Meals & Gratuity

[tink89]

Do all character meals and/or buffets charge you gratuity when they give you your bill?

We will be dining at Plaza for Breakfast, Storytellers for buffet dinner.

We might also do storytellers character brunch and/or PCH dinner. I am trying to have a dinner booked for each night. Not 100% sure on where yet since we are a large group and buffets seem to be a good option. We might consider some other sit down restaurants instead.

I am trying to price everything out. Since i will have GC to pay for most meals and wanted to put a rough total on each one for each meal. That way i am not carrying around 1 gift card with $$$$.

Do all meals include 18% tip on the bill?

 

[whoever]

I'm pretty sure it's inclusive at Plaza. Can't remember on the table service.

 

[maleficent55]

Do all character meals and/or buffets charge you gratuity when they give you your bill?

We will be dining at Plaza for Breakfast, Storytellers for buffet dinner.

We might also do storytellers character brunch and/or PCH dinner. I am trying to have a dinner booked for each night. Not 100% sure on where yet since we are a large group and buffets seem to be a good option. We might consider some other sit down restaurants instead.

I am trying to price everything out. Since i will have GC to pay for most meals and wanted to put a rough total on each one for each meal. That way i am not carrying around 1 gift card with $$$$.

Do all meals include 18% tip on the bill?

You could always pre buy your character dining meals. It includes tax and gratuity. We used Getaway Today.

 

[mgd]

edit: I also thought gratuity is included in the character dining price, but don't quote me on that if I'm wrong. There will still be a tip line on the bill though.

 

[corrie563]

You could always pre buy your character dining meals. It includes tax and gratuity. We used Getaway Today.

We did too, excellent saving!

 

[tink89]

You could always pre buy your character dining meals. It includes tax and gratuity. We used Getaway Today.

We are getting "free" premium vouchers with our Costco booking which we will use for one dinner not character and one breakfast (character, Plaza) instead of using them at Goofys (we have been many times already).

I think i had heard that Plaza does not charge automatic gratuity and was trying to figure out how much the total would be. That is the only character meal I would need vouchers for. But there is no savings in buying the vouchers ahead of time, but i have saved on buying gift cards.

We are a large group so more than likely at table sitting reservations we will be charged gratuity on the bill.

 

[minnieralyks]

I've never heard of the vouchers and looked into them. They're a great idea if you don't have an AP discount. I was going to buy them for our trip in a couple months before realizing that!

 

[3monkeys4me]

We also have pre purchased character meal vouchers in the past and they tend to be a pretty nice discount, depending on which meal you are using them for. The only one I have not found to be a savings for our family is the Plaza Inn Minnie's breakfast. Everything else is usually a couple dollars less per person and since the voucher covers gratuity and tax the savings works out to be a tad bit more. We also buy them at Getaway today. We do not purchase the regular Disneyland vouchers though, the ones that are $15 for a $15 voucher. I have never really understood the point of that, unless you were giving them to an older child who was splitting off on their own prior to the gift cards be widely accepted or something.

 

[tink89]

I've never heard of the vouchers and looked into them. They're a great idea if you don't have an AP discount. I was going to buy them for our trip in a couple months before realizing that!

I think Premium vouchers from getaway are a good savings, but i think Plaza does not charge gratuity so the regular character vouchers end up being the same price. Which is what i am trying to confirm.

 

[3monkeys4me]

I think Premium vouchers from getaway are a good savings, but i think Plaza does not charge gratuity so the regular character vouchers end up being the same price. Which is what i am trying to confirm.

It has been almost 5 years since I have been to the Plaza Inn so I can't recall if they charged automatic gratuity but I do remember at the time the voucher was several dollars more than the breakfast per person, enough so that it would have been more expensive to purchase the vouchers even when you factored in gratuity and tax.

 

[Malcon10t]

Goofy's and Plaza charge gratuity ahead of time. The ones you pay at the table (Surf's Up, STorytellers) tip isn't included.

 

[Malcon10t]

Goofy's and Plaza charge gratuity ahead of time. The ones you pay at the table (Surf's Up, STorytellers) tip isn't included.

I want to clarify my post. If you are a party of 8, they will add gratuity to ALL table service.

 

[LilyJC]

Goofy's and Plaza charge gratuity ahead of time. The ones you pay at the table (Surf's Up, STorytellers) tip isn't included.

Just a heads up... we had breakfast at Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast (formerly Surf’s Up) at PPH last week. The tip had indeed been added on to our bill. It’s always a good idea to check the receipt just in case!

ETA: We were a party of 3.

 

[Winnowill]

Just a heads up... we had breakfast at Donald Duck’s Seaside Breakfast (formerly Surf’s Up) at PPH last week. The tip had indeed been added on to our bill. It’s always a good idea to check the receipt just in case!

ETA: We were a party of 3.

Back on July 2, when it was still Surf's Up and Mickey and Friends, ours was, too (party of four).

 

[tink89]

I want to clarify my post. If you are a party of 8, they will add gratuity to ALL table service.

Lucky for us we are 14 . I do not mind the tipping, i would just like to plan ahead and i am unsure on total for some restaurants.

Is allears the most reliable for updated pricing? I know Disneyland has it but they have a price range not actual price.

Do prices on all ears include tax or is it price per person + tax + gratuity?

 

[tink89]

Also are the current prices what it will be over the holidays?
We were there last year and i can' remember what we paid for for them.

 

[RedHotMama]

Does anyone else think it strange to tip a full 20% (or 18%, whatever your standard) for a buffet? Maybe I'm feeling stingy, but I'm leaving the table and getting my own food. We're looking at a $40 tip at Seaside for our server to bring us hot cocoas and clear our table.

 

[tink89]

Chatted with Disney and these are the prices they gave me

Mickey's Tales of Adventure Breakfast Buffet $46.33
Minnie & Friends Breakfast $36.64
Goofy's Kitchen $ 46.33
Storytellers dinner $37.71

These prices do not include tax & gratuity.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Lucky for us we are 14 . I do not mind the tipping, i would just like to plan ahead and i am unsure on total for some restaurants.

Is allears the most reliable for updated pricing? I know Disneyland has it but they have a price range not actual price.

Do prices on all ears include tax or is it price per person + tax + gratuity?

We have pricing here at the DIS. Tom Bell (@ImTooExcitedToSleep) maintains the data for the site http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/dining.htm

Also, tax for Anaheim is 7.75%, which should be factored into your total cost also.

 

[Malcon10t]

Does anyone else think it strange to tip a full 20% (or 18%, whatever your standard) for a buffet? Maybe I'm feeling stingy, but I'm leaving the table and getting my own food. We're looking at a $40 tip at Seaside for our server to bring us hot cocoas and clear our table.

I don't, but then I have always gotten very good service and the servers have always been prompt and helpful. I usually calculate the total price and decide if I think the price of the whole is worth it. Just like at hotels, I add all the fees and decide where I wish to stay. I don't base it on "This one charge $8 for parking and this one charge $12..." After you total the cost for the restaurant, decide if it is worth it based on that, not just the gratuity.