automatic gratuity party of 6?

[connorsmom911]

I've made all my PS...we are a party of 5 adults and 1 toddler (under 2). At a couple of the restaurants, the CM told me that because we are a party of 6, they will automatically add a gratuity to our bill. I don't really have a problem with this as we usually tip that amount anyway, but we will likely not be ordering any food for DS as he just eats off our plates or we bring the back-up heinz toddler food if we're eating something spicy or he doesn't like. Does this really make us a party of 6?

Tracey

 

[CRCrazy]

Nope - you would be a party of 5, also, the group gratuity party size is 8 or more. Our party of 7 was never charged a group gratuity at any restaurant on our last trip - and we were all over 3! Sometimes the CM's are still in training and get things wrong. We have done a variety of character meals, sit-downs, and dinner shows. The only automatic gratuity we were charged was with the Hoop de Doo, since the gratuity is added to your ticket. Also, when we used vouchers for the PSB, the gratuity was included. (Although we added extra for service, since our servers for both were great!_

 

[Ibelieveinfairies]

Tracey,
You could always inquire when you are seated what that particular rest. does for automatic gratuities and if I remember correctly, most of our CMs have alerted us to the fact that we were charged the gratuity for the large party (we have had groups of up to 12 at a time). This was always appreciated because when we are at WDW it is so easy to just be in the moment and not notice such things!

 

[Sabor]

I believe it is for parties of 8 or more.
I feel bad for the servers in these situations because I usually leave 20-25% for good service and out of sheer principle I refuse to leave a nickel extra when the establishment adds it to the bill.

I also usually pay by CC and leave a cash tip, the servers get ****** on this also as some places take out the cc fee and almost all then make them declare it and pay taxes.

 

[mtseifert]

While I was never a waiter, I too make it a point to leave my tip in cash and hope others do as well.

Whether or not they claim it on their taxes is their problem. I just don't trust that they will ever see it if I include it on my charge slip.

PLEASE consider leaving cash tips for your servers. Some of these folks are living hand to mouth and waiting to see the tip in their next pay could be a real hardship.

Mark

18 hours till we arrive!!!

 

[Tinkerbell04]

We travelled with my BIL and SIL and DD(2) and DN (2) and we were charged gratuities on two different occasions as a party of 6. They kids always ordered a kids meal, maybe that was the reason. At each of these restaurants, it was printed in the menu. I can't remember particularly which restaurants charged, we were there for two weeks.

 

[danicaw]

On our Jan. trip we were a party of 7 adults and a 9 month old.
We were told parties of 8 or more had gratuity added.
I questioned this since DS never ordered off the menu. But as our trip progressed I decided that even if he wasn't ordering an entree he added to our servers work.

We would tip additonally in many cases. Some servers were great with him.

 

[helenk]

There were 7 of us for our trip the end of June, we ate at the CP, The Plaza, Prime Time, Chef Mickey's, Marrakesh, Le Cellier, Hollywood and Vine, and we were never charged the tip on our total.

 

[suzannews]

Automatic gratuity should be for 8 or more. We are told, even if the 8th person at the table is a sleeping baby, you add the gratuity. Of course this may change from restaurant to restaurant so check your receipt.

For those of you have 8 or more in your party but would rather tip yourselves and not the automatic gratuity, all you have to do is tell your server that you do not want it added to the check. The manager may come to the table to verify this but thats all it takes.

I'm not sure where the 8 or more gets the automatic gratuity added came from but I was glad it was in place when I had a party of 26 with a check over $600 and they handed me a $20. When they found out that 15% was added to the check, they asked for the $20 back. Whatever.

 

[LovesHauntedMansion]

I know for a fact that this past week Planet Hollywood in DTD added the tip for a party of 7.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Originally posted by suzannews

...I was glad it was in place when I had a party of 26 with a check over $600 and they handed me a $20.

$20. Oh My!

Originally posted by suzannews

When they found out that 15% was added to the check, they asked for the $20 back. Whatever.

And they asked for it back?! Yikes!

 

[Alice28]

Originally posted by suzannews
[B.

I'm not sure where the 8 or more gets the automatic gratuity added came from but I was glad it was in place when I had a party of 26 with a check over $600 and they handed me a $20. When they found out that 15% was added to the check, they asked for the $20 back. Whatever. [/B]

OMG.....every server's worst nightmare....I bet they were really fun to wait on too.

I sympathize with you, both as a former waitress and as someone who feels like I know just a teeny tiny bit about you---to everyone here on the DIS (stepping up on my box with my mega-phone)-SUZANNE IS AN AWESOME SERVER- SHE MADE FOR A VERY ENJOYABLE MEAL FOR MYSELF AND MY MOM LAST FALL. ALWAYS TIP HER 20%! (stepping down and giggling to myself)

 

[suzannews]

Hey Alice28,


Thanks for the kind words! That made my day. That party of 26 wasn't too bad to wait on except for a select few who had one too many cocktails in the bar before dinner. I could write a book on all the "interesting" people I have waited on but thats a whole other thread!!

 

[mtseifert]

We are at Disney this week...first timers!!!

Per Suzanne's post above, again: PLEASE be sure to treat your hotel and restaurant staff well and WITH CASH.

We have been fortunate to find wonderful folks so far where we are staying (Holiday Inn Sunspree...I am well aware of the mixed reviews but have to say we are pretty happy, especially given the cost...look for a full report at the end of the trip). With that said, a little tipping goes a long way. Today, I had a business meeting (heck, it got my airfare covered and I had free flights saved up for the family) so they were on their own absent the rental car as I had to leave around 6:00 a.m. this morning. They decided to use a Plus option at Blizzard Beach. The shuttle doesn't usually go there. He was so accomodating, however, that he agreed to take my wife there and she tipped him about 1/2 what a cab would have cost. Lesson: treat well those working to make your time magical and they will go the extra mile!!!

Take care,

Mark

 

[Steffi]

The party size for automatic gratuity varies. For most restaurants it's parties of 8 or more and for some it's 6. Disney includes every 'body' at the table in the party size.

ETA: I think that most of restaurants that have the automatic gratuity for parties of 6 & up are Downtown Disney locations.

 

[Alice28]

I meant to add in my original reply that last Feb/March when we went as a group, there were 7 in our party and I don't think the gratuity was added on at any of our sit down meals. And one of our 7 was a 20 month old.