Do you leave a tip at buffet meals?

[ajk912]

We just got back in August, and when you get the bill it will show you how much you owe, and then you can give your server your dining plan card. It will also suggest 3 different gratuities...15, 18, and 20 if I remember right. I always just slid my cash in and my DDP card at the SAME time and I never had a problem with a server charging me extra gratuity.

 

[kaytieeldr]

An additional safeguard would be to write either "zero" or "cash" on the tip line, then enter the check total on the total line.

 

[robinb]

Food servers LOVE people like you!!

They must feel the opposite about you when you only tip $1-$2 per person .

I usually tip about 15% because, like many others here, I feel that a buffet server does just about the same amount of work as a regular server. Just like in a regular sit-down restaurant if I have to flag down my waitress to get refills or if my dirty dishes linger on the table I will decrease the tip.

 

[Mrsgrumpy2000]

I always tip 20% if the service is good. I never leave less than 10%. It is part of my budget when my family dines out. In Mississippi, the servers make less than minimum wage.

 

[jcemom]

I usually tip 15% give or take 5% depending on service.

It does sort of bother me that at Disney I'm tipping 15% on a very inflated bill though. Those servers are making a killing compared to servers at local restaurants around here. I can go to the local chinese restaurant and tip 15% on my $10 bill then go to Disney and tip 15% on my $30 bill and get basically the same service at either place, yet the server here at the chinese place is only making a third the tip for the same amount of work. Actually they probably work harder. The servers at our local chinese buffet are terrific!

 

[DMRick]

I tip the same at buffets at a regular restaurant. Personally, I think they deserve more. I do get my own food, but they do a lot more work, than the traditional waiter IMO clearing up after me. They don't just bring drinks and your food. They clear lots and lots of dishes (at least on our table LOL), and of course refill our drinks. They are more like waiters and busboys. In many restaurants, they are also expected to keep an eye on the buffet, and do some clean up work there (I don't know about at Disney..they seem to often be understaffed at Disney buffets, and the waitstaff seem to be quickly going from table to table). I see them refilling the dessert area and cleaning up the messes from teh make your own cookie topping (do they still have that?) I've seen some pretty big messes that the waitstaff have to take care of at the buffets, since there are traditionally many more children than at the regular restaurants.

 

[jessica52877]

I have NEVER had good service at a buffet at WDW since the dining plan started. We have not gone since the tip is no longer included so I don't know now if it is better, but even when we weren't on the plan we were lucky to see them the first time for drinks. We have often also not seen every character and have to ask a different waiter walking by for what we need. I don't mind tipping, but I want the service.

 

[DVCleslie]

I think the server pay rate is something like $3.85 per hour. The servers at WDW do have to tip out also so I always tip well, even at buffets.

When my kids were little and made more of a mess, I always included more $.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I tip 15% at WDW buffets but depending on how good the server is I can go up to 20% and have done so on occasion. As a single mom, when servers at WDW go above and beyond for me, I reward them for it. I have to say I've never had a bad server at a WDW buffet at all.

 

[jgates]

Buffet - $1 to $3 - depends on original cost of buffet & level of service - how quick drinks are refilled etc.

On a comped meal, as mentioned for Vegas, at a sit-down cafe type I leave $5 per person.

Normal restaurant elsewhere I try to leave 20% unless something was really bad - and then I have to determine whether the waitress even had the ability to fix it. If it was out of their control tip is not affected. If they could have repaired, prevented or at least improved situation it is.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

The traditional tip for a buffet is 10% but I keep reading it's now considered to be 15%. Just like the tradional tip for table service used to be 15% and now it's 18-20%).

 

[Nie0214]

When I had buffet breakfast at Cape May Cafe (with characters), it was amazing to see how much those servers had to put up with. Not only do they have to constantly clear tables because people go up and grab another plate, but they also had to maneuver around the characters who couldn't see where they were walking. They also have to try and turn tables quickly (harder to do in a buffet, I'd think) without coming across as rude. It's not easy even if they aren't bringing you the plates of food.

 

[Inigo]

We go to a Chinese buffet every so often. The family that owns it, and most of the servers, are Chinese. It's one big extended family. They don't speak English very well, just enough to get by. We always get great service. They remember what drinks we like, where we like to sit, and always ask about DD or DH if I come in without either one of them.

I give the server $2-3 per person for a $6-7 meal, because I like being remembered. I like feeling like they care enough about me to remember that I don't drink Dr. Pepper anymore, but have switched to iced tea, but that DD and DH still want Dr. Pepper. DS doesn't go with me often, but they remember that he likes Sprite.

That's the way to be a good server for a regular customer. We live in a town without a lot of choice other than fast food, so I go to this place since it's better than driving 30-40 minutes for anything other than fast food. I go back because I like how they treat me.

 

[4forthemouse]

Many moons ago when I was in college I worked at a nice restaurant that had a prime rib buffet on the weekend. These nights were always much more work for me as a server. Bringing out one plate per person and cleaning up when they were finished was less time than going back over and over to clear dishes, refill drinks, and check on the party. I think buffet servers deserve a tip at least as large as a sit down and order server. No less, and often times more, is demanded of them.

 

[SandrA9810]

Buffet is usually the only time that I will tip the 15 percent because I'm having to pay full price for Kari to eat as much as the nine year old sitting next to us. Not to mention those kids probably eat off the adult menu. Kari eats mac and cheese and PB&J, and mash potatoes. nor does she leave a mess like most kids do.

Usually our meals will consist of ordering off the kids menu... that's how we've managed to eat at Le Celliers like 4 times now. But I always tip off of service, and usually leave about 5$. One time the guy at pizza hut gave us free drinks, and her parents paid the bill, and left like 3-4$, I slipped an extra five on the table as we walked away for what he did for us.
I see it as, we're all trying to make a living, we all need something, so I give according to service, because generally our bill will be less than 20$ for two adults.

Almost all places you have to split the tip between hostess and bar tender if there were drinks in the meal, and bussers. So I realize that the person that helped me the most isn't going to get all of it.
At the same time if the service was crappy, they don't get much at all. But according to most laws in the state, a server can not make less than minumum wage for thier hours worked. So being a server is like saying do I want to be making 6$ an hour or 10$.

 

[NMW]

The only buffets I have ever eaten at were at WDW. We always tip 20%, just like at any other restaurant. FWIW, I think the CMs at Disney buffets work just as hard as the CMs at other restaurants.

 

[jcemom]

I don't think *I* am any more work at buffets than I am at regular restaurants with a menu. At a regular restaurant I get a drink, water, appy, entree and dessert. That's two glasses, usually one refill, and three plates. At a buffet I usually get a drink, water, a plate of salad/appy type foods, a plate of entree type foods, and a plate of desserts. That's two glasses, usually one refill, and three plates.

The only difference I think, for me, is that my buffet server doesn't need to take any orders or bring me any food except for my drink and water. The plates are always at the buffet so they don't need to bring those, just take away the empty ones.

 

[DMRick]

At a buffet I usually get a drink, water, a plate of salad/appy type foods, a plate of entree type foods, and a plate of desserts. .

There are always exceptions, and your tip can reflect how it works for you. For me and my family, we have never only used one plate each for salad/appetizer and dessert. I guess we're piggies ..we like our food, when someone else is cooking

 

[mjkacmom]

Almost all places you have to split the tip between hostess and bar tender if there were drinks in the meal, and bussers. So I realize that the person that helped me the most isn't going to get all of it.
At the same time if the service was crappy, they don't get much at all. But according to most laws in the state, a server can not make less than minumum wage for thier hours worked. So being a server is like saying do I want to be making 6$ an hour or 10$.

Most states do not pay tipped employess minimum wage - only 7 of the states do. I couldn't copy it, but you can scroll down to the bottom http://www.njpp.org/rpt_minwageadcom.html

Back in the day, I made $2.25 an hour, here in NJ, with the 4th highest COL.

 

[mickeyluvr004]

Oh yes, at WDW you are expected to tip at a buffet. We even had a server write in on the bill what he thought he should get as a tip (Party of 3). Mind you we never saw him after we sat down-we had to ask other servers for drink refills and a chef brought us straws!

This wasn't at the Grand Floridian and his name wasn't David was it??? We went to Cinderella's dinner and had a party of 6 we were kinda new to the free dining thing and the tipping (before it was included in the free dining) well he was the rudest man and then when he brought the bill he said this is what you OWE me. I can't beleive he said we OWED him well we paid him, but lesson learned next year their are eight of us and we are making reservations for 2 tables of 4 separated if needed, I certainly don't have a problem tipping but don't tell me that I owe you especially since you didn't deserve half that tip you got