Tables in Wonderland ?

[Thekidsmom]

We had dinner at Beaches and Cream and it was a bad experience. Suprising because it has always been good. We ordered our meal and when it was brought the waitress rushed away. We could not get her attention and she didn't not come back untill we were finished with our meal, actually it wasn't her but another waitress whom we asked for drink refills and told about the onion rings. Still our waitress never comes back and another girl brings our drink refills. The onion rings are finally brought after we had already completely finished our meal by still anther girl. Our waitress we bring ice cream to two other tables and apparently got all their order wrong. Then we got her attention to bring our kids their sundays we wanted to order she said ok. When she brought them she only brought one and was suprise that we said we ordered two, we have two kids sitting their and are not happy. After this she said she would bring another and I gave her our tables in wonderland card and she said she had to get managers approval. When the manager walked by I talked to him explained the bad service and told him I did not want to give her a 20% gratuity when we had had such bad service. His reply "then you cannot use your tables in wonderland discount" ! I was really mad at this point. I told him that I would not use the discount than because I was not going to give her a tip for such bad service. I know there they atomatically put on an 18% gratutity but if there is bad service we should be able to refuse.

 

[twinklebug]

I've never had a bad experience at B&C either -- it sounds like this waitress was new or was having a very hard time focusing on her job that day (we all have bad days)

I agree with you about the TIW 18% gratuity. I will be getting the card for the first time this upcoming visit and the built in tip is the one issue I have with it already. I typically tip 20% for service when paying without a discount, however I do like the option of tipping less for bad service. I guess this will just make me speak up to the management faster if I sense a problem.

 

[sabrecmc]

I'm really surprised the manager wouldn't simply give you a 20% discount on the bill and let you add what tip you deemed appropriate, given the circumstances. I do understand with TiW that they need to make the tip automatic or people would probably end up tipping on the discounted total and constantly under-tipping people, but there should be a work around in situations when you truly do not receive even adequate service. I would contact guest relations.

I'll be getting the TiW card in a few days for use on our July-September-July trips, so I still think it works out pretty well if you're going multiple times, but your story about a mandatory tip does give me pause. That would've rubbed me the wrong way too.

 

[jennipooh]

I will be purchasing the TIW card for our August trip. We are thinking of eating at Beaches & Cream. If we do eat there, I hope we receive better service than you did!

I know that an 18% gratuity is automatically added to a TIW bill. In most cases that is helpful - I will not have to do the math. I would leave that amount anyway - even at buffets at WDW. (We have had some of our best waitresses at WDW buffets.)

I imagine the manager you spoke with was simply the "manager on duty" and not the general manager of the restaurant and it sounds like his service was no better than that of the waitress!

ANYWAY, if the service is not there, I would feel uncomfortable like you about giving a tip where one was not warranted. Using the TIW, I feel my hands may be tied if I do get bad service.

You were sharp to think of not using TIW and keeping the tip. You made a statement... but it sounds like it was not just the waitress, but the establishment, as well, who did not deserve your $$$ that day. I hope they got the message, but it doesn't sound like it.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Very interesting the tip was "mandatory" in your case. I did not think tips were that, considering having bad service.
I probably would have done the same as the OP.
It would be interesting to know if the fine print reads anything about the tip being mandatory. We did not renew our DDW card, and have not had one since the automatic 18% tip. (The tip did not bother me as we left what the discount amount was anyway.)
My guess is the manager did this on his own. Knowing me, I would be complaining to his boss or writing a letter.
I did not think a tip was an 18% mandatory fee.

 

[vicki_c]

The 18% tip on the TiW is mandatory, unless you get the manager to approve something different. It's charged right on the bill when they bring it to you, along with the 20% discount.