New DDP- Servers not happy!

[yngsj]

I don't want to carry extra cash for tips. Does anyone know if you can charge tips to resort or credit card?

 

[just another guy]

I don't want to carry extra cash for tips. Does anyone know if you can charge tips to resort or credit card?

Thats whats rumored, but nothing is for sure. The smart idea for disney would be to have everyone on the DDP, be required to have a credit card linked to their room card. You give the server your room card, they swipe it, and come back with paperwork. The meals are taken care of DDP, it shows out what if anything is charged to the room(such as beers), and then there would be a blank spot for the tip to be written in.

 

[Colleen27]

You know this always suprises me. I've seen nothing on the restaurant prices that shock me. NOW, snacks and that kind of stuff I'll never get used to, but the menu prices just dont seem that out of line to me. If my wife and I go out and eat at a table service place, You just dont get out for much less then $20 a person, and it's EASILY much more as you step up a notch or 2.

I agree. Disney table serice prices aren't that out of line with what you'd pay elsewhere. The Japanese restaurant we like in nowhere, Ohio adds up to a bigger tab than Teppanyaki will. The steakhouse we like here at home is priced pretty comparably to Le Cellier, maybe a dollar or two less but for much more simply prepared food. And we easily spend more at The Melting Pot than we do at most Disney signature restaurants.

Now the counter service and snack prices are cause for a raised eyebrow or two, but we don't find the table service pricing to be out of line with similar quality restaurants outside the World.

 

[Lewisc]

I wonder if the extra taxes they will pay by claiming all their tips would have something to do with the servers requesting for a change. That's 20-30% off the top. Worth getting stiffed a couple of times.

All evidence points to Disney not the servers demanding the change. Tips paid by credit card or room charge are subject to being reported, probably not worth getting stiffed.

 

[just another guy]

All evidence points to Disney not the servers demanding the change. Tips paid by credit card or room charge are subject to being reported, probably not worth getting stiffed.

Yup, it was all disney, not the servers. Whats truely pathetic is the union. They actually agreed at some point in the past to never strike. Whats the point of the union then? I guarantee if all the servers threatened to walk out, the grat would be included in 08, but the union caved at some point in the past and gave up the power to strike.

 

[Lewisc]

My understanding is the servers only represent a small percentage of the collective bargaining unit. I doubt the rest of the members would vote for a strike, just to preserve high guaranteed tips.



Even if every guest tips 18% the average checks will be lower due to the deletion of included appetizers.

 

[Jenna45]

I plan on still using the ddp, based on the deluxe version, I hope to use that, with that said there is only two of us. I normally tip 20% at TS resturants and I tip in a buffet based on my service, if they pick up the plates etc, I contine to tip at 20% but if I never see my server my tip would reflect this. With that said, I guessing I will average at least an addtional 30.00 dollars a day, while I would prefer to pay some more upfront to offset having to carry the cash, the actual tipping process does not bother me... During our last visit it was my sons birthday and at WCC the waitress was terrible , she never brought him cake or dessert for that matter, she did not sing, and she actually never even remember to bring him a refill on his soda, she got the standard disney 18%, but I wonder had we not been on DDP would she have remembered ?

 

[Minnie0107]

The sad truth is that the servers will most likely see a drop in income. I waited tables though college and many people just do not tip. Sometimes it is because they forget and sometimes it is because they are cheap or just picky. I would say for every 5 tables you have only two will leave a 15% or more tip. Some people cannot be pleased no matter how hard you try. The DDP cut out alot of these loses for the servers. I think it is really sad b/c this could cause some of the better servers to quit because they can no sustain the same income they had w/ DDP.

 

[disneyfan67]

We'll have to wait and see what actually happens of course, but my feeling is that a fair # of folks will still use the 2008 DDP with "saving money" as the paramount interest. And then save more by not tipping at the proper levels.

That's just about how I feel as well. I have worked in the food service industry and have known my fair share of waiters/waitresses and it can really surprise you how cheap people can be. Some just are clueless, some just don't care, and some will take their frustration of the high prices on the people who have no control over it, the wait staff.

Disney has put those servers/waitstaff in an awkward position with this new policy, IMO. I'm glad I don't have to be the one to explain to a guest who is already overwhelmed by the amount of money they're putting out, that my tip isn't included. There's a lot of costs to a WDW vacation that people don't anticipate and a newbie to the World of Disney can get shell shocked. You should have seen my 74 year old dad on his first trip to WDW, after a few days, his comment was "everyone has their hand out for a tip and I'm going broke."

 

[disneyfan67]

The sad truth is that the servers will most likely see a drop in income. I waited tables though college and many people just do not tip. Sometimes it is because they forget and sometimes it is because they are cheap or just picky. I would say for every 5 tables you have only two will leave a 15% or more tip. Some people cannot be pleased no matter how hard you try. The DDP cut out alot of these loses for the servers. I think it is really sad b/c this could cause some of the better servers to quit because they can no sustain the same income they had w/ DDP.

Amen! I personally know someone who is one of those people who will tip very poorly, if not all. I have seen him put two dollars on a table for a bill that's in the 75 dollar range and the service was good. He has more than enough money, but thinks it's no big deal to bring food to a table. His attitude is, if they don't like it, get another job that pays better and no one told them to work there.

I saw him leave no tip when he found out the restaurant we went to for breakfast, had a no free refill on soda policy. It wasn't the servers fault that the restaurant had that policy. I went back unnoticed so not to cause any problems and left a tip. I rarely go out to dinner with him any more.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Last winter there were a lot of contract negotiations with restaurant staff. One of the things being voted on was a automatic tip being added in. I was under the impression that the servers wanted it removed. My guess was that having it added automatically made it a highly taxed position. When I worked as a waitress in college the best part of the job was the instant gratification of cash in my pocket. All I am trying to say is I think that the decision to take the tip off the DDP was really a REQUEST by the restaurant workers.

My friends AAA travel agent just told her that the servers wanted the auto tip removed. I don't know if this is the real story, but IMHO they are fools if they voted to have the tips removed. We have used the DP 3 times and have tipped extra for good service each time (making their tip at least 20%, usually more). The restaurants were full and the servers had to be making good money with people getting appetisers and deserts. Even if they were forced to claim a higher percentage of tips for taxes, I have a hard time believing it wasn't worth the money they were making.

I doubt we would ever use the DP again with the changes. We never ate sit down meals every day for years before the DP (and when we did I never remember it being hard to get ADRs), but ate more counter service and off site a few times. If the tip removal was a Disney decision, then they are getting very greedy. The DP kept us paying rack rates and prevented us from eating and drinking off site. I think a lot of people are going to forgo the DP in 2008.

 

[william4192]

I so wish I could be a bad tipper...I always go in with the intention of tipping poorly (I Just don't like the concept), but I always ending up tipping fairly good).

 

[lilyv]

I so wish I could be a bad tipper...I always go in with the intention of tipping poorly (I Just don't like the concept), but I always ending up tipping fairly good).

Your tips were so appreciated! DD has waited tables (not at Disney) through college and grad school. Servers sometimes don't make enough to cover the gas it took for them to get to the restaurant....or other times, there were too many scheduled, and a few are arbitrarily sent home. It's a tough way to make a few bucks...and even when you have a great night, you have to balance it with the many nights you don't make much at all. And don't even get me started on how they have to pay for their own uniforms many places. Add in that some places the tips are pooled and divided, well you see...it's not easy waiting tables.

 

[kid-at-heart]

I always have had great service from Disney's waiters and waitresses (with the exception of a waitress at the Rainforest Cafe - will not be going back there). I do not think Disney cut the tips to encourage their employees to work harder. I find this issue very "employee unfriendly" of Disney!!!

 

[honeymo78]

We all have no idea what the servers got as part of the union contract (other than automatic tip on groups of 6 and DDE users). While they may not be happy about losing guaranteed tips - I know I wouldn't be - they, and the rest of the bargaining unit, may have gotten other benefits that were more important to the whole than keeping the tips.

 

[patsal]

I'm starting to get the impression that most families are larger and have the smaller number of 6 or more so that the tip is automatic anyway. While talking to others and looking around at my own hbits sure I only have two kids and while we travel alone mostly occaionally I can convince others in the family to join us--add Grandma and Grandpa and we're at 6 auto grat! Add cousins and my sister and we're at 7 do the whole darn family and poof I'm at 14. Looks like only smaller parties will be partaking inthe non auto tip. Looks like even if it is just my family but a few friends join us for dinner we still have the new auto 18% tip. I wonder how many couples only or smaller families would be inclined to stiff on the tip. I only say this because look at how crazy lunch with five other co workers can be when everyone wants to figure their bill to the gnats behind! This scenario is eliminated with the 18% auto grat.

 

[TwitterMouse]

I have such trouble with math, I generally try to figure out 20% in my head, fail, round up and end up leaving like 25-30% because I simply can't do math. (Yes, I'm dumb )
This trip I'm armed with the tip calculator on my cell phone!
I do think the servers will be losing out with this though, especially if people don't realize the tip isn't included and stiff the server. Eek.

 

[robind]

But you know what I don't feel bad at all, they are getting what they deserve IMO. The main reason for the gratuity not being in the plan from my understanding was the big stink the union made about getting it removed because they weren't getting the whole 18%. So now they have made their bed and will have to sleep in it. You know they say be careful what you ask for you just might get it.

Amen, I couldn't agree more.
I'll be interested to see if you are given a 'bill' that shows what you would have spent if it was a cash transaction. Even if people did tip 18%, because there is no appetizer the bill's are going to be less so the tip will be less. I waited tables for many years and I will never, ever tip more than 10% for a buffet, which is mostly what we do when our big group goes.
I also wonder - several times when I've tried to make reservations for our group of 7, they book me 2 tables for 4 and 3 - will we be expected to pay the automatic gratuity. I doubt we will be getting the plan again.

 

[just another guy]

But you know what I don't feel bad at all, they are getting what they deserve IMO. The main reason for the gratuity not being in the plan from my understanding was the big stink the union made about getting it removed because they weren't getting the whole 18%.

Wow did you hear wrong. The only way the severs "don't get the full 18%" is because its added to their paychecks. Lets say a server works 20 hours at $3(60 total) and received $300 in grat. Their paycheck would be about $280ish. The rest of it went to taxes.

There were no servers complaining about that. It was simply a case of the higher ups at disney seeing what other little tiny aspect they car cut to save them another quarter. They keep chiseling away at their cast members while filling their own pockets. It will come back to haunt them one day. Walt would be rolling over in his grave if he could see this company now.

 

[faindrops27]

As a cook, in a resteraunt. I have a hard time feeling "bad" for a server. When on a weekday, they leave the resteraunt. With at least 150-200, a night in tips. Less thier pay per hour..350+ on a weekend. I personally know a server. He is an ok guy. Who works 4 days a week, and his take home is no less than 1400 per week. He owns a nice home, out on Long Island, with 2 newer cars. I do not know why people feel so "bad" for servers. I am really confused at the attitude, of the poor servers.