DVC Discount for Chefs de France

[CarolynK]

My family and I ate at Chefs De France for lunch today. There is a 20% discount at lunch for DVC members. When the bill came back for me to sign, the receipt said "gratuity has been included." I looked at the itemized part of the bill, sure enough, right before they took the 20% off, they tacked on 15% tip. They were apparently assuming that I wasn't going to tip based on the pre-discounted amount. I always tip closer to 20%, but I was very annoyed at this.

Just letting you guys know.

 

[DebbieB]

I wonder if they were getting confused with castmember discount. I know castmember discounted checks automatically get the tip.

 

[MelissathePooh]

Thats strange - we've never had the tip included on a check unless we were a large party. There must have been a mistake. We've used the discount at Palio's several times and never had a problem - although they have asked us to show our actual DVC member card - not just the room key.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Just to let others know that if this was a mistake, it wasn't just a one time mistake. It happened to me this way too. I was there solo, so I just kind of shrugged to myself and figured that this was some sort of "solo women" policy or something. Actually I'm not sure I would have tipped this well in this case, since service was extremely slow (other solo meals, however, like the previous poster, I tipped closer to 20%, but don't think so here). So watch your bill!

 

[CarolynK]

I showed the waitress my room key, which says DVC member, and the receipt says "20% Disney Club Food" so I'm pretty sure they didn't think I was a CM. She took her time getting the check to me, then took her time getting it back to me to sign. I saw her talking and laughing with another waiter while I waited alone at our table. My husband & kids had already gone outside to watch the guys with the chairs out front.
I think it's attitude. When we arrived at 3:00 for our 3:00 PS, we were greeted with "we're closed." When I told the woman we had a 3:00 PS, she appeared surprised, but then seated us. Right away we were put off by this attitude, though our waitress was pleasant enough. The food wasn't that great, as usual, and I think this was our final meal at this restaurant.

 

[Chuck S]

Mom & I ate lunch there twice during our recent trip. We thought the food was outstanding, especially compared to French Restaurants in the San Antonio area. The first time, the tip was added...the second time it was not.

Do look at your receipts, if the gratuity has been added it will state it clearly. Since a previous poster stated that gratuities are automatically added to CM discount receipts, the French servers probably do this to any bill with a "substantial" discount (20% is the norm for many CM discounts). Especially given the language barrier. Our first server did not understand nor speak English well, and he repeated everything just to be sure he understood correctly.

Service was excellent both times, but the kitchen was a bit slow (they were very busy).

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I always thought when using a discount you should tip on the amount the meal should have cost (pre-discount). I would definitely have a problem with the gratuity being pre-loaded into the check for a party of six or less...especially if I thought the service was less than stellar.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Also don't assume that Chefs de France is the best you can do for french food in Orlando...it probably isn't.

 

[CarolynK]

Originally posted by doubletrouble_vb
Also don't assume that Chefs de France is the best you can do for french food in Orlando...it probably isn't.

Any ideas?? We are beginning to realize that many of the WDW restaurants are not living up to our standards at home. For example, we love PF Chang's (we hate Nine Dragons!). We've found one in Orlando at the Mall at Milennia, and we ate there on Tuesday. Tomorrow night, we're thinking about Macaroni Grill - ok, not a great restaurant, but the kids like it, and it's not worse than Alfredo's.
Thanks for all the responses.

 

[Dean]

Tips are customarily on any prediscount amount but I hate it when they include the tip. Truth is it sometimes costs the wait person money when they do that though I usually just as additional tip depending on the service.

 

[Lexxiefern]

Wow, I am suprised by this. Thanks for the heads up (I hate when the tip is added on like that )

 

[CarolA]

I am sorry, but I can understand why the resturants are doing this. There are several things to consider. One is that people DON'T tip on the prediscount amount. They tip on the post. The second is the large number of foreign visitors (and there are LOTS of foreign DVC owners) who come from countries where they are not accustomed to adding the tip. These things cost the severs money.

You can always ask to have part of the tip removed. (and yes I have done that, just ask for a manager)

There is a VERY nice French resturant up in Winter Park. I can't remember the name of it, but I ate there once. (It made Chefs de France look CHEAP!)

 

[Cora]

There could be another reason behind this and I know I've seen it written about before. Europeans are used to having the gratuity included in their bills and at times have not tipped the staff at all because they believe it is included. I don't know if they have started doing this in the 'european' restaurants at Epcot or not but it may be an explanation.
Cora

 

[manning]

I have a problem with tips being included. It tries to intimidate you to tip their standard tipping amount. A vast majority of people don't know that you can complain and have it removed. I tip according to the service I receive.

I was at one restaurant where the manager was nasty and insisted that was the tip and it will not be changed. I told him that will not be the case in the future. He laughed. Asked him what's 20% of 0.
Haven't been back since.

 

[MinnieGi]

Thanks for the warning! We have used the AP discount and have not had a tip added, but I think that one is just 10% at most Epcot restaurants. I don't like when they add the tip in on your bill either. This drives my DH crazy. And in our case the wait staff would usually have gotten a better tip if it had not been added in the bill.

 

[houseofmouse]

I think adding the tip to a bill is rude. Tipping, regardless of what most people think, is always OPTIONAL.
As a former waitress I always got the tips I deserved. On days when I let my service slip, so did my tips. You can bet I tried harder at the next table.
Tips are incentive to the wait staff to perform at their best. Adding it to the bill only encourages average service or worse.
I carry a tip card with me to help me out with the numbers, but I still tip according to service recieved.