Interesting article about tipping. Guidelines

[eliza61]

I found this on about.com. I know there was a huge discussion about tipping now that the DDP will no longer include the tip (which I'm glad about)

Tipping Is Never Required
It may be expected in many situations, but tipping is never required. Tipping hotel staff and drivers should be at your discretion, and should be thought of as a reward for excellent service. Don't feel obligated to give a tip if the service given was sub-par. On the other hand, consider giving a larger tip for those who go out of their way to provide personalized or stand-out service. Although it is not required, tipping etiquette says that unless service was severely lacking in some way, do give a tip of some sort (or at least a smile and a thank you).

Here is the link to the entire article with guidelines:

http://hotels.about.com/od/hotelsecrets/a/tipping_2.htm

Hope it helps

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I have always believed that tipping is a reward for good service. Here is the other side of that coin, my Mom was a waitress for years when I was in my teens and at that time they paid them....you are not going to believe this, something like less than $1 an hour....so truly they were working for tips. This is going back to the 60's and now I am not sure what servers get for tips, but I am sure that it is not a lot compared to other jobs.

Just keep it in mind when tipping, that is all.

One more thought, if this turns into a thread about DDP and Disney doing away with their tips, the moderators on this board will not tolerate more innuendos and rumors.. Until Disney releases that information, we are treating it as rumor.

 

[hddanis]

I agree that if the service was poor and it was the servers fault, then you shouldn't leave a tip. If it was beyond the servers control (food cooked wrong or taking too long), don't take it out on the server.

A smile and a thank you isn't going to pay the bills. Servers make $3.38 an hour and all of that goes towards taxes.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I will normally tip in the 10% to 20% range, depending on the quality of the service, However, if service is exceptionally good (or bad) I will tip more (or less) but will also discuss with a manager that I tipped outside my normal range and why.

I think my record (percentage) tip was when I left a Denny's waitress a $20 tip on an $11 check (Thanksgiving a few years ago when I was travelling).

 

[mrmagicmph]

I have to agree with much that has been said in this thread. Tipping is a reward for service. That being said, I tend to reward good service with a decent to good tip (averaging 15%), & will tip more for excellent service.

That being said, however, I will also say that a server can "spend" his tip away too. I'll give an example from tonight when my wife & I went to a local restaurant. We both ordered from the "meal" menu, meaning that soup or salad was included; also, since her came with 2 vegetables to be selected from the list, she had to also make that selection. When she asked about a particular soup, the server said that she could have it, sure, so she ordered it. She also ordered 2 vegetables, specifically mashed potatoes and also fried eggplant.

Now, we get to the server spending his own tip. First, the restaurant did not have the eggplant tonight, so he had to ask whether substituting fried mushrooms would be acceptable. That would NOT be spending his own tip, except that he'd spent the entire time from when he took our order until the time he went in the back chatting with his fellow servers, rather than even checking to find out if our food was ready after approximately 40 minutes at a NOT very busy restaurant; he also hadn't bothered to in any way communicate with the kitchen staff, until he got our meal, and so did not happen to find out that they were out of eggplant until he brought the meals. So, he had to go back to tell them yes on the mushrooms; he went back to tell them, but did not return to the kitchen until we were literally done with 1/2 of the meal that he had delivered. Similarly, I had ordered pasta, but he didn't ask/offer grated cheese, and for that matter, did not return to check (1) if the meals were ok, or (2) did we need anything else [cheese, refill on drinks, anything]. He delivered the fried mushrooms & attempted to just walk away; I had to get his attention to bring him back from chatting to get the cheese & a refill.

Finally, when we were still eating, but, getting TOWARD being finished (but mind you, we both had food in our mouths as well as on our plates), he came back, asked us if we wanted any dessert, & presented us with the bill, all without our having a "choice" but to be rude & speak with food still in our mouths. NOT acceptable in my book (if he'd waited til we were done, or even if he'd just said oh, I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask... & waited a moment for us to swallow before expecting an answer, then he'd have been fine). Finally, when the bill DID get presented, it turned out that the soup ordered by my wife had an additional charge that he had NOT told us about. Had she known about it, she might have not ordered it, but if she had, we wouldn't have been surprised nor displeased by the additional charge. Just tell us things up front, when we're asking you after all, and then it's the customer's choice, not the server's error.

So, did I tip? Yes. I am not ashamed to admit that I left a VERY poor tip to make a point that his service was only worth that number of cents, because it WAS precisely what it was worth. Additionally, I did discuss it with a manager, who asked that I write down what happened, to be given to the owners. I did so, because I wasn't condemning the restaurant for his service, but I was very displeased with the service.

Was this typical for me? No. Do I admit that perhaps he pushed all the wrong buttons at the same time? Yes. Still, I do try to make allowances when the server is being "abused" by the restaurant, having to take care of too many tables & so cannot give the attention that he or she would normally to a table. However, when we're your only client, & you're too busy flapping your gums to take care of your client, then, that will be reflected, too.

That all being said, only once have I had such terrible service at WDW that I have had to "take action" on it; that was at Beaches & Cream when the counter server refused service to us, after having spent 5 minutes trying to make time with two young ladies while making their order, because the restaurant was closed (even though we'd been in the restaurant before the official closing time, & easily seen, had he been looking past the girls). In that case, it wasn't a question of tipping/not tipping, but rather having to talk to the front desk staff at Beach Club for them to pass it along to the dining manager, who was VERY unhappy with the lack of customer service provided by the CM.

Anyway, YMMV, but luckily, most CM's at WDW, regardless of their posting as food service or not, are very good & do earn their reward.

Enjoy the Magic!

 

[septbaby]

I once had a NY cabbie "remind" me to tip him, while he sat in his seat. Sometimes people can't get out of their own way.

He didn't even get out to get my one piece (carry-on) of luggage out of the trunk! If I remember right I may have even put it in the trunk. The kicker is I was being interviewed by a rather snazzy firm, he would have gotten a great tip, he got nothing. For the ride back they put me in a private car for which they paid the bill and gratuity (interview ran overtime, a good thing).

 

[Pumbaa_]

I read the article and the tipping is optional comment appeared to be directed more at hotel services rather than dining.

In this country, tipping is expected for dining out.

 

[Hobbes]

Do like Dick on "Third Rock from the Sun"
Sit with a large pile of bills and each time the waiter does something wrong remove a bill (or two) If they do something right add a bill. -I would love to have the nerve to do this, but I'm too scared of spit in my soup!

 

[kk8273]

I am going in August. Is the tip still included in the DDP?

 

[ReneeA]

I am going in August. Is the tip still included in the DDP?

Yes...it is still included in the 2007 plan.

 

[jarestel]

When I dine out, the amount of the tip is always determined by the server. Good service = nice tip, bad service = bad tip. What a server makes per hour or whether a server is able to make ends meet is of little concern to me since my intention when I walk in the door is always to leave a reasonable tip for reasonable service. Unfortunately, sometimes the server's actions or demeanor talks me out of it.

 

[wintergreen]

Tipping Is Never Required
It may be expected in many situations, but tipping is never required. Tipping hotel staff and drivers should be at your discretion, and should be thought of as a reward for excellent service. Don't feel obligated to give a tip if the service given was sub-par. On the other hand, consider giving a larger tip for those who go out of their way to provide personalized or stand-out service. Although it is not required, tipping etiquette says that unless service was severely lacking in some way, do give a tip of some sort (or at least a smile and a thank you).

Clear as mud.

 

[Tigger1]

I agree that if the service was poor and it was the servers fault, then you shouldn't leave a tip. If it was beyond the servers control (food cooked wrong or taking too long), don't take it out on the server.

A smile and a thank you isn't going to pay the bills. Servers make $3.38 an hour and all of that goes towards taxes.

If servers make $3.38 in tips and it ALL goes to taxes, then they are paying 100% of salary to taxes. Wrong, I worked as a server many years for $2.11 per hour + tips. If the restaurant did not allow tips, they would have had to pay me more. Higher wages would mean higher menu prices. Basically I was given the opportunity to make tips in this fine restaurant and paid a minimal wage. The customers determined my wage by the amount of tip I received. I always made much more than any secretary made in the region I live in.

 

[scottny]

When dining out I always tip 20%. regardless of the service. Now at the same time if the service is not that great I will bring it to the manager's attention and have them speak to the waitress/er.
They make much less than me and have a harder job than I do so I give them a little leeway, maybe they r having a bad day. This is by money not by reporting them to there supervisor.
Also, I'm afraid they will remember me and spit the next time in my food.

 

[PrincessMinnie28]

I have always believed that tipping is a reward for good service. Here is the other side of that coin, my Mom was a waitress for years when I was in my teens and at that time they paid them....you are not going to believe this, something like less than $1 an hour....so truly they were working for tips. This is going back to the 60's and now I am not sure what servers get for tips, but I am sure that it is not a lot compared to other jobs.

Just keep it in mind when tipping, that is all.

I don't really want to get too involved in the discussion here because I don't agree with that article or the proposition it stands for - I was a server for a long time so I'm sure you can imagine how frustrating it is for me and other servers to see things like this when this is how we make a living. I've fought about this enough on these boards, and I guess people won't see the job for what it is until they have done it themselves (yes, there are people out there who have never worked in a restaurant and are excellent tippers, so I don't mean you).

But the point I wanted to make was that even though apparently servers made $1 per hour in the 60's, that has not changed too much because in MA (I can only speak for MA, because that is the only state I have worked in), the minimum wage for servers is $2.63 per hour, and that's what most restaurants pay (obviously there are exceptions). So, to repeat Makcey's point, please take this into consideration before you consider a tip a "reward" only to be given in exceptional circumstances. Thanks.

 

[Gidget985]

I am shocked and angry at this article. I'm a full time server and full time college student. Standard tip is 18-20%. We live off of those tips because we only make $2.13 an hour. Without tips, I'd be living on the street and not be able to afford my education (although loans and financial aid take care of a great part of that). I'm apalled that people actually think tipping should be an option. I never tip less than $5 (and that is only when my check was less than $10. Also, if your server does an excellent job and you tell them so but decide to use the no tipping option, just remember, compliments don't pay the bills! So in short.... always tip your servers, bartenders, cabbies, hairdressers, etc.... our job is to serve you and our paychecks are often $0.00 after taxes....

Amy

 

[hddanis]

If servers make $3.38 in tips and it ALL goes to taxes, then they are paying 100% of salary to taxes. Wrong, I worked as a server many years for $2.11 per hour + tips. If the restaurant did not allow tips, they would have had to pay me more. Higher wages would mean higher menu prices. Basically I was given the opportunity to make tips in this fine restaurant and paid a minimal wage. The customers determined my wage by the amount of tip I received. I always made much more than any secretary made in the region I live in.

Sorry, servers make $3.38 an hour + tips..ALL of that $3.38 goes towards taxes. That's the point I was trying to make. I get a $0.00 check every week and live on my tips. The original post said that a smile and thank you could be a tip of some sort...a smile and a thank you isn't going to pay the bills.

Most servers work hard for those tips, yes, if you get bad service you should tip accordingly, but on the other hand, if you get good service you should also tip accordingly. Also look at whether it was the servers fault or not. Many times problems arise that the server has no control over and that actually causes extra work and worry for your server that you don't see (fighting with the kitchen to remake that steak they just overcooked or remaking it because they put sauce on it even thoug you wanted the sauce on the side)

 

[Pumbaa_]

I am shocked and angry at this article. I'm a full time server and full time college student. Standard tip is 18-20%. We live off of those tips because we only make $2.13 an hour. Without tips, I'd be living on the street and not be able to afford my education (although loans and financial aid take care of a great part of that). I'm apalled that people actually think tipping should be an option. I never tip less than $5 (and that is only when my check was less than $10. Also, if your server does an excellent job and you tell them so but decide to use the no tipping option, just remember, compliments don't pay the bills! So in short.... always tip your servers, bartenders, cabbies, hairdressers, etc.... our job is to serve you and our paychecks are often $0.00 after taxes....

Amy

Did you read the article in its entirety? The article section quoted was referring to hotel services .

The article Tipping Guide is by
From Charlyn Keating Chisholm,
Here is the section on tipping when dining out. The article DOES NOT advocate not tipping your servers

Tipping Guide: Dining Out

Waitstaff -- 15-20% of the bill, excluding tax and expensive wine. Many restaurants automatically add a 15% gratuity for parties of six or more, so check the menu. You can add another 5% for exceptional service.
Wine Steward/Sommelier -- If they help you choose a bottle of wine (or choose it for you), 10-20% of the wine bill only. Use discretion based on how much service was provided (did he allow you to taste before you selected?) If the wine is very expensive, it's generally acceptable to cap your tip at a reasonable amount (say, about $20), since you are tipping on the service received. Leave cash or specify on the credit card receipt which portion is for the sommelier.
Buffet Servers -- $1-$2 per person dining. Lean toward the higher end if they bring you drinks.

Standards for tipping remain 15-20%.

 

[Tigger1]

Sorry, servers make $3.38 an hour + tips..ALL of that $3.38 goes towards taxes. That's the point I was trying to make. I get a $0.00 check every week and live on my tips. The original post said that a smile and thank you could be a tip of some sort...a smile and a thank you isn't going to pay the bills.


My point is that you do not make just $3.38 per hour. In fact, if all $3.38 goes to taxes, assumming you pay 25% of your wage to taxes, you would average $13.52 an hour. Thats not bad for a job you can get without a higher education. Just because you have a zero check does not mean you are working for nothing. You have the tips. The $3.38 + tips is your total wage. I worked as a waitress for years. I paid taxes on my wage (tips and $2.11/hr). IT was a stressful job at times, but I enjoyed making people happy. Some guest would tip lower than others, some higher. The higher $ the check was the more tips I made. IT all evened out to a fair wage.

Now I make more per hour but I have a more stressful job, dealing with teenagers and parents. I do enjoy what I do or I would find something different.

 

[hddanis]

My point is that you do not make just $3.38 per hour. In fact, if all $3.38 goes to taxes, assumming you pay 25% of your wage to taxes, you would average $13.52 an hour. Thats not bad for a job you can get without a higher education. Just because you have a zero check does not mean you are working for nothing. You have the tips. The $3.38 + tips is your total wage. I worked as a waitress for years. I paid taxes on my wage (tips and $2.11/hr). IT was a stressful job at times, but I enjoyed making people happy. Some guest would tip lower than others, some higher. The higher $ the check was the more tips I made. IT all evened out to a fair wage.

Now I make more per hour but I have a more stressful job, dealing with teenagers and parents. I do enjoy what I do or I would find something different.

I don't think you read my post correctly because you basically just said the same thing I did. I never said I work for nothing. I said I make $3.38 an hour, that goes to taxes, after those taxes are paid, my paycheck is $0.00 (because we do have to declare our tips or the IRS comes after us) I live on the tips I make (which in turn are taxed and come out of my next paycheck.)

All I'm trying to say is tip your servers with more than a verbal tip...a smile and a thank you is not a tip that will pay my bills...

I have a higher education and I choose to this because it's what I love to do.

I really don't see how anything you're saying is any different than what I'm saying. What is the point you're trying to argue?