Buffet tipping versus full service tipping?

[just another guy]

I tip 10% at buffets almost every time. On rare occasions I have tipped up to 15% at a buffet

And disney is just that, a rare event. I am in NO way saying the fools working at Old Country Buffet or Golden Corral deserve 15-20%. Hell, they don't even deserve 10% from what I've seen. Last time I went to one of those places, I waited 5 minutes for a refill. Yes, I looked at my watch. I finally walked the 15 feet to their drink station, and got it myself. But while at Disney, yes, 15-20% is standard.

We tip one dollar per person at a buffet.

Thats all fine any dandy at one of the above mention buffet chains, or some local mom and pop buffet in the midwest, but at Disney, you need to up the amount. 15-20% of the bill is standard.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

It is not my responsibility to tip somebody enough to live on.


David

Actually it is your responsibility to tip enough to live on. Servers are paid a very small minimum wage, this keeps the price of the meal lower, if we went to a nontip type of service there would have to be a large increase in the price of the food in order to pay a living wage to the employees who are currently considered tipped, including but not limited to servers, bus people and bartenders.

 

[OKWMom]

I waited tables while in high school and college myself. My first job was at a seafood restaurant that had menu items but most people came for the buffet. My other jobs were traditional table service. I will argue that I worked just as hard in the buffet place as all the others, but I covered more tables at the buffet place. Therefore, I could make less per table in the buffet restaurant and still come out about the same.

My experience was that the buffet tables required much less effort on my part because 1) I didn't have to take a lengthy food order; 2) I didn't have to bring the food from the kitchen; and 3) most of those tables did not want/need dessert. Mostly, my function for those tables was to clear dishes and bring refills. An experienced server can do this for several tables in his/her section at each pass. I'm not saying you don't get in the weeds working buffet places, I'm just saying the amount of work you do per table is less than at full service restaurants.

My understanding as a server was the standard tip for buffet was 10%. Most often, I received 15%, but I was happy with 10%. We don't normally eat buffet except for character meals at Disney and our party is so large we get the automatic gratuity added (which I don't dispute), but I have thought that 18% was excessive for a tip in a buffet restaurant and I am a very good tipper (normally 20%). I just feel with an automatic 18% tip, the buffet server is making the same as a server in a full service restaurant which I feel to be unfair given the difference in the responsibility level.

 

[just another guy]

I will argue that I worked just as hard in the buffet place as all the others, but I covered more tables at the buffet place.

They don't get extra tables at disney. Disney has some magical number like 20 or so, and a server is not allowed to have more than that many people in their section. Plus at disney, people sit just as long at a buffet as a normal restaurant.

 

[disgram]

When we are on the FDP and are at the buffets, I tip 18%. I have never really had to wait for refills or for the table to be cleared of dirty dishes. When we come back from the buffet with new plates, the others are most definately gone and the drinks are all refilled! Even the water glasses.
At TS, we usually tip between 18 to 20 or so percent, depending on the service. The wait staff work very hard, we think, at both and should be compenstated accordingly. JOO

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I do not tip the same at full-service as at a buffet. At a buffet the waiter is only getting drinks and clearing plates. A waiter at a full service restaurant not only gets drinks and clears plates, but also:

• Interacts with my party more
• Explains any specials
• Answers any questions about how the food is prepared
• Takes the order
• Places the order
• Brings the order to us

Y'all can tip whatever you want. But I was always told that 10% is customary at buffets and that's what I usually tip. Sometimes more, sometimes less (if I get my own drinks). Considering the price of the WDW buffets, 10% is pretty good!

Here are a couple of links I found on the internet.

http://www.findalink.net/tippingetiquette.php

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/corporateclass/07/13/tipping/

 

[eliza61]

Do you tip the same at a buffet as at full service? To me it would not make sense. The bill could be the same at both but at the buffet all they do is bring you drinks. But...I also don't want to be a jerk, so tell me what the accepted practice is.

No matter where I go, I pretty much try to tip according to service. At a buffet if my server is attentive, available and friendly I'll tip accordingly (~15-18%). I had a cm named "Cassie" at the crystal palace who was fabulous, she had a wicked sense of humor and kept 4 adults in stitches the entire meal along with anticipating our wants. I think the dinner came to $120.00, I swear we left that girl a $50 buck tip, she was that good! That was my only peeve about the DDP, I hated having the 18% automatically added (I know, I'm in the minority). When I ran across lousy service i would have to make a stink to get the tip removed.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

It's threads like these that make me feel truly sorry for servers.... $1/per person?! 10% max?!

Wow... it's threads like this that remind me to always leave my 20% because "someone" has to pay these servers a wage that's decent enough to pay their bills. If I have to tip a bit more to make up for "others" so be it.... the alternative is losing valuable servers.

Here we all are (all of us) spending hundreds/thousands/etc to visit a resort and "play" all day/week, yet we're justifying the fact that we think that the person who just spent 1 1/2 hours waiting on our family of four and cleaning up after our family of four...well, her effort and time is worth about $4.00 !!!!???? That's just CRAZY to me.

To the poster that said that it's not his/her responsibility to pay the servers a decent wage. I challenge that statement. While it may not be your "responsibility"...you are patronizing a restaurant that you KNOW pays their servers little/no money and forces them to rely on tips. My thoughts are that if you don't want to help "pay" the server by leaving an appropriate tip, than why patronize that restaurant?

I'm not being sarcastic... I generally don't understand how one can choose to not tip when it is all that these servers make to pay their bills? So many of us are lucky enough to visit WDW, yet that gratitude flys right out the window when it comes time to properly acknowledge those workers that create the environment that makes us keep returning there to visit. HMMM...

 

[doctorhead]

It's threads like these that make me feel truly sorry for servers.... $1/per person?! 10% max?!

Wow... it's threads like this that remind me to always leave my 20% because "someone" has to pay these servers a wage that's decent enough to pay their bills. If I have to tip a bit more to make up for "others" so be it.... the alternative is losing valuable servers.

Here we all are (all of us) spending hundreds/thousands/etc to visit a resort and "play" all day/week, yet we're justifying the fact that we think that the person who just spent 1 1/2 hours waiting on our family of four and cleaning up after our family of four...well, her effort and time is worth about $4.00 !!!!???? That's just CRAZY to me.

To the poster that said that it's not his/her responsibility to pay the servers a decent wage. I challenge that statement. While it may not be your "responsibility"...you are patronizing a restaurant that you KNOW pays their servers little/no money and forces them to rely on tips. My thoughts are that if you don't want to help "pay" the server by leaving an appropriate tip, than why patronize that restaurant?

I'm not being sarcastic... I generally don't understand how one can choose to not tip when it is all that these servers make to pay their bills? So many of us are lucky enough to visit WDW, yet that gratitude flys right out the window when it comes time to properly acknowledge those workers that create the environment that makes us keep returning there to visit. HMMM...

I couldn't have said it better myself. it was always nice to receive an exceptionally large tip while waiting tables. the only problem was that i couldn't really enjoy it b/c it was just making up for the awful tip that someone left a while before. you could be the best server in the world, and some people still will not tip. i always found that people that ran you the most gave the worst tips. also, never give the verbal tip. just b/c you tell the waiter that they did a fantastic job, that does not mean that you are justified in not tipping. compliments do not pay bills.

 

[dqpowell]

Actually it is your responsibility to tip enough to live on. Servers are paid a very small minimum wage...

The servers' career choices are not my responsibility. If they want an exemplary tip they should provide exemplary service. This is quite unlikely to happen in a buffet restaurant, given the fact that everybody in my party is serving themselves. I will not tip the same percentage to them, when I'm doing a significant portion of the table-waiting work myself, as I will to a server who's doing it all.

David

 

[slug]

Actually it is your responsibility to tip enough to live on. Servers are paid a very small minimum wage, this keeps the price of the meal lower, if we went to a nontip type of service there would have to be a large increase in the price of the food in order to pay a living wage to the employees who are currently considered tipped, including but not limited to servers, bus people and bartenders.

That is absolutely, 100% true and I'm glad someone finally pointed that out. That is an excellent point you make.

If waiters were paid even minimum wage, the cost of the food would be dramatically increased. Waiters / waitresses are allowed to be paid a fraction of minimum wage solely because of the accepted practice in our society that customers tip their servers accordingly.

I'm not one to tell the next guy what to do, but I wouldn't consider it appropriate for myself to ever tip below 15% unless there was absolutely terrible service. Regular service = 18-20%; Exceptional = 22-25%.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Crystal Palace Dinner is $27.99/adult, $12.99/child.
Family of 2 adults, 2 children total: $81.96
10% = $8.20.

How many tables does that waiter at a buffet get drinks and clear plates for? 8? 10? More? Fewer? I wish we knew.

10 X $8.20 = $82.00
8 X $8.20 = $65.60

Some tables are going to have more guests, some are going to have fewer guests. Some will have all adults (therefore a higher bill and tip), some will have a child under 3 (lower bill and lower tip). I think the above could be considered and average.

At buffets tables seem to turn in about an hour.

So that "lousy" 10% tip could mean the waiter is receiving between $65 - $82 an hour. Of course, they have to tip out the bussers, but I think what is left is pretty good.

Tip 20% if you would like. But I won't lose any sleep over tipping 10% at a buffet.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

That is absolutely, 100% true and I'm glad someone finally pointed that out. That is an excellent point you make.

If waiters were paid even minimum wage, the cost of the food would be dramatically increased. Waiters / waitresses are allowed to be paid a fraction of minimum wage solely because of the accepted practice in our society that customers tip their servers accordingly.

I believe in California waiters are paid the state minimum wage - a Disneyland waiter told me that. The state minimum wage in CA is even higher than the Federal minimum wage. Restaurant food tends to be a little more expensive in California than it seems to be in other areas where the waitstaff is paid under Federal minimum wage, but not what I would call "dramatically" so.

Oh ,and the 15 - 20% tip is still customary for table service there.

 

[slug]

Crystal Palace Dinner is $27.99/adult, $12.99/child.
Family of 2 adults, 2 children total: $81.96
10% = $8.20.

How many tables does that waiter at a buffet get drinks and clear plates for? 8? 10? More? Fewer? I wish we knew.

10 X $8.20 = $82.00
8 X $8.20 = $65.60

Some tables are going to have more guests, some are going to have fewer guests. Some will have all adults (therefore a higher bill and tip), some will have a child under 3 (lower bill and lower tip). I think the above could be considered and average.

At buffets tables seem to turn in about an hour.

So that "lousy" 10% tip could mean the waiter is receiving between $65 - $82 an hour. Of course, they have to tip out the bussers, but I think what is left is pretty good.

Tip 20% if you would like. But I won't lose any sleep over tipping 10% at a buffet.

I like the analysis, but I think you may be overestimating the number of tables a waiter has during a shift.

It would be very difficult to turn over a table in an hour at a normal buffet - nevermind a buffet where the guests are frequently pausing to pose with characters, get autographs for kids, etc.

And let me just state that I think it's extremely unlikely that the waiters at the CP are making anywhere near the money you estimated.

Just an opinion.

 

[dqpowell]

Yes -- it is a myth that table servers in buffet restaurants can't live on "only" a 10% tip. The Disney buffets are packed to the gills every day of the week. In a restaurant like that, these "poor" servers are earning more per hour than I am.

As I mentioned previously, I have relatives that have worked as wait staff in various restaurants. When the restaurants are busy, they do very well. When they're not busy... well, that's why they no longer do that kind of work. But the Disney restaurants are always busy, so nobody is going to succeed in "guilting" me into tipping ridiculous amounts for somebody to clear dishes and keep my drink filled. If I am doing half of their job myself, they are getting half of my typical tip percentage.

David

 

[suevee]

We had an exceptional server at Hollywood and Vine breakfast. There were five of us. I gave him a 20% tip and he protested it was to much. I told him he was worth it!!!

So I guess he hadn't seen many 20% tips.....

 

[doctorhead]

Yes -- it is a myth that table servers in buffet restaurants can't live on "only" a 10% tip. The Disney buffets are packed to the gills every day of the week. In a restaurant like that, these "poor" servers are earning more per hour than I am.

As I mentioned previously, I have relatives that have worked as wait staff in various restaurants. When the restaurants are busy, they do very well. When they're not busy... well, that's why they no longer do that kind of work. But the Disney restaurants are always busy, so nobody is going to succeed in "guilting" me into tipping ridiculous amounts for somebody to clear dishes and keep my drink filled. If I am doing half of their job myself, they are getting half of my typical tip percentage.

David

if everyone had that attitude, they wouldn't make any money. if you just assume everyone else is tipping properly, and that means you don't have to, that's a poor attitude to have. while in the parks, you might as well through your trash on the ground b/c there are custodial workers there to clean up after you. you shouldn't always assume someone else is going to make up for your slack.

 

[eeyore3847]

this will be our first trip to the world, but at DL I think the tip was included?

lori

 

[slug]

I believe in California waiters are paid the state minimum wage - a Disneyland waiter that told me that. The state minimum wage in CA is even higher than the Federal minimum wage. Restaurant food tends to be a little more expensive in California than it seems to be in other areas where the waitstaff is paid under Federal minimum wage, but not what I would call "dramatically" so.

Oh ,and the 15 - 20% tip is still customary for table service there.

You are correct about waiters in California. They make the state minimum wage. I know very little else about California dining to be honest with you. However, as just a general business matter, the increase in wages are passed by employers to their customers. So the prices would be higher. Whether or not the increase is dramatic is probably a matter of opinion. But if a $20 entree is $22 in CA, that's 10% and I'd call that significant.

But we were discussing the tips at WDW in Florida (I was at least). I believe the WDW waitstaff is compensated at a couple of bucks per hour. Yes, there are tips, but the reason that these positions are exempted from Federal and State minimum wage requirements is b/c of the expectation that these workers are going to be receiving tips. A customary tip is 15%. Maybe that's different for buffets, maybe it's not. I'm not telling anybody what to tip. I'm just saying that I wouldn't be comfortable tipping less b/c of the type of meal it is. I don't view a buffet as allowing me to save 5-10% on tipping.

Again, just an opinion.

 

[doctorhead]

i also don't like when people give the excuse, "i'm not responsible for their career choice."
waiting tables is sometimes the best job that person can get. if you don't think their job is as impt as whatever job you have, why are you so stingy that you can't give them a few extra bucks since you have it so good?