Talking of tipping - % to tip at buffets

[mefordis]

I to agree that people who can afford high tips, could leave those kinds of tips. But people like me and DH who arent rich we actually live paycheck to paycheck needs some sort of slack. We have the right to go out to eat to once in awhile, even to nice places. Now DH and I always tip $5 which comes out to be 20-25% of the bill, cuz our meals never come out over $25. We never order deserts, so thats why we can come out ahead and not spend a lot of $ going out to eat. Plus living in a state with no tax helps out a lot as well. When we go to Disney in December we will be doing a lot of CS meals plus a lot of TS meals. However, some of he TS meals in the morning are Buffets, so therefor we will eat a light lunch and have a early dinner around 5pm. The day we go to AK we plan on eating at the Mara, eat lunch at flame tree and dinner at RFC in DTD, so only 1 TS meal that day. Then we have 1 day at MGM and 1 day finishing up AK and MGM. The day we do MGM we will eat breakfast at Boma around 7:30am and have a very early dinner at sci-fi around 4pm and right afterwards catch Fantasmic. So therefor we completely skip lunch to not only help not being overally stuffed but to help save money as well. And if we get hungry later we'll just grab a snack. Same thing for the day we do MGM and AK. We will eat breakfast at Donalds (which will be the new one at Tusker House) and then have another early dinner at 50s around 4pm. Now the days we go to MK and Epcot is where it gets expensive. Most days we will have 2 TS meals. However the breakfasts are mainly buffets and we will once again have early dinners around 5pm. Setting our meals up like this is gonna allow us to tip 15% at the TS meals. I know its not the 18% like on the DDP or 20% like most people do tip, but the norm is 15-20% so I think im in the clear.

Completely understood. In fact, I would feel terrible if I let anyone believe that I think a person should not eat at TS unless they have 20% to tip. As a former server, I feel that 15% is fine. My DH still thinks that is good. I just over do it because I was a former server before and I do tend to be the type to shove a $1 in the Starbucks tip jar, even when I just ordered a small coffee. I think my DH would have a comment to make about me throwing my money to and fro. I don't care because it makes me feel good, and if it came to taking $$ away from our family in a meaningful way I wouldn't do it.

I say have a great time, eat at the TS restaurants and tip what you can!!!

 

[mom2my3kids]

People in Canada are used to tip, and 15% is customary here, even if servers make minimum wage. And 15% of 45$USD is as easy to figure out as 15% of 45$CAD, just have to give out those green bills instead of colored ones! Our bills don't look the same, but we have the same system, we live just north of you. Please do not judge on that experience.

I didn't mean anything against Canadians, I love Canada. I was just giving a example we have cheap people here also. I just thought maybe they thought 2.00 was a lot..

 

[mom2my3kids]

Bottom Line.. In the United States its Customary if you get good service you leave anywhere between 15-20 percent of the bill. PERIOD!! Let me tell you we servers remember the bad tippers..If I can't afford to tip properly we don't go to a sit down restaurant we go to McDonald's..I want to thank all the people on this board who know right from wrong and know how to tip a server. I am not saying leave a big fat tip if you get bad service, I am saying leave a good tip if you get service and let your server know she did a good job. We work very hard, I just got home after working 9 hours on my feet and I am exhausted so I know and I didn't make enough to buy that convertable. I made just enought to pay my electric bill..

 

[Disney8704]

No. I never said decent service to ME was $2 or $3, I was saying if someone wants to leave that, they can. We NEVER have a $100 meal. Not even in Disney, that $5 if you read correctly, was for meals HERE not in Disney and the total coming to $20-$25 before tip. $20 x 25% = $5.00. The $1 or $2 is sufficent if we are going to a buffet where theres someone to give us refills on the drinks. I dont feel the need to give them more. I've done research online and even found that the $1 or $2 for buffets with servers is perfectly suitable. And by the way we will be leaving 15% tips in Disney and $2 tips for the buffets.

FYI - I've never multi-quoted before...so forgive me if this doesn't work.


There IS slack...nobody is saying you have to tip 20%... but at one point you mentioned that decent service is worth $2 or $3 to you, regardless of cost of meal. The "slack" is built into that 15% option (or lower for poor service.) But $2 or $3 for a $100 meal is NOT the 20-25% that you mentioned you normally leave.


Of course you do. But if I couldn't afford a tip, I would choose not to eat there.


OK, this statement above is QUITE different than your tone in previous posts. You've stated (earlier) that you feel that a dollar or two is sufficient...that servers are GREEDY if they want more... and that tipping is OPTIONAL.

These things you said are not indicative of you tipping in the 15% range. If you do in fact tip servers in this range...well then I don't think anyone would disagree with that. What some (many?) here were disagreeing with were your multiple previous posts saying that $1, $2, or $3 dollars is more than enough for any amount of meal. And your statement regarding greed.

And, I live 10 minutes from the Delaware border.... tipping is the norm no matter where you live.

 

[Nancyg56]

I didnt say that they were happy. I said that they were understanding. The servers know themselves weither or not people tip.

Your server may tell you that they understand but that may not be the case. The server simply was not rude. You can choose not to leave an acceptable tip, that is your right. I wonder what you would say though, in the event your job was to wait on tables. You never know what tomorrow will bring and somehow when the shoe is on the other foot.......

 

[just another guy]

And by the way we will be leaving 15% tips in Disney and $2 tips for the buffets.

Why don't you tell the buffet server you are leaving them only $2 as you get sat and see what service you get. They work just as hard if not harder than other servers. They didn't pick to work at a buffet vs a normal sit down restaurant.

 

[Disney8704]

WOW, well then I guess every website I read online is wrong then. I've checked several websites, including a website that deals with Las Vegas buffets (and we all know how classy las vegas is) and they all say the same thing. Any buffets that have someone coming around and filling your drinks $1-$3. Im sorry but just to pick up dirty dishes and fill ur glass doesnt require much effort not to mention they generally wait on more tables then a normal server. I cant see giving them $10 or more to just fill your glass. Now if it was more then me and DH then I would tip more. Family style meals like at LTT I will tip 15%. But a regular buffet like Boma or CP, 10% of the cost wouldnt be more then $5 anyways. More work = more pay. Thats just how the working industry is.

Why don't you tell the buffet server you are leaving them only $2 as you get sat and see what service you get. They work just as hard if not harder than other servers. They didn't pick to work at a buffet vs a normal sit down restaurant.

 

[Nancyg56]

More work = more pay. Thats just how the working industry is.

May I ask what you do for a living? I am not trying to be rude, I'm am really interested because it seems that you have a narrow viewpoint regarding those who are not employed in white collar professions.

 

[Andy B]

I hate yo break it to you, but those buffet server you look down upon, at the Crystal Palace make more in 6 months, than you probably do in a year.

This contradicts the sob stories some servers are putting forward here

 

[just another guy]

This contradicts the sob stories some servers are putting forward here

The servers making good money don't walk off the streets and start tomorrow. They've been with the company 20-35 years. They've invested 1/4th their life(if they hit 100) serving others. I know a server at CP and she is highly asked for. People come back year after year always requesting her. This server has come to know MANY families on a first name base, and even keeps tracks of when they are coming back. In her day planner she'll mark down "Sept 2nd: The Petersons from RI, and little suzy's birthday was 2 weeks prior" or so. She goes extremely above and beyond and fully deserves her income.

 

[Disney8704]

Well for starters Im a Air Force wife - the toughest job in the air force! Im also in college getting my 2nd degree in accounting. I already have my 1st degree of course in Wedding Planning. Im using the accounting degree to put towards my wedding planning business. I used to work in retail as a cashier but also did many other jobs there to: Layaway, customer service and fitting room. Sometimes did all 4 jobs plus did a managers roll for a few hrs all in 1 day - 9 hrs. And guess how much I got paid for all my hard work: $6.75 an hr which was the minimum wage. Oh yeah for the servers not making much money - I would rather have their job making $2 an hr then have to spend 5 months at once without my DH and worry about him 24/7 and get one phone call a week for 15 mins. They say they have it hard? Theres nothing harder then being a military spouse and Im sure every military spouse on here can agree with me on this one.

May I ask what you do for a living? I am not trying to be rude, I'm am really interested because it seems that you have a narrow viewpoint regarding those who are not employed in white collar professions.

 

[Andy B]

Wow! If you follow your own advice and ever get the same server twice you must get a lot of spit in your food before its served to you.

So bad tipping justifies this? I'm afraid I feel this loses a big part of the argument.

 

[Andy B]

The servers making good money don't walk off the streets and start tomorrow. They've been with the company 20-35 years. They've invested 1/4th their life(if they hit 100) serving others. I know a server at CP and she is highly asked for. People come back year after year always requesting her. This server has come to know MANY families on a first name base, and even keeps tracks of when they are coming back. In her day planner she'll mark down "Sept 2nd: The Petersons from RI, and little suzy's birthday was 2 weeks prior" or so. She goes extremely above and beyond and fully deserves her income.

OK thats for good service but a number of the servers have been advocating 20-25% all the time!

My Nephew is a trained chef and is now a number 2 at a hotel to the General Manager. When he was a restaurant manager in a large hotel he would occasionally work as a server if they were short and then he would make more than normal or the chef!

 

[Andy B]

I already have my 1st degree of course in Wedding Planning.

I didn't know there were degrees in Wedding Planning. I thought it was all useless stuff like Mathematics, History, Astrophisics, Law or Medicine.

 

[Andy123]

 

[Disney8704]

Well I got my wedding planning certificate but its still classified as a degree and I dont see whats so funny about that.

I didn't know there were degrees in Wedding Planning. I thought it was all useless stuff like Mathematics, History, Astrophisics, Law or Medicine.

 

[Nancyg56]

Well for starters Im a Air Force wife - the toughest job in the air force! Im also in college getting my 2nd degree in accounting. I already have my 1st degree of course in Wedding Planning. Im using the accounting degree to put towards my wedding planning business. I used to work in retail as a cashier but also did many other jobs there to: Layaway, customer service and fitting room. Sometimes did all 4 jobs plus did a managers roll for a few hrs all in 1 day - 9 hrs. And guess how much I got paid for all my hard work: $6.75 an hr which was the minimum wage. Oh yeah for the servers not making much money - I would rather have their job making $2 an hr then have to spend 5 months at once without my DH and worry about him 24/7 and get one phone call a week for 15 mins. They say they have it hard? Theres nothing harder then being a military spouse and Im sure every military spouse on here can agree with me on this one.

First, I understand that it is difficult when your spouse is serving our country. My nephews are both Marines, one has served three tours in Iraq so I will be the first to think you and your DH for your service.

Having said that, I wonder if you will feel the same when you are in the service of others who will disparage your job because to them planning a wedding looks as though it is a walk in the park that anyone can do. Once you are in the business of having to deal with others and having to address them even when they feel that the amount of money that you charge is more than the job is worth.

 

[mom2my3kids]

This contradicts the sob stories some servers are putting forward here

This is just wrong in so many ways, how rude. Most servers bust their butts for what they make and if they are good at their job yes they can make good money. How you ask?? By being one darn good server and having customers asking for them and leaving them good tips for being a good server. Disney is just a tiny percent of servers around the country and they may make good money there and good for them. But most places unless its a 100.00 a plate restaurant does not make that kind of tips. I make 2.13 a hour, my checks say 0000000000.000000 because they tax my little paycheck for my tax's. It's not a sob story its the truth.

 

[mom2my3kids]

First, I understand that it is difficult when your spouse is serving our country. My nephews are both Marines, one has served three tours in Iraq so I will be the first to think you and your DH for your service.

Having said that, I wonder if you will feel the same when you are in the service of others who will disparage your job because to them planning a wedding looks as though it is a walk in the park that anyone can do. Once you are in the business of having to deal with others and having to address them even when they feel that the amount of money that you charge is more than the job is worth.

Ditto!!!!

 

[mom2my3kids]

Well for starters Im a Air Force wife - the toughest job in the air force! Im also in college getting my 2nd degree in accounting. I already have my 1st degree of course in Wedding Planning. Im using the accounting degree to put towards my wedding planning business. I used to work in retail as a cashier but also did many other jobs there to: Layaway, customer service and fitting room. Sometimes did all 4 jobs plus did a managers roll for a few hrs all in 1 day - 9 hrs. And guess how much I got paid for all my hard work: $6.75 an hr which was the minimum wage. Oh yeah for the servers not making much money - I would rather have their job making $2 an hr then have to spend 5 months at once without my DH and worry about him 24/7 and get one phone call a week for 15 mins. They say they have it hard? Theres nothing harder then being a military spouse and Im sure every military spouse on here can agree with me on this one.

You sound very bitter, we need a group hug