Gratuity for servers question

[beachclub]

Is it bad if we decide ahead of time not to tip the servers beyond the minimum cause in the 3 nights cruise they will only be serving us one night. THe other 2 will be at palo and remy.
Of course those 2 will receive gratuity...
But it just doesnt seem justified to tip beyond the one service and we are already tipping for 3 nights minimum...
It sounds kinda mean of us but again, we only have them for one night..and we never use them for breakfast so it will literally be one dinner service.

 

[ForTheLoveOfDCL]

Is it bad if we decide ahead of time not to tip the servers beyond the minimum cause in the 3 nights cruise they will only be serving us one night. THe other 2 will be at palo and remy.
Of course those 2 will receive gratuity...
But it just doesnt seem justified to tip beyond the one service and we are already tipping for 3 nights minimum...
It sounds kinda mean of us but again, we only have them for one night..and we never use them for breakfast so it will literally be one dinner service.

I always think they deserve the min , whatever it is based on your cruise !! We tip above always! In my opinion, if you choose to go to other places for dinner that is not the fault of the server. They serve at cabanas/topsiders etc throughout the cruise and by tipping them your also tipping for that service. I hate when others try and justify typing less because they didn't go to the dining room. I know that is what you arent saying, but just saying.

 

[iloverags2]

I think the OP is asking if it's ok to tip just the minimum for 3-nights with no additional on top of that (which many cruisers like to do). In that case, that is absolutely acceptable. You would be surprised how many cruisers tip just the minimum and do not add above and beyond that. Here on the boards you are hearing stories from just a small portion of cruisers in general, so it might be lopsided.

In any event, you are ok tipping the minimum of 3-nights.

 

[darkwing818]

I always think they deserve the min , whatever it is based on your cruise !! We tip above always! In my opinion, if you choose to go to other places for dinner that is not the fault of the server. They serve at cabanas/topsiders etc throughout the cruise and by tipping them your also tipping for that service. I hate when others try and justify typing less because they didn't go to the dining room. I know that is what you arent saying, but just saying.

Exactly, couldn't have said it any better .....

 

[WeLoveDisneyAlways]

As long as they get their minimum don't worry at all, many only pay the minimum when using their services

 

[Green Tea]

Absolutely ok. Just keep the standard in place and don't give it a second thought.

 

[libpetersen]

Absolutely ok. Just keep the standard in place and don't give it a second thought.

I agree. We only ate in our rotation one night. We just preferred to eat in remy and Palo, and we ate there each night instead. We tipped the minimum amount because the same severs work every other meal, and we would join the girls for dinner at cabanas each night for a drink or appetizer while they ate. They enjoyed that much more than the main dining room experience (as we had late dining).

 

[TDC Nala]

They serve for the entire cruise...they don't just serve you at dinner. You may not see the exact same servers for breakfast and lunch but they are compensated by the tips from their assigned guests for dinner. Cruises are not the same as eating in a restaurant on land.

That said, it's always fine to tip the minimum recommended, and you shouldn't feel you need excuses for that.

 

[disneywonderfun]

People need to stop using the word "minimum" with regard to the tip system. DCL is providing guidance for a "suggested" tip. The suggested tip is, just that, the suggested amount for excellent service. It is not some "minimum" where you need to feel like a scum bag if you do not exceed that amount.

The real "minimum" tip would be zero.

DWF

P.S. So, yes, if you tip the suggested amount, you are entirely fine.

P.P.S. Industry average supposedly shows about 1 in 3 do not tip anything whatsoever when given the chance (i.e. no autotip in place). Now, that is the minimum.

 

[beachclub]

My post does say "beyond the minimum"...means that we will be doing the minimum but not beyond the min....

I always think they deserve the min , whatever it is based on your cruise !! We tip above always! In my opinion, if you choose to go to other places for dinner that is not the fault of the server. They serve at cabanas/topsiders etc throughout the cruise and by tipping them your also tipping for that service. I hate when others try and justify typing less because they didn't go to the dining room. I know that is what you arent saying, but just saying.

 

[racingfandj]

My post does say "beyond the minimum"...means that we will be doing the minimum but not beyond the min....

I think keeping the minimum is honorable and will be appreciated by your serving team. You mention breakfast, but not lunch. On both cruises so far, I saw my serving team (all 3) in Cabanas all the time. We ran into them all over the place and they spoke to us and the kids every time.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I think keeping the minimum is honorable and will be appreciated by your serving team. You mention breakfast, but not lunch. On both cruises so far, I saw my serving team (all 3) in Cabanas all the time. We ran into them all over the place and they spoke to us and the kids every time.

And we see them on CC as well!
I would say it's fine to tip the standard amount. I only go above & beyond if I feel their service does that also.

 

[bumbershoot]

We actually never ate at Cabanas, but I saw our server at breakfast at Enchanted Garden. So they're definitely working constantly.

 

[Keyser]

People need to stop using the word "minimum" with regard to the tip system. DCL is providing guidance for a "suggested" tip. The suggested tip is, just that, the suggested amount for excellent service. It is not some "minimum" where you need to feel like a scum bag if you do not exceed that amount.

The real "minimum" tip would be zero.

DWF

P.S. So, yes, if you tip the suggested amount, you are entirely fine.

P.P.S. Industry average supposedly shows about 1 in 3 do not tip anything whatsoever when given the chance (i.e. no autotip in place). Now, that is the minimum.

Agreed - please don't call the suggested tip the "minimum"! You might call it the "standard" tip, "normal" tip, "usual" tip, "suggested" tip, etc. Tips are not required and should you receive exceptionally poor service, it should be fine to give no tip. And you should not feel bad at all about not exceeding the suggested tip even if they give good service. If things are truly exceptional, then you can certainly give them more.

That said, what I think a lot of people react to is that the servers/hosts count on the tips as a big part of their compensation, and so if you choose to skip eating with them one night, and reduce your tip as a result (I know this is not what the OP was saying), it is really eating into their compensation, through no fault of their own. So, it's courteous to go ahead and tip them, but there is no reason you should feel bad about not giving them even more money (for what?!?!).

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We always tip the suggested amount for each night; including the nights that we miss on our dining rotation for what ever reason. It's our choice to skip them and we know that the tip is a part of their salary. No reason to feel guilty for only paying the suggested amount.

 

[Silverfox97]

The rotations determine where they work that day. On Royal Court/Palace/Tritons/Lumieres day, they do breakfast, lunch & dinner, unless its on Castaway Cay day, then they are doing lunch at Cookies. On their Animators day, they work Cabanas/Topsiders/BBB breakfast & lunch. On Enchanted Garden/Parrot Cay day, they do all 3 meals. On the last AM, Palo servers work the buffet so that your server can serve the breakfast in the MDR.

Their off time is determined by how well their guest surveys are. Our server got one breakfast and one lunch off, but not together on the same day and he said that was 'good.'

He never once complained. It's his job and a job he chose. He was EXCELLENT at his job, too. I definitely don't feel bad for them!

Now, gratuities. I just let the Asst server & stateroom host receive the standard tip. Do i feel bad? Nope. They did their jobs, but did not go the extra mile. They earned the 'standard.' They did no better, but also no worse; they were not lacking. I added cash to the envelopes of both the head server and main server.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[MND]

Is it bad if we decide ahead of time not to tip the servers beyond the minimum cause in the 3 nights cruise they will only be serving us one night. THe other 2 will be at palo and remy.
Of course those 2 will receive gratuity...
But it just doesnt seem justified to tip beyond the one service and we are already tipping for 3 nights minimum...
It sounds kinda mean of us but again, we only have them for one night..and we never use them for breakfast so it will literally be one dinner service.

It's totally up to you. If you don't want to tip your servers for whatever reason, you don't have to. Don't feel any pressure to do anything you don't want to. Afterall, it is YOUR vacation!

Enjoy your cruise.

Mike

 

[sandrakit]

If you do not tip the minimum / required amount then the workers are not getting paid ! These workers rely on tips as they do not get a wage from Disney . So many people are under the assumption that they are paid a wage & the tips are a bonus . The tips are their wage . Thank God others add more to compensate for those that don't tip at all ....

 

[tessa67]

It is nice to tell them when you won't be at dinner because then they do not have to spend time setting places at the table.

 

[disney1990]

People need to stop using the word "minimum" with regard to the tip system. DCL is providing guidance for a "suggested" tip. The suggested tip is, just that, the suggested amount for excellent service. It is not some "minimum" where you need to feel like a scum bag if you do not exceed that amount.

The real "minimum" tip would be zero.

DWF

P.S. So, yes, if you tip the suggested amount, you are entirely fine.

P.P.S. Industry average supposedly shows about 1 in 3 do not tip anything whatsoever when given the chance (i.e. no autotip in place). Now, that is the minimum.

I can certainly agree with that -- my DD is a server at a well known restaurant. I can't believe how many people do not tip at all. And, at the end of the night, she has to tip out 4% of her sales to the hostess & bartender.

Is it bad if we decide ahead of time not to tip the servers beyond the minimum cause in the 3 nights cruise they will only be serving us one night. THe other 2 will be at palo and remy.
Of course those 2 will receive gratuity...
But it just doesnt seem justified to tip beyond the one service and we are already tipping for 3 nights minimum...
It sounds kinda mean of us but again, we only have them for one night..and we never use them for breakfast so it will literally be one dinner service.

You don't eat breakfast or lunch? Because your server and assistant server will be working other locations for those meals.