My Tipping Experience

[SoonipiLady]

hi we are traveling from the uk-i can not belive how much you guys tip -in england any server ould be lucky to get $10 at the most-we are going for 21 nights -which we have saved every penny for a year-abd not bugeted so much for tips-it is going to make us very uncomfatable

Waitstaff in the US get a VERY low wage. I get $2.38/hour (I think NH pays about the lowest hourly rate if not THE lowest hourly rate in the US). Whe I worked overseas (this was 25 years ago), I got the going minimum wage rate for the country, and extra for sales above average. But that was paid by my employer. If I got tipped, it was like an extra little bonus from the customer, but I still made a living wage if I didn't get a tip.

What is the hourly wage for waiters in the UK? I'm guessing it's not 1.21GBP!

 

[cmwade77]

Waitstaff in the US get a VERY low wage. I get $2.38/hour (I think NH pays about the lowest hourly rate if not THE lowest hourly rate in the US). Whe I worked overseas (this was 25 years ago), I got the going minimum wage rate for the country, and extra for sales above average. But that was paid by my employer. If I got tipped, it was like an extra little bonus from the customer, but I still made a living wage if I didn't get a tip.

What is the hourly wage for waiters in the UK? I'm guessing it's not 1.21GBP!

Sorry, but first off, in California (and several other states) everyone must be paid the minimum wage, not matter if they get tips or not, here I think minimum wage is up to $8+ per hour or will be soon, regardless, minimum wage is not enough to make ends meet.

That being said though, how is it my responsibility to make sure that the servers earn a living wage? Tips are something that are given for the service that we are given and are optional, at the customer's discretion. No one should ever feel guilty about not leaving a tip. Those servers that work in tourist areas should negotiate for better wages. The restaurants make enough that they could easily cover tips (in some case a small price increase may be needed, but not many) and give 15-18% to the servers, thus eliminating the need for tipping. My point on this is tips are not mandatory, nor should it be my concern how much the server is making per hour before or after tips, I should be comfortable in tipping on the level of service that I receive.

Now if I get good service, I definitely leave a tip, if I don't get good service, I leave a lower tip amount and note on the receipt why the tip was low, i.e. had to get my own refills, etc.

If I get great service, the server gets a great tip, also places that we frequent do tend to give us better service than some others at the same establishment will, because they know they will get a tip accordingly with us.

 

[SoonipiLady]

Sorry, but first off, in California (and several other states) everyone must be paid the minimum wage, not matter if they get tips or not, here I think minimum wage is up to $8+ per hour or will be soon, regardless, minimum wage is not enough to make ends meet.

That being said though, how is it my responsibility to make sure that the servers earn a living wage? Tips are something that are given for the service that we are given and are optional, at the customer's discretion. No one should ever feel guilty about not leaving a tip. Those servers that work in tourist areas should negotiate for better wages. The restaurants make enough that they could easily cover tips (in some case a small price increase may be needed, but not many) and give 15-18% to the servers, thus eliminating the need for tipping. My point on this is tips are not mandatory, nor should it be my concern how much the server is making per hour before or after tips, I should be comfortable in tipping on the level of service that I receive.

Now if I get good service, I definitely leave a tip, if I don't get good service, I leave a lower tip amount and note on the receipt why the tip was low, i.e. had to get my own refills, etc.

If I get great service, the server gets a great tip, also places that we frequent do tend to give us better service than some others at the same establishment will, because they know they will get a tip accordingly with us.

Ratty 987 was surprised about how much Americans tip. my answer was addressing to a UK resident, whose country pays a living wage to waitstaff. It is a culture difference. When I wait on folks from Canada and England (I work in a tourist area), I often get NO TIP AT ALL! I don't get angry, I just assume that they are ignorant of our custom and didn't purposely, just that they are not farmiliar with the way it's done here.

I was trying to explain the differences in the job overall in our two different cultures. If you live in the US, it is part of our culture (and always has been) to pay low wages (sometimes not even close to minimum wage) to some types of labor. Fair? Maybe, maybe not. The difference is made up by the client in the form of a tip. This isn't just waitpeople. It's cab drivers, bellmen, bartenders, hairdressers, shoeshine boys, paperboys...the list goes on and on. Fair? Maybe, maybe not.

As far as how is it the customer's responsibility to makes sure the waiter earn a living wage??? I guess it isn't. Unless of course one understands the rules of the "game" as it were in this country, and still doesn't tip. If one lives in a culture that follows the tradition of low wages, with the expectation that there will be a gratuity for service, then one IS obligated to follow ALLthe aspects of that "experience" as it were. It would be like deciding that you'd like a driver's licence, but that you don't have to follow the road signs.

So, I guess that yes, I do feel that the customer is reqired to tip, IF AND ONLY IF, they receive service that meets or exceeds thier expectations. If one receives great service, and still doesn't tip, yeah, they should feel guilty. Sit down service is a contract, of a sort. You get waited on, and if you feel your service was adequate, you pay for it. It's like an itemized bill. Food, tax, tip. If I don't agree with the tax on a restaurant bill, I can't just not pay it, why is OK to not pay the server his or her share? If one wants to pay the menu prices, go to a counter service place. And please they shouldn't be obligated to leave anything in that tip cup on the counter.

All of that said, I am pleased to hear that you always tip for service, and that the amount corresponds to the level of service. That ultimately means that you are playing by all the "rules" of the table service "game" in our imperfect United States culture, and that also means that the waitpeople that serve you are ultimately the ones responsible for making sure that they earn a living wage for holding up thier end of the contract....which in the end, is exactly how it should be. As a professional waitress, I thank you, and would be pleased to wait on you!

 

[DiszyDean]

Sorry, but first off, in California (and several other states) everyone must be paid the minimum wage, not matter if they get tips or not, here I think minimum wage is up to $8+ per hour or will be soon, regardless, minimum wage is not enough to make ends meet.

That being said though, how is it my responsibility to make sure that the servers earn a living wage? Tips are something that are given for the service that we are given and are optional, at the customer's discretion. No one should ever feel guilty about not leaving a tip. Those servers that work in tourist areas should negotiate for better wages. The restaurants make enough that they could easily cover tips (in some case a small price increase may be needed, but not many) and give 15-18% to the servers, thus eliminating the need for tipping. My point on this is tips are not mandatory, nor should it be my concern how much the server is making per hour before or after tips, I should be comfortable in tipping on the level of service that I receive.

Now if I get good service, I definitely leave a tip, if I don't get good service, I leave a lower tip amount and note on the receipt why the tip was low, i.e. had to get my own refills, etc.

If I get great service, the server gets a great tip, also places that we frequent do tend to give us better service than some others at the same establishment will, because they know they will get a tip accordingly with us.

Well, it isn't necessarily your responsibility to make sure that servers make a living wage. There are lots of choices. McDonalds, Wendys, Burger King. However, when people wait on you while you sit at the table, they are not doing so out of the kindness of their hearts.

What people always seem to fail to realize is that "someone" has to pay these people a living wage or no one would want to do the job. So, the argument might then be that the resteraunt owners should be paying the servers a living wage. Great...guess who will realize that cost in the increase in food prices in order to subsidize the increase in wages? That is correct...us...and it will no longer be subjective in any way based on the level of service you receive. You will pay the newly inflated check, regardless of good or bad service.

 

[septbaby]

http://www.disboards.com/member.php?u=86997DiszyDean,

Although for our family US tips tend to be high, I agree with the "When in Rome..." sentence. That said, what would be the standard (baseline) tip percent in Rome, er, the US?

Regards,

Luis

Tips are only expected at the TS restaurants. This year I believe they are providing a slip with your reciept showing what an 18 or 20% tip would be on your bill, so you may not even have to do "the math", just chose and sign.

I don't go until August and will be on the DP, so I don't have first hand knowledge.

 

[baby1disney]

I have been a server most of life since I was 15(I'm now 27) and I know the serving industry very well. It's true that alot of times customers do pay for our living because we only get like 2.75 an hour!! Which sucks...believe me!! On the weekends I work at a hotel as a banquet server and I love it!!! The money is awesome!!! Give you an example: My last check I worked 42 hrs and I grossed 784.88!! By the time my taxes were takin out and my 401k, I bought home 590.60!!! And that was just working for one friday, two saturdays, and a sunday!!! We get 5.50 an hour plus grat!!! Sometimes the money isn't worth it, other times it is !!

NO, it's not anyone's responsibilty to pay for a server's living, but at the same time, you have to think: What if this was me, one of my kids, a friend,etc.?? Would you want to stiff them even if they gave you great service?? I've had people tell me I was their best server ever and their bill was around $60 and all I got was maybe 5 or 6 dollars in tips....but to each their own.

Hopefully, they do make a killing down there because if they do have to tip out the busboy, bartender, and in some cases, the host/hostess(because if it wasn't for them, they wouldn't have any tables. That's how some places look at it.), then by the time they're done, they would have hardly anything for themselves. I would love to work for WDW and meet all kinds of different people. I do that now and I love it

Well, I must be off to bed and dream about the day that I can become part of the Happiest place on Earth---Oh wait, I already have!!! Thanks to my DF and his family, I have been bitten by the WDW bug and all I can say is:BITE ME MORE!!!!!

 

[cmwade77]

Well, it isn't necessarily your responsibility to make sure that servers make a living wage. There are lots of choices. McDonalds, Wendys, Burger King. However, when people wait on you while you sit at the table, they are not doing so out of the kindness of their hearts.

What people always seem to fail to realize is that "someone" has to pay these people a living wage or no one would want to do the job. So, the argument might then be that the resteraunt owners should be paying the servers a living wage. Great...guess who will realize that cost in the increase in food prices in order to subsidize the increase in wages? That is correct...us...and it will no longer be subjective in any way based on the level of service you receive. You will pay the newly inflated check, regardless of good or bad service.

Actually, the point I was making was that the restaurants make enough of a profit that they can afford to pay a living wage without raising prices, a 15% cut in profit still equates in many places to about a 50-60% profit on the food, not all, I know, but a lot of them.

 

[DiszyDean]

Actually, the point I was making was that the restaurants make enough of a profit that they can afford to pay a living wage without raising prices, a 15% cut in profit still equates in many places to about a 50-60% profit on the food, not all, I know, but a lot of them.

When you find a resteraunt owner or any other business owner who claims they can afford to take a 15% cut in profits, let me know.

By the way...50 - 60% profit on food or markup does not equate to a 50 - 60% profit for the business...there are other staff, rent, utlities, many other things to pay....The resteraunt business is probably not quite as profitable as you think.

 

[septbaby]

For buffets you don't need to tip 18%. Remember you're doing most of the work yourself by getting the food and drinks, plates, and silverware. They're basically just cleaning up after you. It's okay to leave a little less at buffets because of this so don't feel bad about doing that.

At Disney the servers do all of this for you. Have you seen the mess "you" can leave? Give me a break, cleaning up after Disney families isn't a pretty job, let's be candid about that. I think leaving a smaller than 18% tip is always your discretion, but last year when Disney was paying the tip the server got 18%, are they doing less work now?

For me personally, I'm glad Disney has a DP. I had it as part of the Free Dining promo last year and will enjoy that perk again this year. I've booked all buffet meals and am budgeting 18% for tips. In my case since our meals are all set price I know the exact amount. I also plan to leave cash so I don't create a bill/tab to pay later, after all I do have "free dining".

At home I go to one of the chain buffet places. The server brings plates, silverware, rolls and even refills drinks. I typically leave a tip equivalent to 20%, but it is rare that I see tips left on any other tables and those tables are full of stack of plates, sticky high chairs and messy floors. This is a $10 buffet, leaving even a $1pp isn't unreasonable, but it is highly unusual. I have to think maintaining servers here is difficult.

 

[shellybaxter]

I think we as a society have created the tip entitlement problem. We've allowed our representatives to legislate that a servers wage is paid partly by the restaurant and partly by the customer through tips. Servers do go into the job with there eyes open; they know that the law expects that they get part of their compensation through wages and part through tips.

I agree that a tip should reflect the level of service provides and should truly be a "thank you" from the customer, but when in Florida I do take the law into account and tip according to that and the service. It makes me angry that a sub minimum wage is even allowed, but I don't live in a state where it is so contacting my legislaters isn't going to accomplish anything.

 

[Narnia]

Last year when we went to florida for the first time we found out that waitresses at a pancake house only made $2 an hour .we refused to go there. Then we found out the truth US waiters really don't get paid. Most places we eat I give a 5 dollar tip. I eat at mainly all you can eat buffets with less then steller service though. Disney waiters unless they only get a few shifts a week with the tip amont they do really good. I'm sure pancake house costermers don't get as big of bills.Also in other resteraunts they have down times were there will hardly be anyone to surve but at disney they seem full. so I bet they bring home atleast 3x min wage. I feel it's a good amount of money. If I coose to give a 15% tip on a buffet that's really good I don't ask for much just fill my cup and take my plates(btw we are eating at mainly all you can eat places).

 

[pigletto]

Ratty 987 was surprised about how much Americans tip. my answer was addressing to a UK resident, whose country pays a living wage to waitstaff. It is a culture difference. When I wait on folks from Canada and England (I work in a tourist area), I often get NO TIP AT ALL! I don't get angry, I just assume that they are ignorant of our custom and didn't purposely, just that they are not farmiliar with the way it's done here.

Just had to pipe in for this quote...
As a Canadian.. who was a server in a very high traffic tourist area for years and years..
Our tipping custom is no different than yours.. we make far less than minimum wage as servers..and also rely on tips.
If you aren't getting tips from Canadians.. they simply did not want to tip for whatever reason...
Our tipping culture for servers is EXACTLY the same as yours.

 

[jamieT]

Ok I read each and every post before I put my two cents. First I have served before and did so pregnant, so I am perfectly aware of how hard of a job it can be. I am also a believer in good tipping. Now, someone mentioned a buffet at home where they gladly give 20% because they refill drinks, bring rolls remove plates. Yes by all means tip 20% But let me ask you this. your bill for four is what 40 bucks so tip is 8 dollars. Ok reasonable for the work. Now because of Disneys inflated price your buffet price per person goes from 10 per person to 30 per person. now I am not talking a fancier restaurant I am talking apples to apples. Does the inflated price mean inflated service? Do the servers now pick up the plates with their feet ? No! If you went to Ryans and your bill was forty bucks would you give 24 dollars?? Heck no! I don't think you should get some spectacular tip just because your employer charges rediculous prices. It doesn't mean I should be obligated to pay three times minimum wage for one hour of service. Now I know this sounds stingy, but I truely believe most people feel this way.
But here's the kicker although it aggravates me beyond words that prices are so inflated and to pay so much in tips seems crazy when we are paying a fortune for everything else am I going to leave the 18% gratuity? Yes of course. Do you know why? Because in the same way I will go into the gift shops and reel from the price I will still buy my souvineer. I also feel as though if you can spend 21 days in Disney then you can't exactly cry poor when it comes to tipping! Heres how I feel at TS if they do the job 15% If they do it well 18 If they do it well and entertain you 20% At the buffet grit your teeth and leave a decent tip. and believe me I will grit my teeth!

 

[eyor44]

Tipping. Interesting subject. I booked the DDP without knowing that tips were no longer included. Thought about whether I should cancel it for a few weeks and then did some research. Decided where I wanted to eat, looked at the current menus for each place, figured out an approximate tab and then figure the tip needed for each meal. We are doing a lot of TS, so it will run quite a bit of extra $$. I figured on 20% (optimistic). I rarely tip this high. Even adding in the tips we will still save about $300 over the course of a week. I have done an excel spreadsheet with figures of 10%, 15% & 20% for each TS we will be at. I plan to carry it with me to use as a guide, so I don't have to do much math while hot and tired. I usually start off with 15% and go up or down from there. Only once have I not left a tip. Long story but the server, who made it known that she was doing us a favor by waiting on us, left our food and bill and left the building I guess. There was a major problem with my food and I couldn't get anyones attention. No drink refills or anything. Good thing we didn't want dessert. We finally left and I didn't leave the tip. I let the hostess know when we were leaving about the horrible service and food and I was still charged for it. Manager wasn't to be found either. I wouldn't go back there again except my DM loves it.
Bottom line. I use the bill total as a guide, but the service is the main tip decision maker for me.

 

[septbaby]

Even adding in the tips we will still save about $300 over the course of a week. I have done an excel spreadsheet with figures of 10%, 15% & 20% for each TS we will be at. I plan to carry it with me to use as a guide, so I don't have to do much math while hot and tired.

Well you won't have to do any math as Disney will provide you with an 18% and 20% tip amounts and you can chose one of those if you like. If you want to leave less then you'll have to do some math.

 

[SoonipiLady]

Just had to pipe in for this quote...
As a Canadian.. who was a server in a very high traffic tourist area for years and years..
Our tipping custom is no different than yours.. we make far less than minimum wage as servers..and also rely on tips.
If you aren't getting tips from Canadians.. they simply did not want to tip for whatever reason...
Our tipping culture for servers is EXACTLY the same as yours.

Interesting to know that....in general, Canadains are the absolute WORST tippers up here in NH. Sometimes no tip at all. I wrongly assumed that they did not tip in Canada. (I must also admit that the last time we were in Montreal, I tipped lightly because of this fact...sorry to my waiters that last trip )

Maybe they are just taking a vacation from tipping, too!

Or perhaps, as I suspect, they are just oblivious that the US has the same server culture as Canada and assumes we pay servers better.

Karen

 

[ForeverDance]

in general, Canadains are the absolute WORST tippers up here in NH. Sometimes no tip at all.

That makes me very sad to hear

 

[Bell30012]

Our Disney Table Service experience has generally had average service. The waiter/waitress didn't go out of their way but generally didn't fail to serve us either. Thus they received an average tip.

With a couple of exceptions. When my daughter got a peanut butter & jelly Uncrustable at Liberty Tree Tavern they didn't have any grape. They weren't busy and the waiter told me to give him a minute and he'd see what he could come up with. A moment later I see him darting down the sidewalk outside of the window. My daughter got her grape Uncrustable and the waiter got a $20 tip even though we were on the DDP (and tips were included then).

When my daughter was three we were dining at Ohana's we were watching the fireworks display from our table. A very large man distracted by the fireworks dumped a stinky, foreign beer right down my daughters back. She was crying, her hair was wet, her dress was wet and being a newly single daddy, I wasn't handling it too well.

The magic could have been taken right out of that night but a waitress spoke with the manager. They got us a room key so that my daughter could have a bath, gave her a really big t-shirt and someone laundered her dress while she watched tv. The waitress that had helped us was not our waitress. Since we had not been charged for the meal or the room. And the waitress had went far above and beyond expectations she got $50 or $60 I can't remember which. But she saved the magic of that night. That waitress even braided my daughter's hair (something I have not quite ever mastered).

I still think that Disney should not serve beer at its resorts or parks but that goes to another topic.

 

[a_sailor's_wife]

I've worked in the food industry since I was in high school (a total of about 8 years). I started as a waitress and now work for our local school board in the food service department. When I waited tables my hourly rate was only $2.15 an hour. I still speak with the owner and guess what the hourly rate is now only $2.25. While it's not anyone's responsibility to make sure someone else leaves a tip, it is the right thing to do when someone has busted their bottom to serve you a nice, comfortable meal. There were days when I had 1 table and only made $10 (and I worked 9-10 hours). Other days I had 50 tables in that 9-10 and I made $300 or more. I think you should always tip based upon the service you recieved. If you recieved horrible service, don't tip and let the manager know so that the problem can be corrected. Don't punish all servers because you don't think they should be tipped. Punish the ones who didn't do a job. And the resturant I worked for couldn't afford to take a 15% cut to pay us. The cost of food is high as well as having over 50 servers rotating. Not to mention the hours we worked. While I was in high school I was working 60 hour weeks as well as going to school. I got out at 11 and worked until 10 every night and then did doubles (16 hour shifts or longer) on the weekends. Think about all that overtime.

The bases is to pay your wait staff based on their job performance. Did your drinks ever go empty? Did they check on you every so often? Did you have go find them? Were they friendly? Don't base it on if the food came out quickly or if it was good. Many times the servers don't/can't control that part due to having a cook staff.

 

[pigletto]

Interesting to know that....in general, Canadains are the absolute WORST tippers up here in NH. Sometimes no tip at all. I wrongly assumed that they did not tip in Canada. (I must also admit that the last time we were in Montreal, I tipped lightly because of this fact...sorry to my waiters that last trip )

Maybe they are just taking a vacation from tipping, too!

Or perhaps, as I suspect, they are just oblivious that the US has the same server culture as Canada and assumes we pay servers better.

Karen

That stinks

I did notice however that I did much better for tips in restaurants not in the tourist district. It may be that when people are on vacation they are spending so much they are extra tight with tipping.
Hard to say.
I was frequently left nothing in our busy tourist restaurants but that never happened in the other places I worked.