Gratuity on DDP

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I tip - and with that out of the way - I don't understand why it's based on the total amount of your bill???

Shouldn't it be based on the amount of dishes / courses / ppl you have?

I don't understand how it happened and I dont agree with it either. If it were never established as common practice, we wouldn't be fighting each other over who pays how much or judging people for what the choose to leave.

restaurants would be required BY LAW to pay their servers at least minimum wage --

They still are. If a servers tips are not enough for that person to make an average of the Fed min wage for the pay period, the employer has to pay extra to make up for it.

I am so with you here!! Just because a server is lucky enough to work in a special restaurant with high priced entrees should not mean that he/she is automatically entitled to a bigger tip....

AMEN!!!

If you go to a restaurant that costs considerably more for meal, you as a consumer can rightfully expect that the quality, ingredients, and presentation of your meal -- and the service -- will be something more than what you would get at an inexpensive eatery. That is why you would pay more to eat there in the first place. Not always the case, but if a restaurant charges more, they are expected to offer more (not more quantity, but more quality).

So if I go to the teppyanaki tables at the Japan pavillion, my meal should be better quality and I should have a better chef than I would get here at home because I pay $10-$20 more for the same meal there and I should tip 18% based on the total cost of the food. Sadly, my meal wasn't better and I didn't get a better chef or presentation than I do at home. The tip was still 18% because that is the automatic gratuity added to my meal.

The saddest thing is, food quality and presentation is going down in almost all restaruants but the cost of the meals are going up so we are paying more for less. It may not be the server's fault if the manager/owner/corp purchaser cuts costs by ordering lower quality food. Her tip will reflect the overall enjoyment of the meal, even if she can't control several factors that go into the outcome.

 

[bicker]

So if I go to the teppyanaki tables at the Japan pavillion, my meal should be better quality and I should have a better chef than I would get here at home because I pay $10-$20 more for the same meal there and I should tip 18% based on the total cost of the food. Sadly, my meal wasn't better and I didn't get a better chef or presentation than I do at home.

Katie's list of factors was not complete. The most important factor, for WDW restaurants, is LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. The number of people who walk by the front of a restaurant is a major contributor to the menu price. Whispering Canyon is far better IMHO than Liberty Tree Tavern, but is generally a lot better value for the price paid, because more people walk through Frontierland than walk through the atrium of the Wilderness Lodge.

I've used a rule-of-thumb that, on average, about 35% of the price you pay at WDW is for the location. As I pointed out with the Liberty Tree Tavern versus Whispering Canyon example, even THAT will vary.

I don't know which restaurant near your home you're referring to, so I'll use one here in MA. Hibachi Steak runs $18.95 at a restaurant near here that is comparable to Teppan Edo (FWIR -- I haven't been there since the re-do). So Teppan Edo runs about $6 more or 31% more. Therefore, using the 35% I mentioned as an average, I'd expect the food quality and service to be a little better at the local restaurant here than at the higher priced Teppan Edo.

 

[FayeW]

Interesting theory, Bicker, but it does not appear that you are calculating that guests of Teppan Edo have already paid for the location with their park admission.

 

[bicker]

Because people can visit Epcot without going to a restaurant, Faye. Your admission does nothing with regard to paying for the convenience of the food you purchase there.

And that goes for souvenirs as well. We typically purchase chopsticks at Japan, for a heck of a lot more than we can purchase the same exact set of chopsticks locally here. :shrug:

 

[FayeW]

Because people can visit Epcot without going to a restaurant, Faye. Your admission does nothing with regard to paying for the convenience of the food you purchase there.

And that goes for souvenirs as well. We typically purchase chopsticks at Japan, for a heck of a lot more than we can purchase the same exact set of chopsticks locally here. :shrug:

Yes. But they can't visit the restaurant without paying for admission to Epcot. Ergo, they have already paid a hefty premium for the location of said restaurant.

 

[Katiebell]

It's true that I did not factor in location. A steak in Manhattan will cost more than a comparable steak in Laramie, WY. My comparison considered location being equal -- a steak at a coffee shop in your hometown for $10 vs a steak at a steakhouse in your hometown for $40. You expect the quality, ingredients, side dishes, atmosphere, service -- everything -- to be better when you purchase that $40 steak. Otherwise, the restaurant doesn't live up to their reputation, and no one will go there.

Location being equal...hmm. OK, you expect more from a burger at Le Cellier:
Grilled Steak Burger topped with homemade onion ketchup and your choice of cheddar or blue cheese $12.49

than a burger at Liberty Inn:
Bacon Double Cheeseburger Meal served with apple slices or fries, includes "Fixin's Bar" $7.39

You expect more from the sushi at California Grill, a signature restaurant:
"Snake in the Grass" - Shrimp Tempura with Avocado, Eel, and Cucumber $22
Double-Crunch Rainbow Roll - cobia, salmon, tuna, tempuracrunch, and tobikko $19

than from the sushi at Teppan Edo:
Sushi Sampler - tuna, yellow tail, shrimp nigiri, 2 piece California Roll $8.00


At the more expensive restaurants, you are paying for the atmosphere, the quality, the variety, the service, and the reputation -- and if it doesn't live up to all that, then you aren't going to go pay the higher prices there ever again

WDW is another world entirely, literally. You are on vacation, all prices are high, you want to just have fun and not think about how much it's really costing you. So you'll pay $20 for a CS meal that you could get for $10 outside of Disney. And it's less than a $40 TS meal, so it's a "bargain". But you wouldn't be able to enjoy the scenery and the Disney "vibe", and you wouldn't have the convenience of being able to eat and continue with your touring plan with a minimum of interruption. And people are willing to pay for that, or everyone would just leave and eat off property.

 

[bicker]

Yes. But they can't visit the restaurant without paying for admission to Epcot. Ergo, they have already paid a hefty premium for the location of said restaurant.

By that logic, everyone who visits Epcot and doesn't go to a restaurant is getting ripped off. That logic doesn't hold water. The admission fee doesn't include any premium for the restaurant meals you may eat there.

 

[Jakesmom1]

ok,just my 2 cents.

I have been a waitress for many years, and I have always believed that a T.I.P. was an abreviation for "To Insure Prompt service".

I have always made a good living as a waitress including my tips, because I enjoy what I do, and make the diners feel comfortable and happy. (there is an occasional diner that will never be happy, )

My dh says I always over tip, however, if the service is lacking, I have been know to either leave a small or no tip at all.

Do I feel bad, absolutely not, A job well done deserves extra, a job done poorly, deserves the $3.00 an hour they are making.

 

[FayeW]

By that logic, everyone who visits Epcot and doesn't go to a restaurant is getting ripped off. That logic doesn't hold water. The admission fee doesn't include any premium for the restaurant meals you may eat there.

It was your logic, not mine, and I agree that your logic doesn't hold water. You said that 35% of what you paid for a meal at WDW was because of the location. Your example was that since the meal at Teppan Edo was only 31% higher in price than your local eatery, it was a bargain (because you would have expected it to be at least 35% more because of the location). I merely pointed out that since the guests dining in WDW restaurants located inside one of the the theme parks had already paid a premium for dining at that particular location (because theme park admission was required in order to dine there) one could argue that the prices for dining could be even lower, as the price for the location had already been paid!

I will also make the assumption that the ticket price is determined by the number and variety of amenities you will find in that park to enjoy, including rides, characters, shows, retail outlets, counter service and table service for all guests to enjoy.

 

[bicker]

I've explained twice the failure of your logic, specifically that the admission does not include a premium for the meals you may choose to have at Epcot. I'm sorry you didn't understand.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have been a waitress for many years, and I have always believed that a T.I.P. was an abreviation for "To Insure Prompt service".

Except that, for this afternym to be valid, the "tip" would have to be given BEFORE any service started.

Actually, the word tip originated somewhere in the seventeenth century or so, probably with German roots.

 

[cmwade77]

Actually a tip in incentive for the server to treat you well on subsequent visits, if they got a low tip, then they know they need to improve, if they got a large tip they know they treated you well and you did the same and will do the same the next time around.

 

[FayeW]

I've explained twice the failure of your logic, specifically that the admission does not include a premium for the meals you may choose to have at Epcot. I'm sorry you didn't understand.

But it does. The very fact that table service options exist in Epcot, or any of the themeparks, is a contributing factor to the value assigned to the price of admission.

There are many rides, shows, attractions, shops and eateries that I may choose not to patronize during my visit. The fact that I choose not to partake of them doesn't change the fact that part of my admission goes to pay for them to be available to everyone else. I'm sorry you don't understand.

 

[mickey2000]

But it does. The very fact that table service options exist in Epcot, or any of the themeparks, is a contributing factor to the value assigned to the price of admission.

There are many rides, shows, attractions, shops and eateries that I may choose not to patronize during my visit. The fact that I choose not to partake of them doesn't change the fact that part of my admission goes to pay for them to be available to everyone else. I'm sorry you don't understand.

I agree with your logic! If I want to eat at France they will require a ticket.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You have to use park admission media to enter any park.
You have to enter a park to eat at an in-park restaurant.
You do not have to eat at an in-park restaurant, despite being in the park.
bicker's point holds.

 

[themudd4]

To a degree both are right. Location is everything and Disney gets ya twice...You have to pay for the location with your park admission and you are also paying higher in the restaurant...But I think we have drifted away from the point at hand.

But just to try and be a peace maker...LOL (yea right) Everyone has there own opionion on how to tip, and how much. No one is going to change their opion based on these discussion boards. You may have a few honest intentions when an OP asks a question but you are also going to have ppl on here that LOVE to debate no matter the subject. Just agree to dissagree and tip as how you see fit. You opinion is the only one that should matter to you!

 

[Katiebell]

To a degree both are right. Location is everything and Disney gets ya twice...You have to pay for the location with your park admission and you are also paying higher in the restaurant...But I think we have drifted away from the point at hand.

But just to try and be a peace maker...LOL (yea right) Everyone has there own opionion on how to tip, and how much. No one is going to change their opion based on these discussion boards. You may have a few honest intentions when an OP asks a question but you are also going to have ppl on here that LOVE to debate no matter the subject. Just agree to dissagree and tip as how you see fit. You opinion is the only one that should matter to you!

No way! What in the heck are you talking about??? Where did you come up with such a ridiculous idea??? I totally disagree!!!





Seriously...*ahem*...you've made some great points. And of course they are great points because *I* agree with you

The way I was thinking about it...if you paid park admission to Epcot JUST to eat at a restaurant there, then you would be paying for the location. But you don't -- you pay park admission to see the shows, ride the rides. see the exhibits, and basically experience Disney. BUT...part of that Disney experience we expect is to eat in those restaurants -- fun and silly restaurants like PT 50's, character meals like the Plaza, or fine dining like Bistro de Paris. Would guests pay the same admission price if the only food they could buy in the parks at WDW was hot dogs and popcorn? Well, it's not quite that dismal (they have Dole Whips, Mickey Bars, and the Main Street Bakery!), but guests aren't paying to get in the parks just to eat at a particular restaurant. They eat at the restaurants in the parks because they enhance the overall total Disney experience. And it's more convenient than to leave and find someplace outside the parks to eat that might be cheaper or better quality -- especially if they don't have transportation or aren't familiar with the Orlando area.

For a matter of comparison, I believe we pay about the same admission for DL, and there are no in-park restaurants that we absolutely must do. We usually end up eating at the hotel and DTD.

And at WDW, aren't virtually all of the signature restaurants outside the parks, and no admission is required to eat there (CG, FF, Jiko...)? You can even go to a character meal at CM's or the 'Ohana breakfast without setting foot in a park or paying admission.

 

[carmie3377]

Does anyone know if you can use a Disney gift card or Disney Rewards Visa card to pay for the tip or is it only cash or credit?

This is buried underneath all the arguments. It is a simple question I would like to know as well. I don't want the tip charged to my room key or credit card but I don't want to carry around a bunch of cash either. Anyone have any experience with this???

Now, I must add to all the arguments
If I told my server I was going to pay the tip in cash and they stood over me waiting for me to fill in the amount, I would leave a tip, but it would be much smaller than I had originally planned. I don't care the situation, it is very RUDE. There are polite ways to get around this. DH was a server in college. Yes, he got stiffed many times. However, that didn't make him go stand over the next customer to make sure he got a tip. We will tip good for good service. I will also tip very poorly for poor service. Tipping good for poor service is simply telling the server to "keep doing what your doing".

 

[themudd4]

This is buried underneath all the arguments. It is a simple question I would like to know as well. I don't want the tip charged to my room key or credit card but I don't want to carry around a bunch of cash either. Anyone have any experience with this???

Now, I must add to all the arguments
If I told my server I was going to pay the tip in cash and they stood over me waiting for me to fill in the amount, I would leave a tip, but it would be much smaller than I had originally planned. I don't care the situation, it is very RUDE. There are polite ways to get around this. DH was a server in college. Yes, he got stiffed many times. However, that didn't make him go stand over the next customer to make sure he got a tip. We will tip good for good service. I will also tip very poorly for poor service. Tipping good for poor service is simply telling the server to "keep doing what your doing".

Yes, you can use Disney Dollars, & in most places you can use Disney Gift Cards. Someone also mentioned Rewards visa...This is a credit card...it might be just as easy to use it to back the KTTWC.

 

[Davey-D-99]

Just returned last week from our first week on the DDP...Loved it and had no real issue with tips until I retuned home and thought more about it.

I always wrote down the amount they left on the bill as a suggested 18% tip and charged it on my KTTW card. Never really thought twice about it.

It hardly feels right to me now that I would have tipped the waitress considerably more at Le Cellier than I did at say Sci-Fi simply because my bill would have been more at Le Cellier (more expensive meal). I received much better service at Sci-Fi than I did at Le Cellier but I left them less. That's wrong now that I think about it...