DDP 2008 Tipping

[Gomez Gang]

I am a server and love to read these threads...
"here! here! to the person who said" if you can't afford to tip........go somewhere else!

remember.......if the food takes a long time or is not to your liking, did the server cook it? if your table is next to the bathroom, did the server put you there?

I agree also that if your SERVICE is bad (things that the server can control) the tip should reflect. Too many people blame the server for management problems, kitchen and hostess problems too.

everyone, please remember (and educate thy neighbor!).....
18-20% is STANDARD--we need to make a living!

you would be suprised at how many people think 10% - 15% and a verbal "we loved you--great job" is a good tip.--words don't pay the bills!!

 

[Nancyg56]

Anyone can have a bad day, and there are hundreds of anecdotal "I had a horrible server" stories, but I think those are the exception rather than the rule...especially at Disney.

ITA with you. While we did have one or two less than stellar servers while dining at Disney, when looking back I can say that the vast majority of meals were enhanced by the attention our servers gave to us. They made sure that meals were safe for my DGD to eat, entertained her when she was a little bored, discussed Disney with my family, helped with wine selection for DH and I, helped to choose meals when decisions were just too much for me and made us feel very special and pampered during our meals. I don't hold a bad day against anyone, I understand that it happens to servers who are bombarded by all sorts of people and factors beyond their control and who may have a day when they are not able to shake those situations off. I believe that the people who serve food are professionals an tend to be proud of the level of service that they provide and make it look so easy that many think anyone can do it.

 

[LorieR]

Making such pointless observations pretty much useless. The standard is to tip a percentage of the bill.

Maybe that observation was "pointless" to you but I think this poster makes a valid point. I feel our system of tipping is out of whack. Tipping based on how expensive the food on your plate is makes no sense. If a server makes multiple visits to the table, brings refills, etc. but I have only ordered say a chef's salad under this system they get less tip than if they brought me surf and turf! Same number of visits to my table. I believe THAT is what the poster is talking about, which does make a POINT, despite what you may feel.

 

[peanut1967]

Question:

I am from the UK, when we last went xmas 2004 we got talking to a server, it was the rose & crown, and we got onto the tipping question and she said that it was better for the waiters to be paid in cash, because of tax, anyway from that time on I always paid the tip in cash. If the gratuity is already added can I deduct it and pay that portion in cash?

 

[Tigger1]

If Disney raised there prices 18% and started a do not tip, its already included, how would this effect the dining experience? Would service be just as good? Would Disney actually pay the servers the 18%?
If Disney did pay the 18 % would they also pay the minimum wage for servers? If Disney did pay up, I would think service would be excellent as they would have many replacements for those who did not give excellent service. Then again, Disney could limit the number of tables a server has at one time to insure excellent service.

A Tip is not a Tip if someone else determines what % I leave. I understand setting a % on large groups as servers are sometimes stiffed

Tigger

 

[fey_spirit]

But why would they go to the trouble of singling out these two groups - only to apply this to everyone next year? At the very least I doubt they'll apply this across the board next year - it just seems incongruent to do so.

Yeah but they already moved the Auto-gratuity from parties of 8 to parties of 6 and now its automatic for anyone using the DDE. I believe that is just a sliding scale for everyone to pay the auto-gratuity in the future.

 

[fey_spirit]

Which leads to another thought - despite popular belief, dp guests are no more or less likely to be the type to stiff a server. But despite that Disney hasn't placed an across the board tip on those not on the DDP (many of whom might very well have already been stiffing servers) - so why would they start now?

Applying an across the board tip is just plain bad business... I know I wouldn't go anymore. But then I'm big on personal freedoms.

ITA!

When the servers at WDW on the DP start getting stiffed enmass or start quitting enmass then I am sure that Disney will implement the 18% tip across the board whether on a dining plan or not.

 

[fey_spirit]

You know what they say about using the word "always".
I for one was on the DP (and it was the one that came with the platinum pkg but none of the servers really seemed to know the difference).
and saw a great issue with the automatic tip. We encountered service that ran from non committal, to rude, to one or two (out of a ten day stay) truly fantastic service (though I do admit that the majority were simply non committal and there... going through the motions). Had I been forced to tip a certain gratuity out of my own pocket to some of these servers based upon the level of service I received I would have be irate.

From those with a different point of view, the comment is always speculative: "I'm afraid an automatic tip will diminish service," never "I got bad service because the tip was included."

 

[fey_spirit]

I know this is the myth but given the experiment I ran last week it doesn't seem to stand up to reality.

We spent last week in Louisville eating at all of the best places in town (Many of them 100 dollar per couple types of places)... but the best service we received by far was in the hotel dining room (where the price range was just a little over your local shoneys).

Our second best would be the local small town style Cajun deli...

Of all the high end places (which were the majority of eating places for the week) only one stood up to the service received at these low end establishments.

There are many, many reasons why servers may or may not be working at that 30 dollar a steak restaurant, and not all of them have to do with the ability to provide superior service. So I actually stand by the individual who said that while I do tip on percentages because I have yet to figure out a better way - I do think that tipping according to menu prices is well... illogical.

Usually, the $30 steak is $30 instead of $15.99 in part because your server has fewer tables to cover, and hence can (and does) provide better service. More attentive refills of beverages, or the ability to appear just before being needed, etc.

 

[fey_spirit]

Yes but one could argue the same about statements like this being pointless - after all this is a discussion board and folks will - well let's face it, discuss things including opinions, even ones you don't like.

Of course I for one am not one of those people who can argue that this statement is pointless because, well as I said this is a discussion board, and people will express both opinions I don and don't like...

Making such pointless observations is pretty much useless. The standard is to tip a percentage of the bill.

 

[fey_spirit]

Oh good if I tip you 50% can I take my bad day out on you? I mean if the thank yous and kindness are meaningless...

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.

I am a server and love to read these threads...
"here! here! to the person who said" if you can't afford to tip........go somewhere else!

remember.......if the food takes a long time or is not to your liking, did the server cook it? if your table is next to the bathroom, did the server put you there?

I agree also that if your SERVICE is bad (things that the server can control) the tip should reflect. Too many people blame the server for management problems, kitchen and hostess problems too.

everyone, please remember (and educate thy neighbor!).....
18-20% is STANDARD--we need to make a living!

you would be suprised at how many people think 10% - 15% and a verbal "we loved you--great job" is a good tip.--words don't pay the bills!!

 

[mom2my3kids]

Oh good if I tip you 50% can I take my bad day out on you? I mean if the thank yous and kindness are meaningless...

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.

No you should not take a bad steak out on the server, did the server cook your steak? But a lot of people do so I live with it, I also joke and when the food comes out very quickly I say " Boy I was a fast cook today" We all just laugh..

 

[fey_spirit]

I do actually understand how you feel about this... on the other hand I find it a bit hypocritical to say it isn't fair that the bad should never affect the server if it had nothing to do with their service - but on the other hand to say it's all fine and dandy to profit from the same.

If it's ok for them to profit from something when it goes well, then it should logically be ok for them to suffer from the same when it goes bad.
That's called balance.

No you should not take a bad steak out on the server, did the server cook your steak? But a lot of people do so I live with it, I also joke and when the food comes out very quickly I say " Boy I was a fast cook today" We all just laugh..

 

[Brian Noble]

The quality of the steak is not the server's fault, unless it is visually obvious that it was cooked improperly.

Whether or not the server stops by shortly after delivering the meals to be sure everything was prepared to my satisfaction, however, is.

 

[mom2my3kids]

The quality of the steak is not the server's fault, unless it is visually obvious that it was cooked improperly.

Whether or not the server stops by shortly after delivering the meals to be sure everything was prepared to my satisfaction, however, is.

Absolutely Correct!!

 

[Tigger1]

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 should then tell management and depending on the problem do what it takes to make the customer satisfied. 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.

 

[fey_spirit]

And I never argued this - but everyone seems determined to ignore the actual point of my post.

The quality of the steak is not the server's fault, unless it is visually obvious that it was cooked improperly.

Whether or not the server stops by shortly after delivering the meals to be sure everything was prepared to my satisfaction, however, is.

 

[just another guy]

you would be suprised at how many people think 10% - 15% and a verbal "we loved you--great job" is a good tip.--words don't pay the bills!!

So true! Don't forget the dreaded hand shake. Once you get that, you KNOW you are not getting anything over 10%.

If Disney raised there prices 18% and started a do not tip, its already included, how would this effect the dining experience? Would service be just as good? Would Disney actually pay the servers the 18%?
If Disney did pay the 18 % would they also pay the minimum wage for servers? If Disney did pay up, I would think service would be excellent as they would have many replacements for those who did not give excellent service. Then again, Disney could limit the number of tables a server has at one time to insure excellent service.

In a land of make believe, yes, thats the perfect idea. At disney...

NOT A CHANCE!!!

A large number of families save up years for their trip. If disney jacked the prices up 18%, the sticker shock would scare lots of people away. All disney cares about is profit, so that wouldn't work.

Paying servers a flat fee, only takes away from their service. Bad servers would continue to be bad servers. The rest of the servers, while the guest never see it, are often running around in the back area, working their hardest, trying to get the drinks out ASAP, etc, etc, ETC. They do all this hard, fast, labor intensive work all with the hopes of a better tip. Pay servers a flat fee, and they sure won't be running around the back areas any more.

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 should then tell management and depending on the problem do what it takes to make the customer satisfied. 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.

You are half right. Yes the server should ask the guest how things are going/tasting/etc.

As far as being friend with the host, you are WAY off in regard to disney. Yes that works fine at a mom and pops diner, or a local chain restaurant. The host will seat the attractive high schools in a college aged guy servers stations. A mexican family will be sat in a servers station who speak spanish, etc. At disney, that doesn't work. All disney cares about is MAXIMIZING profits! The guests are sat as quick as possible at the first available table.

The server shouldn't have to treat guest special because IN THEIR MIND they don't have the perfect table. Serves don't get to pick what tables they wait on. I know a disney server who last week as he was seating one of this own tables, the mother said in a rude manner, "You better not try seating us at a bad table!" The server fired back, "We are completely booked tonight, if you don't want this table, there are tons of others in the lobby that would be more than willing to take it for you." That put her in her place.

 

[TLSnell1981]

So true! Don't forget the dreaded hand shake. Once you get that, you KNOW you are not getting anything over 10%.


A large number of families save up years for their trip. If disney jacked the prices up 18%, the sticker shock would scare lots of people away. All disney cares about is profit, so that wouldn't work.


I know a disney server who last week as he was seating one of this own tables, the mother said in a rude manner, "You better not try seating us at a bad table!" The server fired back, "We are completely booked tonight, if you don't want this table, there are tons of others in the lobby that would be more than willing to take it for you." That put her in her place.

Gee, some of us are polite and appreciative....do thank the waitstaff for excellent service... AND STILL tip al LEAST the minimum.

We almost have across the board service charges already. At least, the guest would know the true amount needed to save. You really like disney, don't you?

If I had a server say that to me I would immediately have called over the manager. That was totally inappropriate and unprofessional. Does the disney server not understand they work in the SERVICE industry? This is the attitude that most rant against on this board. These servers don't care about anything other than the mandatory 18%. I

 

[udsweetpea]

As a server at a Disney buffet, I thought I'd chime in. Please don't think that just because we work at a buffet, we don't work hard and don't deserve a decent tip. There's a lot of work you don't see behind the scenes, and you can't even imagine the pain in my arms I still have after not working there for a few months. Imagine being stuck behind a character who you can't get around, and a family of ten wants to take individual and family pictures. Now add a stack of 20 plates (all not stacked right because hardly anyone can stack them right for you). Just because I work at a buffet, does not mean I don't deserve a good tip (18%).