News on DDE

[A Mickeyfan]

Sorry if this has been posted before, but wanted to post it. A friend of mine is in the World now and was eating at Mama Melrose when speaking to one of the CM's there she mentioned that the DDE card (as of Jan) will now be adding an 18% gratuity charge to all the sit down's no matter what size your party is. While I usually leave a 20%, I don't at a buffet. I feel the buffet, they are not brining me my food, I am. I leave anywhere from 10-15%. Also, if the service isn't good, I don't leave 20% at a regular sit down. So now the 18% will automaticly be added, good service or not! We will in effect be saving 2% whether we like it or not . I am wondering if anyone has heard of any other changes that might be taking place, like if they are cutting out some food courts or anything. I am sure they will be changing the way you can use it in AK since there will be a sit down there now.

 

[TDC Nala]

There is speculation that they may be removing the AK counter service restaurants because AK now has a full service restaurant that accepts DDE (Tusker House; Yak & Yeti is not accepting DDE) but until the '08 restaurant lists come out, we won't know for sure.

I usually tipped the same at buffets so I'm not personally offended by the autograt for buffets.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So now the 18% will automaticly be added, good service or not! We will in effect be saving 2% whether we like it or not

There are a number of threads on this topic, most closed by now by the moderators.

DDE Guests "will in effect be saving 2%..." ONLY if those Guests were not intending to tip.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think saving 2% refers to the fact that if you generally tipped 20%, unless you add to the autograt, which some say they are not inclined to do, you're now going to be tipping 18% - a savings of 2%. If you generally tipped less than 18% then you aren't saving anything and in fact, your perception will be that DDE will now cost you.

Those who mentioned the dimunition of the discount would say "now it's only a 2% discount." I did wonder what (or if) they generally tipped.

 

[disfanatiks]

At Disney, my DH always tips between 20 to 25% as he feels we are on vacation and likes to take care of the staff. On holidays he has actually tipped more. When told about this...we will for sure be saving 2 to 7% of what we usually tip.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I am mainly talking about the buffets, I do not tip them 20%, they do not do the same as a normal sit down. My DD is a server and I don't stiff any of them unless I have horrible service, as I did in 1900 Park Fare once. They tried to over charge me by one adult and the server was knew for a fact that she was doing it too! I did a thread on this. I did not leave her a tip. If service is just ok, like they get our orders mixed up & bring us cold food (has been done many times) or they never come by to see if we need a refill, I don't leave 20%, I leave 15%. A tip is just that, a tip for good service.. not to be expected to fill in the gap for poor paying positions. Give good service, get a good tip, give poor service, get a smaller tip. Give horrible service by over charging..get no tip. I work hard for my money as they do to. I am not going to make up what Disney isn't giving them just because Disney says so. Just as they do at CS food court, they add a 10% tip for you to be seated and them to bring over your silverware. If you have your own mug, you get your own drink as well as your own food... why are you to tip 10%... for silverware?

When you have to get up to get your own food and have to sit and wait for them to clear your plates away, I don't feel they should be tipped the same as a sever that is running their bottoms off to make you happy. The buffet servers are not working nearly as hard as the others, why should they get the same I worked as a server many many years ago myself. I know the difference. I guess I will stop here before this thread gets closed too.... These are just my feelings....

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

I just feel compelled to add my opinion to these threads.

We only tip less than 20% if service is poor. We often tip more. If DDE is automatically adding 18%, we will still add on to our usual minimum or more.

So many people here have stated that they usually tip 20% but will "save 2%" with the new autograt of 18%. Why should the cast member servers lose out. Come on, is the math that hard? Don't you have a calculator on your cell phone?