Beginning in January - 18% Gratuity....

[Tricia1972]

clowe -

I think if you have more than 5 people in your dining party, the automatic service charge from $480 for this Le Cellier dining party starting on January 1st will now be $86.40. I think another poster mentioned $72 as what the service charge would have been(?), but I think that $72 is only 18% of a $300 dining check.

Disney took away the DDP's included-gratuity, but starting January 1st has made the automatic service charge applicable to all dining parties of 6 or more (and also dropped the trigger for that 18% automatic service charge from 8 diners to 6 diners in a party).

agnes!
PS - Yes, yes as well as *all* Table Service for DDE cardmembers.

agnes! It was me who posted $72, but I posted it as a minimum tip that clowe should be giving regardless of how service was. $72.00 is 15% of the $480 bill. I mentioned in an earlier post to Clowe about this that $86.40 would be the 18% tip.

You and I are thinking along the same lines

 

[dqpowell]

It was me who posted $72, but I posted it as a minimum tip that clowe should be giving regardless of how service was.

You would pay a 15% tip even if service was terrible? I wouldn't. I agree that if service was good, at least a 15% tip is merited. But not if service was poor.

David

 

[Tricia1972]

You would pay a 15% tip even if service was terrible? I wouldn't. I agree that if service was good, at least a 15% tip is merited. But not if service was poor.

David

If service were that horrible then I'd probably have talked to a manager long before.

I also see I misquoted myself. I originally said.

Unfortunately with a $480 bill, you'll still be tipping close to $80. As I stated previously - $72 is a 15% tip, which is the industry base standard for average to good service.

Hope that settles better with you.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Ok so if I use my DDE card on a party of 6+ I save 20% and pay an 18% gratuity, correct? So I'm saving a whopping 2%. That doesn't seem to justify my $65 i pay for the card. As long as I have parties less than 6 its a good deal but more than 6 and its a rip off. Am I looking at this correctly?

 

[Mackey Mouse]

It does not matter what size your party is on DDE, you will be paying 18% gratuity whether you are a party of one, two, three and so on..


http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneydiningexperience.htm

 

[dburg30]

Ok so if I use my DDE card on a party of 6+ I save 20% and pay an 18% gratuity, correct? So I'm saving a whopping 2%. That doesn't seem to justify my $65 i pay for the card. As long as I have parties less than 6 its a good deal but more than 6 and its a rip off. Am I looking at this correctly?

Well did you tip before? If not, then 1) that's probably not the nicest thing to do, and 2) now you will tip .

If you tipped before, it's going to wind up being about the same. Again, if you didnt tip then yea, you just lost 18% discount...

 

[marivaid]

Ok so if I use my DDE card on a party of 6+ I save 20% and pay an 18% gratuity, correct? So I'm saving a whopping 2%. That doesn't seem to justify my $65 i pay for the card. As long as I have parties less than 6 its a good deal but more than 6 and its a rip off. Am I looking at this correctly?

Unless you didn't tip before, then the DDE will be no more of a ripoff in 2008 than it was in 2007. If you do tip,without the DDE you'd have to add the tip to your non-discounted bill as well.

Say you used to tip 15% (which is standard tipping for correct service), then you lost a whopping 3%.

If, like me, you used to tip between 18-20% depending on service, then either you will save the same amount you used to, or you'll save an extra 2%.

I don't really like not having control over the tip amount, which means if service is really bad I'll have to go through the hassle of talking to a manager,etc.. but after reading some of these posts, I can understand why they had to add this rule.

 

[sjreed]

Ok so if I use my DDE card on a party of 6+ I save 20% and pay an 18% gratuity, correct? So I'm saving a whopping 2%. That doesn't seem to justify my $65 i pay for the card. As long as I have parties less than 6 its a good deal but more than 6 and its a rip off. Am I looking at this correctly?

Only if you didn't tip before this policy went into effect....which is probably why they are doing this!!

 

[acourtwdw]

I am curious to know how many people have DDE? I don't think all AP holders have it. So I wonder what percent of visitiors use this discount?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ok so if I use my DDE card on a party of 6+ I save 20% and pay an 18% gratuity, correct? So I'm saving a whopping 2%.

IF you were actually planning to leave NO tip, then, yes, I guess it's 'only' a whopping 2% savings. WERE you going to leave no tip?

 

[disneyfan2kids]

I used to assume that about 25% of the general population were "good" tippers (20% plus)... 50% were average (15% for the most part)...and the other 25% were "bad" (10% or less).

NOW... after reading these threads... I think my % are skewed. I truly cannot BELIEVE the amount of people posting that that they're losing 18%???!!! Did none of you tip before?? The questions been asked...but nobody's responding....

I initially said I'm happy to leave 18% b/c it will save me the extra 2% from my usual 20%.

Now I feel so bad for what the servers seem to deal with... I'll "up" my % every time.

Sheez!

 

[Sammie]

I used to assume that about 25% of the general population were "good" tippers (20% plus)... 50% were average (15% for the most part)...and the other 25% were "bad" (10% or less).

NOW... after reading these threads... I think my % are skewed. I truly cannot BELIEVE the amount of people posting that that they're losing 18%???!!! Did none of you tip before?? The questions been asked...but nobody's responding....

I initially said I'm happy to leave 18% b/c it will save me the extra 2% from my usual 20%.

Now I feel so bad for what the servers seem to deal with... I'll "up" my % every time.

Sheez!

I think possibly they are only skewed based on the comments here. I truly do not feel the majority of people who use DDE and tip will even comment on this and that the majority probaby left the 20% they saved anyway.

 

[k5thbeatle]

Many are missing the point, it doesn't matter the amount or as some sad2: ) say saving 2%. A tip is supposed to be based on the level of service rendered and is a "bonus" for the server. I don't care if I'm saving 99%! An automatic 18% or any automatic amount is NOT a tip... IT IS AN ADDITIONAL FEE!!!

 

[dburg30]

Many are missing the point, it doesn't matter the amount or as some sad2: ) say saving 2%. A tip is supposed to be based on the level of service rendered and is a "bonus" for the server. I don't care if I'm saving 99%! An automatic 18% or any automatic amount is NOT a tip... IT IS AN ADDITIONAL FEE!!!

You may look at it as a 'bonus' but I'm pretty sure we wouldnt have many servers working if it wasnt for that 'bonus'. While not a law per se, it's pretty much 'expected' that if you have 'good' service that you leave a tip. Now it depends on where you are from, but generally that amount is 15-20%. So yes, if it makes you happy, yes, you are getting charged 18% to save 20.. Now, does that make you happy?

 

[marivaid]

Many are missing the point, it doesn't matter the amount or as some sad2: ) say saving 2%. A tip is supposed to be based on the level of service rendered and is a "bonus" for the server. I don't care if I'm saving 99%! An automatic 18% or any automatic amount is NOT a tip... IT IS AN ADDITIONAL FEE!!!

The REALITY is that tipping in the US is not a "bonus", it's expected to the point of being very close to mandatory. If you're getting good service, unless you have no class or are completly clueless, you tip something.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

I think possibly they are only skewed based on the comments here. I truly do not feel the majority of people who use DDE and tip will even comment on this and that the majority probaby left the 20% they saved anyway.

Sammie - I REALLY hope you're correct. I'd hate to think that the % from this thread actually correlated to the tippers in WDW. I can't imagine busting my butt the way most do down there and getting stiffed for a tip because someone else thinks tipping is "optional."

 

[dqpowell]

The REALITY is that tipping in the US is not a "bonus", it's expected to the point of being very close to mandatory.

Tipping in the US is, by recent case law, totally at the diner's discretion. That's about as far away from "mandatory" as you can get.

If you're getting good service, unless you have no class or are completly clueless, you tip something.

Agreed. But calling it "mandatory" or anything close to it is incorrect.

David

 

[dqpowell]

...because someone else thinks tipping is "optional."

It is optional. But you should do it anyway.

David

 

[wezee]

Only if you didn't tip before this policy went into effect....which is probably why they are doing this!!

My thoughts exactly! Thankyou for being so bold and speaking up!

 

[disneyfan2kids]

Ok so if I use my DDE card on a party of 6+ I save 20% and pay an 18% gratuity, correct? So I'm saving a whopping 2%. That doesn't seem to justify my $65 i pay for the card. As long as I have parties less than 6 its a good deal but more than 6 and its a rip off. Am I looking at this correctly?

No - you are STILL saving 20% UNLESS you wouldn't have tipped AT ALL prior to this change. Again - still a 20% savings.... so no difference in figuring out if the $65 is worth it.

If you'll spend at least $325 dollars on the DDE...you'll break even. Regardless - a tip is a tip is a tip. It shouldn't be considered when figuring "worth" because it should equate the same no matter what. I hope this clarifies a bit.