Preparing tips(for buffets) beforehand

[autumnjones]

Hi! My first post! I have been lurking for 6weeks or so, but I still apologize in advance if this is a repeat question. I have tried to be pretty thorough and don't have a concrete answer on it yet though.

We leave for WDW in 12 days. My first time with my girls(I went when I was a teenager for a couple of days in 87). I'm so excited!

We're doing the DDP and nearly all of our TS meals are character dining with buffets, so I'm thinking of just making up envelopes before hand with the tip(probably 20%) in it. (I saw that suggested by someone here on DIS) Wondering if I can use disney dollars? Also, there are a few meals where we will be a fairly big party(13-15 people)...will I be able to just hand the tip envelope to our server and take off if we are done before my other family members are done? Or will they have to count it to make sure it's the mandatory 18% for our part of the bill? Also, when I'm calculating the tip, I just add up the listed buffet cost for 2 adults, 2 kids, and then calculate an 18% tip? There's nothing in there that I'm missing? My hope is that we will be able to go to the meals, enjoy the characters, eat what we want, and then just leave when we want. Can we just have the server take care of scanning the DDP card midway through the meal? I don't even mind just giving the tip ahead of time to make the exit process as smooth and efficient as possible. (I've read about some recent visitors having to wait so long for the processing of the bill. I want to avoid that if I can!)

Thank you very much for your help. It can't be said enough how helpful the information is here at DIS!

Heather

 

[BriarRose59]

Welcome, Heather!

What I plan on doing is charging the tip back to my room and keeping track of the receipts so I won't be in for a shock when I check out. I don't like leaving cash on a table. I understand that you are considering giving the tip to the server some time during the meal. That would be preferable to leaving an envelope on the table. 18% or 20% are the suggested tip amounts. I would think a server would rather have real money than Disney Dollars. I would hope that you would not have to stay until your entire large party was ready to go. I don't see how leaving when you are done would be a problem. Especially since you are trying to pay during the meal.

Have fun!!

 

[autumnjones]

Thanks, BriarRose! Good point about the servers preferring cash and also about leaving cash on the table. Will they do the taking of the credits from the DDP and tip charged back to the room all in one basic transaction at the end of the meal? I have occasionally had 2nd thoughts about keeping envelopes of cash around.

Thanks again for your input!
Heather

 

[BriarRose59]

Your welcome! I won't be trying the 2008 DDP until our February trip, but from what I have read, its a long drawn out process that requires 2 transactions: one for the DDP credits and one for the tip to be charged. This is making it harder to turn over tables IMO so the servers aren't going to get the tips they would if they were able to complete the entire dining process in a more efficient manner. I don't know whose bright idea it was to make this change, but it has certainly made the meal experience not as smooth.

 

[serene56]

What we did-- we got a disney gift card--with ratotulli on it for our gratities.
I dont like the idea of carrying cash--or worrying about nt having enough.
There are 5 adults and one child--we each put 60 bucks for the week.
anything left over we will divide up

 

[kristenhh]

We just got back and charged every gratuity to our room. It was no big deal and they were prepared for that. We had to sign to receipts -- one for the DDP credit, and one for the tip. It was much easier for us that way. (And we had a group of 10 with 5 different rooms -- it was no sweat)

 

[serene56]

We just got back and charged every gratuity to our room. It was no big deal and they were prepared for that. We had to sign to receipts -- one for the DDP credit, and one for the tip. It was much easier for us that way. (And we had a group of 10 with 5 different rooms -- it was no sweat)

with these different rooms--did each room tip for themselves?

How will it work when we have numerous rooms eating together using the dining plan with tipping? (there is 6 of us with three rooms

 

[mom2my3kids]

As a server myself I don't think gift cards are a good idea. That would be like someone leaving me IHOP gift cards for my tip, its not that I don't like IHOP food its just I am working for money to pay my bills not eat or buy things at my place of employment. Instead of buying Disney dollars or gift cards keep that money back I would think it would be just as easy.. I hope this helps

 

[hddanis]

As a server myself I don't think gift cards are a good idea. That would be like someone leaving me IHOP gift cards for my tip, its not that I don't like IHOP food its just I am working for money to pay my bills not eat or buy things at my place of employment. Instead of buying Disney dollars or gift cards keep that money back I would think it would be just as easy.. I hope this helps

I don't think that's what they were saying. I think they got a Disney gift card and used the gift card to pay for their tips. The server then gets that tip amount.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Even before the changes, we always left additional tips for good service. We always charge the extra tip back to our room so that we have an assurance that we are billed correctly. I like getting a print out before I leave of everything I should expect on the CC when I get home. I don't like the thought of leaving cash and a blank "tip receipt" (or whatever disney is calling it) on the table. A dishonest server could write in an additional tip after you left cash and you would have no way of proving that you left cash. I only mention this (I'm not normally that suspicious of waitstaff) because two trips ago, we ate in Mexico using the DDP. We left the waitress an additional tip on top of the 18% that was included on the plan. Well, apparently that wasn't enough for that waitress because we were charged a completely different (higher) amount when the charge came in on our room bill. And none on the numbers were similar so it wasn't like they accidently typed the wrong thing into the computer.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I don't think that's what they were saying. I think they got a Disney gift card and used the gift card to pay for their tips. The server then gets that tip amount.

Ohhh OKAY I understand now..lol

 

[mom2my3kids]

Even before the changes, we always left additional tips for good service. We always charge the extra tip back to our room so that we have an assurance that we are billed correctly. I like getting a print out before I leave of everything I should expect on the CC when I get home. I don't like the thought of leaving cash and a blank "tip receipt" (or whatever disney is calling it) on the table. A dishonest server could write in an additional tip after you left cash and you would have no way of proving that you left cash. I only mention this (I'm not normally that suspicious of waitstaff) because two trips ago, we ate in Mexico using the DDP. We left the waitress an additional tip on top of the 18% that was included on the plan. Well, apparently that wasn't enough for that waitress because we were charged a completely different (higher) amount when the charge came in on our room bill. And none on the numbers were similar so it wasn't like they accidently typed the wrong thing into the computer.

Did you dispute it? There was one midnight server who wrote in a tip when the person left it blank(Never Leave it Blank). The manager once notified pulled the credit receipt and you could tell (different ink) the man didn't have to pay that and she was fired..

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

We didn't dispute it but I will tell you that is was because of shear laziness on our part. The extra amount she had given herself (again on top of the 18% AND the extra tip we did write in), was only like $6-$7. I was ticked (on principal) so I immediately went down to dispute it. When I got downstairs (we were staying at the POP at the time), the line was horrendous of people checking in. DH convinced me to forgot it so that we could go and enjoy our last day at WDW.

I wouldn't have wanted the waitress to get fired but I will tell you, I'll never eat in Mexico again (food was awful anyway )

So moral of the story is 1) never leave a blank tip slip...especially if you are leaving a cash tip and 2) if you are going to charge a tip, charge it to your room (not your CC) so you can double check the bill before you check out.

 

[kristenhh]

with these different rooms--did each room tip for themselves?

How will it work when we have numerous rooms eating together using the dining plan with tipping? (there is 6 of us with three rooms

They just broke down each rooms bill -- so each room paid their portion of the automatic 18% tip -- we added more for exceptional service.

 

[hddanis]

I had a server at Boma give himself an extra tip. I called the restraunt and they comped my entire check because of it. I had paid with my Disney rewards card and when I totaled up my receipts for the day and checked my balance it was different. This same server also charged us for drinks we didn't order...Mixed drinks. We were tired when we got the check and didn't check it at the time (our fault totally) but were pretty upset when we figured out the tip difference.

Oh, and I didn't ask it to be comped, just let the manaer know I was upset and he did it automatically.

As a server myself, who always likes to get cash...I rarely leave it on the table. I've seen too many dishonest hosts, bussers, servers, and guests take the money off the table and it never make it to the server (I've also been on the receiving end of that missing tip myself)

 

[TLSnell1981]

On any handwritten amount on a check, I do the following:

bill $100.00
grat --18.00--(lines drawn on each side of
total --$118.00--handwritten amounts)

Unfortunately, there are a handful of dishonest people that may add numbers in front of or behind your handwritten amounts. This gives you a little extra protection and removes temptation.

 

[crazypants]

......
As a server myself, who always likes to get cash...I rarely leave it on the table. I've seen too many dishonest hosts, bussers, servers, and guests take the money off the table and it never make it to the server (I've also been on the receiving end of that missing tip myself)

I'd never thought about that & I always leave cash for the tip. Dishonest ppl stink.

 

[robinb]

I have heard this idea before and I just don't get it. I don't see where putting tips in an envelope ahead of time makes any sense at all. Especially for a big party on the DDP with multiple cards. Just let every family pay their own tip. It won't take too long to get your bills and copy the 18% suggested amount from the tip bill and charge it back to your room.

 

[kimis]

So I have a really dumb question! When you use the gift card idea do you just tell the server what their tip will be and they subtract it from the gift card? How does that work? Thanks for your help.

 

[hddanis]

So I have a really dumb question! When you use the gift card idea do you just tell the server what their tip will be and they subtract it from the gift card? How does that work? Thanks for your help.

It's run like a credit card and you get a slip to sign and a place to put in the amount of tip. Think of a Gift Card as a credit card for the park.