Ouestion about TIW card

[epcot1stfave]

Thinking about getting a TIW card this year (next week Yay ) and wondered if I could use it at Mama Melroses on the Fantasmic package.

 

[tobikaye]

No, it cannot be used with the Fantasmic dinner packages.

 

[snykymom]

It can't be used with any of the "special" meals - Dine with Imagineer, Fantasmic, CP, Dine with an Animal Specialist, etc.

 

[n2mm]

Plus there are some blackout dates.

 

[AndyFL]

I looked into purchasing the TIW last year but after I read up on it I didn't really see much value in it. You save 20% but then an automatic tip of almost the same amount is imposed....whether the service was any good or not. So it just seemed like a way to cap your tips via the purchase price which for a FL res was something like $75. Am I missing some hidden gem that I failed to discover?

 

[disneyholic family]

I looked into purchasing the TIW last year but after I read up on it I didn't really see much value in it. You save 20% but then an automatic tip of almost the same amount is imposed....whether the service was any good or not. So it just seemed like a way to cap your tips via the purchase price which for a FL res was something like $75. Am I missing some hidden gem that I failed to discover?

if you have a meal that costs $100, without TIW you will pay $100 plus the tip.
if you tip 20%, then you'll pay $120.

With TIW, you'll pay $80, plus tip of $20. So your total will be $100.

In other words, with the TIW, you will pay a total of $100 (including tip) instead of $120 (including tip).

 

[DVCconvert]

and you can get free valet parking.

 

[plutolovr]

Were you not going to tip?

The reason they impose the automatic 18% tip is because people were tipping on the discounted amount instead of the pre-discounted amount which is incorrect. Just insuring that the servers are compensated.

If you service is poor you can bring it up to management and adjust the tip accordingly. Just remember that whatever is going wrong with your meal may not be the server's fault. Problems in the kitchen can effect your experience.

 

[honeymo78]

It actually saves us extra since we normally would tip 20% and use the after tax number. With TIW the tip is 18% on the pre-tax non discount amount. Of course that hasn't kept us from tipping extra for exceptional service.

 

[ttstroker]

the discount also works at the value food courts (plus POFQ) for 20% off and also at AK for Flame tree, restaurantasaurus, and another i forget, at WPE in the marketplace and a maybe 1 or 2 other QS locations. Of course there is no tip added. If you sit down to dine and visit alot or for a long time you can get your money's worth. We sat down for dinner at Ohana for a party of 7 and it almost paid for itself in one sitting (we had wine and alcohol discounted on the check too, another perk!)

 

[Krissalee]

Additionally, if you order wine or any other alcoholic drinks at your meal, that is also discounted, and can be a real savings. DH and I like to order a bottle of wine with dinner, and find that the card can pay for itself after a day or so if a signature restaurant was included - and it is just the 2 of us!

 

[AndyFL]

Were you not going to tip?

.

Actually I happen to tip extremely well but when a tip is automatically imposed I leave it at that. I do NOT like a tip being automatically given because it tends to take away the drive to give great service.

For instance. Last week when we were there we went off-site to eat and ate at the Black Angus on 535 (I think...that or the 536). It was me and my Wife and 3 kids. The food was okay (I have NEVER had a steak as good as I cook myself on our grill) and the service was above average. The bill was just over $90 and I was going to leave a $20 tip but when I got the bill it had a tip automatically figured.....no place to take it off or add to it! Needless to say the server got what the computer kicked out.

I do service work for a living and do NOT like the idea of someone automatically tipping themselves. Sorry if that offends but I'm speaking from the trenches.

 

[caaraa]

The reason they impose the automatic 18% tip is because people were tipping on the discounted amount instead of the pre-discounted amount which is incorrect.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Actually I happen to tip extremely well but when a tip is automatically imposed I leave it at that. I do NOT like a tip being automatically given because it tends to take away the drive to give great service.

For instance. Last week when we were there we went off-site to eat and ate at the Black Angus on 535 (I think...that or the 536). It was me and my Wife and 3 kids. The food was okay (I have NEVER had a steak as good as I cook myself on our grill) and the service was above average. The bill was just over $90 and I was going to leave a $20 tip but when I got the bill it had a tip automatically figured.....no place to take it off or add to it! Needless to say the server got what the computer kicked out.

I do service work for a living and do NOT like the idea of someone automatically tipping themselves. Sorry if that offends but I'm speaking from the trenches.

I think a lot of people understand this type of feeling but what we don't understand is why you feel that automatically adding the tip negates the discount. You'd leave a tip either way and more likely a bigger one had you not used TiW. That means you are saving 20% of the total bill. That savings is not reduced by the amount of the tip since you would leave that with or without the discount. By not considering TiW (assuming you're eligible) you're kind of cutting off your nose despite your face as you're basically saying "I won't take a discount because I don't like the tipping policy associated with this discount". You're certainly well within your right to do so but you are misrepresenting the discount in your explaination to others who are trying to understand the plan.

 

[TDC Nala]

Closing this, as it has become a discussion about tipping and personal tipping habits and preferences. Please see the Tipping Information sticky thread for guidelines about tipping discussion on the Restaurant Boards.