How much should I budget for tipping?

[ChicagoMommy2Two]

Sorry if there is already a thread on this, for some reason it will not let me search posts.

We are planning to use the Deluxe DP and eat TS I am guessing 2x's a day. We are also planning to double up a few of our credits for CRT(fingers crossed), dinner shows, and a signature dinner.

The problem is that I have no idea what the prices run so I don't know what to base our budget on.

What do you think is a safe amount of $ to budget of tipping?

 

[Melissa_E]

I would go to the menus on wdwinfo.com and see what you will order, or just take the average of the most expensive items. That way you will budget for a lot more but may actually spend a bunch less!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I used the menus on All Ears to figure out what I would be ordering, and then added up what it would cost. I got around $1,000 for twelve nights of food, so I'm going to budget around $200 for tips.

 

[patsal]

For a family of four (all over 10) on the DXDDP I figured about $1000 in tips based on 1 TS for breakfast or lunch and a signature dining meal each night for a 12 night vacation. One of the reasons I chose not to do any form of DDP!

 

[Uncleromulus]

It's tough to be extremely accurate unless you look at the menus (which we have on THIS site!) at all the restaurants you want to eat at--then decide in advance what everyone will likely order. Then add it all up!!
You are doing the wise thing though in thinking about this in advance. I have the feeling many don't bother to figure it up and then suffer "gratuity shock" when they hit the restaurants.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It's tough to be extremely accurate unless you look at the menus (which we have on THIS site!)

Right here http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/disneydining.cfm !

 

[danx2plus3more]

we did the ddp last year so we didnt worry about all this...do they make you give 18%?..we had one waitress last year thet was flat out rude from the time we sat down..she acted like she had somewhere else to be...so if i get horrible service i have to tip 18%??? let me know

 

[becca011906]

we did the ddp last year so we didnt worry about all this...do they make you give 18%?..we had one waitress last year thet was flat out rude from the time we sat down..she acted like she had somewhere else to be...so if i get horrible service i have to tip 18%??? let me know

18% and 20% will be figured as the "suggested tip" for you to choose from on your bill ... IF and ONLY IF

You are on the DDP or DxDD and are a party of less then 6 (less then 6 living breathing people not just 6 meals ordered)...

IF you are a party of 6 or more it will be add on as a 18% OR if you use DDE (disney dinning experiance??? 20% off card for Anual pass holders or FL. residents i believe but dont' quote me!!!

 

[LSchrow]

20% off card for Anual pass holders or FL. residents i believe but dont' quote me!!!

sorry, couldn't resist

 

[quietgirll]

For a family of four (all over 10) on the DXDDP I figured about $1000 in tips based on 1 TS for breakfast or lunch and a signature dining meal each night for a 12 night vacation. One of the reasons I chose not to do any form of DDP!

oh my goodness...really??? *goes to do the math*

 

[catalexander]

For a family of four (all over 10) on the DXDDP I figured about $1000 in tips based on 1 TS for breakfast or lunch and a signature dining meal each night for a 12 night vacation. One of the reasons I chose not to do any form of DDP!

That math does not compute for me... what am I missing?

Even tipping 20%, that would make the total of your meals over $5,000... or $416 per day... over $100 per day per person... for 1 Bkfst TS and 1 Sig Dining... that seems a bit over the top... heck even V&A's is just slightly above that at $150pp for Chef's Table...

I think you've over-estimated the cost of your meals... I'd be interested in which experiences you've chosen to get to that number.

I've created a spreadsheet to determine our dining costs, and with 3 AD and 2 CH, for 11 nights on DxDDP, we are SAVING over $500 by doing the plan vs. OOP costs.... the total for our tips be approx. $473 (based on 18%). PLUS I still have 5 more TS credits (per person) that I need to find ADR's for.. so the savings will only increase. AND we are eating at MANY Signature Dining locations, and many Character or "Event" meals... things that I would have not generally paid OOP for... then, add the snacks and the mugs and we are further ahead.

Even paying for an adult meal for my 10 yr. old son (who will still probably order off the child's menu), we are out ahead... and it's ALL already paid for. It's done. No thinking... where are we going to eat? What's it going to cost? Where is the shortest line? I LOVE THAT.

We'll be enjoying:
Trails End (several times BKFST & Dinner)
CRT Bkfst
LTT Dinner
WCC
LeCellier Dinner
Coral Reef
yak & yeti
tusker house Bkfst
1900 PF Dinner
aloha dinner show
Princess Storybook Bkfst
Sunshine Seasons
Brown Derby
Garden Grill
Narcoosees
tusker house Lunch
Pizzafari
HDDR
Chef Mickey Dinner
1900 PF Dinner
Ohana Bkfst
yachtsman

 

[PeachesDoesHair]

Does a child under three count towards the party? If he is free, will he make our party of 4 adults and 1 paying child a party of 6 with the automatic gratuity? It doesn't really matter either way as we will be tipping, I was just curious.

 

[Pumbaa_]

it is the number of people at the table that adds to the head count. So if you have 4 adults and 2 kids, you are a party of 6

 

[ChicagoMommy2Two]

Thank you all so much. I am starting looking at menus and working on my first draft of a dining plan. Boy if I told Dh that I was already picking out restaurants he wouldn't stop laughing until we GOT to Disney world!

 

[DisneyRN51207]

That math does not compute for me... what am I missing?

Even tipping 20%, that would make the total of your meals over $5,000... or $416 per day... over $100 per day per person... for 1 Bkfst TS and 1 Sig Dining... that seems a bit over the top... heck even V&A's is just slightly above that at $150pp for Chef's Table...

I think you've over-estimated the cost of your meals... I'd be interested in which experiences you've chosen to get to that number.

I've created a spreadsheet to determine our dining costs, and with 3 AD and 2 CH, for 11 nights on DxDDP, we are SAVING over $500 by doing the plan vs. OOP costs.... the total for our tips be approx. $473 (based on 18%). PLUS I still have 5 more TS credits (per person) that I need to find ADR's for.. so the savings will only increase. AND we are eating at MANY Signature Dining locations, and many Character or "Event" meals... things that I would have not generally paid OOP for... then, add the snacks and the mugs and we are further ahead.

Even paying for an adult meal for my 10 yr. old son (who will still probably order off the child's menu), we are out ahead... and it's ALL already paid for. It's done. No thinking... where are we going to eat? What's it going to cost? Where is the shortest line? I LOVE THAT.

We'll be enjoying:
Trails End (several times BKFST & Dinner)
CRT Bkfst
LTT Dinner
WCC
LeCellier Dinner
Coral Reef
yak & yeti
tusker house Bkfst
1900 PF Dinner
aloha dinner show
Princess Storybook Bkfst
Sunshine Seasons
Brown Derby
Garden Grill
Narcoosees
tusker house Lunch
Pizzafari
HDDR
Chef Mickey Dinner
1900 PF Dinner
Ohana Bkfst
yachtsman

DH and I alone spent over 100/day on the former DDP. After doing the cost analysis when we got home, we saved over $200 by using the former standard DDP. For us just to have one TS meal was upwards of $75 and at some places more than that. The Coral Reef was $108. So, if you have a family and are eating at more than 1 TS (Which you'd be doing as well as signature dining) per day, you could easily spend $1000 in tips over the course of a 12 night stay. I'd personally rather over budget instead of underbudget.

 

[patsal]

That math does not compute for me... what am I missing?

Even tipping 20%, that would make the total of your meals over $5,000... or $416 per day... over $100 per day per person... for 1 Bkfst TS and 1 Sig Dining... that seems a bit over the top... heck even V&A's is just slightly above that at $150pp for Chef's Table...

I think you've over-estimated the cost of your meals... I'd be interested in which experiences you've chosen to get to that number.

I've created a spreadsheet to determine our dining costs, and with 3 AD and 2 CH, for 11 nights on DxDDP, we are SAVING over $500 by doing the plan vs. OOP costs.... the total for our tips be approx. $473 (based on 18%). PLUS I still have 5 more TS credits (per person) that I need to find ADR's for.. so the savings will only increase. AND we are eating at MANY Signature Dining locations, and many Character or "Event" meals... things that I would have not generally paid OOP for... then, add the snacks and the mugs and we are further ahead.

Even paying for an adult meal for my 10 yr. old son (who will still probably order off the child's menu), we are out ahead... and it's ALL already paid for. It's done. No thinking... where are we going to eat? What's it going to cost? Where is the shortest line? I LOVE THAT.

We'll be enjoying:
Trails End (several times BKFST & Dinner)
CRT Bkfst
LTT Dinner
WCC
LeCellier Dinner
Coral Reef
yak & yeti
tusker house Bkfst
1900 PF Dinner
aloha dinner show
Princess Storybook Bkfst
Sunshine Seasons
Brown Derby
Garden Grill
Narcoosees
tusker house Lunch
Pizzafari
HDDR
Chef Mickey Dinner
1900 PF Dinner
Ohana Bkfst
yachtsman

I would not be doing things that include tip (HDDR,CRT, Aloha, rooms service)
I would be doing signature dining each night or three TS meals, my children are very adventurous eaters so they do not shy away from the exotic as far as appys and entrees go (duck confit sure, escargot, absolutely). They would get dessert if it were included with the plan--if not they would share. Add wine with dinner for the adults and a cocktail before dinner as well (yes I would have had to pay tip on that anyway, but when the tip for dinner was included it didn't matter. We often do wine pairings if they are available as well.

Figures without cocktails ( so it is fair) here is how I figured it:
Breakfast for four at Kona=$90.38 with tax--$16.26 for tip
Dinner at Cali Grille=$259. with tax--$50.00 for tip (which would be higher when I add wine, etc)
tip per day=$66.26

or

Breakfast Kona $16.26 tip (see above)
Lunch at Le Cellier $201 with tax--tip $38
Dinner at Tony's $182.27 with tax--tip $35
tip per day=$89

12 night vacation=$796-$1068 in tips therefore my $900-$1000 calculation is not off for my family!

For us Buffets are not in consideration --perhaps a character breakfast, but only one if any...

We have no children factored in--if I had children under 10 and if I were going to enjoy a character experience it might fare better for me, but for what and where we eat DXDDp is just too much additional OOP IMHO.
no plan is one size fits all, do your homework, as you did and you may find it works for your family--I did factor 20% tips for most as I rarely have had poor service--in 10 years of 3 trips per year I have had only three really pitiful expereinces. If on the plan your child over 10 orders off the children's menu of course your tip will be lower.

 

[caroline1851]

I would probaly figure out what the dining plan is costing you and figure out what 15-20% of that is?

 

[patsal]

I would probaly figure out what the dining plan is costing you and figure out what 15-20% of that is?

That really wouldn't work since tipping should be based on the actual cost of food the server is bringing you, not what you paid for it--ie: if I go out to dinner and use a coupon I am supposed to tip on the before discount cost of dining. Saturday we went out with friends--there was a blunder in the kitchen--no fault of our server and we used a coupon--they comped an appetizer and round of drinks, my coupon was $25.00 off. My total after comped items and coupon was $89.--knew the coupon was worth $25.00 and the comped items were worth $27.99--I tipped her on $142. and left $30.00

 

[caroline1851]

That really wouldn't work since tipping should be based on the actual cost of food the server is bringing you, not what you paid for it--ie: if I go out to dinner and use a coupon I am supposed to tip on the before discount cost of dining. Saturday we went out with friends--there was a blunder in the kitchen--no fault of our server and we used a coupon--they comped an appetizer and round of drinks, my coupon was $25.00 off. My total after comped items and coupon was $89.--knew the coupon was worth $25.00 and the comped items were worth $27.99--I tipped her on $142. and left $30.00

That's true... I hadn't thought of that.

 

[patsal]

DH and I alone spent over 100/day on the former DDP. After doing the cost analysis when we got home, we saved over $200 by using the former standard DDP. For us just to have one TS meal was upwards of $75 and at some places more than that. The Coral Reef was $108. So, if you have a family and are eating at more than 1 TS (Which you'd be doing as well as signature dining) per day, you could easily spend $1000 in tips over the course of a 12 night stay. I'd personally rather over budget instead of underbudget.

I looked over last year's totals from the regular DDP. Easily my family can bring that total to $100 per person. Sure I could switch and not eat where I'd prefer to to save $$ on the tips, but I don't want to.