Beginning in January - 18% Gratuity....

[dqpowell]

T-To
I-Insure
P-Proper
S-Service

That is what TIPS stands for.

False. This is an oft-repeated myth. Neither "tip" nor "tips" is an acronym.

David

 

[smfnj]

to heck with it, I'm going to Cancun!

You can probably go twice for the cost of one Disney trip.

Steve

 

[NHWX]

Thanks for the explanation Dizserver! Please don't take my grumbling personally!

NHWX

 

[fatcat04]

Called and sent them two emails explaining as tactfully as possible that this plan s@&%$ eggs.

9 times out of 10, this will not be an issue as the service will deserve an 18% tip maybe even more. On that rare occasion when it does not meet 18%, I will not hesitate to make my objections known.

Also of note, people with a DDE many times are very frequent customers, APers, frequent guests, and even DVC. They also generally spend big $$. Hubby and I enjoy wine and Disney has some excellent wines and even better sommeliers. The main sommelier at Jiko btw is fantastic and the wine selection is equally impressive!! Alienating your best customers is never a wise move.

 

[smfnj]

Leaving a low tip these days means you are cheap, wait staff don't equate it with poor service anymore.

Leaving 2 bits ($0.25) gets the message across loud and clear. I've done this once in 17 years at WDW when we had horrible service (I believe at LTT years ago). I also spoke to the manager on the way out.

Steve

 

[fatcat04]

I have not read through every post and page on here, but I hope the controversy has been cleared up.

As a disney server, I can say that 18% grat will ONLY be included for DDE card users, cast members, and parties of 6 or more (as of January 1, 2008). It will NOT be applied to all checks.

As part of union negotiations, the Disney higher-ups refused to budge on the removal of 18% grat. on DDP checks. The servers' union reps were outraged but this point was deemed non-negotiable to Disney management, all the way to the top. Financially, Disney wanted DDP guests to pay all that gratuity to servers and maximize food and beverage profits.

As a compromise, it was negotiated that parties of 6 or more (down from 8 or more) would be auto-gratted 18%, as would DDE guests.

DDE guests recieve a 20% discount, the same that cast members recieve. Cast members are charged the auto 18% grat. Now, DDE guests will be too.

I personally have never had an issue with DDE guests, I find them loyal consumers and diners and they generally tip very well.

As for the controversy, I can say 100% that my managers, as well as our area manager and his manager, have assured me that 18% gratuity WILL NOT be applied to all checks, only to those I've mentioned above.

Disney is a company with a strong union presence. Any changes like those misinterpreted would have to be negotiated and written into contract. That simply has not happend.

Thanks for posting.

So you servers will get 100% of that 18% gratuity? That is good to know. I am suspicious old coot by nature and was worried this was a fast one on the part of the corporate heads to skim a little of the cream off the top.

I have no problem with tipping well. In fact, we tip upwards to 25% for excellent service. I just resent being told I have to tip 18% to a server that does not deserve it. And yes, I do take into consideration that sometimes the kitchen staff and other make the servers job harder and the server can not be faulted. I can always tell when a server is really trying and would not give a lower tip for something beyond their control.

 

[SereneOne]

You are still getting your 20% off. Many of you said that you tip 20 to 25 percent, so you are still saving. If your bill is $100, the tip would be $18, they would take the 20% off the 100 and it would be $80 plus the $18 tip which would equal $98. Before with many of you paying 20%, the same bill would be $100 or with the 25% tip, the same bill would be $105. Now if it is on counter service, beverage and snack purchases, etc. That would be extreme and I would find another place to vacation, but I think a couple of CM's have explained that is not the case. I have always recieved excellent service from the waitstaff at Disney. If I did not receive decent service, I would complain and demand the tip be lowered accordingly. I don't understand whey the DDE's would be the only one required to do this though, unless I missed something.

 

[dburg30]

Yea, I found it suprising they did this on the DDE, as it would SEEM to make sense that these were 'WDW folks' People that were there 'lots' of times to even worry about having it. Now MAYBE the thinking is that since they are there so often, they tend to 'go cheap' on tips after the first few tips. I doubt that is the case though.

 

[fatcat04]

You are still getting your 20% off. Many of you said that you tip 20 to 25 percent, so you are still saving. If your bill is $100, the tip would be $18, they would take the 20% off the 100 and it would be $80 plus the $18 tip which would equal $98. Before with many of you paying 20%, the same bill would be $100 or with the 25% tip, the same bill would be $105. Now if it is on counter service, beverage and snack purchases, etc. That would be extreme and I would find another place to vacation, but I think a couple of CM's have explained that is not the case. I have always recieved excellent service from the waitstaff at Disney. If I did not receive decent service, I would complain and demand the tip be lowered accordingly. I don't understand whey the DDE's would be the only one required to do this though, unless I missed something.

For us it is not the money. In the end, 9 times out of 10, there will be little to no difference and we might even come out on the positive side as we won't want to fiddle with the final total by adding to it. It really is the principle of Disney telling us "you are gonna pay 18% period, no negotiation, that's all folks."

Plus, there is the added issue of the wait staff deciding to take a holiday when the DDE folks come in (same issue DDP folks used to have) cause they know they are getting that 18% no matter what. I doubt 1 in a 100 will do that but a few will. For those very few, I will be talking to a manager. I am a crabby old cow when the need arises and will do it. Just ask Mr. Fatcat.

 

[disneynutz]

This is a disheartening post to me. I am sorry if you have had bad service, but you haven't from me.

Here are some answers to your question. Why DO I give great outstanding service to guests even when gratuity is included? 1) It is my job. 2) I work for a company where we try to exceed guest expectations and make dreams come true. 3) I am held to a certain high standard by my employer and managers. 4) When I go out to eat, I expect courteous, attentive service with drink refills, a pleasant attitude, and an overall enjoyable experience. 5) Even minimum wage Disney employees ineligible to recieve "T.I.P.S." generally give outstanding guest service. Why would well-payed servers be bitter and give bad service? 6) I was raised better than to be a slacker on the job. 7) I enjoy interactions with guests and helping make their vacation a memorable experience. 8) I think I have the best job in the world and have never been happier. 9) It ticks me off when I am a guest in the parks with my family and encounter rude or indifferent cast members. 10) I am proud of my job, my restaurant, and the level of service i try to give to each and every guest.

I do indeed understand that their are some bad servers out there. Your level of service is much more determined by the person than whether gratuity is included. It seems for every post on here saying they recieved bad service when gratuity was included, there are 3 or 4 posts saying their service was great.

As others have said, if you ever recieve bad service because the server is bad, speak to a manager.

Where and when do you work. What's your name. I want you as my server.

What has changed for the servers in the last year and a half? Unfortunately for us, exceptional service now is hard to come by. Is it the additional business due to the DDP? New servers? Larger sections, less servers?

 

[SereneOne]

For us it is not the money. In the end, 9 times out of 10, there will be little to no difference and we might even come out on the positive side as we won't want to fiddle with the final total by adding to it. It really is the principle of Disney telling us "you are gonna pay 18% period, no negotiation, that's all folks."

Plus, there is the added issue of the wait staff deciding to take a holiday when the DDE folks come in (same issue DDP folks used to have) cause they know they are getting that 18% no matter what. I doubt 1 in a 100 will do that but a few will. For those very few, I will be talking to a manager. I am a crabby old cow when the need arises and will do it. Just ask Mr. Fatcat.

I understand, it is the principle of the matter.

A couple people said they would only save 2% now but that they tipped 20-25 percent before...they are still saving 20%.

My husband are looking into buying DVC, getting annual passes and doing the DDE but we are waiting until we get back from our first ONSITE trip to see if we like the onsite experience.

 

[sznk]

Assuming that it's only DDE and at all Table Service locations: Do buffet restaurants (such as Cape May, Chef Mickey's, etc) fall under the 18% rule? We have enjoyed many buffet meals at WDW, but to be honest, the good buffet servers typically do less work than good servers at a full-service venue. We tip at buffets, but not 20% or more like we do for good service at the non-buffet table service locations. If there are restaurants that offer both buffet and off-the-menu, this could get really complicated. I don't know if WDW has any of those.
Has anyone seen any clarification on this? Maybe they'll provide a list of which locations are included.

 

[wdw4us2]

Disney is a company with a strong union presence. Any changes like those misinterpreted would have to be negotiated and written into contract. That simply has not happend.

I appreciate your comments and clarifications and am sure that you are very professional in your attention to your job. I always tip between 15-22% with the exception of less at buffet locations. However, I don't feel I should be forced into something just because the Walt Disney Company does not know how to handle their negotiations with the unions working in their company.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this isn't the first time Disney has tried to squeeze something out of the DDE members. It all began when they opened the program up to all AP holders, instead of just Florida residents, while raising the menu prices by 20 % at the same time. Those of us who were already members really lost out on that adjustment. They next raised the renewal fee while instituting a charge for a second card for your spouse. This is just the latest move in what I, unfortunately, see as a movement to get rid of the program altogether.

Anyone remember the Magic Kingdom Club?

 

[fatcat04]

I understand, it is the principle of the matter.

A couple people said they would only save 2% now but that they tipped 20-25 percent before...they are still saving 20%.

My husband are looking into buying DVC, getting annual passes and doing the DDE but we are waiting until we get back from our first ONSITE trip to see if we like the onsite experience.

Oh, you will like POR. That is our favorite moderate. Love the landscaping and the feel of it. Quiet and peaceful after a long day.

Are you going during the Christmas season?? If so... make sure to check out as many lobbies as you can. The Christmas trees and decor in some of them are fantastic. We love the WL and AKL during the holidays. And the MGM Osbourne Family Light show... crowded but so worth it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The way I understand it (see if anyone can follow my logic!)
Any TS dining using DDE card will have the 18% added automatically as would all other dining experiences including DDP. The DDP just no longer pays the tip for you - you now have to pay that on top of the DDP fee. So everyone has 18% added on top of their food/drink bill.

No.
= All DDE users will have an 18% tip/gratuity/service charge added to their check BEFORE the 20% discount is calculated.
= All parties of six or more will have an 18% tip/gratuity/service charge added to their check.
= DDP Guests may have an 18% tip/gratuity/service charge added to any items for which they pay out of pocket - or they may not, given that the DDP no longer includes the tip and the Guest will now be responsible for the ENTIRE tip.
= All cash/credit/room charge Guests, and all DDP Guests not ordering off-plan items will NOT have any tip/gratuity/service fee automatically added to their check.

It is not the patron's job to make up the difference between what the server is paid and what is minimum wage.

In the United States, in sit-down/table service restaurants? It absolutely IS the patron's 'job'. Diners who feel otherwise would best be served by opting to eat at only counter/self service restaurants - not limited to just Disney World, but year-round.

Yea, I found it suprising they did this on the DDE

Not surprising (unexpected) at all - read Dizserver's explanation here: http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=21720978&postcount=592

However, I don't feel I should be forced into something just because the Walt Disney Company does not know how to handle their negotiations with the unions working in their company.

Walt Disney Company knows VERY well how to handle union negotiations. Negotiations generally result in compromise - on both/all sides.
Diners who feel tipping a single % across the board results in 'overtipping' at buffets would likely best be served by choosing only full-service dining options - or not using the DDE discount and thus being in full control of the tip.

 

[fla4fun]

Just out of curiosity, for those of you worried about service declining, at what point are you telling them you have a DDE card? I usually don't say anything until the end of the meal when I get ready to pay (I typically just pay what the original bill was without the discount, which gave the server 20%, and I typically pay with cash, so they just have to bring my card back). With the DDP, the server needs to know in advance to know what you are entitled to eat on the plan, but the DDE is just a discount card. So if I continue to wait until the end of the meal to present my card, I should get the same quality of service (good or bad) during the meal that I would have gotten if I were just a cash customer.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

"The reason many resorts (not WDW ) auto-grat all customers is because, like in South Florida, many or even most guests are from foreign countries (Europe, for example) where servers are not tipped much if at all. It is a protection for servers and the only way to keep restaurants in these areas staffed."


This sends me over the edge, I am laughing though as I know it is futile to even get upset over this... I get to be penalized because guests from foreign countries do not tip much if at all, that makes me crazy...

No wonder they loved us in England and Italy, France, I tipped 20% when the service was good, 15% if it was not. I tipped when my dollar is not sound against the pound or the Euro and I still tipped accordingly. If you mean to tell me with their money doing so well against the dollar and coming for vacations here, they do not tip, that horrifies me. And now according to the above quote, we get a forced gratuity on DDE partly to protect the servers from people who come from other countries and do not tip although I did notice that the poster said many resorts (not WDW). I have to say here now it is WDW as well as the other resorts with this added gratuity.

Sorry, that is not right. I just bought my AP, next step was renewing my DDE, no way. I will be rethinking my dining choices in December, probably no table service, I will go off property to eat and make more choices at Swan and Dolphin....I am sure others will think like this too. This is my vacation, I have enough Disney rules to follow and I do, but do not force gratuities on me.....I guess on my way in to my DVC property, I will stop and do some food shopping and eat more meals in my room, after all I have kitchen facilities..

It it is the principle of this matter that bothers me.. I do not care about the money.. I do not care about it is only 18% and I always tip at least 20%, it is that they have taken my choice away......

 

[bicker]

T-To
I-Insure
P-Proper
S-Service

That is what TIPS stands for.

As has been mentioned many times in this forum, that is not the case. "'Tip' is an old word, and it has nothing to do with either acronyms or the act of attempting to influence quality of service." http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

I understand that is Dinsey's choice to change their policies whenever it makes good business sense, but this to me doesn't make sense. It is not the patron's job to make up the difference between what the server is paid and what is minimum wage.

On the contrary: The entire cost of service is the responsibility of the patron. The only question is what percentage of the cost of service is covered via a portion of the menu price versus covered by the gratuity. Generally, in this country, the standard is that the gratuity is supposed to cover about 80% of the cost of service.

 

[TigerLaw]

at what point will this be added to the bill - will we be taxed on the tip portion?

$100 bill plus $18 tip - what are we going to be taxed on $100 or $118?

I see a new addition to kevin yee's declining by degrees column coming!!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I wanted to say I just sent off my email to Disney.......a small portion is below, it was rather long. I did speak up and feel good that I did.


"I am wondering here why the DDE patrons….why did you take the tip off the DDP, most people purchasing the DDP were happy to have their tip included. Those of us who have AP’s, this was our little perk so to speak, but now you have taken the happiness out of being able to purchase the card by adding this forced gratuity.. It is not about the gratuity, it is the principle of the matter, and taking away our choice.

I know you must be receiving many emails on this matter and I am sure mine will just go in the round file, but I want you to know that my husband and I will be rethinking how we eat at WDW in December…probably only counter service, off property, or at the Swan and Dolphin, we do feel that strongly about this. "