On the DDP and tips

[EmilyPr1981]

I am wondering how you tip on the DDP. I know most of you tip as all of us seem very nice but last trip there was there for the free DDP having a fit that it did not include tips. He swore he read it included at 18% tips, I told him it did not include tims and we typically leave 15%-25% tip. He said I did not budget for that besides I hear that they get great heath insurance. So he did not tip, sad thing was he looked well off and his wife had a 750 dollar bag with her. So later on that trip another family first time a WDW was all confused about tips, the mom asked me what do you do this is our first meal. I told her you can sign off on a tip to your room, she did not like that idea as they where on a strict budget. One thing is this family looked like they saved and saved for there trip so money was tight. She told her kids that some of the spending money for toys will go for tips. At least they made a effort all they told me they can afford is 5-10 dollars per meal. At least the effort was there.

 

[aviva5675]

We were on the deluxe plan last week. Knew tips were not included. Tipped 20 percent for all meals, except at Flying Fish and WPC where the service was not good. FF food was really good, but they had an issue with service that night, and we were there early.

 

[e6bflyer]

I fall under the "mandatory 18% tip" due to my family size. That being said, if the service was awful, I would ask to reduce the 18% (I haven't had to yet). If the service is good (it sometimes is really good), I will add more on the bottom of the check.

*RANT* If you are there on FREE dining, do the legwork to read and understand that it doesn't include a tip. It doesn't matter how much the servers make in a day, how good their health insurance is, or how much you budgeted, gratuity in the US is expected in the 15-20% range for decent service. If you fail to tip these people, you are a cheapskate and you are failing to uphold your end of the bargain. The tip is part of the meal cost, period. Servers make LESS than minimum wage as a base wage because they are expected to earn tips to make up for it. *END RANT*

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Through 2007, the DDP included an 18% tip for all meals. This was back when there was only one type of dining plan.

Starting January 1, 2008, tips were no longer included in any dining plan with table service. The deluxe plan was instituted then, and it also does not include tips. Some meals (CRT, HDDR, SOL Luau, Mickey's Backyard Barbecue, in-room dining and pizza delivery) still include the tip or service charge on the DDP. In the case of the dinner shows and CRT, this is because the regular price of the meal includes gratuity.

Any party of six or more will be billed a mandatory 18% tip which can only be reduced by a manager for poor service. "I can't afford a tip" will not be sufficient reason to have the automatic tip reduced.

 

[seashoreCM]

Tips re based on the non-discounted or price of the menu items (as printed in the menu).

Whether or not a "tip" is included (shown) on the check, difficulties with porr service should be brought up with the manager, preferably with the server in the conversation.

 

[theeisens]

The servers work very hard for very little money. You try living on what they make. It always makes me upset when people think dont have to tip because they get paid well, or good health coverage. Why are people so cheap? Most of the time the people who dont tip have more money then the people who do tip. My wife and i work very hard to give our family this trip every year, yet we still save enough to tip every meal. So all i can day is give up the starbucks and save a extra 15 bucks a say and pay the darn tip.

 

[Pixie Princess]

I will be honest.. I was annoyed when the gratuities were no longer included in the dining plan. To me this reduced the value of adding on the DDP. However, I realize the individual servers were not the ones there negotiating to have this removed from the plan.. no need to take out my frustration on them! I will tip 18% unless the service is exceptional. In that case I'll tip 20% or possibly more.

I have found that Disney makes it pretty clear tips are not included in the DDP. I can understand being frustrated if someone thought otherwise, but the server is just the messenger. No need to take it out on them particularly if they deliver the message kindly. (Have heard of servers being aggressive about letting you know tips are not included.)

 

[Torinate]

Am I to believe that even if the service is poor and completely not worthy of an 18% tip, I will still be charged that amount because my dining party is 8?

I strongly believe that tipping is mandatory. I am by nature a very large tipper as I see this as their profession and they need to make a living too. However, if an experience is poor and the service warrants a poor tip (read - not "no" tip), I cannot change that? That is truly unfair! It is MY money that I am giving towards the customer service experience. At the point of the tip, I am paying a salary to a private contractor - I am not paying for the meal itself or for an item. I should have the last say in what I FEEL the service is worth, NOT Disney.

Yea, that's a mouthful. I want to tip over the 18%. It means that the meal and service was truly memorable. I really don't like to have a poor meal or lousy customer service.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you are a party of six or more, and you receive what you consider to be poor service, you may consult with a manager at the restaurant while you are still there - not if you leave and try taking it up with guest services - regarding reducing the amount of the mandatory gratuity. You'll probably need to explain your reasoning to the manager. Unless you do that you will be billed for the full 18 percent. This procedure and the mandatory tip amount of 18% is the same at all WDW restaurants, including buffets.

There's also a mandatory 18% tip added for all Tables in Wonderland members, regardless of party size or amount of bill.

 

[serene56]

Am I to believe that even if the service is poor and completely not worthy of an 18% tip, I will still be charged that amount because my dining party is 8?

I strongly believe that tipping is mandatory. I am by nature a very large tipper as I see this as their profession and they need to make a living too. However, if an experience is poor and the service warrants a poor tip (read - not "no" tip), I cannot change that? That is truly unfair! It is MY money that I am giving towards the customer service experience. At the point of the tip, I am paying a salary to a private contractor - I am not paying for the meal itself or for an item. I should have the last say in what I FEEL the service is worth, NOT Disney.

Yea, that's a mouthful. I want to tip over the 18%. It means that the meal and service was truly memorable. I really don't like to have a poor meal or lousy customer service.

this is not just a disney thing but many restruants charge the 15% automatically if your party is of 8 people.

 

[e6bflyer]

this is not just a disney thing but many restruants charge the 15% automatically if your party is of 8 people.

You have to talk to a manager, basically make it well known your intentions, to decrease the 18%. They charge you based on party size, too, no matter how young the 6th person is (ie - infant = person, even if they don't eat solid food).

 

[Hoosier Mom]

I told her you can sign off on a tip to your room, she did not like that idea as they where on a strict budget. One thing is this family looked like they saved and saved for there trip so money was tight. She told her kids that some of the spending money for toys will go for tips. At least they made a effort all they told me they can afford is 5-10 dollars per meal. At least the effort was there.

Any unforeseen problems with charging the tip to your room? Or is cash a better idea?

 

[KellyNY]

That is why we did not go during free DP. I figured out that room will be more expensive and I will have to pay tips, I counted, it would be additional $400 for a week for us.We prefer to get room discount and dine on our own, we do not need TS every day or 3x a day, 2 or 3 TS per trip more then enough for us and we will order what we want, no limits. Back to tipping, I am the one who always tip, less or more, depends on service but always tip. I never experienced that bad service to leave without tipping, and I do not care much how much they make and what other perks if any they have, they served me, they do deserve tip and if they were really good, it going to be a really good tip. I agree however that when tips were included some of them were lazy, I remember eating at Morokesh(SP) with tips included, it was terrible, we got no smile from our waiter, he was rushing us up with orders and brough a check, before we could even start our food, I did not go to manager, but if I would tip him, I would round to closest ten, even if it would be $1. At England however, we tipped additional to included tips, service was that good(not food however).

 

[Torinate]

Hmmm... This is completely unethical. What possible right do the restaurants (any that practice this) have in adding this fee onto the bill? If they want the full 18% EVERY MEAL, then they need to include it up front on the price of meals etc.

What they are in essence doing, is allowing for poor service. Id a waiter / witress automatically knows they're getting 18% regardless of there performance, the effort will be poor. Not always, but i'll bet the majority of the time. To them, they don't have to "earn" the full amount - their paycheque doesn't hinge on if they try or not, just if they show up.

For those managers here that supervise staff on commission, do you feel that the commission itself is motivation to try? There is absolutely no incentive to try to serve (that is their profession remember) if they're getting the full amount anyways.

I'm sorry, but my opinion is that this is completely wrong! If I see a meal is $10, I expect to pay $10. If the service is good, they will have a good tip. If the service is poor, they will receive a poor tip. I do not expect my $10 meal to automatically be $11.80 regardless of how poor the service was! Once again, that tip is money EARNED by the service person. They are independant contractors - that's why they do not earn minimum wage even - the tip is completely between the patron and the service person. They need to earn it. It is not an automatic thing!

Grrr...

Sorry for the vent. I guess i'm just miffed that places are legally allowed to do this. I'm looking forward to spending other's money for them...

 

[wdwpirates]

I was annoyed when tips were no longer included in the DDP but we got over it. Not a huge deal. We generally tip cash when using the DDP. We found that's what works for us best. We tip anywhere between 15-25% depending on the service.

 

[danny1649]

Moved your thread here to our Dining Plan Board ,I think the experts here can add some great info to your question.Danny

 

[Tricia1972]

All tipping discussion on the Restaurant board is limited to The Disney Dining Tipping Info thread, which can be found stickied at the top of the main forum. Please take a few moments to read the first post. It explains why there is just one thread, has the thread guidelines and even a tipping FAQ.

Moved your thread here to our Dining Plan Board ,I think the experts here can add some great info to your question.Danny

I am so glad to read that you just moved this over here Danny. I thought I was losing my mind and couldn't figure out how we missed a tipping thread for over 24 hours.