Palo- Auto gratuity???

[gumbypee]

I was wondering if Palo had auto gratuity built in like the drinks in MDR and the spa does.

Basically is Palo really like $23 and the gratuity is already added to make it $30?

I am just trying to understand because I am confused on this subject,

Thank you

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

No, only Auto gratuity on the booze purchased.

ALL of the $30 pp goes towards a contribution to the extra value good, it in fact costs more for the good then the fee covers.

 

[gumbypee]

Thank you Disney Fantasy!

 

[Tami0220]

I had heard that $5 went to the waiter.....

 

[Gilland18]

This is an unending discussion. There are reports that the server gets - fill in the blank varying from the entire fee to none of it. Disney has not chosen to make it clear so people end up tipping what they are comfortable giving. To answer the original question, there is not auto-gratuity on the meal ($30) at Palo. There will be on any alcohol ordered.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I had heard that $5 went to the waiter.....

Not true.... ALL of it goes " towards" the cost of the upscale food, - just think of that cost. The DCL site says gratuity is " at your discretion.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

This is an unending discussion. There are reports that the server gets - fill in the blank varying from the entire fee to none of it. Disney has not chosen to make it clear so people end up tipping what they are comfortable giving. To answer the original question, there is not auto-gratuity on the meal ($30) at Palo. There will be on any alcohol ordered.

It was unclear up to a year or so back as many cruisers felt it wasn't included but the DCL site said included, in those days $1 went to the server. Most felt that wasn't enough. About two years ago they cleared up the confusion and said at your discretion.

I have spoken to Palo managers and gad behind the scenes tours and they all say.....that the cost of the food is far higher than the fee, and the fee only goes towards that food.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We get palo dinner for free for all eligible adults in our room because we are platinum do We pay nothing excrpt a tip usually $30 for 2 sometimes more depending on server and alcohol consumed

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We get palo dinner for free for all eligible adults in our room because we are platinum do We pay nothing excrpt a tip usually $30 for 2 sometimes more depending on server and alcohol consumed

Yes one Palo dinner for free, we are having ours next Friday in Copenhagen, but will tip.

On a Disney ship you can tell when a tip should be considered, they will produce a tab / charge slip to sign and there will be a place to write and add a tip and total it up, even if there is no charge like platinum.

 

[cwdefouw]

Back in the day, and I mean way back in the day, like 1998-2003 era. The fee that was charged at Palo was advertised as a "Service Charge" that was when the misconceptions started. The common belief now is that all of the fee is used to cover the cost of the food. In general, we always tip a percentage based on what the meal might have cost in a landside restaurant, because the service is always excellent.

 

[LeslieG]

I'm always confused by this, because on the slip they bring you, I believe it says "additional gratuity," implying that some amount has already been allocated.

 

[clten]

It was unclear up to a year or so back as many cruisers felt it wasn't included but the DCL site said included, in those days $1 went to the server. Most felt that wasn't enough. About two years ago they cleared up the confusion and said at your discretion.

I have spoken to Palo managers and gad behind the scenes tours and they all say.....that the cost of the food is far higher than the fee, and the fee only goes towards that food.

I don't think "At your discretion" clears anything up. You interpret it one way and insist that everyone must interpret it the same way. Yes, the cost of the food can be more than the cover charge. But you know what? The cost of the MDR food is more than I pay each time I go in there too. I interpret "at your discretion" completely different than you do. I too have spoken with many people that work in Palo through the years and I have been given different information than you have. I keep in mind that the people answering the question are biased. If it were me, I'd answer the same way because the truth is complicated. I think "At your discretion" is purposefully vague.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I don't think "At your discretion" clears anything up. You interpret it one way and insist that everyone must interpret it the same way. Yes, the cost of the food can be more than the cover charge. But you know what? The cost of the MDR food is more than I pay each time I go in there too. I interpret "at your discretion" completely different than you do. I too have spoken with many people that work in Palo through the years and I have been given different information than you have. I keep in mind that the people answering the question are biased. If it were me, I'd answer the same way because the truth is complicated. I think "At your discretion" is purposefully vague.

Not too sure why the heat in the response went up a few gears here.

At your discretion in tipping language is it's a tippable position and its up to you how much. It cannot be read any other way.

Tipping by nature is normally vague as its left to your discretion, it's not a salary, it's not a set fee it's not a service charge. It's something you decide on the service supplied.

You say you have spoken to many people in Palo over the years, this changed two years or so ago, so any conversation before that time is void as it changed. But I have asked Palo managers asked concierge and questions were asked in Palo where we had tours start and the answer was consistent on all of them. Recently.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I'm always confused by this, because on the slip they bring you, I believe it says "additional gratuity," implying that some amount has already been allocated.

It's " additional" to the service fee, if like a bar drink a tip has already been taken as an auto gratuity it Also would be quoted there. No prior tip is shown in palo so no tip pretaken.

 

[bumbershoot]

Not true.... ALL of it goes " towards" the cost of the upscale food, - just think of that cost. The DCL site says gratuity is " at your discretion.

When you're vegetarian you're paying more than the food costs. Mushrooms, salad, a pastry, and a small bowl of pasta with diced zucchini to brighten the green and fill the bowl up plus a tbsp of pesto... I'm not hitting $30 of food with that.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

When you're vegetarian you're paying more than the food costs. Mushrooms, salad, a pastry, and a small bowl of pasta with diced zucchini to brighten the green and fill the bowl up plus a tbsp of pesto... I'm not hitting $30 of food with that.

Very true, can't argue on that point. On my last cruise a husband and wife came to brunch, he had a coffee, she had a couple of desserts, and they left. They didn't use all of the $30.

The point is......it's there, it's been prepared, it will be thrown away later, there is a cost.

Reminds me of an article I read.

A couple stay at a hotel and the next day get the bill and are surprised on the cost.

The reception call the manager who says.

We have a 24:7 Buffett.
A gym.
A pool.
An all inclusive movie channel.
Free in room room service food.
A spa.
Health treatments.

They say but we didn't use any of those as we came here tired and slept.

The Manager wouldn't budge They were all available to you, he says, and wanted $250.

They give $50 over.

The man says I owe you that.

The Manager says it was $200 short.

The man says, but I am a plumber and electrician and my call out rate is $200, you could have used me to fix the sink and rewire the blown light, but you didn't ask, but I was available.

 

[gumbypee]

It's " additional" to the service fee, if like a bar drink a tip has already been taken as an auto gratuity it Also would be quoted there. No prior tip is shown in palo so no tip pretaken.

aha! now this makes perfect sense! so the mdr drinks would have tip shown on slip already then? Im stupid and didnt look, just added tip and signed away! LOL

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

aha! now this makes perfect sense! so the mdr drinks would have tip shown on slip already then? Im stupid and didnt look, just added tip and signed away! LOL

If you order a drink in the MDR that you do pay for, ( ie not free Soda not Tea Coffee etc) then at the end of the meal you get the charge tab and any Auto Gratuity is already shown on it at 15%, now you could remove it, you can add to it, you can just sign it as it is.

Any " tip" they take is declared to you, or advised to you in advance, it doesn't occur in Palo for the food, but any booze that's chargeable ( exclude the drink included in brunch), will have an auto tip added.

 

[disfans44041]

At the risk of sounding unaware, why do they automatically add gratuity for bar tabs, but not food service. I get the auto tips for certain positions, but don't get why the bar tabs are the only thing automatically to include gratuity. Just asking.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

At the risk of sounding unaware, why do they automatically add gratuity for bar tabs, but not food service. I get the auto tips for certain positions, but don't get why the bar tabs are the only thing automatically to include gratuity. Just asking.

Bar auto gratuity added 15%
Spa auto gratuity added 18%

This is the set up on most cruise lines, for food they recommend tips on a per night basis, that covered The server, assistant server and head server, Aldo stateroom host.

Now bars they generally work for tips so to encourage them to do the job there us a set auto tip.