How much to tip at Buffets?

[TinkRBel_In_Training]

We ate at Boma this past January. Our server was very nice, he brought us our drinks and explained the buffet. But we never saw him again until he came back towards the end of the meal to ask if we were ready for the bill. He wasn't even the one who cleared our used plates, it was some lady who seemed to be a "busser" of some sort (there appeared to be several of them milling around the restaurant taking plates). We were a little shocked to see at the bottom of our bill was printed something along the lines of "Disney recommends leaving an 18-20% tip for service etc etc etc". We didn't feel the need to tip 18% to someone who just gave us our drinks and our bill. I think we ended up leaving 10% or something like that.

 

[Liltx]

Yes, buffet servers usually have MANY more tables than TS. Usually 6 or more tables. So if you average an hour turn over they probably make around $50 a hour. Also my tip will automatically be higher at buffets because I have to pay for my dd's meals. I normally do not order dd3 and dd5 their own food, they share with us. So 10% of the bill at Cape May dinner will be more than 15% at Coral Reef. I have only had one time where we received great service at a WDW buffet and we did tip 20%. I have also had service at Chef Mickey's that bordered on discriminatory and that woman got a $4 tip, just one buck for each of us. I would have left nothing but didn't want her to think I just forgot.

Monica

 

[jlewisinsyr]

General Guidelines:

http://www.tip20.com/div/con/

 

[SeaSpray]

I tip the same at buffets as at regular table service - around 20% - when at WDW. I feel the servers at Disney buffets work just as hard as the table service servers so I tip the same

We also tip the same (20%) at buffets as at table service restaurants.

Often times, the servers at the buffets visit our table to clear dishes and bring drinks refills many more times than at a regular table service restaurant.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

We also tip the same (20%) at buffets as at table service restaurants.

Often times, the servers at the buffets visit our table to clear dishes and bring drinks refills many more times than at a regular table service restaurant.

We do the same. If I were to count the number of times plates are cleared, drinks refilled, condiments brought, etc., it would meet or exceed the service received in a regular TS restaurant.

 

[Stephanie VanMeter]

I have been thinking about the tipping quiet a bit lately. The last 4 years we were on the dining plan that the tip was included. I have tried to budget for each TS meal. I even went as far as trying to figure out what we would order and then totaling the meal and figuring in 18%. It is something to think about. Most of my experience with the buffets have been great service and usually a lot of interaction with the family, so I would tend to tip on the high end. I must say, it would have been much more convienent if Disney would have increased the price a couple of dollars and added in the tip! Oh well!

 

[kaytieeldr]

We were a little shocked to see at the bottom of our bill was printed something along the lines of "Disney recommends leaving an 18-20% tip for service etc etc etc". We didn't feel the need to tip 18% to someone who just gave us our drinks and our bill. I think we ended up leaving 10% or something like that.

Okay, but... the server would be splitting tips with the 'busser' person (who earns the same base pay as the server) - not necessarily 50/50, but in some fashion. Between the two CMs, Guests received customary buffet service.

Leaving 10% or something like that is certainly at the discretion of the diner - but possibly the reasoning behind that decision is faulty?

Note: this is not intended in any way to be a criticism of anybody's actions, opinion, or choices... except mine.

 

[lady danger]

1) The industry standard is 10% tip for buffets.
2) You can tip more, but why?

Couldn't the same be said for regular waiters? That there's an industry standard, and why tip any higher for doing their job? I think the answer most of us would give is that some waiters go above and beyond the regular call of duty and should be rewarded for it. I don't agree that the job requirements for a "good" buffet server is so black and white that the servers are just either doing their job or not.

I tip the same as buffets as I do for other sitdown restaurants as I don't think the buffet staff works any less hard than any servers.

 

[shellybaxter]

Okay, but... the server would be splitting tips with the 'busser' person (who earns the same base pay as the server) - not necessarily 50/50, but in some fashion. Between the two CMs, Guests received customary buffet service.

Leaving 10% or something like that is certainly at the discretion of the diner - but possibly the reasoning behind that decision is faulty?

Note: this is not intended in any way to be a criticism of anybody's actions, opinion, or choices... except mine.

Hi Kaytieeldr,
Are you sure the bussers make the same sub minimum wage as the servers? I thought the law applied only to actual tipped positions, not to positions that are tipped out a small percentage. I don't know for sure; I've just never heard that restaurant workers other than servers were paid the sub minimum wage.

 

[Stephanie VanMeter]

I agree, I waitressed for 6 years and the servers were the lowest paid people in the place. Of course, after you figured in the tips they were paid more than others.

 

[Disney8704]

Wanna know what I find weird. DH used to be a buss boy for IHop back in 2000. Now mind you this was 8 yrs ago and a lot probably has changed. But he NEVER received any part of the waitresses tips. They kept the ENTIRE thing. Which makes me really wonder, do waitresses ACTUALLY tip out to others or are they just saying that to get a bigger tip? He also made minimum wage. So those who think bussers make the same was waitresses, they dont. They do make minimum wage.