18% Gratuity as Standard....

[UKDEB]

I received the following email from DDE late last night:

Dear Debbie,

Many of you have expressed concern about the 18% gratuity that will be added to all Disney Dining Experience transactions. When using your Disney Dining Experience membership card the assessed gratuity will be added to all table service restaurant locations and lounges for all transactions regardless of party size. Gratuity will not be added to any counter service, food cart or quick service locations. In the past, gratuity was only implemented for larger parties of 8 or more for guests utilizing their Disney Dining Experience membership.

This adjustment to the program has been implemented in order to align the Disney Dining Experience Program with other dining experiences where gratuities are included. Effective January 1, 2008, when utilizing your Disney Dining Experience discount 18% gratuity will be added.

If you have any further questions or concerns we would ask that you send an e-mail to our Executive Offices at wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com.

Thank you,

The Disney Dining Experience Team

Despite the statement that "this adjustment to the program has been implemented in order to align the Disney Dining Experience Program with other dining experiences where gratuities are included", this email does little to clarify the confusion over precisely what will be included in this policy.

Webmaster John makes a very good point. It occurs to me that it's always been the case that you can refuse to pay, or adjust, any automatically added tip. Many restaurants, including those in the UK, adopt an auto-gratuity policy for parties of a certain size. I've never really understood why most of us accept that without question. Surely party size is a red herring?

I don't have a problem with the auto-gratuity, but I totally grasp the argument of those who do.

 

[Laurafoster]

This personally doesnt bother me too much, i tend to tip 20% anyway assuming the service is good (fortunately ive never had a bad experience as of yet) but should the service be poor i wouldnt hesitate in asking for the tip to be removed.

I hope the service doesnt deteriorate as a result of this - with waiters knowing there going to get their tip anyway.

I do completely understand why the auto gratuity will upset many people though.

 

[Hilary]

Surely party size is a red herring?

I've always assumed (rightly or wrongly!) that automatic inclusion of a gratuity charge for large parties is implemented because large groups are more likely to leave no gratuity at all.

If you're dining as a family small group, the bill is likely to be met by one person, and the gratuity dealt with by that one person. In my experience of eating out in a large group, the tip is often the last people are thinking about when it comes time to sort out the bill - it's often just an afterthought by the last people to leave the table!

If that is a reason for automatic inclusion for large groups, I have no idea why that would be any reason for adding it to DDE meals!

 

[paulh]

what i think is comparing to cruises,we did the disney cruse 7 nights and was astonished to be given a tip card and they wanted the same for the children(one under 7 at time)as for the adults in party.We tiped for the addults but not the children.
Untill servers get reasonable pay this will be a bone of contention
Paulh

 

[paulh]

, I have no idea why that would be any reason for adding it to DDE meals!

This was agreed in resent contract renewals with unions and disney
Paulh

 

[wayneg]

what i think is comparing to cruises,we did the disney cruse 7 nights and was astonished to be given a tip card and they wanted the same for the children(one under 7 at time)as for the adults in party.We tiped for the addults but not the children.
Untill servers get reasonable pay this will be a bone of contention
Paulh

I know someone(not heard from him for over a year) that used to work on DCL then moved to RCL, he started as a server and worked his way up, he told me most the servers made a very good wage on DCL with the tips.
I worked it out one cruise we did, if everyone tipped the full amount for the tables they covered, it was a lot.

 

[martinrmn]

When my family and I are anywhere we will tip if we have had good service. This includes UK and US. If I am not happy with the service for whatever reason then no tip. What I don't like is being told how much I am expected to tip, because quite simply I won't. If someone wants a confrontation then I will oblige. Can I be arrested for not tipping? I do sympathise with people on low wages and will leave a tip when the service warrants it. As others have said will the service drop? I am not on the Dining Plan and have no intention of joining it. When we stayed on site we ate out and to be honest, this suited us all.

 

[Morgstar]

O the joys of the tipping debate!

I've been involved in many a debate about tipping and have strong views on the subject.

I will always tip when in the USA or Britain. If the service is poor i will tip a ridiculously small amount. I do this to show the server that i understand the 'american' culture of tipping, but want to reflect the poor service recieved by leaving a small tip (im talking about leaving a dollar or less).

Normally we find service to be excellent and tip a min of 20%.

I have to say i dont see how this auto gratuity benefits anyone in the long term, including the servers. Personally i will have to ask for it to be removed if i am not satisfied and even if i am i will no longer see the need to leave an additional tip as it is included in the bill.

Here's way i cant see it benefiting anyone:

*First of all as customers we are all very upset about being told how much to tip, this includes all nationalities (just look at the responses on the main board)

* It will drive people away from eating on site as already stated in this thread

*It could possibly lead to embarrassing situations with customers asking the server to see the manager to have it removed (hence showing the whole restaurant that either the server hasnt done their job properly or the customer is a cheap skate)

* and i would be surprised if the server's actually make more money because of it. There are several reasons for this. What a lot of people fail to realise is that servers are expected to 'tip out the bar' at the end of their shift, if a server hasnt been left cash (because your tip is included in your bill which you may well have paid by card) how can they do that. But there will be an evener greater disadvantage for servers too. From what ive been reading and heard most people want bother to leave those extra dollars on the table or pay the bill by card and leave an additional tip in cash as they will seem the service as all-inclusive. That means servers will now be declaring all their tips to the tax man as he is going to know exactly how much they've earned. From what ive heard previously servers always declared x amount of dollars but it was never a true reflection of the amount they had recieved. So now not only will they have some people asking for the gratuity to be removed but even when they do recieve it, they will be paying tax on it and wont recieve it until there pay check comes through at the end of the month - if the meal has been for by card.

Does anyone else think that everyone looses out here! I cant believe the unions have been pushing for this didnt they tink it out first

 

[wayneg]

*First of all as customers we are all very upset about being told how much to tip, this includes all nationalities (just look at the responses on the main board)

We ate in the Bellagio hotel Las vegas 3 weeks ago. In the short space of time we were near the front of the line to get in 3 groups of Americans went in to dine, all 3 groups asked if the could have tables of 4 near each other rather than 1 group. As far as I could see only explanation was to avoid the auto gratuity of 18%. The Americans dislike this as much as anyone.
I just dont understand why they dont increase prices by 20% for the wait staff, then say tip is included, additional tips for good service at diners discretion. I know this is no different but for me its the idea of being told what to pay tip, it doesn't go down well.
I have an Uncle who always asks for any auto tip removing. He might then leave the same amount but he won't have it added to his food bill, like me won't be told but I would just not eat there.

 

[AliceGardner]

BUT a lot of people don't tip or don't tip the full amount. Also wait/cabin staff on cruise ships work VERY long hours and a lot of days (6 or 7 days a week). They are also living in minimalist conditions (well compared to a nice home), they don't have the opportunity to take a second/third job to supplement their income and don't see their families for 3/6 months. I think that they deserve a good wage.

Re kids on cruise ships... wait/cabin staff normally pay more attention and work harder to make young passengers happy - so it seems odd to not tip them because of this.

Tipping is a personal thing though.

Alice

I know someone(not heard from him for over a year) that used to work on DCL then moved to RCL, he started as a server and worked his way up, he told me most the servers made a very good wage on DCL with the tips.
I worked it out one cruise we did, if everyone tipped the full amount for the tables they covered, it was a lot.

 

[wayneg]

BUT a lot of people don't tip or don't tip the full amount. Also wait/cabin staff on cruise ships work VERY long hours and a lot of days (6 or 7 days a week). They are also living in minimalist conditions (well compared to a nice home), they don't have the opportunity to take a second/third job to supplement their income and don't see their families for 3/6 months. I think that they deserve a good wage.

Re kids on cruise ships... wait/cabin staff normally pay more attention and work harder to make young passengers happy - so it seems odd to not tip them because of this.

Tipping is a personal thing though.

Alice

Yes Alice I agree, I am not knocking what they earn they do earn it, I was just saying they tend to earn a good wage out of tips especially compared to wait staff in many of the eateries around Orlando.
Like any tips I dont think you should be told what to pay. If you don't feel children should pay then I don't think you should be made to feel guilty about it.
A tip should be what you feel happy paying not what someone else thinks you should pay.

 

[AliceGardner]

With cruise ships I think it is difficult - if the cruise literature didn't recommend what to tip wait/cabin staff, how would any of us have a clue what to tip (I know I wouldn't....)? With wait staff in normal restaurants, you can have a good idea (assuming you read guide books etc... you know that you should tip x% if the service is good...). On a cruise ship where you don't pay specifically for each meal, then how do you work out what to tip (x% of what?)?

I agree that cruise ships should include these tips, but most of them don't (one or two very high level cruise lines do, I think, that is it). This is mainly because cruiselines want their cruises to appear cheaper than they actually are/should be (i.e. cruises would be more expensive if they included tips and some people would be put off ). But also partly because they want to encourage "good service" through reward.

The cruise industry is highly influenced by the US - which is a tipping culture. I am pretty sure that even if cruiselines cabin/wait staff had their wages increased by a significant x% to "include tips", that an "extra tipping" culture would develop and we would be back to square one (where these "extra tips" are pretty much expected...). That probably sounds odd - I hope that I managed to communicate it ok (basically I think that it would be hard to get rid of tipping...)

Servers on cruise ships WILL get paid more than servers in restaurants in Orlando. Servers in Orlando get to go home to their families at the end of the day and could, if they wish, work more than one job. Servers on cruise ships sacrifice a lot (including time with their families, seeing their kids grow up and being able to supplement their income with additional jobs at the same time) - so you would expect them to get paid well for it (otherwise people would not do it). I know that I still wouldn't do their job (and be away from my husband an daughter for 3/6months at a time) if it paid £50k a year...

I think - as far as the rest is concerned - i just agree with your other sentiment: if you don't agree with the recommended tip (assuming good service), then don't dine there... That is what I would do . I see tipping (at the suggested rate) as part of the cost of the meal/cruise and would only not tip if I had a VERY good reason not to (which hasn't yet happened... )

If you have a kid and, up until now, have refused to tip on their behalf... then, next time, look at what those servers do for that child... Do they do at least as much as they do for an adult? Does the child actually need more cleaning up after them? Does the server actually make an effort to engage, entertain, make your child feel special? If they do, do they deserve a tip as a thank you for making a fuss of your special one?

Like anything, encourage good behaviour with positive feedback. If servers make a real fuss of children, but consistently get no reward from it... then they may well considerably reduce their efforts for their younger guests - I think that would be sad

I think the tipping is just about as contraversial as discussing religion or politics

Alice

Yes Alice I agree, I am not knocking what they earn they do earn it, I was just saying they tend to earn a good wage out of tips especially compared to wait staff in many of the eateries around Orlando.
Like any tips I dont think you should be told what to pay. If you don't feel children should pay then I don't think you should be made to feel guilty about it.
A tip should be what you feel happy paying not what someone else thinks you should pay.

 

[paulh]

ok i go into walmart get my food go to check out pay for goods and have to pay a tip.
Thats how a lot of people see tipping the price they see on menu is the price they will pay.
On radio coming home was this same debate (not about diney but tipping in general) and most people said 10% for exerlent service
On auto tips were at hard rock a couple of years ago whent to shop and got the kids an coke from fridge,whent to counter to pay was given bill and an 18% was added for a tip,its things like this makes folks not want to tip
on the cruise tip for kids do se why a 6 year old should tip $175.Before we got our tip card our server who was english said it was ok as he would understand and he told us not to tip for the kids
Paulh

 

[ford family]

ok i go into walmart get my food go to check out pay for goods and have to pay a tip.
Thats how a lot of people see tipping the price they see on menu is the price they will pay.
On radio coming home was this same debate (not about diney but tipping in general) and most people said 10% for exerlent service
On auto tips were at hard rock a couple of years ago whent to shop and got the kids an coke from fridge,whent to counter to pay was given bill and an 18% was added for a tip,its things like this makes folks not want to tip
on the cruise tip for kids do se why a 6 year old should tip $175.Before we got our tip card our server who was english said it was ok as he would understand and he told us not to tip for the kids
Paulh

If you don't want to pay for service, don't go to a full service restaurant, stick with self service or counter service.
Many of us go only to full service restaurants because we like to talk about the menu with the waiting staff, get ideas and recommendations, help with the wine selection, whether to leave room for a special dessert, etc. We are quite happy to pay 18% on the bill and maybe leave a little extra to reflect the quality and attentiveness of the service.
And as to whether or not Disney can make it stick? Have you tried getting into a good WDW restaurant at short notice recently? Very difficult.
All those who will now avoid onsite restaurants, splendid, more room for the rest of us.

ford family

 

[wayneg]

If you don't want to pay for service, don't go to a full service restaurant, stick with self service or counter service.

Although I tip I have no problem if the next family to me don't tip. There is no law says they have to, it is optional.
Its a subject everyone will never agree on.

 

[paulh]

. We are quite happy to pay 18% on the bill and maybe leave a little extra to reflect the quality and attentiveness of the service.

i do tip and tip well but dont like being told what to tip.As most TS we are a paty of 10 it`s an auto 18% anyway.But on the ocasions when its 4 of us i will decide my tip
Paulh

 

[CarolynU]

I had the same e-mail re the DDE card. TBH in all the table service restaurants I ate in during the Summer I tipped 20%, so having it automatically added doesn't bother me. I only received less that superb service in Le Cellier believe it or not, so my grat went down to 15% that night. Would I get the automatic tip removed for below par service? Not sure. I did have a quiet word with the manager that night, but the food was amazing, and the food runner was good so I took all that into consideration when deciding on how much to leave.

 

[getready]

seems to me that by adding 18% on to the price you are not tipping but paying an additional mandatory service charge. I have always thought that you tipped some-one when you were satisfied with service. I wonder how long it will be before people will expect 18% + a further tip

 

[stephensmum]

I had the same e-mail re the DDE card. TBH in all the table service restaurants I ate in during the Summer I tipped 20%, so having it automatically added doesn't bother me. I only received less that superb service in Le Cellier believe it or not, so my grat went down to 15% that night. Would I get the automatic tip removed for below par service? Not sure. I did have a quiet word with the manager that night, but the food was amazing, and the food runner was good so I took all that into consideration when deciding on how much to leave.

Hi Carolyn Just wondered what was wrong with the service atLe Cellier? We did the DDP in 06 & thought we had good service everywhere untill we came back & realised we may not have expected as high a standard as some. We were very rarely offered refills. But did not know we were entitled to them. etc

 

[wayneg]

We were very rarely offered refills. But did not know we were entitled to them. etc

That is disgraceful. I don't drink alcohol so I drink 4 or 5 soda's with a meal. If I am not offered a refill by the time I am near the bottom of each drink I lower the % tip.