Is there a reason why servers don't like the DDP?

[freshmanjs]

Thank you, Bichon Barb...beautifully and eloquently put.

I think it is ethically wrong to foster an environment that leads to obesity. In fact, I think it is a horrible thing to do.

 

[Bichon Barb]

People aren't ordering the appetizer, main entre, dessert and drink, because they are hungry or just want all that food. They are ordering it because it's part of the deal! They figure "I don't really want a dessert, but it comes with the deal, so I'll order it anyway and just have a taste and throw the rest away."

So I'm saying that I would feel bad ordering food that I wasn't going to eat. It's wasteful.

 

[Warmwinds]

Thank you, Bichon Barb. I think I should have elaborated on my "wasting" point, but you said it so well.

What I would add is that when you are NOT on vacation you most likely would take the food home in a doggy bag for lunch the next day (at least we do). When you are on vacation, you often can't do that - you're not going to carry your food around the parks for several hours, hence the "wasting". When we are on vacation we order much less than we do at home, often splitting appetizers and desserts so we don't have this issue. But if you're on the DDP, plan you have no to reason to split/share things since it's all included in the price.

And you're also right about it being an upbringing/generational thing... I'm not old enough to have lived through the Depression, but my parents did, and this is the way I was brought up - I don't waste anything...food, electricity, water, you name it - we conserve and recycle.

I was just stating my personal opinion in response to the OP that if I were a waiter with people ordering all sorts of food and leaving half of it, it would make me very sad to see that happening.

 

[Katiebell]

I think it is ethically wrong to foster an environment that leads to obesity. In fact, I think it is a horrible thing to do.

I think maybe you are missing the point. Many people have said they want to share meals because there is too much food. Rather than everyone ordering a full appetizer, full entree, and full dessert just because they would all like to try those things -- they are on vacation, and Disney TS restaurants have an excellent reputation -- they would rather order one adult meal and share all of those items with another adult in their party who has also paid for the plan. Otherwise, they might both order the exact same meal and each eat only half of it. If you have two large steaks at home, and two people who are only moderately hungry, do you grill both steaks, each only eat half and each throw the second half away? Or do you grill one steak, split it, and save the second steak for tomorrow night? What makes more sense?

Personally, I'd rather that restaurants cut their portion sizes and prices in half, but that's just not gonna happen. It's more profitable to a restaurant to serve large portions and keep the prices high.

 

[freshmanjs]

I think maybe you are missing the point. Many people have said they want to share meals because there is too much food. Rather than everyone ordering a full appetizer, full entree, and full dessert just because they would all like to try those things -- they are on vacation, and Disney TS restaurants have an excellent reputation -- they would rather order one adult meal and share all of those items with another adult in their party who has also paid for the plan. Otherwise, they might both order the exact same meal and each eat only half of it. If you have two large steaks at home, and two people who are only moderately hungry, do you grill both steaks, each only eat half and each throw the second half away? Or do you grill one steak, split it, and save the second steak for tomorrow night? What makes more sense?

Personally, I'd rather that restaurants cut their portion sizes and prices in half, but that's just not gonna happen. It's more profitable to a restaurant to serve large portions and keep the prices high.

In your steak example, I would save the 2nd one for tomorrow because it would be cheaper for me. But it has nothing to do with some ethical problem with throwing food away.

In the case of DDP, it is actually cheaper for the consumer to get more food. Odd, but true. Therefore, take the deal and throw out what you don't want. I don't see the problem.

Yes, lower prices for less food might be a better deal, but that is not offered.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I think maybe you are missing the point. Many people have said they want to share meals because there is too much food. Rather than everyone ordering a full appetizer, full entree, and full dessert just because they would all like to try those things -- they are on vacation, and Disney TS restaurants have an excellent reputation -- they would rather order one adult meal and share all of those items with another adult in their party who has also paid for the plan. Otherwise, they might both order the exact same meal and each eat only half of it. If you have two large steaks at home, and two people who are only moderately hungry, do you grill both steaks, each only eat half and each throw the second half away? Or do you grill one steak, split it, and save the second steak for tomorrow night? What makes more sense?

Personally, I'd rather that restaurants cut their portion sizes and prices in half, but that's just not gonna happen. It's more profitable to a restaurant to serve large portions and keep the prices high.

What she said!

The discussion was about reasons why a server would not like the dining plan. WW mentioned that they might not like seeing all the wasted food. Then someone else asked what could be possibly wrong with wasting food. A few of us answered that question.

I don't think anyone was saying that in order not to waste food we should all join the clean plate club.

 

[freshmanjs]

What she said!

The discussion was about reasons why a server would not like the dining plan. WW mentioned that they might not like seeing all the wasted food. Then someone else asked what could be possibly wrong with wasting food. A few of us answered that question.

I don't think anyone was saying that in order not to waste food we should all join the clean plate club.

Ok perhaps the clean plate club was a bit off topic.

I am still not sure that very many waiters would prefer to get lower tips so that less food would be thrown out.

 

[Bichon Barb]

In your steak example, I would save the 2nd one for tomorrow because it would be cheaper for me. But it has nothing to do with some ethical problem with throwing food away.

In the case of DDP, it is actually cheaper for the consumer to get more food. Odd, but true. Therefore, take the deal and throw out what you don't want. I don't see the problem.

Yes, lower prices for less food might be a better deal, but that is not offered.

The problem is when a person feels bad for throwing out food just to save a buck.

Is it a problem so large that most of us wouldn't do the DDP? No, of course not. But many of us do have guilt for being wasteful. Gluttonous? Excessive? Whatever you want to call it.

 

[Sammie]

Did you have a server tell you they did not like the DDP? If not then anything else is hearsay and I would take it with a grain of salt.

We have used the DDP and never had any server act any different. We got excellent service and did have one server tell us she loved the DDP.

 

[korbbec]

I have been waiting tables on and off for 16 years. The amount of food we see thrown away every shift is astounding, but we are used to it. I really don't think that that would be the problem. When we used the DDP all of the servers were very nice- I can't imagine why it would bother some servers except for the fact that people ask alot of questions and may drive a server crazy trying to get the best value or understand the plan. Also, you know this table will be sitting for a while going thru all the courses thereby lowering table turnover. And more timing is involved to get the courses to come out one after the other at a good pace- meaning repeated trips to the pos. And since people order more than they can eat it may mean more time spent packageing things to go.

Imagine 2 people go out to eat on DDP. Their bill is $80. At 18% they make $14.40. They sat for 1 1/2 hours.
During that same time 2 tables of 2 people could have come in, ate dinners with sodas and left. Each bill was $50. These folks also leave 18%. tip total $18. plus added downtime as the table gets bussed reset and resat.

Just my 2 cents.

One more thing- Most people tip on their total bill including the tax- they just look at the bottom figure and tip. DDP tips 18% pre tax.

 

[Delaware Mike]

DDP tips 18% pre tax.

Simply asking a question here, but isn't the tip suppose to be calculated on the pre-tax amount? The tax placed upon services rendered or goods supplied is the government's take, and is not actually part of the service rendered or the goods supplied. That being the case, why would anyone tip on the tax amount?

We only tip on the value of the service...and we are not cheap with tips for good/excellent service.

Additonally, my understanding is servers are not taxed (income) on the tax line amount of the overall bill.

 

[bicker]

I wouldn't say it's a "twisted view" -- that's rather harsh, isn't it? -- but it is a conditioned view.

We need a better word... how about "irrational"?

 

[Katiebell]

We need a better word... how about "irrational"?

That's somewhat better. "Twisted" sounded like...Jaffar's beard.

 

[just another guy]

Oh man did my ex hate the dining plan. She worked at disney. I think her biggest complain was the way disney does the grat. First off, disney has a guests money the minute they check in. That money is just sitting in disneys account making interest. Several days later when someone on the dining plan pays for dinner, that server doesn't get the tip. Why? Disney keeps the money until payday, and then puts the money onto the servers paycheck. So not only does disney keep it in their account until the last moment, since its added to the servers paycheck, the govt knows about 100% of it, and takes a nice chunk.

Also, its a pain the way the servers have to take care of it. Its not just swipe the card, and its done. Any alcohol has to be split onto a sepatate check, as well as infants. Also, there are times guest no longer have enough credits, the server then has to call the front desk, meanwhile the servers other tables could be needing stuff, etc.

 

[lsteadman]

I didn't feel my service was less than anyone else because I was on the Dining Plan. Upon my waiters/waitress arrival at the table, they would ask "Are you dining on our wonderful Disney Dining Plan today." I would reply...."Yes we are and were hungry(with a smile)! The wait staff indicated all specials of the day, if any. Took my order! Brought our food! Check on us to make sure our food was good and tasty! We signed for our meal! Then we procedure to drag our full butts out of the restaurant while discussing how delicious the meal was.

You have to understand any situation can be positive if you chose it to be positive. I think people who come back with positive experience with Disney Dining, ME, hotels, airlines, car rentals put some mental effort into not letting the little stuff spoil there vacation.

Disney vacations with or without the Dining Plan are expensive. Around $3,000 for DD and I. For the kind of money, I am happy all day long. I know I will have the best trip of all time even before I have left the house.

My personal feelings: I WILL NEVER EVER EVER GO BACK TO DISNEY WITHOUT THE A DINING PLAN ON MY RESERVATION (Free or Paid for).. It's deal either way.

This board is really good for offer some good tips, tricks, and money saving advice for planning your Disney vacation. Take advice on this board with a grain of salt and then add your own spices to make your trip magical!

 

[Nancyg56]

You have to understand any situation can be positive if you chose it to be positive. I think people who come back with positive experience with Disney Dining, ME, hotels, airlines, car rentals put some mental effort into not letting the little stuff spoil there vacation.

Disney vacations with or without the Dining Plan are expensive. Around $3,000 for DD and I. For the kind of money, I am happy all day long. I know I will have the best trip of all time even before I have left the house.

My personal feelings: I WILL NEVER EVER EVER GO BACK TO DISNEY WITHOUT THE A DINING PLAN ON MY RESERVATION (Free or Paid for).. It's deal either way.

My feelings exactly. I don't vacation enough to have a negative mindset even before I arrive. Once there I decide to set the tone and generally have a wonderful experience. I refuse to save enough to go to Disney and then worry if I am getting the biggest bang for my DDP buck, I will make the CS meals work and if they don't I know that there is still enough so that everyone has enough to eat. If I need to use some OOP money I will because I look at the CS as a bonus after our TS and snack.

I don't know if the servers dislike the plan, it is not my business. I don't worry how the gratuity is taxed as income. I always add extra in cash if the service is good, so I have done my share to thank my servers for their time and consideration.

When I get home I'm relaxed and happy and looking forward to the next time I can get back to Disney. I will use the DDP because it works for me and for my family. If it did not, or if I did not like the options available to me I would simply eat elsewhere. It would not be worth the headache trying to make a plan not designed for my family fit into a very short window of our life.

 

[TDC Nala]

Oh man did my ex hate the dining plan. She worked at disney. I think her biggest complain was the way disney does the grat. First off, disney has a guests money the minute they check in. That money is just sitting in disneys account making interest. Several days later when someone on the dining plan pays for dinner, that server doesn't get the tip. Why? Disney keeps the money until payday, and then puts the money onto the servers paycheck. So not only does disney keep it in their account until the last moment, since its added to the servers paycheck, the govt knows about 100% of it, and takes a nice chunk.

Oh dear. They actually have to pay their TAXES.

 

[Katiebell]

Oh dear. They actually have to pay their TAXES.

Wellll...by law, restaurant servers are supposed to report 100% of their tip income, and their employers are required to withhold income tax and FICA from the entire employee's salary, including tips.

Standard across the industry, servers typically do not report 100% of their tip income -- the IRS "red flag" is 8% or less of their total sales, so a lot of folks mistakenly believe the only requirement is to claim 9% and then pocket the rest. But it's not really legal -- it just flies under the wire, so to speak.

So on one hand, I can understand why a server whose base pay might be as little as $3.38 an hour (used to be about $2/hour in FL before 1/2006) not wanting to have the IRS take a big bite out of their hard-earned tips. On the other hand, the DDP guarantees the servers 18% (not counting any little cash bonus they might receive for exceptional service), often on the most expensive menu items, and often much more than that party would typically order (adding in all those appetizers and desserts). Many customers paying OOP wouldn't pay anything close to an 18% tip.

 

[Nancyg56]

So on one hand, I can understand why a server whose base pay might be as little as $3.38 an hour (used to be about $2/hour in FL before 1/2006) not wanting to have the IRS take a big bite out of their hard-earned tips. On the other hand, the DDP guarantees the servers 18% (not counting any little cash bonus they might receive for exceptional service), often on the most expensive menu items, and often much more than that party would typically order (adding in all those appetizers and desserts). Many customers paying OOP wouldn't pay anything close to an 18% tip.

My DS has worked in resorts in Fl for several years and has no problem reporting 100% of his earnings. In the resorts that he has worked 18% is added onto everything including a soda. He rarely is tipped in cash. He feels that it is in his interest to have a complete earnings record so that when he files he has no worries concerning audits. His record is complete and when he approached a lender for a mortgage he is not worried that his earnings will not support his lifestyle. He has told me that it all works out fairly in the end.

 

[Katiebell]

My DS has worked in resorts in Fl for several years and has no problem reporting 100% of his earnings. In the resorts that he has worked 18% is added onto everything including a soda. He rarely is tipped in cash. He feels that it is in his interest to have a complete earnings record so that when he files he has no worries concerning audits. His record is complete and when he approached a lender for a mortgage he is not worried that his earnings will not support his lifestyle. He has told me that it all works out fairly in the end.

Yep, absolutely, your son is totally right about not having hassles w/audits and having appropriate income for a loan, etc. I just know a lot of people who have tips as a large part of their salary do under report, especially if a large part of those tips is in cash. and I understand why they feel justified, since their base salary is often lower than the state minimum wage. But no it's not legal, and that could certainly be asking for trouble. I think things are changing more now, since so many pay their restaurant tab with ATM or check cards and just put the tip on the card.