Just back: DDP and gratuities (big problem)

[just another guy]

We are a party of 8 leaving in 16 days for WDW. WE will be using DDP and I have no problem with the automatic gratuity for our party. Everytime I have made an ADR the CM's have been careful to tell me that a tip would be added and wasn't included in the DDP. My concern is with how to pay for the tip. I would like to carry cash for tips, but how do you know that it will be accounted for. I mean, what's to stop someone from saying I didn't leave any cash on the table?

On large parties(now 6+) the 18% grat is worked into the bill. So if you are paying for the entire thing in cash thats cool, but if you want to pay the meal with a credit card, and the grat in cash, it really doesn't work out that way. When 18% is added to a bill, the server has to give that money to disney, and then disney ads that amount to their paycheck. So, attempting to pay a 18% grat with cash really serves no purpose.

 

[Mermaid_Ariel]

Wow. I hadn't thought of it that way. We'll now be receiving a separate "tip bill", completely outrageous and I could see how that's uncomfortable for the server to ask. I think if I was in their position, I'd be hesitant to ask, also.

I agree that it was inappropriate to discuss tips with customers - but in this case, since the new terms of the DDP are fresh that it was meant to be harmless rather than sympathy. I think a lot of people are curious and so many people are wanting to discuss it that it only seems appropriate to do so.

I wish Disney would have raised the price for the DDP to include tips.

 

[SplashMountainMama]

On large parties(now 6+) the 18% grat is worked into the bill. So if you are paying for the entire thing in cash thats cool, but if you want to pay the meal with a credit card, and the grat in cash, it really doesn't work out that way. When 18% is added to a bill, the server has to give that money to disney, and then disney ads that amount to their paycheck. So, attempting to pay a 18% grat with cash really serves no purpose.

We're using DDP so the only thing we have to pay for is the tip. Paying in cash serves a purpose if you don't want to put it on a credit card. I'm not sure I understand your point.

 

[Tricia1972]

We are a party of 8 leaving in 16 days for WDW. WE will be using DDP and I have no problem with the automatic gratuity for our party. Everytime I have made an ADR the CM's have been careful to tell me that a tip would be added and wasn't included in the DDP. My concern is with how to pay for the tip. I would like to carry cash for tips, but how do you know that it will be accounted for. I mean, what's to stop someone from saying I didn't leave any cash on the table?

My understanding from the other DDP and gratuity threads:

Using the DDP you will pay for dinner with your credits. If possible, I'd write CASH in the tip line on your original bill before giving your KTTW card to the server to run your dining credits. If you can't write cash there - just let your server know to run the credits only and you'll pay cash for the balance due.

In the end you will receive a bill that has nothing due other than your tip. You can pay cash for the remainder due by simply giving the cash to the server.

 

[MagicMe]

Well, I will join the group of people concerned about how the tip is now handled. One thing I loved was knowing before I left for my vacation that I didn't need to worry about food money. I would always carry a little extra cash for servers I felt went above and beyond but I could leave that and no one had to "present" me with a tip bill to remind me. I find it kind of insulting to both the customer and the server.

Additionally, I actually hate that they removed the appetizer and left the dessert. We have always enjoyed having the appetizers and would often forgo the desserts. I realize that some people really enjoy the desserts and I think that having both the appetizer and dessert with the entree was too much food. However, I would have preferred if Disney had given the diner the option of having either the appetizer or the dessert.

 

[just another guy]

We're using DDP so the only thing we have to pay for is the tip. Paying in cash serves a purpose if you don't want to put it on a credit card. I'm not sure I understand your point.

If you wanted to you could, but its only going to slow you down from leaving. Having room charging abilities is the best and easiest route. Disney was stupid for the way they set this up. They should have simply required room charging abilities if you want the DDP. It would make things so much easier for servers.

 

[TLSnell1981]

If you wanted to you could, but its only going to slow you down from leaving. Having room charging abilities is the best and easiest route. Disney was stupid for the way they set this up. They should have simply required room charging abilities if you want the DDP. It would make things so much easier for servers.

This whole thing could be resolved by removing the mandatory "tips". That would make it much easier for everybody!

(Or they could dump the union)

 

[just another guy]

This whole thing could be resolved by removing the mandatorY "tips". That would make it much easier for everybody!

Which could be solved by disney paying their severs a nice houly wage....but that won't ever happen, just as your idea won't happen.

I'm just saying, to get out of the restaurant, having room charging abilities works best. With room charging abilities, its one more swipe, and takes an extra 10 seconds. Disney servers can go an entire night without ever touching cash, so they most likely have change on them. They will have to go to their cash register, which only the manager or an approved person has they key to. They then have to wait for the manager to make their way over there, get the change, and then the server has to figure out how much to give back to the guest. Now take this with a party of 10, 4 different checks, and its a nightmare. Meanwhile, other tables need refills, are ready to order, etc. Having room charging abilities is the best solution for everyone.

 

[Tricia1972]

SplashMountainMama - it may be best for you to figure out roughly what your tips are going to be ahead of time. That way you'll have what is close to correct change and it won't slow you down. Example, you think tips will be about $20, they end up being $19.25 - I'd just slip them the $20 and be on my way.

If you need change, and don't mind being slowed down slightly, then I think that using cash vs credit card is well within your rights as a customer.

 

[JimMIA]

This whole thing could be resolved by removing the mandatorY "tips". That would make it much easier for everybody!

Not happenin'. The mandatory tips on parties of 6 or more and all DDE checks are negotiated items in the union contract. Disney doesn't have the authority to arbitrarily eliminate those; if they wanted to change them, they'd have to go back and get union approval.

Those two changes, in fact, were put into the contract to offset the removal of the included 18% gratuity in DDP after the union voted the contract down the first time . What Disney did, in effect, is transfer their prior expense to larger families and DDE patrons. Not very "magical," but certainly very lucrative for Disney.

 

[LexPlayer]

Not happenin'. The mandatory tips on parties of 6 or more and all DDE checks are negotiated items in the union contract. Disney doesn't have the authority to arbitrarily eliminate those; if they wanted to change them, they'd have to go back and get union approval.

Those two changes, in fact, were put into the contract to offset the removal of the included 18% gratuity in DDP after the union voted the contract down the first time . What Disney did, in effect, is transfer their prior expense to larger families and DDE patrons. Not very "magical," but certainly very lucrative for Disney.

Well, they COULD agree to pay for the gratuities on behalf of the patrons (just as the 2007 DDP). This is not the same as removing the auto-service charge from the bill. However, as you have noted, Disney will not do this because it will affect the bottom line.

 

[JimMIA]

Well, they COULD agree to pay for the gratuities on behalf of the patrons (just as the 2007 DDP). This is not the same as removing the auto-service charge from the bill. However, as you have noted, Disney will not do this because it will affect the bottom line.

I'm pretty sure you're right. As a matter of fact, I think there was even some language in the contract that allowed them to go back and reinstitute the included gratuity if they chose.

Not holding my breath, though.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Not happenin'. The mandatory tips on parties of 6 or more and all DDE checks are negotiated items in the union contract. Disney doesn't have the authority to arbitrarily eliminate those; if they wanted to change them, they'd have to go back and get union approval.

Those two changes, in fact, were put into the contract to offset the removal of the included 18% gratuity in DDP after the union voted the contract down the first time . What Disney did, in effect, is transfer their prior expense to larger families and DDE patrons. Not very "magical," but certainly very lucrative for Disney.

I know it's not happening. JAG was talking about simplifying things. That would be the easiest solution....but I know it isn't possible.

 

[SplashMountainMama]

SplashMountainMama - it may be best for you to figure out roughly what your tips are going to be ahead of time. That way you'll have what is close to correct change and it won't slow you down. Example, you think tips will be about $20, they end up being $19.25 - I'd just slip them the $20 and be on my way.

If you need change, and don't mind being slowed down slightly, then I think that using cash vs credit card is well within your rights as a customer.

Thanks for the tip (no pun intended). I'm not worried about getting the 18% tip down to the penny so leaving a little extra is not going to break me. I just prefer not to come home from vacation with more extra charges on the credit charge if I can avoid it. And I don't mean to be mean, but I have to say, if any server is going to get bent out of shape because he/she doesn't like the way I'm paying for their tip then they can pretty much assume they won't see a dime over the mandatory 18%. My original question was what would happen if I left cash, but it was reported that I didn't leave a tip. I was wondering if they could/would charge it to my room therefore making me pay 2x for the tip. If that was a possibility than I would be sure to charge it to the room in the first place, but I think it's been explained that if the bill says CASH for tip than the servers have to pay it to the restaurant so there shouldn't be any worries of that happening. I'm not trying to make it sound like all the servers are dishonest just trying to cover all the bases.

 

[Tink415]

I think if a tip is mandatory you wouldn't be able to leave it on the table, you'd need to pay the tip when the dining credits are taken from your card, so hand over room card and cash tip at the same time.

 

[Mermaid_Ariel]

To me, making up envelopes of cash in advance decreases the convenience "value" of the DDP altogether. If the only argument defending the "value" of the 2008 DDP is, "Well, you're paying for convenience now", that's not a very convenient way in my opinion.

I think the easiest way would be to just charge it back to your room so you don't have to make up envelopes of cash, remember to bring cash with you (I never carry cash, I always pay with debit) or using a separate credit card to pay for the tip. That way, you can use the same card and make it feel more seamless like it did it previous years.

Just my two cents.

 

[NMW]

Doesn anyone know if you can use a Disney rewards card (from Chase) to pay the tip? Maybe ther servers here can tell me. Thanks!

 

[mom2my3kids]

On large parties(now 6+) the 18% grat is worked into the bill. So if you are paying for the entire thing in cash thats cool, but if you want to pay the meal with a credit card, and the grat in cash, it really doesn't work out that way. When 18% is added to a bill, the server has to give that money to disney, and then disney ads that amount to their paycheck. So, attempting to pay a 18% grat with cash really serves no purpose.

At my restaurant, we have a printout at the end of the day. Since we cash the patrons out we have the money on us, so on the report it tells you what to pay the restaurant minus credit card tips. I would think this would be so much better way for Disney to give the servers their tips at the end of the night.

 

[just another guy]

At my restaurant, we have a printout at the end of the day. Since we cash the patrons out we have the money on us, so on the report it tells you what to pay the restaurant minus credit card tips. I would think this would be so much better way for Disney to give the servers their tips at the end of the night.

Disney's is sorta the same, except dealing with grat. As I said, anytime a server adds grat, it goes to their pay check. For example. A server rings in $1,000 in sales in one night. That was entirely parties of 6 or more, so grat was always included. 18% would be $180. It doesn't matter if those people paid for the 18% grat in cash, credit card, room charge, disney dollars, etc, that $180 will be credited towards the servers paycheck. That night, the server will leave disney with nothing in their pockets.

 

[skater]

To me, making up envelopes of cash in advance decreases the convenience "value" of the DDP altogether. If the only argument defending the "value" of the 2008 DDP is, "Well, you're paying for convenience now", that's not a very convenient way in my opinion.

I think the easiest way would be to just charge it back to your room so you don't have to make up envelopes of cash, remember to bring cash with you (I never carry cash, I always pay with debit) or using a separate credit card to pay for the tip. That way, you can use the same card and make it feel more seamless like it did it previous years.

Just my two cents.

ITA with what you said about losing the convenience. Personally, there's no longer much value (unless you're careful to do dinners and order on the more expensive side) and there's little convenience. And again, this is personally - I know some of you look at it differently. We will still enjoy it free in Sept., but I wouldn't buy it for my mini-Jan. trip because it doesn't make sense for us.

The room charging idea does make me nervous though after reading a few of the incidents DISers have reported of DDP meals being charged to their room instead of deducting credits. It also sounds like it was a hassle to fix, so I just don't put charging ability on my room card. Maybe its a rare problem, but I sure dont' want to deal with it on vacation!