Boma issue

[goofy4tink]

I am of the opinion that tipping should be abolished in the US, precisely because a. the restaurant should be paying the full cost of their employees and b. because of people who use tipping as a weapon. The fact that 18% automatic gratuity is added tells me that, in general, people were tipping on the discounted amount (or not at all), which is not fair to good servers.

You had bad service. You feel it was because of a guaranteed 18% tip, but since that is a pretty standard tip amount, I don't necessarily agree. I think she was just a bad server. If tipping weren't involved, how would you have addressed it? I am just curious.

As I said, if there had not been an automatic 18% gratuity added, and I was responsible for deciding the amount, it would have been about $10. And I probably would have stopped, in my way out, to tell a manager why I tipped so low.
I normally top at 20%, so I do t have an issue with 18%. In fact, there have been times that I've added addtl to the automatic amount.
I thought that my saying that I did not feel my server deserved an 18% tip, to the manager, was a clear indication of what I wanted. Obviously, I was too subtle....something that doesn't happen often!!
I don't particularly like to ask for something. I just want to be heard and understood. I just got the feeling the manager wanted me to just go away. I said my piece, and left. No more automatic gratuities for me.

 

[DizDaD7]

Guys, Gals, put yourself in her(Goofy4Tink's) spot. It's easy to say you would've done this or that, but things change when you're the one on the spot...

I've had this happen to me a few times , whether at WDW or on any other vacation, or simply our local places near home.....

It sucks, yes but Manager's from all these different places react differently in these situations.....Some simply don't care ( which unfortunately happens ) Some go out of there way to make it up to you..... The last thing they should want is an unhappy customer not returning again, & also have you tell other customers of the bad experience..* It's like that old commercial that says," I told 2 friends, and they told 2 friends, and so on, and so on." What this manager did or I should say didn't do was take it upon himself to rectify the situation...Why he left the ball in your court I think was handled wrong....But he did ask you and you did say something about the tip being more than what you would've considered for this particular server(this particular night). HE Should have fixed the problem right then & there...Enuff said!!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Guys, Gals, put yourself in her(Goofy4Tink's) spot. It's easy to say you would've done this or that, but things change when you're the one on the spot...

I've had this happen to me a few times , whether at WDW or on any other vacation, or simply our local places near home.....

It sucks, yes but Manager's from all these different places react differently in these situations.....Some simply don't care ( which unfortunately happens ) Some go out of there way to make it up to you..... The last thing they should want is an unhappy customer not returning again, & also have you tell other customers of the bad experience..* It's like that old commercial that says," I told 2 friends, and they told 2 friends, and so on, and so on." What this manager did or I should say didn't do was take it upon himself to rectify the situation...Why he left the ball in your court I think was handled wrong....But he did ask you and you did say something about the tip being more than what you would've considered for this particular server(this particular night). HE Should have fixed the problem right then & there...Enuff said!!!

Actually I have been there and I was very forward with what I was expecting. I told the manager that I would like the automatic tip removed from my bill as I did not believe that the server has earned a tip due to their service. There was no mistaking what I wanted to have done and thus it was done to my satisfaction. I would never have expected the manager to just know exactly what I wanted so I told them. All that had to be said in the OP's situation is "I would like for the automatic gratuity to be removed from my bill as I do not believe I should be paying it considering what has happened." There. Done.

I don't read this as anything more then a single bad service experience at a restaurant which isn't enough for me to not return or to go online and complain about.

 

[Cee]

Slow service is frustrating. I always get the last ADR for breakfast and we're usually one of the last few tables when it's time to get the check. Servers hang around and chat us up. I'm sure there's no time for that when it's busy!

 

[goofy4tink]

Actually I have been there and I was very forward with what I was expecting. I told the manager that I would like the automatic tip removed from my bill as I did not believe that the server has earned a tip due to their service. There was no mistaking what I wanted to have done and thus it was done to my satisfaction. I would never have expected the manager to just know exactly what I wanted so I told them. All that had to be said in the OP's situation is "I would like for the automatic gratuity to be removed from my bill as I do not believe I should be paying it considering what has happened." There. Done.

I don't read this as anything more then a single bad service experience at a restaurant which isn't enough for me to not return or to go online and complain about.

And that's great for you to do. But, I'm just not that way. I made the assumption that when I said I didn't think the server deserved that tip, the manager would know what to do. He chose not to do anything. And if you had read, and understood, my issue, you would realize it wasn't really about the bad/slow service. It was about the manager's response and attitude. I tried to speak to him away from waiting guests....he didn't seem interested in that. I actually said to him..."I really don't want to discuss this out here.'' He said it would be fine. I wanted to speak to him without fear of upsetting other diners, who were waiting to be seated...and there were a lot. So, I was uncomfortable standing there, making the complaint. It was the manager's response that I take issue with. If that is how he dealt with a very minor issue, I'm not sure how he would handle a more difficult one.

I'm sure this isn't the worst thing to happen to anyone...certainly not to me. I just thought I could get some feedback from others who have been there/done that. And that's exactly what I got. Thanks.

 

[Allison]

If I had been asked what I wanted done, I would have responded with what it is I thought was fair.

I have seen the flip side of this on the Dis. Someone is upset because they were only offered this or that and they didn't think it was enough. When the opportunity is given to say what you feel would have been appropriate, do it and get the situation rectified.

Those are my thoughts. As far as a suggestion-chalk this one up to experience and move on.

 

[alliecat523]

My initial thought is that it's that attitude of "another complaint, just tell me what you want". Of course I don't agree with this, but it just seems that more and more people visiting Disney are expecting some sort of compensation when things don't go their way (not saying this is the case with you). So instead of offering, they just ask what you want and then they can justify it to Disney by saying that's what the customer asked for.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

No doubt your complaint was legitimate. The service was unacceptable. I do think that you should have asked the manager to take the tip off rather than just expecting him to offer. He asked what would make you happy. If you wanted the tip deducted that would have been the time to directly say so rather than hint at it. I get that you wanted him to take the initiative to make it right, but in his defense we all have heard stories of the crazy requests entitled guests sometimes make when they feel they deserve compensation. He may have truly been trying to feel out what you thought you were entitled to.

 

[Barbydoll8]

Sorry this happened. Boma is one of those places that I've always had pretty good service. I also usually get what I feel is better service from my wait staff when they know I'm using TIW up front but I never give the card until the end of the meal.
I would contact WDW guest services. I would also contact TIW via their website and let them know the situation.
I am an internal service provider for systems at work and I tell my users all the time, if you don't tell me there's a problem, I can't fix it.
I don't think the manager should have left it up to you. That's normally a last resort card not a first to find happiness with service. They know what they can and can not do for guests. They should have offered you something - anything then if that wasn't satisfactory, asked you what would make it better.
Hope you get some resolve or at least an apology.

 

[LindsayGorg]

We ate at Boma for the first time in Sept and had a similar experience. The food was amazing and we will continue to go back, but we both noticed the service was unbelievably slow, and we're not the type to ever complain about something like that. The server was extremely helpful when we were trying to figure out what the different foods were, and was very friendly, but we were there for about an hour and a half and he stopped by our table twice during that whole time. I did see him running around like a crazy person to many other tables, so maybe they're just over-working their servers? If they give them too many tables to cover, how are they supposed to provide prompt service to everyone? He was very clearly tired and had too many tables in my opinion. We didn't say anything because we were in no rush, but it did take him about 20 minutes to bring our check after we had to ask for it, then another 10 to bring it back after we gave our credit card.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

the basic complaint here isn't because the service was so bad, it is the manager's refusal to take the initiative in removing the TIW automatic tip (the OP has stated she did not want compensation, she just wanted to lessen the amount of the automatic tip because she didn't feel the service was sufficient for the amount she was required to pay as a gratuity). Personally I think the OP would have had a better response had she said outright that she wanted the tip docked, but she thinks she should not have been required to be forward about it, the manager should have done it without her having to ask outright.

Maybe he should have, and I am not all that interested in going to Boma after reading this story, but for future issues like this maybe guests should be prepared to tell the manager what they want done.

 

[Lisa F]

Honestly I am not sure what the manager did that was so wrong. I reread the original post. You explained to the manager what happened and the manager apologized. You continued on after the apology, and the manager apologized again, asking you what would make you happy. I think things went down the way they did because the manager apologized and it was obvious that it was not a done deal for you, because you kept on going and when they apologized again they asked you what you were wanting at that point. My guess is that a manager would not make a habit of offering to dock an employee's pay for customer's perceived bad service right off the bat, which is what you were expecting them to do. If every time someone had a complaint (and I'm guessing they are not all reasonable, although yours certainly was) the manager immediately went to docking the employee's income, there would be an uprising on their hands. On the other hand if someone complains and says "I do not feel it is fair that I am forced to tip 18% on service that was not good and I want it removed from my bill" then they would be compelled to do that and with a smile.

it's not like comping part of a meal for cold food or bad food or a fly in your plate when no one is directly affected financially by the outcome. People complain a LOT at disney and honestly I can see how the manager might not go immediately to directly docking someone's pay for every complaint. in the "real world" servers get stiffed all the time, but it takes true balls OR a truly valid complaint (and I am NOT saying that your complaint was not valid - it was!) to go to the manager and have the tip reversed. Honestly I think this is kind of a tough situation for the manager.

I had pink and cold and maybe partially raw near the bone chicken wings at Kona Cafe once. The manager came out and we dealt with the claim for possible food poisoning and talked about all of that stuff and he said of course he would replace it or remove it from the bill. At that point biting into underdone chicken really made me lose my appetite and I asked him to remove my entire order from the bill. It wasn't offered... maybe it would have been appropriate of him to or maybe not, I don't know, but all I knew is at that moment I was feeling vaguely nauseated and wasn't going to eat the sushi either, so I asked him to take it all off the bill. And he did without argument. It never occurred to me to think of this interaction as anything less than good even though I had to tell him what I wanted. they are human too and not mind readers. I also wouldn't be surprised if people have complained about service before and been insulted by the offer of monetary compensation, preferring instead assurances that the person would be properly disciplined. You just don't know what people want nowadays honestly! it's kind of a crazy world out there!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Our server took our drink order, asking if we were on a dining plan. No, just TiW.

1) Alas, that was the mistake.
2) The server KNOWS you have a mandatory tip.
3) We NEVER tell the SERVER if we are dining on a plan (DDP, Employee Special Ticket, Employee normal discount).
4) We tell them at check time.
5) Human Nature is human nature.
6) If people know they will get paid no matter what, you frequently get no matter.
7) SEVERS pay attention to those who *probably* will tender a large tip.

 

[kreckl]

So are you saying when they ask if you are on the DP or have TIW, you lie?

 

[DizDaD7]

1) Alas, that was the mistake.
2) The server KNOWS you have a mandatory tip.
3) We NEVER tell the SERVER if we are dining on a plan (DDP, Employee Special Ticket, Employee normal discount).
4) We tell them at check time.
5) Human Nature is human nature.
6) If people know they will get paid no matter what, you frequently get no matter.
7) SEVERS pay attention to those who *probably* will tender a large tip.

To me , knowing that they have a mandatory tip, and would not work as hard for it is ridiculous....I've had TiW twice now, and we sometimes go above and beyond the auto tip they take out * for exceptional service.....So If I was that server, Telling me early would have no bearing at all..

Yes she could've flat out told the manager that she wanted the tip removed, but she kinda did ( w/out ) so many words.....

Oh well Live & learn..

 

[si-am]

OP, I feel your pain. We had a terrible server at Boma on Thanksgiving... Waited FOREVER for drinks. We were finished with our first course before we got them! And forget refills, even after we asked. She said "Be right back" and it was over 10 minutes. It kind of ruined dinner for us. We noticed our server seemed to spending all her time waiting on a very large party next to us... Maybe Boma is understaffed these days?

We tipped only 10% and that was generous for what we got.

 

[jim o'reilly]

i'd be PO'ed too if that happened to me. i'm sorry that you had a bad experience. We had great service from the servers (Victor and Steve, we still remember their names!) and Chef Ben.

Sounds like your server just forgot about you. Could potentially happen to anyone, anywhere....

 

[jim o'reilly]

I am of the opinion that tipping should be abolished in the US, precisely because a. the restaurant should be paying the full cost of their employees and b. because of people who use tipping as a weapon. The fact that 18% automatic gratuity is added tells me that, in general, people were tipping on the discounted amount (or not at all), which is not fair to good servers. Edit to add: and let me be clear, I do think that Disney is culpable in allowing a guest to punish a server by withholding income instead of being more attentive to employee training.

You had bad service. You feel it was because of a guaranteed 18% tip, but since that is a pretty standard tip amount, I don't necessarily agree. I think she was just a bad server. If tipping weren't involved, how would you have addressed it? I am just curious.

some restaurants in our local area have abolished tipping (because they want to raise minimum wage to $15 and not pass the cost to the patrons)....only to find that patrons didn't like it. Why? Because the service they receive is TERRIBLE. "Here's your food..." and the servers would throw the plates down and leave with bad service. Why? Because the wait staff wasn't working on a tip. Restaurant goers realized that wait staff had to "work" and be "pleasant" to get a tip and if there was no tip, they didn't care. Have you ever seen the level of service of a Mcdonalds? that's the type of service you'd get at a restaurant that doesn't allow tips!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I agree with the OP. The manager should have offered to remove the tip. She was complaining about bad service not bad food. Putting the customer on the spot makes it sound like she was just looking for freebies - which i'm sure happens every day- rather than a legitimate complaint about bad service.

I think this is just part of the general feeling I've been getting over the last couple of years. Return and frequent guests are not as highly valued as the new and infrequent guest. TIW was such a great deal but with the increase in price and the increase in limitations screams, to me anyway, you are not welcome here anymore.

 

[Nancyg56]

Several years ago we dined at coral reef. We were split between two tables, two different servers. Two really different experiences. We were all in the DDP, that older one that included appetizer and gratuity. The caveat was that you tipped on anything else ordered automatically. My husband was in his glory! We had surprised him with a diver for his birthday, and he was surrounded by us! Anyway, his table was treated like royalty, he was ordering bottles of wine and cocktails etc. his server was amazing. Ours was a dud. Really she was just not even trying. My table was ordering extras but not at the rate Buddy was because the wine was sent to us. I spoke to the manager. I would not dispute any tip Disney wanted to give her, but I wanted every penny that was on my bill credited back, as well as the cold coffee she charged us for because " one beverage per person !!!" Fine. They reimbursed us. Disney servers are generally really good because too many guest complaints means they get replaced. I'm easy but I would have told the manager I did not want to give a mediocre server a stellar tip. And I would have insisted it all be removed and i would have then given her the amount I felt was appropriate.

Remember these servers tip out the bus people, the bartenders, the runners. I would make sure that my gratuity or lack thereof did not impact anyone but ger