Talking of tipping - % to tip at buffets

[Maria395712]

my DD 23 is a server in nj she makes $2.13 a n hour her paycheck is 000.00 void. no paycheck the money goes to taxes on the tips they feel she should make .so the only pay are the tips and she only is allowed 3 tables not 5 or more like someone said and not 50$$ an hour like they said /could be anywhere from 5-15 $ an hour. on sat she got 1 $ tip to bust her butt on some one whose check is 30$$ that's cheap and crazy. I think peple don't realize they don't get a pay just what they give them. also the ones that don't tip are always the nasty ones that want this and that or this is cold this doesn't look like the picture
maria

 

[bookgirl2632]

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.

I have eaten at several Las Vegas buffets. I tip 15% to 18%, depending on the level of service. If they don't collect my plates or refill my drinks, it's 15% for them. If they are way more attentive and helpful, they get 18%.

Oh, and I am not well off, not by any stretch. I save my money for my vacations, budgeting wisely in order to afford them. And when I am budgeting money for vacation, I budget how much I will be spending on food, including tips.

 

[wilde_oscar]

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.

and that seperates the wheat from the chaff... if I had a server with that attention to detail, they would get 100% tip everytime, even if I had to write a bad check to cover it.

 

[Disney8704]

Actually I've already have had a few clients and they think my rates are hard to beat. Especially since theres only 2 other wedding planners listed in DE and they are all the way in the northern part of DE. I specialize in military weddings and give military discount of 10%. My rates depends on what I do for the wedding. For me to do everything, its $1500. Most wedding planners charge at least twice that amount. With military discount its $1350. Yes, people do think its a cake walk to plan their own, but when they realize they dont have the time to plan, they call me. Of course I dont charge the full amount flat out. I take 10% to start with as a down payment and then they can pay me monthly payments if they choose to. Of course they to also have the opition to pay the full thing right away. I just got done doing a wedding in Feburary. And I was told by both the bride, groom, the parents and guests that I did an outstanding job and what the bride and groom paid ($1350 - the groom is in the AF) didnt compare to the job I did. A guest came up to me and asked me how much it cost for me to do their wedding and when I told her she couldnt believe it. She said that I took a wedding and made it look like it cost $20,000. I told her thats how my wedding went to. Mine cost $5000 including flowers, cake, dresses, ceremony & reception, etc and by the time it was done, it looked like I spent way more then that.

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.

 

[just another guy]

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!

...and many chefs will clearly say they would never want to put up with what the servers have to deal with. Its a trade off. Raw food products don't have attitudes, ask stupid questions, demand stuff, complain, etc.

 

[rentayenta]

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.

I completely agree with this.



This whole issue boils down to perspective or lack there of. For those so unwilling to see the other side I hope for you the one writing your paycheck never sees your inadequacies. I hope they don't want to hear the reason you were late or that your child is sick or that you got bad news that morning. I also hope they don't deduct your pay because they are cheap or feel they have paid enough for your service even though you were counting on more and earned it. I hope they don't deny you the benefits you so deserve regardless of what kind of day they are having. I hope your pay is not based on their mood or their vacation fund.


Bleh. This whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[rentayenta]

And again, poor service should not be tipped but please look at what service is and what it is not. It is not babysitting your kids, filling your ego, laughing at your lame jokes, or any of the other ridiculous things servers are expected to do. It is about being courteous and helpful. Servers are not miracle workers. We cannot make the miserable less miserable. If you cannot afford the tip, you cannot afford the meal. When money was tight DH and I did not go out to a nice restaurant and order thinking that we'd save $20 by stiffing the server. Legally it may be okay but morally it sucks! When we plan our vacation budget we budget in the tips too for housekeeping, bell people, servers, etc,.

 

[smartestnumber5]

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

No I don't think bad tipping *justifies* spitting in someone's food. I never intended to argue for that.

I just think that continually refusing to tip or tipping very badly is rude, inconsiderate, and wrong. I do get a little chuckle out of thinking that such folks are getting their just desserts, but I would hope that servers don't actually do this to anyone.

 

[bookgirl2632]

And again, poor service should not be tipped but please look at what service is and what it is not. It is not babysitting your kids, filling your ego, laughing at your lame jokes, or any of the other ridiculous things servers are expected to do. It is about being courteous and helpful. Servers are not miracle workers. We cannot make the miserable less miserable. If you cannot afford the tip, you cannot afford the meal. When money was tight DH and I did not go out to a nice restaurant and order thinking that we'd save $20 by stiffing the server. Legally it may be okay but morally it sucks! When we plan our vacation budget we budget in the tips too for housekeeping, bell people, servers, etc,.

Well said! We had an excellent Mousekeeper last September (Rosa). Our room was always spotless. She left towel animals even though we were clearly four adults staying at POR. And she was kind enough to leave shampoo and soap every day. We tipped her very well. Now, if she had done the bare minimum during our stay, it would have been less. She earned her tip and this is as it should be. We also make sure to tip the bell people every time they handle our bags. And being four adult women, we had a lot of bags.

We tip for a service provided. If the service provided is done so exceedingly well, then we tip accordingly. This applies to mousekeeping, bell services, and servers (buffet or not). I mean, it's not rocket science.

 

[Andy B]

Well said! We had an excellent Mousekeeper last September (Rosa). Our room was always spotless. She left towel animals even though we were clearly four adults staying at POR. And she was kind enough to leave shampoo and soap every day. We tipped her very well. Now, if she had done the bare minimum during our stay, it would have been less. She earned her tip and this is as it should be. We also make sure to tip the bell people every time they handle our bags. And being four adult women, we had a lot of bags.

We tip for a service provided. If the service provided is done so exceedingly well, then we tip accordingly. This applies to mousekeeping, bell services, and servers (buffet or not). I mean, it's not rocket science.

I'm glad you had ggod service but wouldn't replenishing soap and shampoo be considered expected to be included in the room rate?

 

[bookgirl2632]

I'm glad you had ggod service but wouldn't replenishing soap and shampoo be considered expected to be included in the room rate?

Well, she gave us extra.

 

[bicker]

I'm glad you had ggod service but wouldn't replenishing soap and shampoo be considered expected to be included in the room rate?

Yes, absolutely. The determining factor is whether the job position itself is compensated based on an expectation that the basic service to be provided is included in the room rate or not. Unlike restaurants (where the menu price does NOT include the full cost of basic service provided, and therefore the diner is expected to provide a gratuity), hotels in the US vary with regard to how they compensate their staff, and therefore whether or not gratuities are expected. Check with the manager of the hotel if you're concerned. I've done so at WDW, and Disney's housekeepers are classified the same as theme park custodians, they're non-tipped personnel, and there is no expectation for a gratuity for basic service provided.

 

[Nancyg56]

I completely agree with this.



This whole issue boils down to perspective or lack there of. For those so unwilling to see the other side I hope for you the one writing your paycheck never sees your inadequacies. I hope they don't want to hear the reason you were late or that your child is sick or that you got bad news that morning. I also hope they don't deduct your pay because they are cheap or feel they have paid enough for your service even though you were counting on more and earned it. I hope they don't deny you the benefits you so deserve regardless of what kind of day they are having. I hope your pay is not based on their mood or their vacation fund.

You articulated so well the point that I was attempting to make. While I would never excuse terrible service, I always make an allowance for outside influences that may affect performance. What I have noticed here is that for some there is no leeway. Every job is of value and because the job is providing service to another, many times a service that that person would rather not do themselves, there is a sense of entitlement. For some there is power in determining another's value based on a scale that only you know.

 

[Andy B]

My feeling is that for a standard tip (and here I am willing to accept the Disney DDP figure of 18%) the service should at least be competent ie, get order right, bring things at the right time, top up drinks etc. Fail in some of that then perhaps 15% very bad then maybe 10%. make our life a misery then I will be speaking to the manager. Conversely, make our meal special and I will tip more, up to 25% or more if I have the bills on me.

I feel a lot of the time although a tip is aimed at as a percentage it then can be impacted by the cash in pocket. If I had loose cash which only totaled say 16.5% tip I may leave that rather than dip into breaking a $100 bill. which as a tourist I sometimes have.

 

[rentayenta]

You articulated so well the point that I was attempting to make. While I would never excuse terrible service, I always make an allowance for outside influences that may affect performance. What I have noticed here is that for some there is no leeway. Every job is of value and because the job is providing service to another, many times a service that that person would rather not do themselves, there is a sense of entitlement. For some there is power in determining another's value based on a scale that only you know.

And it's that sense of entitlement that is communicated loud and clear to the server, host, busser, etc., That info is passed on. I can't say how many times a host has apologized for seating an ornery party or a party that is known for being cheap. A guest's attitude when they first walk through that door is known by all.


And again, I ask myself, what is the guest, who continually receives poor service, doing to keep receiving poor service? Yes, we will all encounter a lazy server but for the most part we work our tails off knowing it's our bread and butter!

What part does the guest play in the service they get? A lot!

 

[disneyfan2kids]

No. I never said decent service to ME was $2 or $3...

Yes you did...you said it right here:
(This is quoted from your post in the DDP gratuity thread

Thats how DH and I are. We tip based on the service. I set up a tipping thing where we tip $1 - $5 depending on service. If service is VERY horrible, the most I'll tip is $1 or nothing at all. However, my stepdad brought out a good point one time. He told me its more of an insult to tip 1 penny then nothing at all, cuz the waiter might think we just couldnt afford to tip or forgot to. So being that said, the worst service you can ever think of, 1 penny. If its perfect then $5. As for $2-$4 - $2-$3 depending on what happened with service, and $4 if it was good but not great. There are times I wont tip at all. Like one time me, DH went to applebees for dinner with 3 friends. Well for starters, the waiteress was OK. I expected more from her, cuz I actually worked with her before at another job. Then applebees decide to run out of chicken? I ordered, she didnt tell me straight off that they were out of chicken and came back and told me like 10 mins after I ordered. Then on top of it all, the didnt fix my DH burger right. Then all of us ordered drinks, a couple beers, I ordered a strawberry daquire with no alchoal, and it took FOREVER to get our drinks. Our food came out before the drinks did! Luckly the manager caught wind of this and came and told us the drinks were on the house. So yeah, it was a pretty bad meal. DH and I are not doing the DDP. We were considering it, but my biggest fear was not using all the credits. About 98% of our breakfasts are TS (character meals mainly) so which means we might not be hungry for lunch and the dinners are about 98% TS as well. So I could end up having all these CS credits going to waste PLUS I dont like the fact that the tipping is included believe it or not. I like to tip my own amount. If the service is bad, they get the most $1 - NOT 18%! I mean say the meal came to $50 - thats a $9 tip, they most certainly wouldnt deserve if it was horrible.

 

[illiniowl]

Yes you did...you said it right here:
(This is quoted from your post in the DDP gratuity thread

As much as I would like to watch that whole debate unfold again the poster you are quoting did say (somewhere, I'm too lazy to look it up and quote it) that she and her DH NEVER run up a bill of more than $20-$25 so she always ends up tipping at least 15% for standard service (well, at least if she tips $3 on a $20 check; 15% on $25 is $3.75). Obviously she tips less for substandard service and most people wouldn't disagree with that practice.

What was said a few times by multiple posters that I really disagreed with was something to the effect of that if you are strapped for cash, you still have the right to eat out once in a while at a nice restaurant even if you can't afford the minimum (15-20%) tip. Wrong-o. Nobody has the right to something they can't afford, basic human rights excepted. A meal at a sit-down restaurant isn't a basic human right, and a 15-20% gratuity for standard service is simply part of what one has to be able to afford in order to purchase that meal.

 

[Disney8704]

That $2 or $3 is for when service isnt great. Like everyone on here, you give the waiter less if the service is bad. Speaking of bad servers I remember this one time me and DH went to IHope for breakfast and OMG talk about the worst service in the world! We waited for a good 30 mins before we even got seated. Then when we did, it took another 5 mins before the waitress even came around to get our drinks. 10 mins later she finally shows up to get the drinks and our orders. We waited for almost an hr to get our food. During the meal DH needed a refill and our waitress was no where to be found and so DH actually got up walked to where the kitchen was and had to end up getting another waitress to get my DH refill. Mind you the waitress never even stopped to check up on us at all during the meal. After we got done eating, the same waitress that gave DHs refill, gave us our check. She said that she was sorry for the poor service and that she couldnt believe our waitress was slacking off like she was. When we left, I over heard the same waitress who gave us the check told our waitress that she hasnt gotten any tips at all, all morning. Another time I remember dont know if its funny or rude or both, but same place - IHop. The waiter was checking me out hard core. He kept staring at me and smiling. When he talked to me to get my order he was smiling at me the entire time and when he took DHs order he stopped smiling. We both had ordered large OJ. Well, he comes to bring our drinks, mine was overflowing and DHs was half full! We were like what the? DH asked to speak the manager, so the manager came and said sorry and we ended up getting the OJ for free. I wanted to leave some sort of tip for the guy, but DH said no way. I couldnt do anything about it, cuz we never carry cash on us, and DH always pays the bill, so he always fills out the slip and hands it back to the cashier.

Yes you did...you said it right here:
(This is quoted from your post in the DDP gratuity thread

 

[mom2my3kids]

Enough said already.. Its simple if you get good service you tip 15-20 percent of the bill. Now if you get less then good service then tip what you think they deserve. Its very simple, and its not the servers fault if it takes 30 minutes to be seated and how long the food takes. Now there is times maybe the server forgot to put the order in or the cooks lost the ticket. It does not happen alot but I have seen it.