Table service tipping

[MillauFr]

I think it’s harder to get folks to fill the novice restaurant positions, like hostess, cashier, bus boy, dishwasher, but many places you start from the bottom and work your way up.

The hardest position to fill in the restaurant GM at Disney. They don't get tips and the servers make more than they do. Why would anyone want to be a manager?

 

[focusondisney]

I agree on both counts. Actually, I think it would be more fair to the patrons and the servers if tips were a flat rate per 30 minutes at the table, rounded up. That would flatten the difference in tips due to the cost of the meal, and it would take care of the servers where a party stays 3-4 hours. Our TS meals at most restaurants run about an hour and a half, depending on whether we have apps, dessert, or both.

But that is not the way it’s set up right now, and I don’t see much motivation to change it, at least as far as the restaurants are concerned.

I’d agree with a flat fee. I don’t know if servers would like it tho. It might help some servers at lower cost places, like diners. But servers at high end places might lose money.

 

[MillauFr]

I’d agree with a flat fee. I don’t know if servers would like it tho. It might help some servers at lower cost places, like diners. But servers at high end places might lose money.

They should just add it to the bill and not allow extra gratuities.

 

[focusondisney]

They should just add it to the bill and not allow extra gratuities.

I agree. But when it’s been tried in a few places, the servers don’t like it, because they make less money than they do with tips.

 

[fla4fun]

I’d agree with a flat fee. I don’t know if servers would like it tho. It might help some servers at lower cost places, like diners. But servers at high end places might lose money.

I agree. But when it’s been tried in a few places, the servers don’t like it, because they make less money than they do with tips.

Some will, and some won’t, to be sure. It would depend on how the flat tip rate is calculated. I would not expect a high end restaurant to have the same dollar amount for their flat rate as, say, a Waffle House. Getting something like that set up would involve some math, perhaps adding all the items on the menu together, dividing by the number of items to get an average price, and calculating the flat rate as a percentage of that so that it would be proportional based on the type of restaurant. I think most people expect to tip more in a high end restaurant, but there are a lot of people who question why they should have to tip more in the same restaurant just because one entree costs more than another.

I really don’t see it changing, but it’s interesting to talk about.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Why doesn't Disney just charge a 20% service fee? Many of the foreigners who aren't used to the tipping nonsense in the United States don't understand the thing where the servers are paid mostly by how much tips people leave.

Well, start with the large amount of people they’ll tick off because the average person does not tip 20% and end with the basic fact Disney does not have to. They have more than enough servers as it is. So why bother? More headaches for them with no bottom line reward.

 

[MillauFr]

I agree. But when it’s been tried in a few places, the servers don’t like it, because they make less money than they do with tips.

Yeah they don't like it because they have to split the service charge money with the back of house staff. More equitable though.

 

[MillauFr]

Some will, and some won’t, to be sure. It would depend on how the flat tip rate is calculated. I would not expect a high end restaurant to have the same dollar amount for their flat rate as, say, a Waffle House. Getting something like that set up would involve some math, perhaps adding all the items on the menu together, dividing by the number of items to get an average price, and calculating the flat rate as a percentage of that so that it would be proportional based on the type of restaurant. I think most people expect to tip more in a high end restaurant, but there are a lot of people who question why they should have to tip more in the same restaurant just because one entree costs more than another.

I really don’t see it changing, but it’s interesting to talk about.

Many Seattle restaurants have already gotten rid of tipping It is a welcome change. Everyone asking for a tip. Why not just pay them a fair wage to begin with?

 

[MillauFr]

Well, start with the large amount of people they’ll tick off because the average person does not tip 20% and end with the basic fact Disney does not have to. They have more than enough servers as it is. So why bother? More headaches for them with no bottom line reward.

The whole tipping culture in the United States is broken. When you have someone asking for a tip when handing you a cookie at the register.... That is completely ludicrous. Just eliminate tipping (aka bribe)

 

[gottalovepluto]

The whole tipping culture in the United States is broken. When you have someone asking for a tip when handing you a cookie at the register.... That is completely ludicrous. Just eliminate tipping (aka bribe)

I don’t disagree but the last thing Disney needs is to make a cultural statement these days…

 

[fla4fun]

Yeah they don't like it because they have to split the service charge money with the back of house staff. More equitable though.

Not only that, but there are some servers who don’t declare all of their cash tips as well. Most do, but there are plenty that declare the minimum they have to for their sales so they don’t get taxed on all of it. That ability goes away with a set gratuity, so the people who cheat in this way would fight against the change.

I agree splitting is more equitable. I have dined in several restaurants where I only saw my server when they took the order and when they brought the bill. The food and beverages were delivered by runners or other servers. The person doing the work deserves the reward in my opinion. The difference right now is that most of the kitchen staff is being paid more as a base rate than the servers, so the adjustment of server base pay as part of going to a flat rate gratuity would be necessary in my opinion. It’s another piece of the puzzle that I think would prevent any widespread change of tipping policies.

 

[MillauFr]

I don’t disagree but the last thing Disney needs is to make a cultural statement these days…

I think Disney would get much good will if they banned tipping at all restaurants and at all places at Disney Springs.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

When I was a server (20-30 years ago), the computer tracked our sales. When I went to clock out it gave me the total amount of sales for all of my customers - say in a 6 hour shift it was $620.55, it then asked how much I was claiming in tips to add to my gross income (so it could calculate my taxes). It wouldn't accept any number less than 10% (again years ago) - I don't know if that was the type of program my restaurant was using or if that's still a thing now. We couldn't clock out until we claimed atleast 10% of our total sales... Now with so much more credit card usage, I'm sure it's easier to accurately track how much servers should be claiming.

 

[Eastern]

OT but I was at Panera yesterday and bought a $3 cookie. The charge machine asked me how much I wanted to tip. I hit 'no tip' and it didn't go through. I hit it 2 more times: nothing.

I had to hit it at least 3-4 more times as the server stood there watching. I wonder if the 'no tip' button is broken from people pushing it or Panera just wants it to be hard to do.

 

[2010dvcfan]

I usually tip 20-25% for good service, I also take whatever the DVC discount is on the bill and add that, I figure I'd eat there on vacation even without a discount so why not put the discount in the pockets of the one that did all the work. It has lead to some very appreciative cast members finding me while I'm walking out of the restaurant turns out to be one of my favorite parts of vacationing as a DVC member.

 

[DanceDisney23]

Many say restaurants should pay their waitpeople more and eliminate tips, but, I can't imagine how the service would deteriorate if they did this.

I just wanted to address this since I grew up (and worked at a restaurant) in a culture where tipping at a restaurant is optional and nobody gets anywhere near 20% in tips. The service there isn’t worse, just different.

It was a bit of a culture shock to eat out in the US for the first time to be honest. It was very weird and slightly uncomfortable to me that our server tried to become my new best friend and checked on us every few minutes as if we were their first newborn while constantly disrupting the conversation I was having with my friends. Then, on the flip side, they couldn’t get rid of us fast enough as soon as we put the last bite into our mouths.

Sure, in Europe you might have to try to get the attention of your server at times, but eating out is a leisurely activity to be savored and enjoyed and not rushed through. No server was ever rude or deliberately inattentive, though. They still want to keep their jobs. They’re just trying to give you space to enjoy your meal and company.

Now that I’m Americanized, I always start feeling antsy towards the end of the meal, but I still sometimes miss the slower pace of European dining.

 

[Mouse Tracker]

Minimum is a combination of "Basic Combined Cash & Tip Minimum Wage Rate" of which Florida's is currently $12.00 with the Base being $8.98. But that rate will move to $9.98 in September* and continue to go up through September 2026, so it will then be $11.98, plus the Tip Minimum.

*"The Florida minimum wage is scheduled to increase by $1.00 every year on September 30th until reaching $15.00 on September 30, 2026."

Florida is one of the higher minimum server wages in the country .

Reading through the posts it seems as though some folks view 'tipping' as supplementing their wage.

If basic combined rate is $12 an hour, a server that gets a $30 tip from one table would be getting $42 an hour minimum (not considering they usually serve multiple tables). Even splitting with others would seem that they are getting a fair average per hour. So maybe the argument of 'not being paid enough' maybe should include the hours in a shift.

I don't mind tipping, especially for attentive service, but I'm not eating there to help the establishment cover their cost of employees.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Most “better” restaurants in NYC have given up on the no tipping rule; according to local news it was an abysmal failure as a social experiment.

Decades back it was easy to undercount tips received by employees for tax purposes but credit cards changed that.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I just wanted to address this since I grew up (and worked at a restaurant) in a culture where tipping at a restaurant is optional and nobody gets anywhere near 20% in tips. The service there isn’t worse, just different.

It was a bit of a culture shock to eat out in the US for the first time to be honest.

When I lived in Central Europe, tipping was included in the price of most meals but for exceptional service it was not uncommon to leave small change. Tbh I never feel intimidated paying in Europe or USA but that might have to do with my outlook.

 

[DanceDisney23]

When I lived in Central Europe, tipping was included in the price of most meals but for exceptional service it was not uncommon to leave small change. Tbh I never feel intimidated paying in Europe or USA but that might have to do with my outlook.

I never felt intimidated either, just smothered and coddled by strangers beyond my comfort level. There are cultural differences in what constitutes “good service”. And that has a lot to do with how we were conditioned by our restaurant culture, which in the US is strongly influenced by the reliance on tips.