Did you (or will you) tip extra on the Dining Plan?

[michellex2]

I usually tip 20% or a little more if the service is really good, so I would tend to tip extra if the included tip was only 15%, unless the service was poor. I also tend to share a fair number of meals, so usually tip extra over the amount of the bill, as a good server actually works a bit harder with shared meals and it doesn't seem fair to tip as though it was only 1 meal when the service is actually for 2 meals.

 

[eclectics]

We had the free dining for 10 nights and every TS dinner had such great, friendly, and attentive servers that I gave them all something extra. I guess we were very lucky because we never got a sub par server. They all truly went out of their way to make our meal enjoyable. I usually tip 20% anyway, so it wasn't a big deal to give them more. Our server at Alfredo's actually wanted to give it back, saying it was his pleasure!

 

[newchic99]

We tipped extra when we purchased items that were outside of the dining plan. It was was at least 20%, a few occasions more.

 

[Hanover]

We tipped 5% extra after all our meals, even the buffets.

 

[ilovedale3]

We were there last week on the free dining plan. We didn't tip extra every time, but we did when the service was outstanding.

We tipped extra at Le Cellier. Our waitress was Elaine and she was wonderful. She was super attentive and so nice and friendly. if I could have tipped our hostess, Mary, I would have. She was FABULOUS, seated us at the perfect table away from a rowdy group of drunk businessmen, and made great conversation.

We tipped extra to Neil at Rose and Crown. He was a wonderful server... I was surprised when he told us he had only been waiting tables for three months! He made our night fantastic.

We also tipped extra to Alexis, our waiter at CRT (dinner). Great personality and quite attentive.

 

[daisax]

We tipped extra everywhere except Sci Fi, where I was surprised that our non-meal plan items were pre-tipped at 18%. I did not see that on the menu -- for parties of 8 or more, sure, but not automatically for stuff paid out of pocket. I'm pretty good about examining checks, so I don't believe that happened the other times we bought things off the plan. Plus the service wasn't great int he first place, so I figured 18% was more than necessary (I generally tip 20% minimum for reasonably attentive service, by which I mean actually coming back with drinks, a second spoon to share the dessert that it was clear we were sharing, etc.)

Our service was generally excellent through the week. I had no impression whatsoever (even at Sci Fi) that we were being treated as lesser customers because of the plan, nor were we ever prompted to order extra stuff (I was kind of hoping for that, actually!) The servers seemed very knowledgeable about the plan, and would say upfront if something was off the plan, so we wouldn't be caught unawares (alcoholic drinks, an extra side veggie, etc.) We understood the plan, but I'm sure they were heading off problems from people who thought that everything was possible.

If I hadn't noticed that line, however, and had left the guy a 15% tip, he would have ended up with a 34% tip!

 

[Brygida]

The Dining Plan pays the tip. There is no reason for you to do it again.

Let's be logical. Let's say you had the *free* dining plan. We all know it wasn't really free. It was included in a package deal at WDW. WDW could have chosen to discount the package, throw in Disney Dollars, add a night for *free*, etc. They all amount to the same thing. A discount on the whole package!!

Your *free* dining plan was not really free then was it?

We all know that a stay at WDW is about twice? the cost of staying in surrounding resorts. That means that WDW can afford to be generous and throw in the discounts to lure visitors.

I always stay at WDW... because it is WDW! and would not consider staying anywhere else. I pay full price when I have to, but I enjoy the *discounts* when I get them, fully realizing I was overpaying to begin with.

All that said. We left an *extra* tip at Citricos, they were excellent and deserved more than 15%.

Brygida

 

[SeaSpray]

Just added the dining plan yesterday, so this is all new to me!

I have some questions:

At the end of the meal, what exactly is printed on the check? Are the amounts all broken down? For example, is the food/drinks total on there, then the tip amount already filled in, then the total? Is there an extra space on the slip to add in an extra tip? Just wondering how this works. Thanks!

 

[Brygida]

Just added the dining plan yesterday, so this is all new to me!

I have some questions:

At the end of the meal, what exactly is printed on the check? Are the amounts all broken down? For example, is the food/drinks total on there, then the tip amount already filled in, then the total? Is there an extra space on the slip to add in an extra tip? Just wondering how this works. Thanks!

Each restaurant's varied slightly. But they all included a total for food & drinks, tax, and gratuity (that's on the pre-dining plan receipt). Once you hand over your dining plan card, you will get another receipt listing a total of $0.00 for all your items. It will also state how many credits you have left (e.g. "6 CNTR SVC Cpns Rema", "4 TBL SVC Cpns Rema", etc) and that gratuity was included.

There is no extra space for an extra tip. If you want to, leave money. Or, if you also got an out-of-pocket receipt (i.e. you ordered alcohol), then add it to that.

Brygida

 

[daisax]

I'm not too computer skilled or I'd scan some receipts for you. It turns out to be less complicated than you'd think.

Usually you'd get one slip that says

Steak $___
Cheese Soup $___
Cake $___

Fish $___
Cheese soup $___
Soda $___
Seasonal Dessert $___

And each ___ is a dollar amount.

You give them your card, and they bring back the same basic thing with an additional line that says TSR Package Plan, and now all the amounts are zeroed out.

There's also a slip to sign for them to keep (like signing a credit card slip).

If you bought things off the plan they come with their own separate slip, and you can pay cash or sign them to your room if you want (in which case you have to give another signature).

At the bottom of each slip it tells you how many Table or Counter service meals or snacks remain.

Note: A couple of times in the parks we were not asked to sign anything for snacks. Sometimes we were. Strange. They did take the card though and the appropriate deductions were made.

Another note: forget looking for the logo that the brochure says will be on locations accepting the card. I saw only one, on our last day, on a cart in AK. And it was smaller than the logo on the brochure! (Believe me, I was looking for those logos all week long at each cart I approached and never saw a single one until day 7)

So you have to go up and ask, and most of the time they do, but sometimes they don't. And, surprisingly, some people at the carts that DON'T have absolutely no clue what the heck you're talking about.

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

We exrat tipped on EVERY TS meal, we got fabulous service everywhere we went, the waitress/waiters went out of their way to make us happy.

 

[SeaSpray]

Each restaurant's varied slightly. But they all included a total for food & drinks, tax, and gratuity (that's on the pre-dining plan receipt). Once you hand over your dining plan card, you will get another receipt listing a total of $0.00 for all your items. It will also state how many credits you have left (e.g. "6 CNTR SVC Cpns Rema", "4 TBL SVC Cpns Rema", etc) and that gratuity was included.

There is no extra space for an extra tip. If you want to, leave money. Or, if you also got an out-of-pocket receipt (i.e. you ordered alcohol), then add it to that.

Brygida

Thanks for the reply

So basically there is no way to add an additional tip onto our room key/charging card, unless we also have an out-of-pocket expense. Is this correct? So to give the server an additional tip, we'd need to have cash? Just want to make sure I fully understand

 

[Brygida]

Thanks for the reply

So basically there is no way to add an additional tip onto our room key/charging card, unless we also have an out-of-pocket expense. Is this correct? So to give the server an additional tip, we'd need to have cash? Just want to make sure I fully understand

I've never done it... but I don't see why you couldn't request an additional room key charge (of $0.00?) and put a tip on that?

Or make it easy on yourself and don't leave an additional tip... they already got a tip, remember?

Brygida

 

[sarah4770]

I had a little problem when we went to disney in aug. on the dining plan.
bf ususally ordered an alcoholic beverage at ts dinners, which we paid for out of pocket. A couple servers did not return with the change. One waiter at chefs of france pocketed the change, did not even bring us the separate bill for beverages. Waitress at Kona did not return our change. All we had on us was a $100 at Boma, to pay for 2 drinks. Our server asked us if we would be needing change!
We did tip extra on most meals.

 

[Windy City Heather]

I knew going in that I would tip extra for good service. I went last week. Only once did I not tip extra. My server at CRT was the worst. I actually complained.

 

[TSWJan78]

All of our bills added 15% if the service was good we left extra.. if there we shared we tipped extra otherwise we just left the 15%

 

[jann1033]

The Dining Plan pays the tip. There is no reason for you to do it again.

Let's be logical. Let's say you had the *free* dining plan. We all know it wasn't really free. It was included in a package deal at WDW. WDW could have chosen to discount the package, throw in Disney Dollars, add a night for *free*, etc. They all amount to the same thing. A discount on the whole package!!

Your *free* dining plan was not really free then was it?

We all know that a stay at WDW is about twice? the cost of staying in surrounding resorts. That means that WDW can afford to be generous and throw in the discounts to lure visitors.

I always stay at WDW... because it is WDW! and would not consider staying anywhere else. I pay full price when I have to, but I enjoy the *discounts* when I get them, fully realizing I was overpaying to begin with.

All that said. We left an *extra* tip at Citricos, they were excellent and deserved more than 15%.

Brygida

just asking... why does what you paid for the plan has any bearing on what you leave as a tip?. personally the less i pay out of pocket the more i am inclined to reward good service ..just trying to see the reasoning here. the cm is n't getting more pay from disney cause they have a dining plan in effect. and if it's because they are busier they are also working lots harder. actually i have read a few places people tip less at wdw than other places..maybe because people from other lands don't tip.

 

[zmichele]

Did people who shared meals (other than buffets of course) have any problems with being charged for 2 meals rather than one?

 

[JDietz40]

We try to tip according to the level of service at home and expect to do the same at WDW. We are paying for the dining plan but at a table restaurant would normally tip 20% for good service. As pointed out by someone earlier in this thread the drawback is the server knows that they have a 15% tip coming regardless of the level of service. It's too bad that this has an effect on the service level of some of the servers.



John

 

[GailT]

To be honest I don't, call me cheap but I am on a budget when I go to Disney