Do you tip the mousekeepers?

[hollyb]

Wow!

What a jump in logic you just made. Yes I am a SAHM, my DH works and works VERY VERY hard so I can raise our children. How dare you equate tipping a maid with what we can and cannot afford!!!! I tip waitstaff, I tip my hair gal, I tip those who are to be tipped. Mousekeeping is not a tipped position. Disney says so.

What does questioning someone's financial status have to do with tipping????

So if someone said "jump off a bridge you would?" Just because Disney says so doesnt mean its still a good idea to tip.

 

[pugcrazy]

There are 3 of us & we will tip $3 - $5 a day depending on how big a mess we have made. We will have our mousekeeping envelopes & may include something small from Texas as well. Just a way to brighten their day.

I have often thought working for Disney would be magical, but scrubbing toilets & changing soiled sheets deserves a thank you now & then.

 

[Ilovefozzie]

So if someone said "jump off a bridge you would?" Just because Disney says so doesnt mean its still a good idea to tip.

Huh? Just a few minutes ago you attacked my financial means and status...which by the way you know nothing about. And now you give me the jump off the bridge question? I'm sorry but what does that have to do with anything?

Look, you feel free to tip. I prefer to leave a daily thank you note. When I see a member of mousekeeping I wish them a good morning...ask them how their day is going, I hold the elevator door open and talk to them and if the service is excellent I make it a point to tell Disney about the amazing housekeeping staff they had in my room all week. So I choose to not leave 4 bucks on the counter every morning doesn't mean I do nothing.

I thank them, and I commend them. I make sure that their supervisor knows how fantastic they are, those kinds of things help when its time for a raise or promotion.

I didn't come here to debate, the OP asked a question I answered. I'm sorry that my answer upset you. There is nothing more I can do.

 

[themudd4]

Fozzie...not trying to fuel this debate just wanted to know something. If you are staying at another resort (other than a disney resort) where you knew the maid was going to keep her tip would that make a difference?

Your stating you tip those that are to be tipped get tipped...but then you said you tip your hair gal. Seeing as I done this job for years I am curious if you know how much money your hair gal makes an hour? If their employer pays them at least min wage do you still tip? When I was in that line of work, I was paid a flat hourly rate (above min wage) plus I gladly accepted tips. It was nothing for me to take a $10-$20+ tip per client...and you know I could do a hair cut while I had someone under the dryer in no time flat. Granted not all hair stylist make that much, but just showing that it can be done.

I honestly have no problem with you tipping or not, I am just trying to figure out what your saying is your reasoning...

By the way...I don't think I could possibly rasie a family on a minimum wage, so I have no problem tipping maid service, even mousekeeping.

 

[Ilovefozzie]

I understand. In regards to the hair gal getting tipped...that started from when I was VERY young. I grew up in a town of less than 850 people. The family hair gal charged less than 5 bucks a cut and her "salon" was two chairs two mirrors and a sink in a converted back porch. My parents just always tipped her. It was her entire income.

As far as my not tipping house/mousekeeping...I had never heard of the custom at all until I found the Disboards last January. Then I did my research. Even my DH who'd travel a lot as a child including over seas had never heard of tipping housekeeping. For the first several years of our marriage we were part of the "minn wage" crowd, and I wouldn't expect getting tipped for a minn wage job. The idea to me doesn't add up. Those to make less than....absolutely! I'm sorry I just don't feel it's my job to pay minn wage people more. Thats up to the government and employer. Even now in my part time job I don't make that much more than minn wage.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I'm kind of offended with the way that people view housekeeping as a profession. I keep seeing the same sort of thing: mentions about them making minimum wage, it being really hard work etc.
It makes housekeepers sound like slaves or indentured servants or something.
It is almost like some people are saying they tip because they pity the poor person that has to clean up after them. That is pretty degrading.

I have worked in the service industry not just in housekeeping, but in other jobs. It is a job, just like any other job. You can be an attorney and have a miserable job and get treated like dirt just as easily as you can work minimum wage and have a miserable job and feel unappreciated.

I also kind of find the comments about not understanding how anyone can live on such low wages a little offensive too. We live on one income and I'm in school fulltime. Dh does not make much. He has a service position. We have to be very careful with money, but that doesn't mean we can't save money and take a vacation. Many people in this country HAVE to live on minimum wage or for the lucky, slightly more. It is not Joe Visitor's responsibility to make up for the lack of pay that a mousekeeper makes. It is up to the company that employs the mousekeeper or housekeeper for that matter to pay the person adequately and if you feel minimum wage is not enough, get involved in politics and let your government know. They are the ones with the power to change that. It should not be left up to one person who is struggling just to pay for their vacation to help another person who is not making enough at their job.

Sorry, OP for highjacking your thread with that but it seems some people are saying they feel sorry for housekeepers. If you do it because you felt they did an extra good job, fine. If you do it because you want to make someone's day, fine. But tipping someone because you feel sorry for them is degrading. If you really want to give away your money in that way, give it to charity or to a homeless person on the street who really IS struggling!

 

[themudd4]

I also kind of find the comments about not understanding how anyone can live on such low wages a little offensive too.

This was my comment (To Fozzie) I think you may be referring too...

By the way...I don't think I could possibly rasie a family on a minimum wage, so I have no problem tipping maid service, even mousekeeping.

If so I said "I DONT THINK I COULD". I was not in any way implying that no one could.
Heck, I am sure at one point in our lives the majority of us have worked for minimum wage if not less (I waitressed for years as well), so I dont know where you should take offence to those remarks. It is a hard job no matter how much money they make. And I think my attorney charging $250 per hour pretty much includes his tip!

 

[Jalva22]

I can see both sides to the issue. Minimum wage is not now, and has never been, designed to be a living wage for a family. It's designed for introductory skill level positions, which more often than not are held by students or somebody supplementing the family's main source of income. So, I don't buy into the idea that I need to supplement a minimum wage earner's income.

BUT, I recognize that a huge percentage of the mousekeepers at WDW are immigrants who are trying to get established in a new, or relatively new, homeland. I have sympathy for the position they are in. Even though Disney says this is not a tipped position, it's understandable that people want to help give them a leg up. I don't find that degrading at all, and certainly nothing for someone to find offensive.

It's up to you as to whether you want to tip or not. It may be customary at some hotels, but Disney says it's not a tipped position. You're not a bad person if you don't tip at Disney. But, assuming the mousekeeper keeps the tip (and how would Disney ever know), I'm sure a tip would be appreciated. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dimimi]

Whoa. I thought everyone was being pretty respectful in this thread. That was a bit rude.

I just wanted to say that while maybe SHE can't compare cleaning 3 bathrooms to cleaning 20 rooms a day, I CAN. I worked in housekeeping at a large resort (3 hotels within the one resort). While a tip is nice to get if you have done a very good noteworthy job, it is not a right or a given. When one accepts a job as a housekeeper, knowing it is NOT a tipped position, one is generally well aware of the amount of money one will be making. The difficulty of the work matters not, you accepted a job under a certain salary so to imply that other people are responsible for making your job better or worthwhile by tipping you is ridiculous. If you (or anyone else) is not happy with the pay provided for your job description, get another job! There are plenty of jobs out there where you can get paid more or be in a "tipped" position (ie. a waitress or waiter).

I agree completely! I wonder why some people do tip? Do you tip your doctor? No, he is doing his job. Your teacher? No, they are doing their job. Do you run out and tip the garbage collectors if they pick up spilled trash? We do tip if we ask for something above and beyond...but I don't understand why you tip someone doing their job in a non-tip position.

I agree you should tip your hair stylist, waitress, etc., but those are expected, tipable positions. If you don't tip, it is assumed they didn't do a good job.

 

[beattyfamily]

Disney gives a booklet with 'guidelines' upon check in. In this booklet, mousekeepers aren't mentioned. I do not equate that to their job being a 'non-tipped' position but that's just me. Especially since they do accept the tips and also because when a resort manager been asked, he says yes, they can take tips.

That is why I choose to tip mousekeeping. My whole life I've been told to tip housekeepers. Some hotels even provide the tipping envelope and tipping 'guideline' website also mention housekeeping as well.

The room stewart on Disney Cruise Line is a tipped position and so if I'm going to tip them, I'm certainly going to tip my mousekeeper at WDW as well. That is my choice.

There are certain service jobs that people traditionally like to tip for whatever reason; hairdresser, pizza guy, waiters/waitresses, furniture delivery guys, housekeeping, bell hops, skycaps, valet parking, flower deliveries etc...I don't know what they are paid; I just want to give them a little 'thank you' in the form of money since they are providing a nice service for me.

Tipping isn't a right or wrong thing to do and its not a given; its a personal choice. I just don't get why some get so upset by others choices. Why do you care? To each their own I say.

 

[Trixie15]

Thank you again for all of your replies. I'm sorry if my post started any controversy - I certainly didn't intend it that way.

 

[beattyfamily]

Thank you again for all of your replies. I'm sorry if my post started any controversy - I certainly didn't intend it that way.

Oh, please don't appologize! You have NOTHING to be sorry for. Some subjects, no matter how innocently they are asked, invoke controvery. This subject, for some reason, happens to be one of them.

You didn't do anything wrong.

 

[kribit]

We always tip...Housekeepers and Mousekeepers.

 

[Hannathy]

I am still curious for those who tip without anything special being done, Do you tip the ride operators, or the parking lot kids? I mean they get paid the same and it isn't fun dealing with puking kids on the tea cups or standing on blacktop in 99 degree temps or pouring rain.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I am still curious for those who tip without anything special being done, Do you tip the ride operators, or the parking lot kids? I mean they get paid the same and it isn't fun dealing with puking kids on the tea cups or standing on blacktop in 99 degree temps or pouring rain.

I am curious about this as well. I have been a Public Area Attendent before as well as a housekeeper and of the two housekeeping was definitely the more cushy gig. If you are a public area attendeent you are responsible for PUBLIC bathrooms and I have to tell you the men's room at a large ski resort is much more disgusting to clean than the bathrooms in the rooms being used by 2-3 individuals. I have actually cleaned feces and urine off a wall before in a public bathroom. People are really disgusting.
Did I EVER get tipped for cleaning out ashtrays around doors, mopping up bathrooms, cleaning up urine and feces, sweeping up DIP that people have spit out on the concrete, and handling 12-13 garbage cans and making sure they are changed frequently? No. I have been tipped for cleaning someone's room though. Seems unfair to the public service people.
Like you said, I imagine the people walking around the MK sweeping up after people and keeping those public bathrooms clean are worker just as hard, if not harder than the mousekeepers, so if your logic for tipping mousekeeping is they deserve it, what about the rest of the workers at Disney World?

 

[Mo-Yo]

This is cut and paste from Real Simple Magazine's advice on tipping

# Hotel Maid

Average Tip: $2 to $5 per night.
Exceptional Circumstances: If you’re into rock-star-style hotel-room trashing, then tip like a rock star.
Things to Consider: Maids often rotate, so tip daily. Leave the tip in an envelope addressed to “Housekeeping,” not as loose cash.

To those who don't tip...obviously no one can force you to do it. But it is standard practice. That is why many hotels leave tip envelopes in the desk.

And I wholeheartedly agree with the OP who said how important it is to be courteous to the housekeeper. But standard practice is to be courteous in addition to tipping - not instead of it.

When I was a waitress, I'd occasionally come upon a customer who would be very friendly and gush about what GREAT service they were receiving...then they'd leave an itty bitty tip. It became a joke with my co-workers. We started seeing overly complimentary guests as a "kiss of death." Believe me...service employees love to hear "thank you"...but they love to be paid for their services even more. "Thank you" doesn't pay the rent.

 

[Jalva22]

I am still curious for those who tip without anything special being done, Do you tip the ride operators, or the parking lot kids? I mean they get paid the same and it isn't fun dealing with puking kids on the tea cups or standing on blacktop in 99 degree temps or pouring rain.

Not the same thing. We're talking about positions for which it is "customary" to tip. These are just societal norms. Do a search on tipping etiquette online and draw your own conclusions. I'd guess the difference is that ride operators and such are mostly students. Same thing with burger flippers in any chain you can think of. Comparing tipping them to tipping the wait staff at a nice restaurant just is not apples to apples. Plus, housekeeping is attending to your personal room, not a public bathroom that thousands of guests are using every day. It's a personal service to you, not a general service to the public.

 

[dbail2]

$5.00 a day for 5 people

 

[Ilovefozzie]

One last thought from me and then I'm leaving this conversation. Part of me feels like I'm banging my head against the wall and all it's getting me is a headache.

I AM IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM CRITICIZING ANYONE WHO TIPS!

For some reason some of you feel this need to criticize those of us who don't. Why? Does it make you feel better? Do you feel like you're better than me now? If so....Congrats.

My DH and I have worked VERY hard for everything we have. We started our marriage with both of us working lousy jobs living in a lousy house. I have cleaned toilets and the walls of those stalls that someone was "cute" enough to cover with their "business." I have dealt with customers screaming at me because they knew they could. I have been in charge of hiring and firing people who I KNEW needed the money. I have had merchandise thrown at me and dirty men flirt with me and try "something" on a friday night as I was just doing my job at a video rental store. I have worked as a waitress and watched customers steal tips from other tables and put it on their own. I have gone without new clothes and nice cars so my kids don't. I have never had a new car. And you know what? I am proud of how far we have climbed up that ladder.

Do not try to point your finger at me and tell me I'm a bad person because I don't give 4 dollars on the counter every morning.

I have said this before and I will say this again. Feel free to tip. All the more power to you. Leave me to my not leaving a tip.

 

[wdwfanatic80]

We don't tip. For the simple reason that others have mentioned. This is not a tipped position. I tip the bellman, the skycap, the valet, but not the housekeeper. I am not sure why I tip the others - I am guessing they get paid minimum wage as well. Probably because it feels uncomfortable for them to be standing right there and not tip them. When we were there in December we actually had our mousekeeper basically ask us for a tip...unbelievable! My mom felt guilty and uncomfortable and tipped her, well it turns out she wasn't even our maid most days, just on the days that our regular was off. That really did it for me. If I want to tip I will, don't ask for it. But seriously - I don't, bash if you want. If they were cleaning right in front of me, I probably would, but only for the same reason I tip the valet and the bellhop, because they are standing there almost waiting...and I feel like I have too. Anyone know if these (bellhop and valet) are tipped postitions? - Not trying to start anything just curious.....