No excuse for bad service on DP

[SlightlyGoofy]

I was thinking last night. Yes, sometimes I do do that.

Many of the TS DP meals come up to near $100 per meal for two and that would mean that the tip would be $18 per table.

If a waitperson had 3-4 tables an hour that would mean an hourly wage of about $52-$73 an hour.

Not having much experience with this type of work I might be wrong in my thoughts. If so, please educate me.

I keep hearing how people are expecting and dreading getting bad service on the DP because the waitpeople will be upset at ONLY getting 18%. If my figures are true and even supposing that they sometimes get more than 18% I would also think that they often get less than that too.

Even at the buffet restaurants @ about $70 per meal it would still be $37.80 for 3 tables and $50.40 for 4 tables. I am guessing that there might be more tables for buffets as there is not as much 'service' needed.

I expect nothing but good service, within reasonable limits, on my upcoming trip and feel that if I do not get it the fault will lie with the waitstaff rather than the plan.

I await your comments and see if my thoughts have any validity.

Slightly Goofy

 

[doombuggy3]

I was thinking last night. Yes, sometimes I do do that.

Really?!?! ME TOO! Only sometimes though...

I expect nothing but good service, within reasonable limits, on my upcoming trip and feel that if I do not get it the fault will lie with the waitstaff rather than the plan.

I've read on these boards that it is in the waitstaffs best interest to get you to choose the best dishes for the dining plan. As your math calculated, they have the potential to make quite a bit of money the hour. I haven't used the dining plan yet, so I can't comment on the service...

...But I'll be able to in 18 days!!!!

 

[tfiga]

I used the plan last May and am using it again in 3 days Woo Hoo... I always had good service... Also my sister is a waitress and told me she would be thrilled with 18% guaranteed on every table.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

doombuggy3, you are so right about too much thinking. Many of the evils of the world have been caused by people thinking too much. Oh, okay, electricity was not too bad an idea but really what could old Ben have been thinking to go out in a thunderstorm? Just pure 'dumb' luck IMO.

I will look forward to hearing about your experiences. I have a feeling that you generally get what you give and if a person goes in grumpy and expecting the world they will always be disappointed. I find expecting nothing works well as when things go well I am so delightfully surprised.

Slightly Goofy

 

[Disney Debbie]

I agree - my DD was a waitress for a VERY short time and she would have some tables that tipped her hugely - and some that didn't leave a penny! (And she was a great waitress - no, seriously - within 2 weeks of working there she had several regulars tell her she was the best they had) So a guaranteed 18% off of people with no $ limit to what they have to get - would have been great.

I don't think the DP has anything to do with good or bad service - Just like in the "real world" I've certainly paid OOP for plenty of meals that I had bad service - and plenty that I had good service. I can honestly say that except for our little mini trip in March where we ate at Big River Brewing Co - I've never had truly bad service at WDW. And even there it was the front desk that screwed things up - not the waiter.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Disney Debbie, I fear that there are those who believe that only the most expensive items are worthwhile. I sincerely hope that I do not get a waitperson who insists that I order the most expensive items just so they can get a bigger tip. I plan to eat what I feel like eating.

Did you daughter notice what I have? The bigger a mess or more demanding the patron the less tip they leave?

You survived Big River without complaints about the food, cramped quarters and bad service? I went once and it was enough for me. The Boards have been rife with warnings about the place. It is a shame. I have often thought that Disney might be well served to encourage competition between their restaurants. Pride can be a good thing.

Slightly Goofy who would love to earn $40-50 bucks an hour

 

[TSM1993]

I was a server(waitress) for awhile and I have recieved anywhere from a $.25 to $5.00 tip ocassionally more. I was working at the local Perkins the $.25 tip was from a bunch of retired gentlemen who were really pains in the butt and wanted things for free (during breakfast hours) for a total of 12 men I earned 3 bucks. Tips got better during lunch but for working from 6am -2 pm I averaged about $30.00 on tips plus my 2.63 an hour. SO I was making about
$6.38 an hour. So a guaranteed 18% I would have loved to have. The whole time I worked there I never had a complaint about me so it was my waitressing ability.

No flaming about the retired gentlemen remark just using as an example how the tips varied. Them being pains in the butt were I would tell them when they asked for more OJ. I would tell them that refills were not free and they said they knew that and I would remind them everyweek and everytime they looked at the bill they would have a hard time with having to pay for the 2nd glass of OJ.

 

[TSM1993]

The bigger a mess or more demanding the patron the less tip they leave?


Exactlly I have noticed that. I have gotten bigger tips from people I have fussed with the least. I took their orders got their drinks apps and dinner went back checked if they wanted something refills cleared some plates went back and asked ir they wanted dessert if not left the bill with them at that time. They left me bigger tips then the ones I got several refills for and dessert for.

 

[Disney Debbie]

Did you daughter notice what I have? The bigger a mess or more demanding the patron the less tip they leave?

You survived Big River without complaints about the food, cramped quarters and bad service? I went once and it was enough for me. The Boards have been rife with warnings about the place. It is a shame. I have often thought that Disney might be well served to encourage competition between their restaurants. Pride can be a good thing.

Yes she did notice that - and like a poster above she had 3 older ladies that would come in for the Sunday family style meal. You basically are served platters of whatever the Sunday dinner is that day. They would complain about the temperature, not enough salt, too much salt blah, blah, blah - and would send it back. This was family style! It all came out of the same pot - so DD would dish up another platter and they'd be happy - not a thing different about it! But they would leave pathetic tips - and the nice easy to please people would leave good tips. But she wasn't making enough to make it worth her while to work that hard and put up with the jerk and his mother who ran the place. I was really pretty proud of her when she quit - The mother told some other girl to sweep up a foyer and that girl didn't. Then she started yelling at DD "why didn't you clean that up?" When DD told her she wasn't the one she'd told to she yelled at her some more. So she starts sweeping and the son comes out and points out a dust bunny in an area she hadn't gotten to and called her stupid! She looked at him, put the broom down and walked out. This was the final straw of a lot of that kind of treatment.

And as far as Big River - we were outside so that was okay - and my food was actually good. However my SIL's wasn't and several others had cold food. Plus the front desk was paging the wrong pager and we waited forever and when we finally checked on the hold up and realized the guy still acted snotty like it was our fault HE'd been paging the wrong pager! Anyway - we won't bother with that place again!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

When my sister comes over to WDW to visit when we are there she usually brings this one friend. I swear I have never been out to eat with her that she has not constantly complained about the food and usually insists on sending something back. I think she is insecure and this is how she makes herself feel powerful. I think I would rather dine alone than deal with such.

Disney Debbie, I am glad that you did not suffer more from Big River. Next time give Spoodles a chance??

TSM1993, I was the world's worst waitress for a short time. (think Rosanne Barr before she became 'famous"). Now I suffer from being something quite different. There is something about me that makes waitstaff feel comfortable telling me their entire life and even to the point of sitting at my table, while my food gets cold. I then feel I have to overtip because we are now 'friends'. There ARE a couple of people I met this way that I am still in contact with though.

Slightly Goofy

 

[nursemelis374]

I was a server for 4 years while in college and I would have been very happy with a guaranteed 18% on every table. I also am betting that people would feel generous since the tip is prepaid and be likely to give more.

I have a lot to say about people and tipping, especially those with messy children, bad attitudes, the Sunday after0church crowd, etc.; but this thread is not long enough!

 

[Acklander]

From what I understand, the wait person doesn't get 18% of what you order, but gets 18% of what Disney Dining pays the restaurants per person. It's a flat rate per adult and a flat rate per child. When a wait person is stearing you towards the more expensive items it's for your benefit, not theirs.

Also, not everyone in the restaurant is on the dining plan, so there is no guarantee that the wait person is going to get 18% tip. You also have off site guests, locals, and foreign guests who may not realize that 18% is a standard.

And from my own experience as a waitress, the wait person doesn't get 100% of the tips anyway - a portion is tipped out to the bus person, to the bartender, the runners etc....

Considering all the variables, I think it would be very difficult to figure out how much they actually make in tips.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi Acklander! If the waitstaff are only getting 18% of what the dining program costs that might be a different story but still no reason to treat people badly.

What I remember most from my brief stint is that one place I worked at made everyone pool their tips and then they were divided up. Smacked of Communism to me. I also suspicioned that other hands were dipping into the tip jar.

I am curious as to why there would be many bad waiters at DW since I am thinking that they have the opportunity to earn a lot more than many in the food service industry and I bet they have a waiting list a mile long.

Wonder if people at a lower priced restaurant yearn to be upgraded to the more expensive ones because their tips would be larger?

Slightly Goofy

 

[Acklander]

Hi Acklander! If the waitstaff are only getting 18% of what the dining program costs that might be a different story but still no reason to treat people badly.

Slightly Goofy

I was just explaining out my reasons for not being able to guess what a wait person might or not might make at Disney. I don't think theirs ever an excuse for bad service. If you don't like the compensation - go elsewhere, has always been my motto.
I remember last year people complainint that they didn't think the service was as good during the free dining as during other times of year. I think that was because they ended up with a lot more people doing the free dining than they planned and were probably a bit understaffed. Hopefully they've worked out whatever kinks they have.

 

[Disney Debbie]

From what I understand, the wait person doesn't get 18% of what you order, but gets 18% of what Disney Dining pays the restaurants per person. It's a flat rate per adult and a flat rate per child. When a wait person is stearing you towards the more expensive items it's for your benefit, not theirs.

I think you're wrong on this. I specifically asked when I booked my package how much the tip was because I wanted to know if I need to plan on extra if they were only doing some flat rate or some piddling amount. The CM told me they got 18% of what the bill would have been if we were paying OOP.

 

[LoriZH]

From what I understand, the wait person doesn't get 18% of what you order, but gets 18% of what Disney Dining pays the restaurants per person. It's a flat rate per adult and a flat rate per child. When a wait person is stearing you towards the more expensive items it's for your benefit, not theirs.

.

I'm curious, how do you know that? I thought they received 18% of the total bill, it even tells you how much is given. Are you saying that they don't receive what we think they are receiving that is printed on our bill? I also thought Disney owned the restaurants on the plan, not so? That's not right, we pay for the dining plan and I want to make sure the waitstaff (if good) gets the right tip. Anyone else hear of this before?

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Acklander, dear me! I in no way meant to be rude to you. I am so very sorry. It is what I get for forgetting people cannot see my smiling face. It was meant toward the waitpeople who do not understand that it is a service job and then expect to be paid for services that they did not provide. I know people who complain about all the things they have to do and then complain because they do not get 30% tips. It is an insiduous thing, tipping. Part of me wants the businesses to build in a living wage for everyone but then part of me understands that there would not be as much incentive for some people to do as well. I think you are very right in what caused so many problems last year. I am also thinking that is why they have expanded the snack options, too few venues, too many questions. It takes awhile to work kinks out of most anything. Hope they have them all out by September.

Disney Debbie and LoriCH, I imagine that the waitstaff is making out on the DP one way or another. It has greatly increased the business in most restaurants so that would be a big help. I am curious as to whether they might lower the quality of the food in order to make more profit though since they will have a 'captive' audience in that we have either paid for or are on the Free Dining and will thus be predisposed to eat on site.

Slightly Goofy

 

[Disney Debbie]

LoriZ - I don't know if you saw my post after Acklander - but I know they're getting 18% of the total.

I am curious as to whether they might lower the quality of the food in order to make more profit though since they will have a 'captive' audience in that we have either paid for or are on the Free Dining and will thus be predisposed to eat on site.

Slightly Goofy

I think they would be very unwise to do that. I would imagine that most of the diners are NOT on the dining plan. There's still tons of people that go to WDW without a clue - everyone isn't obssessed with it like we are!!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

everyone isn't obssessed with it like we are!

My first thought was - REALLY?????

My second thought was - Good!!!

Slightly Goofy

 

[ameraumi]

From what I understand, the wait person doesn't get 18% of what you order, but gets 18% of what Disney Dining pays the restaurants per person. It's a flat rate per adult and a flat rate per child. When a wait person is stearing you towards the more expensive items it's for your benefit, not theirs.

I saved my receipts from the DDP last month and went and pulled them out. There were a few times we forgot to mention the DDP until right before they brought out the bill so we were able to get both the before and after totals. The server does get 18% of the total bill. An example is we ate breakfast at Crystal Palace. For 5 adults/1 child the subtotal was $105.94. 18 % of that total is $19.07 (rounded to the nearest cent). The statement we received after the DDP was figured showed the total cost was $131.90. So:

Adults: 94.95
Child: 10.99
Tax: 6.89
Total before tip: $112.83
Tip: 19.07
TOTAL: $131.90

We never had bad service at any of our meals. Actually the servers were great about letting us know of our options and made sure we got everything we were supposed to.