$400 in tips?

[shellybaxter]

Yep, be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!! Plus, I still don't understand why 20%. I tip based on service, and 10% at buffets is fine. It still makes no sense why just because a server is lucky enough to work in a signature restaurant they should get more than say a server at a place like GG. Doesn't make sense.

Its not that the servers are "lucky" enough to work at a signature restaurant, its that they are good enough. Just like in many other professions, those with higher skills and abilities get paid more. I've heard that at disney a server can "work up" to the pinnacle of Disney Dining - Victoria and Alberts. They don't just want to work at V&As because its a fancy place with prestige; they want to work there because the pay (wage and tips I suppect) is better. In order to be asked to work at V&As they have to be a great server. The better a server gets, the better restaurant they will be hired into, the better their wages and tips will be.

As for buffets. I agree that 10% is appropriate at some buffets outside of Disney (the ones where a servers does nothing but clear plates) but in Disney the servers do far more than just "bring" drinks. If you dine at a character buffet (the majority of buffets) a server giving excellent service will seat you, tell you about the timing of the characters, give an overview of the buffet, get a chef if you have any questions about food allergies, bring drinks, take away plates, offer to take family photos with the characters, bring more drinks, take away more plates, take away the dessert plates, and be the cashier. Too me, this is worth the same tip as a regular table service.

 

[amscherm]

WOW... I am in shock... I knew were were going to have to pay for our tips this upcoming trip - but had not sat down to figure out what that would be... We are on the Deluxe plan as well and will be doing breakfast and dinner as TS meal... holy cow - My DH is going to flip when I show him this thread and the numbers...

 

[my*jck*luv]

WOW... I am in shock... I knew were were going to have to pay for our tips this upcoming trip - but had not sat down to figure out what that would be... We are on the Deluxe plan as well and will be doing breakfast and dinner as TS meal... holy cow - My DH is going to flip when I show him this thread and the numbers...

Believe me, so was I when I started adding the numbers! I'm so glad I'm figuring all this out now so I can make sure we have enough for everything on this trip.

So everyone gets an idea of our TS meals...

8/14 arrival
PM-Whispering Canyon

8/15
AM-Tusker House
PM-50's Prime Time

8/16
AM-Crystal Palace
PM-Le Cellier

8/17
Lunch-Sci-Fi
PM-Narcoosee's

8/18
AM-Chef Mickey's
PM-Tutto Italia

8/19
AM-Kona Cafe
PM-Jiko

8/20
AM-Crystal Palace
Lunch-Raglan Road
PM-Kona Cafe

8/21 Leaving
AM-Whispering Canyon

 

[LizinSTL]

Okay, I just sat down and tried to figure how much we will be paying in tips. We're on the Deluxe dining plan, we'll have 2 TS meals a day, breakfast and dinner and lunch will be CS for 7 nights. Our pkg has been paid in full for awhile now so I'm trying to budget spending, tipping and extra money. I figured our tips will come out to $400 paying 20% at every meal. Granted, we are eating at a couple signature restaurants.

Can anyone who has gone w/ the DxDP confirm this sounds right? I want to make sure I'm putting enough in the tip budget. Thanks!

If you are thinking your TS meal costs will be about $2000, then that's correct.

 

[disnut8]

I don't understand why folks think the server only brings drinks at a buffet. The next time you go to CM or 1900 PF,just for the heck of it, count how many trips the server makes to and from your table, and see if you eat off of the same dirty plate each time you go back to the buffet. Most times the server takes care of clean up and refills when you are not sitting but are away from your seat.

I try and stay out of these discussions but I'm am so glad someone else feels the way we do. It's very difficult for the buffet server to keep up with, say, four people at the same table. Person 1 finishes the salad before Person 2 but that plate needs to be taken away before Person 1 comes back from the buffet for the second time. At which point Person 2 is almost finished but not quite. So the server needs to come back just a minute later to get Person 2's salad plate. And then add in Person 3 and Person 4.

It's considered bad service at a buffet to have any finished plate left at the table before you get back with your second or third or fourth trip. And then have to keep up with the drink refills (which how many families have the exact same drink?).

Not saying buffet servers should get more but let's look at it realistically.

BTW - if I go to TGI Friday's, the server who took my order does not bring it to my table, someone else does. And that first server isn't the one that clears my used plates either. The busboys do that.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We have DxDDp for 7 nights in August. 5 of those dinners are signature, the others are Puck's and Tutto Italia. The rest are buffet breakfasts. I had our tips ballparked at about $350 but I don't know if the menu prices were accurate. I think $400 is probably a safe bet. If you end up not using all of it that's cool, but I would try to budget on the high side just to be safe.

 

[slug]

It really depends on the size of your party.

400 is 20% of 2000 and about 15% of 2600.

So if you're meals would have cost between 2000-2600, then $400 is about right.

That's about 280-370 per day on food. Sounds like it could be a bit high for a family of 2, but maybe not for a family of 5-6.

How many are in your party?

Or just estimate what your meals will cost and multiply by 15-20% (which it looks like you've already done).

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I tried figuring out my tips in advance as well, and I got $200 for 20% with 2 or 3 TS meals a day for twelve nights.

 

[catho72]

I would budget around $500 for tips just in case. If the actual amount is lower, that's great. I quickly figured out how much ours would be for 8 nights on the DDP and came up with approx. $150 for one table service per day for the whole trip. (Did that just make sense?) I'm not sure what our total amount was for tips when we were on DxDDP in February. I'll try and figure it out and post again.

 

[my*jck*luv]

It really depends on the size of your party.

400 is 20% of 2000 and about 15% of 2600.

So if you're meals would have cost between 2000-2600, then $400 is about right.

That's about 280-370 per day on food. Sounds like it could be a bit high for a family of 2, but maybe not for a family of 5-6.

How many are in your party?

Or just estimate what your meals will cost and multiply by 15-20% (which it looks like you've already done).

There are 5 of us, 2 adults 3 kids ages 10(considered adult) 6(childs menu) and 1(eating off our plate). I went to http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/disneydining.cfm and priced out what I thought we would order (ex. Narcoosee's 3 surf & turf and one kids meal, apps and desserts then tagged on drinks) added all that up then the 20% tip. I believe I came up w/ our meal costing about $270 so tip would be $54 at Narcoosee's. The buffets were about $16-18 in tips a piece.

 

[catne]

Our content team on the Dis here work very hard to keep our menus up to date with accurate pricing, I would click on Dining above and then go to the Restaurant area and more specifically the restaurants you are eating at and check their prices and offerings...

They work tirelessly at keeping the Dis up to date.

I'm sure there is a lot of work involved with that, but we also found several of the menues out of date both on prices & what was offered.

And the other question is whether or not a "holiday surcharge" will be in affect when OP is there...that can add quite a bit to the costs over the stated menu amounts.

 

[shellybaxter]

I tried figuring out my tips in advance as well, and I got $200 for 20% with 2 or 3 TS meals a day for twelve nights.

I think you better refigure. That works out to be 20% of only $80.00 per day. I suppose it depends on the number of people eating but Dh and I never spend only $40.00 per table service and on the days of three that would be $26.00 per meal. It just doesn't sound right

 

[disneyin2008]

Don't all of the dining plans REQUIRE an 18% tip and that at the end of your meal you're given a BILL for that amount (plus anything you ordered that wasn't on the dining plan). If that's so, then while I understand you can of course leave more, i.e. 20%, how can you leave LESS at the buffets???

I would guess that if you had poor service you could talk to managers and ask that the tip be adjusted, but do you plan to do that at all buffets? What if the service wasn't poor, you just don't think buffet is worth 18%??

I'm sorry if this should be obvious, but I'm afraid I've never been somewhere that the tip was required and billed, so I'm wondering how this works?

 

[disneyin2008]

BTW - if I go to TGI Friday's, the server who took my order does not bring it to my table, someone else does. And that first server isn't the one that clears my used plates either. The busboys do that.

Yes, but at the end of the evening the waitress has to share her tips with the server and busboy, and usually with the bartender and hostess as well.

 

[suprgrlx]

Don't all of the dining plans REQUIRE an 18% tip and that at the end of your meal you're given a BILL for that amount (plus anything you ordered that wasn't on the dining plan). If that's so, then while I understand you can of course leave more, i.e. 20%, how can you leave LESS at the buffets???

I would guess that if you had poor service you could talk to managers and ask that the tip be adjusted, but do you plan to do that at all buffets? What if the service wasn't poor, you just don't think buffet is worth 18%??

I'm sorry if this should be obvious, but I'm afraid I've never been somewhere that the tip was required and billed, so I'm wondering how this works?

I might be wrong about this, but I don't think that the dining plan (DDP) requires any particular amount in tips. I know if you have a party of 6 or more (which the OP doesn't), or are using the Disney Dining Experience (DDE - a discount card available to AP holders and FL residents), then the tip is automatically billed at 18%. But I'm pretty sure not for the regular dining plan. So in this case, patrons on the DDP would be free to leave any percentage they want for a tip.

 

[Tricia1972]

I might be wrong about this, but I don't think that the dining plan (DDP) requires any particular amount in tips. I know if you have a party of 6 or more (which the OP doesn't), or are using the Disney Dining Experience (DDE - a discount card available to AP holders and FL residents), then the tip is automatically billed at 18%. But I'm pretty sure not for the regular dining plan. So in this case, patrons on the DDP would be free to leave any percentage they want for a tip.

You are correct.

 

[tmonferdini]

We (DH, me, DD13, DD9 & DS9) just came back from 10-nights on DxDP. I figured $700 for tips; we missed dinner at HBD the night before we left & I missed lunch that day because I got sick, but DH took the kids to Boatwright's for dinner anyway. We spent $600.

I had planned 2 TS breakfasts at Boatwright's that we ate CS instead, the kids liked the Food Court better; other than that, we had early lunches & in-room breakfast bars before heading to the parks. I would say you are right on for tips.

I think we had 5 Signature dinners scheduled & actually made the 4 of them at Yachtsman, Narcoossee's, Jiko & Cali Grill. Of the $600 we spent in tips, that also includes the extra alcoholic drinks at a couple places (maybe 6 or 7 total) that I used tip money on.

BTW, I always tipped at the 20% mark, except for Tutto Italia (didn't like the server, but still, she got 18%)

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

A few months ago someone posted a link to an Excel spreadsheet to use for calculating whether the DDP was a good deal for your family or not. I accessed it and saved it to my computer. You put in the costs of the entrees/drinks/desserts/appetizers you're likely to order and it figures your tip, and total value you're getting out of the plan. I know the Search feature doesn't always work, but I'd be happy to email it to anyone that is interested if you send me a PM with your email address.

 

[Tricia1972]

A few months ago someone posted a link to an Excel spreadsheet to use for calculating whether the DDP was a good deal for your family or not. I accessed it and saved it to my computer. You put in the costs of the entrees/drinks/desserts/appetizers you're likely to order and it figures your tip, and total value you're getting out of the plan. I know the Search feature doesn't always work, but I'd be happy to email it to anyone that is interested if you send me a PM with your email address.

That's my sheet! Robinb actually is hosting me online, so you can just access it online. I'll dig up the link and post it.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

That's my sheet! Robinb actually is hosting me online, so you can just access it online. I'll dig up the link and post it.

Yes, it is yours! The creator on it is Tricia N... - must be you! Thanks for creating that and passing it around - saved me the trouble of doing it!