Am I understanding this Correctly?

[theostwalts]

Yes.... and at a couple restaurants where we got superior service (Boma, Ohana and Coral Reef) we left extra. Those servers rocked.

Even though the tip was included, I always tipped extra on our last trip. We always had great servers. I have noticed many on here speak of tipping extra (in fact this is where I got the idea) so you would think that the servers would try extra hard to give great service. If they get 18% plus an extra tip, they could get upwards of 30% on guests with the DDP.

 

[melomouse]

I almost started a new thread on this one.

I am not getting all these "theories" on servers being less than adequate w/ DDP or FDP, paying taxes, 18% vs. 10%, etc.

My opinion only: Yes, it is great that Disney includes the tip in the dining plan for guests of DDP and even more awesome for FDP. If we get service above and beyond on our trip in September, or have used one TS shared with me and DD, or pay a kids meal OOP, I will add tip accordingly - cash from my pocket.

I suspect that servers are lately overwhelmed and overworked with the DP in effect. Restaurants hardly ever populated have likely become terribly busy, and those already busy have likely become chaotic for the entire staff from the Chef to the waitstaff.

That being true - I can't intervene there. It is none of my business while on vacation how Disney pays employees, tips waitstaff, takes taxes, adds components to vacation packages to overwhelm their staff or whatever else....unless I am getting REALLY bad service anywhere or nasty attitudes. From CM's at Disney? There may be ONE on every trip - not a bad ratio when you consider how many we come in contact with on an average trip.

Servers? I have compassion for the changes that have impacted them, but I expect they will mostly try to do there jobs the same way as they did in the past.

I will tip what I tip - in general, erring on the side of generosity and benefit of the doubt. If Disney's picking up a chunk of that - yes, awesome. That's another perk we're getting from FDP. Trust me, WDW is STILL making out just fine from a business perspective.

 

[Pedler]

Even though the tip was included, I always tipped extra on our last trip. We always had great servers. I have noticed many on here speak of tipping extra (in fact this is where I got the idea) so you would think that the servers would try extra hard to give great service. If they get 18% plus an extra tip, they could get upwards of 30% on guests with the DDP.

I would guess that the folks here at the DIS are a bit more generous than most WDW visitors. I think that a 18% tip is probalby somewhere around average for most people. Some tip 15% some tip 20%. With that in mind and given that DIS members probably make up less than 0.1% of the people in the world on any given day I would suspect that most people do not leave an extra tip. Personally I am fine with that. Getting 18% guaranteed for every DDP customer with the only catch being that they have to report it properly is a great deal.

 

[calgarygary]

Last year the tip was 15%.

When we were there in Oct., the tip was 18%. We were never concerned with what the plan covered or not, and experienced only good service except in the lounge of the CG (which is not covered by the plan). I would suggest that some wait staff recognize that there is no possibility for further tip if people are grilling them over what is and isn't in the plan and therefore might pay closer attention to others.

 

[calgarygary]

I suspect that servers are lately overwhelmed and overworked with the DP in effect. Restaurants hardly ever populated have likely become terribly busy, and those already busy have likely become chaotic for the entire staff from the Chef to the waitstaff.

I could accept that if you are talking CS, but I suspect that with DP, especially during free DP, almost all customers have made an ADR. How, can you be overwhelmed and overworked when you know exactly how many covers you will have in a given day.

 

[ktink]

We were always asked if we were on DDP but we were there for free dining last year. We had pretty good servers last year, I would say the best was at Boma. She was remarkable, always on top of things. We did have a server at Chef Mickey's that wasn't great but they were busting during this time, don't get me wrong I think you deserve good service regardless of the circumstances.

 

[melomouse]

calgarygary:
I could accept that if you are talking CS, but I suspect that with DP, especially during free DP, almost all customers have made an ADR. How, can you be overwhelmed and overworked when you know exactly how many covers you will have in a given day.
Gary, you are talking numbers of tables that waitstaff knows will be filled from advance ADR's??? Do you think that they can then anticipate our cranky kids, how hungry we are, whether we want to share an adult meal, split a chicken fingers kid's meal two ways, give the 10 y/o my appetizer and dessert, give DH a bottomless shake twice and "Oops! We don't need the high chair after all" and "Could you please hurry - we need to make Illuminations??"

Fot the level of customer service Disney's customers demand (and usually get!) I'd say, yup - they could STILL be overworked and overwhelmed. Some of these 100 restaurants are experiencing unprecedented popularity because of DDP (and FDP especially) and are filled to capacity every day!!! I am hoping they keep their pixiedust smiles intact, but if they don't and are a bit harried, I am going to take that in stride and not think - WOW! They are getting such a generous tip on this plan!

I will not, of course, accept rude or surly or wacko - which I've had at WDW dining waaay before the advent of the DP!! There's a server at CM's who I hope is long gone by now!!!

Yes - all diners should receive good service no matter what. In theory. Hope that's what I find. And you, too!!!

 

[MagicMe]

I usually take servers in stride (having had several members of our extended family serve as waiters/waitresses over time). Having heard many stories from our family members, I always try to give the server a little leeway (especially since sometimes it's the kitchen's fault and not always the server). However, we never accept rude behavior. They don't necessarily have to be all bright smiles but they still need to serve adequately. Someone disappearing for our entire meal would have me addressing the issue to the manager on site.

By the way, I never pay below 20% for a decent server and usually pay upwards to 25% for a great server. If I happen to get one of these servers mentioned on this thread - they won't see anything additional.

 

[Pedler]

Gary, you are talking numbers of tables that waitstaff knows will be filled from advance ADR's??? Do you think that they can then anticipate our cranky kids, how hungry we are, whether we want to share an adult meal, split a chicken fingers kid's meal two ways, give the 10 y/o my appetizer and dessert, give DH a bottomless shake twice and "Oops! We don't need the high chair after all" and "Could you please hurry - we need to make Illuminations??"

Fot the level of customer service Disney's customers demand (and usually get!) I'd say, yup - they could STILL be overworked and overwhelmed. Some of these 100 restaurants are experiencing unprecedented popularity because of DDP (and FDP especially) and are filled to capacity every day!!! I am hoping they keep their pixiedust smiles intact, but if they don't and are a bit harried, I am going to take that in stride and not think - WOW! They are getting such a generous tip on this plan!

I would think that the level of cranky kids and such is the same if the place is filled with non dinning plan patrons or dinning plan patrons. Personally I think they would be thrilled that the places are packed to capacity with dinning plan patrons. That is a guaranteed 18% on more tables. Most servers I knew hated slow or moderate times because the majority of thier income is from tips and while they may not have to work as hard then they also make a lot less. When its packed they make much more and even if they do get overwhelmed and get backed up with the DDP it isn't held against them they still get the 18%. The place I worked at back in college was jammed on the holidays like Mothers day and Thanksgiving. Everyone that got tips wanted to work those days even though we were packed to the gills. (Those of us who didn't of course had a different view! )

I do wonder if the incidents of people revieving bad service are any higher for people on the dinning plan than for those that are not. There seem to be just as many posts from people not on the dinning plan that have gotten bad service as those on it. Also there seems to be the same amount of posts saying they had nothing but good service from both dinning plan patrons and non dinning plan patrons.