling and would rather use debit or credit cards.

Again, I'm just curious how it's done. Anyone out there use the DDP and leave a tip using something other than cash?

Thanks

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

When they bring your bill I always tell them I'll tip in cash. I don't think it's tacky, they appreciate it!

 

[ROEDISNEY]

We were just on that plan but we were only 2. I put all tips on my Disney Visa CC. You can charged your tips to your room card. Not sure how a group tip's will work.

 

[just another guy]

ANYWAY..here's my question...If you're on the DDP and don't have enough cash on you for the tip or want to tip with a credit card or charge the tip to your room. Can you do this and how? Do you tell the server I want to put your tip on a credit card or charge it to the room and then do they have to prepare a seperate "bill" for the tip?

Also if you're in a party of 6 or more and they automatically add the 18% tip onto the bill does that mean it's automatically charged to your room? What if you want to leave cash instead? And if they don't automatically charge the 18% tip to anything, how is it paid for? What's stopping people from not leaving the 18% in cash?

Depends if you are a party of 6+, or 1-5

If a party of 6+, the check will be given to you with the 18% worked into it. Suck as...

4 meals = $100
18% grat = $18

Total = $118

You then have the option of how to pay. If you have room charging abilities(this is the easiest way) simply give the server your room key. They will come back with paperwork, in which you will need to sign two forms. One slip is for the DDP, and the other would be a room charge of $18. Simply sign your name twice, and you are done. If you wish to pay cash, give the server $18 in cash, and your room key, and the server will return with paperwork, and this time only needing one autograph.



NOW, if you are on the DDP, and a party of 5 or less. Inform the server you are on the DDP before they bring the check. They will bring you a check such as this...

4 meals = $100
Tip: ___________

18% = $18
20% = $20


At this point, you can tip in any form you want. If cash, just give the cash and room card to your server. If you have charging abilities, simply write in whatever you like, lets say $17.50, and give your room card to the server. They will return with paperwork needing to autographs, one for the DDP, and one for a room charge of $17.50

Now if you wanted that $17.50 charged to a gift card, or a separate credit card since you don't have charging abilities, simply write in the $17.50, and give the server your room key for the DDP, as well as whatever other plastic card you want the tip charged to. Again, you will then need to sing two slips.

So, to be honest, no matter what the party size, the easiest way is to hae room charging abilities, and leave tips that way.

Hope that helps!!!

 

[cwestbrook]

You always wanna tip BEFORE taxes. Why tip on tax?

Yes, everyone wants to trip before tax but we've noticed the last few years that at EVERY restaurant in which we eat, the credit card slip you sign does not show the tax--only the total. So, you have to make a point of looking at the itemized total they bring first (and then take with them) to see what the pre tax total is. They've gotten tricky about it and I'll bet most people are tipping the tax now.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The next night we had dinner at Boma thet lady wasnt so great.The tip i wanted to leave her was going to be on a napkins that said Do your Job and be friendly to people but my Boy friend wouldnt let me.That would have been her tip and i think a good one lol

HOLD ON TO THAT MAN! He's a keeper!!!!

What do you consider the Boma's server's job, and what did she do or not do that made you decide her 'tip' should be being told how to do her job by a diner?

The ONLY time NO tip is valid is when the diner receives NO service. If you seated yourself, set your own table, got your own drinks, (since we're talking about a buffet) bused your own dishes each time you rose to get more food, cleared your own table, ran your own check, processed your own payment... then, yes, it's reasonable to not tip for no service.

However, since you likely got service, just not in accordance with whatever you expected, it is unreasonable not to leave a monetary tip.

OH yes! ITA! I "wanna" tip before taxes, but is this the way Disney figures it?

For starters, it's not just Disney - it's any dining venue where tipping is customary: Tip on the pre-tax check. The server isn't earning the tax, so there's no reason to calculate any tip using that figure.

 

[mavslab]

We are headed to free dining in August. I have a few questions:

1. Is the tax included in the DDP or is that OOP?

2. Are waitstaff expecting 18-20% at the breakfast buffets too?

3. You get a drink, entree, dessert for TS credit right. Are all those seperate items on your bill? or is it included with your entree? I see some menus have an entree for say $25.99 and dessert is say 7.99 and I don't see drinks listed so I assume a couple bucks for a drink. So we pay tip on $36 for that person right? (does my question make sense?)

I'm just trying to figure out costs ahead of time. Thanks

 

[Disney8704]

DH and I had lunch up in PA 2 weekends ago and they had the subtotal amount, the tax amount and then a tip line and then a total line. Thats how I've always have seen the receipts in other states. Here in DE, since there is NO tax, we always see a subtotal amount, then the tip line and then the total line and thats it. If we get to a TS place in Disney next month and I see just a subtotal line, a tip line and a total line, I'll figure out how much the tax was. Not that hard. The easiest way is just take the total, subtract 6.5% and then round it off to the nearest dollar. That would be your total amount before taxes.

 

[Sparkie]

We are going in 2 weeks. We are on the DDp with a large party. So all the work for figuring the tip is done for us. However, How do we work the tip? We will be leaving cash. So when the waiter brings the bill and we give him/her the room key for the DDP how do we make sure they do not charge the tip to the room. Should we just tell them we will be leavig cash for the tip? Seems a little tacky to say it to them...but what do I know. Thanks for any advice.

I just got back and left all my tips in cash. I think the best way to not have it confused and charged to your room is to tell the server that you will be tipping in cash. I dont think its rude. I think it decreases confusion. Also to be extra sure something didnt accidentally get charged to my room, I chose not to have charging priviledges added to my KTTW card.

I also ordered some extras that were not included with my dining plan and this is how that went. At the end of the meal I would receive two bills, one with the total for the meal items on my dining plan and the suggested tip and one for my extras with its suggested tip. I would write cash in on the tip line of each receipt and the amount I was planning to leave and then I would leave cash for my 2 tips my extra items. The server would take my money and my KTTW card in order to process my dining plan. She would then return with my receipts. That way the server only had to make one trip and my check out process went smoothly.

Prior to my trip, I had read many post where there was confusion on whether the tip or extras were to be charged to the room or payed in cash, confusion on the part of the server and how it created a mess of some sorts so I decided that a cash only system was best for us.

All in all- after much discussion and worry about the dining plan and the tipping- I still had a positive experience with the plan. Still saved money for my family. Not as much as last year but it was worth the convience. We did better that last year and only ordered what we wanted and did not order just because we were entitled to it. A lot of nights we took dessert to go and it was nice to have a treat for later in the room or we would share a dessert. And on occasion shared an appetizer. So dont stress about the tipping issue, I think the servers are more accustom to the plan now, and all that i encountered were quite pleasant. I learned how to tip for OOP and DDP and pay for my extras from my server at the KONA. I told her what I wanted to do, how much I wanted to leave for her and she walked me through the process that was most helpful for my remaining 12 days. Only once did I leave less than 20%. And that was at Garden Grill. My food was cold and my tea glass was never offered to be refilled.

I hope somebody finds this helpful.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We are headed to free dining in August. I have a few questions:

1. Is the tax included in the DDP or is that OOP?

2. Are waitstaff expecting 18-20% at the breakfast buffets too?

3. You get a drink, entree, dessert for TS credit right. Are all those seperate items on your bill? or is it included with your entree? I see some menus have an entree for say $25.99 and dessert is say 7.99 and I don't see drinks listed so I assume a couple bucks for a drink. So we pay tip on $36 for that person right? (does my question make sense?)

I'm just trying to figure out costs ahead of time. Thanks

1. Tax is included
2. "Expecting" is a controversial word. Do most Disney Guests seem to tip 18% at buffets (doesn't matter what the meal is)? Yes. Do you have to? No - but keep in mind all the work your server does, even though she/he doesn't take your order or bring your food.
3. First, ANY menu you see online is uofficial. It was provided to the given website by a website user/'customer', or obtained by someone connected with the website. Therefore, it is EXTREMELY common for a menu to not be complete.
Yes, you tip on what the TOTAL CHECK would be. Disney makes it easy. Right on your check, they print what amount equals 18% and what amount equals 20% (if the tip is at the discretion of the diner; large parties and DDE users are automatically assessed an 18% service charge).

If we get to a TS place in Disney next month and I see just a subtotal line, a tip line and a total line, I'll figure out how much the tax was.

Not necessary. See response, above. Disney will print right on the check what 18% of the total check is and what 20% of the total check is. But before you get the summary check, you would have gotten one with each item listed, its price, and the total spent on food, and the tax.

I would write cash in on the tip line of each receipt and the amount I was planning to leave and then I would leave cash for my 2 tips my extra items.

Not necessarily the best procedure. By putting the word "cash" AND the actual intended amount of cash on your slip, there is always the chance your room key or credit card could be charged that amount - in addition to you paying it. Best way is to just put the word "cash" on the tip line, then leave the cash. Your server needs to return to the table anyway, after you leave - or if not the server, the busser... who is aware that the money inside the check folder is for the server.

 

[Sparkie]

Not necessarily the best procedure. By putting the word "cash" AND the actual intended amount of cash on your slip, there is always the chance your room key or credit card could be charged that amount - in addition to you paying it. Best way is to just put the word "cash" on the tip line, then leave the cash. Your server needs to return to the table anyway, after you leave - or if not the server, the busser... who is aware that the money inside the check folder is for the server


It was not a problem because I did not have charging priviledges on my room key. If there are no charging priviledges they cant charge anything, but I see your point which is what I had read about on these boards - the very situation that you described and why I elected no charging priviledges on my room key.

 

[Disney8704]

Just wondering but do you have to write cash in the tip line. Couldnt you just put a big fat 0 on there and then just leave the tip in cash on the table or give to the server itself?

 

[bicker]

I'd write the word -- I use the word TABLE, myself -- to reinforce that a tip was granted. It doesn't hurt.