I Couldn't Believe My Ears!

[disneyfantotheend]

So if you split up your group so you would save the 18% gratuity, aren't you going to be spending more on the tip then? I mean if you leave the minimum of 10% at each table, that's 20%, which would be more or are you planning on leaving less than 10% without knowing how good or poor your service is going to be? I guess I don't understand how splitting up your group is going to save you money.

10% is 10%. You don't add the 2 10%s and get 20%, because the percentage is based on the amount spent. The amount spent will not be higher just because her tables are split. Unless she was planning on paying 10% on both tables bills at each table, then it would be 20%. Not saying she is right, just saying it is 10% not 20%.

 

[maxiesmom]

So if you split up your group so you would save the 18% gratuity, aren't you going to be spending more on the tip then? I mean if you leave the minimum of 10% at each table, that's 20%, which would be more or are you planning on leaving less than 10% without knowing how good or poor your service is going to be? I guess I don't understand how splitting up your group is going to save you money.

Let's just say the OP has 8 adults in their party. Dinner at the Crystal Palace is $32.99 for an adult. Even sitting at 2 tables of 4, with an 18% tip they should be tipping about $24 each table. So $48. But if they tip only 10% each table, that will be about $27 total for both tables.

 

[RMulieri]

At least the OP had six or more actual diners. When we visited in Late January, our party consisted of six - myself, DW, DD13, DS12, DS2, DS(4 months).

Two infants by Disney standards - one is a two year old who picked off of our plates and had his own soft drink. The other was a breast fed infant.

Yet we were hit with the automatic 18% every single time.

Insane.

Doesn't matter..If you have an infant at that table it is still a person according to Disney standards and that will bump you into the auto-gratuity

 

[Bugdozer]

Hi,

I have waited tables for many years, reg service, Buffet and banquet. My pay consisted of $2.38 an hour plus tips. I think people forget how little wait staff make. I worked my behind off to please my guests and try to earn the best tip possible. Buffet work is just as hard if not harder. Many more trips to a table to remove plates. usually in a reg meal your oder is delivered by a food runner so you mainly take the order, deliver drinks, make sure food is fine and refrill drinks. Buffets require much more attention to your tables. I alwasy leave 20% unless service was horrible and I have to say at 3 trips a year to WDW all with dining plan in the last 15 trips I have had only 1 horrible server and I did take it up with the manager. On the flip side of that I have had awesome servers and have taken the time to seek out thier managers and let them knw what a wonderful person they have working for them.

I do believe tips should be rated according to service. That was why I always gave my best. I would never dream of confronting a guest if tip was to little. In fact once I had a tip of $80 left on a $250 bill and I had the dining room manager talk to the guest to be sure they did not over tip me by accident- nope that was what they wanted, made my night and proved that hard friendly work can pay off

Bug

 

[Bunnyfeather]

If money is a factor, the solutions all involve choosing something less expensive, not shortchanging others for whom money is also a factor (I am willing to assume that the waitstaff at WDW are not independantly wealthy folks who just take our big bucks tips for the joy of making us poorer).

There are counter-service meals that are cheaper and do not require a tip. You can bring in a cooler of sandwiches for lunch. You can leave the parks and eat at a non-park restaurant or back in your hotel room. You can even choose a less expensive vacation venue entirely. A TS meal in the park is a convenience, an extravagance, an experience that people may want to have for various reasons. But there is a cost associated with it and that cost includes a decent tip for waitservice.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I'm still appalled thinking a Disney server would run someone down for their tip. I know people who have been fired for that and I guarantee if I had a server chase me down, we'd be having a conversation with their manager!

 

[Mrs. D]

True, but she still hasn't come right out & said "I split us to stiff the tip!" She might not be aware that if the service isn't up to par she can discuss it with management to get some of the tip back (she might know now that it's been pointed out) - she might feel that she's stuck with an 18% tip on a service she hasn't received & is afraid if it's poor service she's out the money. I'm just giving her the benfit of the doubt because people are putting words in her mouth that she's absolutely positively trying to cheat the waitstaff out of the tip by reading between the lines. I see it differently than you do, and that's ok.

This is exactly why I refuse to eat at places with a mandatory tipping procedure. I do tip 20% minimum but I don't like being told I HAVE to, before I receive the service.

>>>>>>here<<<<<< on all counts....

 

[RMulieri]

I personally see nothing wrong with adding gratuity to larger groups.I think when people have such a large group and have a Bigger bill some of them balk at leaving a larger tip..I worked as a waitress in college, I got paid minimum wage and made my money off tips..Some The WORST tips I ever got were the large groups..I got $3.00 once for a $175 bill...

 

[mordux]

Perhaps the OP is being benevolent, and by splitting her group, she gets to leave 2 servers with tips instead of just 1.

IMOP what you tip is your business, if the service is good or better we always tip %20 or more.
If the service stinks we still tip, we are just not quite as generous.

The OP, it sounds to me, does not want to pre-tip if she doesn't have to. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[Mrs. D]

I personally see nothing wrong with adding gratuity to larger groups.I think when people have such a large group and have a Bigger bill some of them balk at leaving a larger tip..I worked as a waitress in college, I got paid minimum wage and made my money off tips..Some The WORST tips I ever got were the large groups..I got $3.00 once for a $175 bill...

and conversely we are tippers...my tipping card that I get every year from my Credit Union is my bestie....but I've been in large groups and gotten crappy service b/c IMO the wait staff knows the gratuity is automatically attached...

 

[RMulieri]

and conversely we are tippers...my tipping card that I get every year from my Credit Union is my bestie....but I've been in large groups and gotten crappy service b/c IMO the wait staff knows the gratuity is automatically attached...

I agree..But sometimes it isn't crappy service,sometimes you can bend over backwards, smile till your face hurts, run for a million refills, pick up food off the floor, and walls etc and still get short changed..Sometimes it is cheap tippers.I always sit down at a restaurant with the intention of tipping 18-20%..If the service is good, drink glasses filled etc..They get that.If I am tapping my fingers on the table, waiting .They get less..If it is an auto gratuity and bad service, I speak with management.

 

[Buzzsgramma]

Last Thanksgiving wk we took 14 family members to WDW...We ate had Narcossee's, Kozzunias, & on turkey day we ate at Boma's ..this was a celebration of our 45 Ann. yes, the gratutity was added on...We spent a lot of money on food & tips...but we had a super time and the service and food was fantastic.

 

[piglet33]

10% is 10%. You don't add the 2 10%s and get 20%, because the percentage is based on the amount spent. The amount spent will not be higher just because her tables are split. Unless she was planning on paying 10% on both tables bills at each table, then it would be 20%. Not saying she is right, just saying it is 10% not 20%.

Let's just say the OP has 8 adults in their party. Dinner at the Crystal Palace is $32.99 for an adult. Even sitting at 2 tables of 4, with an 18% tip they should be tipping about $24 each table. So $48. But if they tip only 10% each table, that will be about $27 total for both tables.

These are the reasons why my DH helps my DD with her math homework!

 

[Mrs. D]

I agree..But sometimes it isn't crappy service,sometimes you can bend over backwards, smile till your face hurts, run for a million refills, pick up food off the floor, and walls etc and still get short changed..Sometimes it is cheap tippers.I always sit down at a restaurant with the intention of tipping 18-20%..If the service is good, drink glasses filled etc..They get that.If I am tapping my fingers on the table, waiting .They get less..If it is an auto gratuity and bad service, I speak with management.

well I was speaking of actual crappy service....which I recognize...not aweome service which I love, appreciate and tip well for...my kids @ 6 & 8 even tell wait staff how great they are and will say "leave them a really good tip" Yes...you can speak to mgmnt...my husband even has spoken to the server at the end of a meal baout why they got less of a tim (which was mortifying)...but this is off topic enough and IMO not even what the OP was implying...she thought the tip was going to be $72 which was incorrect anyway so....

 

[maxiesmom]

IMOP what you tip is your business, if the service is good or better we always tip %20 or more.
If the service stinks we still tip, we are just not quite as generous.

The OP, it sounds to me, does not want to pre-tip if she doesn't have to. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

It is your business--until you post on a message board about how you didn't know there was an 18% automatically added to your bill, and so called back and split your party up. Not an act of benevolence, by any stretch.

 

[mordux]

It is your business--until you post on a message board about how you didn't know there was an 18% automatically added to your bill, and so called back and split your party up. Not an act of benevolence, by any stretch.

Maybe the little didn't come across as satire, but that was it's intent.

 

[RMulieri]

well I was speaking of actual crappy service....which I recognize...not aweome service which I love, appreciate and tip well for...my kids @ 6 & 8 even tell wait staff how great they are and will say "leave them a really good tip" Yes...you can speak to mgmnt...my husband even has spoken to the server at the end of a meal baout why they got less of a tim (which was mortifying)...but this is off topic enough and IMO not even what the OP was implying...she thought the tip was going to be $72 which was incorrect anyway so....

I just realized Op thought the tip would be $72 I don't come up with that remotely either

 

[SHOREDAD]

and conversely we are tippers...my tipping card that I get every year from my Credit Union is my bestie....but I've been in large groups and gotten crappy service b/c IMO the wait staff knows the gratuity is automatically attached...

You are not the only one that feels that way. But.... I work in restaurants in the summer in a very touristy place. Big parties sometimes take longer to serve because they require more from all parts of the restaurant. Most restaurants are organized to handle parties below 6 efficiently. Larger parties will back up kitchens, bartenders, etc. I have worked in many restaurants and have never understood why this is so but it is. Larger parties can throw a wrench into a busy restaurant even when they are expected. Some restaurants require that you call way in advance and make you a banquet, where gratuity is automatically added to the bill, which is told to you ahead of time.

I feel if you know about it ahead of time then you have to decide whether or not you want to go to that restaurant.

I feel OP is doing it on principle but that is my opinion. OP can do whatever they feel is right for their family. Keep in mind that restaurants can do what they feel is right for their business.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

These are the reasons why my DH helps my DD with her math homework!

 

[Mrs. D]

I just realized Op thought the tip would be $72 I don't come up with that remotely either