DDP 2008 Tipping

[mom2my3kids]

I will have to stop reading these boards before my trip.....just to lower my blood pressure and to keep from "stiffing" the waitstaff. The sense of entitlement and greed I read on this board by the servers really...ticks me off. I know many professionals that go to college for four years and don't average the hourly wage some of these servers do..... and the attitude is appalling. I don't care how cute and tongue 'n cheek you think you can say something and "get away" with it. Rude is rude. I bet most just feel sorry this server wasn't brought up with better manners. I was always taught, "that you catch more flies with honey". Sometimes just one NICE word will turn around a sourpuss....maybe they are tired and just have had a bad day.

I don't care how deserving the Disney servers feel they are. They work no harder than a server at Waffle House, IHOP or the Golden Corral. You guys have a good gig...appreciate it.

I will agree with one thing, I don't believe they work any harder then me at my local breakfast joint. I do get rude people on a daily basis, yes just keeping your mouth shut and smiling gets you through it. Going to the back and griping to your fellow employees also helps In the 9 years of serving at my restaurant there have only been about 5 times that I either cried, got so mad and had the manager take care of the table they were literally that bad. Lets see how bad we can treat the server kind of people, you see it all even seen another server have a lady turn over all of her tables food because she was mad because she said her eggs were OE and not OM..Well I need to stop rambling and go get ready for work..Have a great day everyone..

 

[kaytieeldr]

In my computations, I am just figuring 18% accross the board. I am sure there will be a few buffets where we will feel the need to only tip 10-15% (if we do not get drink refills, plates cleared, etc), and TS meals where we will tip 20%+ for outstanding service.

Ah, but it appears you have not (yet) considered the possibility of the buffet server providing extraordinary service deserving of an even higher than budgeted gratuity, or the sit-down restaurant server providing poor service...

Meanwhile I love how servers don't think anyone should take out things like quality of food and table location out of their tips - but I don't hear one of them arguing when their tips go up because of good quality and great location.

Please explain how the server can be held responsible for the quality of the food. Not the prep, not the wait time - but the quality.

I feel the server should see to it that my meal is prepared to satisfaction. If there is a problem with it, the server has the responsibility to find out in a timely matter (not serve it and ask how it was after a fair amount of time has passed)
The server can also pay more attention to those with the undesirable seats to help make up for bad seats. As far as the hostess, Servers know to be friends with the hostess, they do controll how often and when your tables are seated. Other problems with the hostess should also be dealt with between hostess server, and management..

Would you be happier if your steak came with a cut through the middle where your server checked to make sure it was cooked to the degree you ordered? Or, stood by your table immediately after serving and waited for your reaction? As far as undesirable seats - stations are assigned by management, not the Hostess. If all your tables are are near the bathrooms, or the kitchen, it doesn't matter HOW friendly you are with the Hostess.

As for tipping, if Disney ever set a % I had to tip, I would stop dining at those locations.

And, frankly - isn't choice wonderful?

It's not a two way street... he is being paid to serve me and put up with my attitude -

Uh, gee... serve your meal, sure. "Put up with" your attitude? Above EVERYTHING, your server is a human being and deserves to be treated as you wish to be treated.

For the average buffet server, how many days/hours per week do they work, how many tables per shift, total earnings per pay period, and how this compares to "table service" servers.

How much do YOU earn per pay period? No, I'm not being rude - just pointing out that THIS part of your question is entirely inappropriate (and the poster who responded would be within her/his rights, and possibly well-advised, to edit the response).

YUCK! I wouldn't want to sit next to someone that scraped their plates and left them for me to look at "pig slop" while I was trying to dine. I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but GROSS! Think of the other guests.

Great. Now go back and read the post with the description of what the buffet server does; as far as I'm concerned, that server deserves the same tip rate as the TS server.

I will have to stop reading these boards before my trip.....just to lower my blood pressure and to keep from "stiffing" the waitstaff. The sense of entitlement and greed I read on this board by the servers really...ticks me off..

Oh. Entitlement? Okay...

 

[kaytieeldr]

Last year we received less than stellar service ( and I'm being kind) at Chef's and at H&V. H&V being horrible service and the food wasn't edible. I had to ask repeatedly for refills and to have the "dirties" removed. I will not be dining at either of these locations on my next trip. Refills and "dirties" (used plates?), fine - poor service. But PLEASE explain how a server can possibly, in any imaginable way, be responsible for the quality of food at a buffet... and by extension, how this problem can ever be used as a consideration when determining the gratuity.

The service at CRT reminded me of an old "I LOVE LUCY" episode. The one where Rickey takes a sip of his coffee, sets it down and she takes away his cup. He takes a bite of toast, sets it down and she takes his plate. They might as well be on roller skates. I think I saw my server 3 times. This description is confusing. Did you only have three sips of coffee and three bites of toast, before your cup or plate was removed each time? Or did you actually end up with a satisfying meal (i.e. the server appeared with food and/or coffee as needed) but your table was bussed too efficiently?

The gratuity was included in each of these meals.

Actually, I read on this board...all the time....that the "poor" servers only make $2.13 an hour. They give this as the reason we now have auto "grat". Otherwise, they would never make minimum wage because of all the guests that "stiff" them or don't tip the "standard".

No. The minimum wage for servers in most states in this entire country is under $3.00 per hour. While this is a Disney discussion board, the subjects of tipping and stiffing apply to pretty much every server in every restaurant across the country. It's NOT unique (or potentially unique) to Disney Cast Members.
But, anyway, potential 'stiffiing' is merely one of the assumptions made on these message boards to explain the auto-service charge being added to DDE meals (although it actually IS why that charge has been standardly added to large-party checks, for a number of years). Disney has never publicly indicated that this why they've made this DDE change.

 

[LexPlayer]

How much do YOU earn per pay period? No, I'm not being rude - just pointing out that THIS part of your question is entirely inappropriate (and the poster who responded would be within her/his rights, and possibly well-advised, to edit the response).

Were my earnings a topic of discussion on these Boards? I am not employed as a Disney server. I see that you have advised the poster to edit her response to remove the wage information, is that because of the negative reaction? I asked for the typical wages for the AVERAGE worker, not necessarily her own. That is a distinction you apparently do not comprehend. Moreover, the question of earnings is highly relevant to this discussion.

 

[LexPlayer]

Many reputable etiquette sources indicate that a buffet gratuity should be 10%, but many posters here proclaim that it should be 18% based on the Disney "dining" experience.

These same etiquette sources also provide a 15-20% gratuity for menu service. If logic follows, does that mean tipping for table service should be 25-30% based on the same "dining" experience?

If your response is not consistent, then you have lost all credibility.... It can't apply for one situation and not the other.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Gee, Kaytieelder....there you go again...editing posts and taking quotes out of context. You must be a buffet server. I think those that work TS would disagree that buffet servers have the same duties they do.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Were my earnings a topic of discussion on these Boards? I am not employed as a Disney server. I see that you have advised the poster to edit her response to remove the wage information, is that because of the negative reaction?

No. I don't give a rat's patoot about negative reaction. It is not the business of anyone on this forum, or on the Internet in general, what another person earns. Common sense. What working in a particular field for x number of years pays - sure. That information is available on sites like salary.com. But what udsweetpea gets paid via a combination of hourly wage + tips? No. I feel that piece of information should be removed from that post, and any subsequent quotes.

 

[Jenniww]

I am going in 2008 and will be using the basic dining plan. I will probably not be buying any food out of pocket at these meals. So will I still be able to charge my tip or do I need cash? I probably should add that we are a group of 13 so our tip is automatic....

One more ? if anyone knows..... I will be sharing a room with my sister and our two kids. Will just our meal credits be lumped together or will it be our whole grand gathering? We have four rooms total booked????
Thanks for the help!

 

[TLSnell1981]

No. I don't give a rat's patoot about negative reaction. It is not the business of anyone on this forum, or on the Internet in general, what another person earns. Common sense. What working in a particular field for x number of years pays - sure. That information is available on sites like salary.com. But what udsweetpea gets paid via a combination of hourly wage + tips? No. I feel that piece of information should be removed from that post, and any subsequent quotes.

Are you the board police? I think the moderators do that. Udsweetpea just stated what many of us already knew.

Disney servers work hard....partially, because the restaurants they work in are so busy. They are fortunate in this as it translates into more tips(money).

 

[kaytieeldr]

Gee, Kaytieelder....there you go again...editing posts and taking quotes out of context.

Could you please elaborate? If you mean, quoting and responding to only portions of posts exactly as they were written by the original poster - yes, I do that. I see no point in quoting an entire post when I'm only responding to a segment of it. These boards are clogged enough already. But I don't change (edit) any part of the original post.

As for taking quotes out of context - this

I will have to stop reading these boards before my trip.....just to lower my blood pressure and to keep from "stiffing" the waitstaff. The sense of entitlement and greed I read on this board by the servers really...ticks me off. I know many professionals that go to college for four years and don't average the hourly wage some of these servers do..... and the attitude is appalling. I don't care how cute and tongue 'n cheek you think you can say something and "get away" with it. Rude is rude. I bet most just feel sorry this server wasn't brought up with better manners. I was always taught, "that you catch more flies with honey". Sometimes just one NICE word will turn around a sourpuss....maybe they are tired and just have had a bad day.

I don't care how deserving the Disney servers feel they are. They work no harder than a server at Waffle House, IHOP or the Golden Corral. You guys have a good gig...appreciate it.

is the only post to which I responded that my response might (?) be viewed to be "out of context" I don't see it, but, since I originally only quoted the portion of the post to which I wanted to reply,,,
So, in response to the entire post: I don't see any sense of entitlement from the few servers - Disney or otherwise - who post here. The one post in this thread that described an interchange between a Guest and a Cast Member was provided by a friend of the CM who actually made the statement in question to the Guest. Inappropriate? Maybe. Since none of use was there, none of us knows the tone used by either party.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Are you the board police? I think the moderators do that. Udsweetpea just stated what many of us already knew.

Ah, you must have missed where I posted, "I feel that piece of information should be removed..." (to avoid confusion, ellipsis indicates that not the entire original statement is being quoted).
At any rate, while many of us "know" what buffet servers generally earn, until this thread none of us knew how much udsweetpea personally earns. THAT is information which, in my opinion, should not appear on any public forum.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Ah, you must have missed where I posted, "I feel that piece of information should be removed..." (to avoid confusion, ellipsis indicates that not the entire original statement is being quoted).
At any rate, while many of us "know" what buffet servers generally earn, until this thread none of us knew how much udsweetpea personally earns. THAT is information which, in my opinion, should not appear on any public forum.

No, I don't have a comprehension problem. I understand perfectly.

The above post wasn't the only one that was edited. You are taking bits and pieces of posts and slanting them to suit your purpose.

I think a lot of sympathy for the waitstaff went out the window when it was revealed, in actual numbers, what disney servers average. You constantly post they only make $2.13 an hour, which I have stated before is disingenuous. I think more people will realize many of the servers make as much as they do. Yet, they are constantly being chastised by some on this board as being cheap and unfair to the waitstaff.

 

[angelmav]

It has been posted many times and in many forms where a disney server felt 'offended' by a 15% tip. On top of everything else, the DDP has created this mess with that guaranteed % the past fews years and it is not in-line with reality. The fact of the matter is, TS or Buffet, these are well paid people considering the field and this woe is me attitude is misplaced.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I don't see anything wrong with the way kaytieeldr edited the posts, and only quoted the parts she wanted to respond to. Though I don't agree with all of her opinions, I don't find them rude, or "slanted," since she left them the way they had originally been posted.

 

[LexPlayer]

No. I don't give a rat's patoot about negative reaction. It is not the business of anyone on this forum, or on the Internet in general, what another person earns. Common sense. What working in a particular field for x number of years pays - sure. That information is available on sites like salary.com. But what udsweetpea gets paid via a combination of hourly wage + tips? No. I feel that piece of information should be removed from that post, and any subsequent quotes.

Did you not read carefully enough to see that I asked about the wages of the AVERAGE server? I don't see where that part of the question was "entirely inappropriate" as you have asserted. If udsweetpea answered with respect to her own earnings, that was her choice. If she is comfortable divulging her earnings, how is that any of your business?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, Lex Player - I absolutely DID see that, and I apologize for originally misunderstanding what you requested.
It's NOT my (or anyone's) business how much you earn - referring to an earlier post where I asked for that specific information, and I was completely out of line.

I do realize you were asking for what the position earned, not how much any particular person in that position - in this case, a buffet server at Disney - is paid. I apologize for that question as well.

udsweetpea provided us with personal information - which is NOT what you were seeking. I'm sorry.

I do still feel this piece of specific information should be removed - but ultimately, that's up to the person who posted it. My 'business'? No. General concern about personal security? You betcha.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Last year we received less than stellar service ( and I'm being kind) at Chef's and at H&V. H&V being horrible service and the food wasn't edible. I had to ask repeatedly for refills and to have the "dirties" removed. I will not be dining at either of these locations on my next trip.

The service at CRT reminded me of an old "I LOVE LUCY" episode. The one where Rickey takes a sip of his coffee, sets it down and she takes away his cup. He takes a bite of toast, sets it down and she takes his plate. They might as well be on roller skates. I think I saw my server 3 times.

The gratuity was included in each of these meals.

A mediocre or bad server has no incentive to improve. A great server can become disgruntled....they make the same no matter what level of service is provided. How many people would work harder in any job if they knew they had no opportunity for a raise? Especially, knowing their co-worker's performance was not up to par, but received the same pay and would receive increases on the same schedule they did?

I am doing the DxDP for my next trip and will be a party of 4. I can choose what gratuity I want. The only reason I am dining this often at WDW, this trip, is because my DGDs love the character meals. I will save money on the plan this trip. If my service isn't better than last year's, I will be eating in my villa more often on my next vacation.

Maybe, I just have the "Eeyore" syndrome about this....maybe not.

This was in response to another post. I was describing the service or lack there of and giving my reason for not liking the "auto" grat. I believe there are many servers who do not like the idea of receiving the same gratuity as another, that doesn't pull their weight.

Is it the servers fault the food was bad? no....this was just part of the horrible experience I had at H&V. It was the servers fault the dirty plates were left on the table..and we only made one trip to each station. I guess I should have put my salad, entree and dessert all on the same plate. I also shouldn't have expected a refill on my drink.
I'm not even going into detail about Chef's. It was a huge disappointment! I am not alone in this opinion. It used to be one of my favorite restaurants at Disney.

At CRT I felt like they were getting us in and out as fast as possible. More customers more money. It had nothing to do with being efficient. Take your order, bring out your food...give you your bill. (and don't turn around to watch the show (fairygodmother) your plate might disappear. You pay enough at CRT to expect a little more than that, but they were getting the same tip from everybody....and as I said the quicker the rotation...more money.

I'm sorry, but I believe editing posts sometimes takes quotes out of context. Some posters do this frequently and use this to fit their agenda.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't see anything wrong with the way kaytieeldr edited the posts, and only quoted the parts she wanted to respond to. Though I don't agree with all of her opinions, I don't find them rude, or "slanted," since she left them the way they had originally been posted.

Oh. I agree with everything you've ever posted here. Until this
Seriously, though - thank you for the kind statement.

 

[LexPlayer]

Yes, Lex Player - I absolutely DID see that, and I apologize for originally misunderstanding what you requested.
It's NOT my (or anyone's) business how much you earn - referring to an earlier post where I asked for that specific information, and I was completely out of line.

I do realize you were asking for what the position earned, not how much any particular person in that position - in this case, a buffet server at Disney - is paid. I apologize for that question as well.

udsweetpea provided us with personal information - which is NOT what you were seeking. I'm sorry.

I do still feel this piece of specific information should be removed - but ultimately, that's up to the person who posted it. My 'business'? No. General concern about personal security? You betcha.

I can respect that.

Anyway, when my family returns to Disney later this year, we will be getting hit with the 18% "subsidy" because our party has 8 people. I don't like the fact that it is (1) automatic and (2) not discretionary with respect to percentage. But, what can you do?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Conservation alert: quoting only the statement/s in post number 137 to which I am responding

I'm sorry, but I believe editing posts sometimes takes quotes out of context. Some posters do this frequently and use this to fit their agenda.

Each of the statements in the original version of this post stands on its own and does not rely on any other paragraph in order to make sense. Not requoting the entire post, when I chose to respond to only parts of it - each of which, again, stands entirely on its own and does not rely on any other part of the original quote in order to make sense - is not "editing", or taking anything "out of context".
For the record, I have no 'agenda' and find it interesting that opposing points of view would be inferred to be such.