Palo tipping price?

[wenabre]

Has the price for tipping at Palo gone up to $10. It was $5 last April, when we went on the western.

 

[QueenTrident]

The price for Palo has gone up to $10 a person, but we tipped an additional $30 when we were there. Figured the meal would have cost us $150 at home, so we tipped the 20% based on that.

 

[inkkognito]

We tip an additional amount, too, and we also use the basis of 20% for a comparable meal. We added $20 to our last Palo tab (figuring $100), plus there was an auto gratuity for hubby's wine.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by inkkognito
We tip an additional amount, too, and we also use the basis of 20% for a comparable meal. We added $20 to our last Palo tab (figuring $100), plus there was an auto gratuity for hubby's wine.

I agree that the food portion of a meal for two at Palo would be about $100 at a comparable U.S. restaurant. As noted, there's an automatic gratuity on wine (and other drinks).

For dinner at Palo, DCL now collects a gratuity of $10 per person. That's $20 per couple, which is a 20% gratuity on $100. So someone who adds $20 is tipping 40%, and someone who adds $30 is tipping 50%.

That's very generous. I'm not criticizing anyone for being generous. Leave $1,000 if you like; the service staff will be very happy.

Even with the recent doubling of the Disney-collected gratuity from $5 to $10 per person, I assume we'll leave an additional tip. But I doubt we'll tip the equivalent of 40% or 50%.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar
I agree that the food portion of a meal for two at Palo would be about $100 at a comparable U.S. restaurant. As noted, there's an automatic gratuity on wine (and other drinks).

For dinner at Palo, DCL now collects a gratuity of $10 per person. That's $20 per couple, which is a 20% gratuity on $100. So someone who adds $20 is tipping 40%, and someone who adds $30 is tipping 50%.

That's very generous. I'm not criticizing anyone for being generous. Leave $1,000 if you like; the service staff will be very happy.

Even with the recent doubling of the Disney-collected gratuity from $5 to $10 per person, I assume we'll leave an additional tip. But I doubt we'll tip the equivalent of 40% or 50%.

I agree except that isn't the $10 divided $5 for the staff and $5 to go back to Palo for future upkeep and improvement. If that's the case, I would tend to give an additional amount, depending on service. Does anyone who's actually been on the cruise since the new fees started have additional info? Did Disney give any suggestions or explanation in this area?

 

[kcashner]

We just got back fromthe 2/7/04 Magic. Yes, the Palo charge is $10 for dinner and brunch. I've read conflicting information from Disney. ONe stated that the $10 is the gratuity, the other stated that it is divided between the serving staff and "the restaurant," whatever exactly that means.

Without adding to the confusion, my suggestion would be to add a small additional tip. Do realize that there is the automatic gratuity added to any alcohol. My logic is that if I add only $5 per person, the server has gotten at least $20 for the meal tip, possibly $30. Either way, that's not bad for a little over an hour of work, and I wasn't her only table. My other bit of logic is that my regular dining server has served 7 dinners (plus lunches and breakfasts) for a "suggested" tip of under $5 per person per day. Yes, I realize that he had more people, and had an assistant server. Even so, that isn't a large amount. Palo is the "plum" assignment--a reward for excellence in the dining room or a place to recover from injury as the lifting is much less. So, yes, a small additional tip is appropriate. However, rather than a "large" additional in Palo, I'd rather add it to my very had working regular server.

 

[Muushka]

kcashner, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks

 

[webray]

I wouldn't consider the service charge for eating at the restaurant the tip. We tipped as if we were eating in one of our favorite upscale restaurants in any city we visit. These kids working at Palo certainly deserve more than $10, of which they don't even get the whole amount.

 

[GenieDana]

From the DCL Webpage:

The ship features an adults-only alternative restaurant called Palo. Dining hours for Palo are 6:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Reservations are required, and taken (once on board) on a first-come first-served basis. Palo dining is limited to Guests 18 and older. There is a nominal service charge per Guest.

This used to say something to effect of this is an "automatic gratuity" when the charge was $5. I guess DCL took the opportunity to "revise" the language recently.

This is what it said in June '03

Is there a romantic restaurant just for adults?
The ship features an adults-only alternative restaurant called Palo. Dining hours
for Palo are 6 - 11 p.m. Reservations are required, and taken (once on board)
on a first-come first-served basis. Palo dining is limited to Guests 18 and older.
There is a service charge of $5 per Guest for gratuities.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by Dean
I agree except that isn't the $10 divided $5 for the staff and $5 to go back to Palo for future upkeep and improvement. If that's the case, I would tend to give an additional amount, depending on service. Does anyone who's actually been on the cruise since the new fees started have additional info? Did Disney give any suggestions or explanation in this area?

On December, Regina (dvcreg) posted that the dinner charge would be going up to $10 at the beginning of this year. As I recall, Regina had been told that the server gratuity charge would still be $5, and the additional $5 would be "reinvested" in Palo. I questioned the surprising use of the term "reinvested."

When I called DCL regarding another matter, I asked if Palo is now $10 at dinner. I was told, yes. I asked if it all goes to the server team as gratuities. Again, I was told yes. (Either Regina or I were given misinformation.)

I hope the entire $10 per person ($20 per couple) is shared by the service staff.

But, I too, have the same questions that Dean raised. In slightly different words... What is DCL telling passengers on the ships about the $10 fee? Do they call it a gratuity, as they did when it was $5? Or are they breaking it down between a gratuity and a fee for DCL? Or is the whole thing now a fee for DCL? Or is it completely undefined?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by webray
I wouldn't consider the service charge for eating at the restaurant the tip.

I would consider it a tip if DCL says that the service charge goes to the server team as gratuities (as was the case when the service charge was $5).

Could someone who has dined at Palo since January 1, 2004, please comment on how DCL explains the fee of $10 per person for dinner at Palo?

Does it go to the server team as gratuties? Does it go to DCL as an "upcharge" for the priviledge of dining at Palo? Is it a combination of the two?

 

[inkkognito]

I'll ask for clarification of this when we cruise again in April. I always figured that the service charge is split among everyone and my addtional tip $$ go directly to my server, but I could be wrong.
I agree about the hardworking servers in the regular diningroom too. We almost always add $$ onto their tips, as well as include a phone card. They do a lot of work and I like to let them know it's appreciated, especially since there are other guests who "stiff" them. At least in Palo the service charge is mandatory.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[poohnpiglet3]

So is the tipping charge the only "extra" at Palo's? I mean, if we eat there one night, and don't add on wine or alcohol, we just tip extra at the end of the night?

I'm sorry for not understanding this...

Sherri

 

[Regina]

Still don't believe me, do ya Horace??

My source was a written release of updates by DCL. It clearly stated that the additional $5.00 was going to be reinvested in Palo to enhance their offerings.

Until I see something else in writing that contradicts that, I'm sticking to my original post.

And add us to the guests who add a nice tip. Having been a waitress back in the stone age when I was in school, I tend to add more than average. It's very hard work.

 

[inkkognito]

Yes, Sherri, you are correct. If you don't order any extra-charge items (bottled water, alcohol, or specialty coffees), the only charge that will be on the slip at the end of the meal is the $10 per person fee. You can add whatever you like onto that. Other than that, no matter what or how much food you order, it's all included.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by poohnpiglet3
So is the tipping charge the only "extra" at Palo's? I mean, if we eat there one night, and don't add on wine or alcohol, we just tip extra at the end of the night?

At the end of the evening, you get a bill, just like in a regular restaurant back home. But instead of listing somewhere around $50 per person for your 3- or 4-course dinner, it will only show a service charge of $10 per person. For anyone who has ordered wine, other alcohol, bottled water, or specialty drinks (including non-alcoholic speciality drinks and specialty coffee), these items will also be on the bill, along with an automatic 15% gratuity on those items. Finally, there's a line to increase the tip amount, if you wish. You add it up and sign it, and the total is charged to your stateroom account.

The issue in this thread is how much of the $10 per person service charge goes to the great folks who serve you. Back when it was $5 per person, DCL published that it went to gratuities.

Originally posted by dvcreg
Still don't believe me, do ya Horace??

My source was a written release of updates by DCL. It clearly stated that the additional $5.00 was going to be reinvested in Palo to enhance their offerings.

I believe that you're honestly and accurately reporting what your source at DVC provided to you. I also know what the Castaway Club desk at DCL told me, which was different (and may well have been wrong).

I hope DCL provides the entire $10 to the service staff in Palo. They deserve it. I've written before that I assume many Palo diners don't leave an additional tip because DCL indicates that the service charge takes care of gratuities. If, despite the increase to $10, only $5 goes to the service staff, I wish DCL would clearly point out that the remaining $5 is a new upcharge. Otherwise, even more Palo diners are likely to leave no additional tip.

If DCL really ends up publishing that the $5 is being "reinvested in Palo to enhance their offerings," then I expect to see a genuine enhancement when dining at Palo, such as a welcoming glass of sparkling wine. Otherwise, "reinvested" is nothing but a slimy weasel word, like when airlines announce cutbacks in their frequent flyer programs as "enhancements."

 

[poohnpiglet3]

Thank you for the info! Can you tell I'm a newbie to cruising??

But I'm learning so much thanks to you guys!

Sherri

 

[inkkognito]

This is the perfect place for newbies!
I was once a newbie too, way back 36 cruises ago
Back in those days, DIS didn't exist but there were AOL message boards that helped me so much to prepare for our first Disney cruise. Now it's fun to hang out here and see the newcomers learning for their first cruise.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com