Palo gratuity

[jeanigor]

I was lurking on the Cruise Forum and noticed a thread or two where people said that the tip was included in the $15 up charge for dining at Palo.

What are your thoughts? How would you figure the gratuity for your server at a Palo dining experience?

 

[Yvet]

The $15 charge is for Palo and form me that means for DCL not for the server.
In my opinion the gratuity isn't included.

 

[rtobe]

Gratuity is not included at Palo. The amount is based on estimated retail price.

 

[mainegal]

I can't find it now on the DCL official site!!! I hate it when that happens.

I am pretty sure that it said Palo was $15 and include gratuity.
You pay extra on top of that for alcoholic beverages.

 

[TheBeadPirate]

We usually tip more anyway regardless. We have become quite fond of a couple of the servers (to remain nameless until we are sure we get them at some point on this cruise!) and always request them. I would bring them home, adopt them, and pay for college if given the opportunity!

 

[Dodie]

That $15 is a service charge. It doesn't replace the gratuity. I believe you are supposed to estimate what that meal would cost you in a regular restaurant and tip accordingly.

Think of how short-changed THOSE servers would be if they only got a portion of a $15 charge for every meal they served.

 

[mikelan6]

I always thought the $15 service charge for Palo was for the tip as the Palo servers might not share in the larger server dining room pool.

 

[safetymom]

We tip on top of the $15 per person charge. We tip based on what the meal would have cost in a restaurant. They deserve a tip at Palo!

 

[WebmasterJohn]

Technically the $15 per person service charge is to cover the gratuities in Palo. This is because these servers do not share in the 'pool' of tips with the dining room servers.

It's a personal decision if want to leave more or not.

I think (hope) you will find that these servers are so good and really make dinner so special that you will want to tip them more.

 

[jeanigor]

I am glad to see that what we decided to do on PCC 1.0 (estimate what the meal would have cost on land and then tip accordingly) was what most folks would do. It just seemed like the right thing.

 

[Hedy]

I am glad to see that what we decided to do on PCC 1.0 (estimate what the meal would have cost on land and then tip accordingly) was what most folks would do. It just seemed like the right thing.

I'm glad my thought on what to do wasn't totally off and just me being over tipping me.

 

[mainegal]

Technically the $15 per person service charge is to cover the gratuities in Palo. This is because these servers do not share in the 'pool' of tips with the dining room servers.

It's a personal decision if want to leave more or not.

I think (hope) you will find that these servers are so good and really make dinner so special that you will want to tip them more.

Confused still!

A "service charge" and a "tip" sound like the same thing to me.
$15 would be a 15% tip on $100 meal. Is Palo a one hundred dollar meal? I have never paid more than $35 for a meal!

At first I thought that the $15 was because Palo food is "better". Remember, we are still paying for the food we are not eating in the regular restaurant.

But if it is, as John says, "$15 per person service charge is to cover the gratuities", then the "basic tip" is covered.

Wish DCL made it a little clearer!

 

[Renysmom]

But if it is, as John says, "$15 per person service charge is to cover the gratuities", then the "basic tip" is covered.

Wish DCL made it a little clearer!

Just remember its BASIC and the service and food is well above basic anything. Both are worth much more.

 

[billwald]

Palo - Gratuity included.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

Mom and I always tip extra for Exceptional Service.

 

[robind]

Confused still!

A "service charge" and a "tip" sound like the same thing to me.
$15 would be a 15% tip on $100 meal. Is Palo a one hundred dollar meal? I have never paid more than $35 for a meal!

You need to come out to dinner with me. Had dinner for three of us a few weeks ago that was $520, took my entire week's worth of per diem to pay for my 1/3. But it was awesome.

 

[mainegal]

Palo - Gratuity included.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

Mom and I always tip extra for Exceptional Service.

YES!
You found the place on the website I was looking for!
Palo - Gratuity included.
To me, that is saying that DCL considers that Palo is a $100 meal.

 

[mainegal]

You need to come out to dinner with me.

Nice... are you treating?

Had dinner for three of us a few weeks ago that was $520, took my entire week's worth of per diem to pay for my 1/3. But it was awesome.

WOW!
$520?!
Did that include tax and tip? Liquor?

I remember one podcast when Kevin talked about "value" of food. I can't imagine a restaurant meal costing over $100 (or even $50) that my wallet and taste buds would consider a value.

I am not sure if there is a restaurant in Maine that serves $100 plus meals. At least none that I have considered so far.
As a thrifty/frugal person, I have been called a "cheap date".

 

[jeanigor]

Confused still!

A "service charge" and a "tip" sound like the same thing to me.
$15 would be a 15% tip on $100 meal. Is Palo a one hundred dollar meal? I have never paid more than $35 for a meal!

At first I thought that the $15 was because Palo food is "better". Remember, we are still paying for the food we are not eating in the regular restaurant.

But if it is, as John says, "$15 per person service charge is to cover the gratuities", then the "basic tip" is covered.

Wish DCL made it a little clearer!

I start my tipping at 20% and it moves from there, based on service. So it would be a $75 meal for me. Once you add up all the courses, I can easily spend that on food alone; especially at a quality establishment.
If G and I went to some place with similar quality here, I will guarantee you the bill would exceed $150, without alcohol.

 

[mainegal]

I start my tipping at 20% and it moves from there, based on service. So it would be a $75 meal for me. Once you add up all the courses, I can easily spend that on food alone; especially at a quality establishment.
If G and I went to some place with similar quality here, I will guarantee you the bill would exceed $150, without alcohol.

20% tip on a $75 meal = $15.00
So, is that the $15 charge to dine at Palo?
As John wrote "Technically the $15 per person service charge is to cover the gratuities in Palo."
Tip more if you want to?

I read that someone tips $50 on top of the $15. (maybe that was for a couple?) Is that a very generous tip?

 

[TheBeadPirate]

20% tip on a $75 meal = $15.00
So, is that the $15 charge to dine at Palo?
As John wrote "Technically the $15 per person service charge is to cover the gratuities in Palo."
Tip more if you want to?

I read that someone tips $50 on top of the $15. (maybe that was for a couple?) Is that a very generous tip?

If you read that on the cruise board it was probably us, and yes, we're a couple. The people on that thread went nuts with that one- but we also know our servers at Palo and request the same ones repeatedly. They have gotten to know us as well and remember certain things we like- I like the scallops but never order them as I'm easily distracted by other menu items- however scallops always find their way to our table! I also like the lemony palate cleanser thing at dinner. It is not available at brunch, but I usually get one at brunch time anyway.

When we had bad dining room servers we were offered a spot at Palo every evening for dinner instead- however when we chose to go back to the dining room and try to work it out the Head Server was waiting there for us to see what he could do. He pretty much became our waitstaff after that.

There's many more instances like that. It's reasons like that that we tip what we do. There's value to food and then there's intrinsic value to excellent service.

On the threads whenever tipping comes up it's always a heated debate (or at least ends up that way). But I always laugh when someone says they always increase their tip when they get refills without asking- How much does that increase when you walk into the restaurant and your server tells you the wine you like is already pulled and prepped becasue they saw you were on the reservations list?