They didn't expect us to tip on the DDP...

[DutchJoyce]

Me and my family just had an amazing time at WDW staying at AKL and enjoying the DDP for 2 weeks.
We are from the Netherlands and here we aren't used to tipping large amounts of money at restaurants. If you give the server about 5% extra he/she will be very happy... But when I am in the USA I tip like the Americans do (18%) but that surprised almost all servers we had at the WDW restaurants.
So at the end of the meal when they got their tip they really tried to make up things with offering all kind of extra drinks etc. I am not complaining, because the service at WDW is way better than what we are used to here. I just noticed this and it made me a bit sad, because it points out that so many people don't tip on the DDP.

 

[BrianL]

Me and my family just had an amazing time at WDW staying at AKL and enjoying the DDP for 2 weeks.
We are from the Netherlands and here we aren't used to tipping large amounts of money at restaurants. If you give the server about 5% extra he/she will be very happy... But when I am in the USA I tip like the Americans do (18%) but that surprised almost all servers we had at the WDW restaurants.
So at the end of the meal when they got their tip they really tried to make up things with offering all kind of extra drinks etc. I am not complaining, because the service at WDW is way better than what we are used to here. I just noticed this and it made me a bit sad, because it points out that so many people don't tip on the DDP.

Wow, really? I have never used the DDP, but my understanding is that tip is not included. If people aren't tipping, they are really letting their server down. I've generally had great service at WDW too, and always tip accordingly - usually a little bit more than when I am at typical restaurants, because the service usually warrants it.

 

[_19disnA]

Tipping at a US restaurant is a common practice. How much to tip varies on a number of factors and usually results in arguments on here......LOL. We used the Dining Plan a few years ago when at Disney and still tipped as we would at any restaurant. The only difference I can recall is that if you party was for 6 or more using a dining plan, Disney would automatically add a tip to your bill. I can't speak for what everyone else does regarding tipping and have no idea how others would even notice what someone at another table does/doesn't do.

 

[mistysue]

Me and my family just had an amazing time at WDW staying at AKL and enjoying the DDP for 2 weeks.
We are from the Netherlands and here we aren't used to tipping large amounts of money at restaurants. If you give the server about 5% extra he/she will be very happy... But when I am in the USA I tip like the Americans do (18%) but that surprised almost all servers we had at the WDW restaurants.
So at the end of the meal when they got their tip they really tried to make up things with offering all kind of extra drinks etc. I am not complaining, because the service at WDW is way better than what we are used to here. I just noticed this and it made me a bit sad, because it points out that so many people don't tip on the DDP.

This is me being annoyed the servers never care at all when we tip at WDW - and we usually end up tipping more like 20-25%. Never had one try to "make up things" or offer anything. It might have to do with your accents that they expect no tip.

 

[DutchJoyce]

Yes, I know that tipping at a US restaurant is a common practice and that's why I do it. But I think that they experienced that in other countries people don't tip or tip less. So telling them you are from a country in Europe is like telling them don't expect a tip or something.

 

[gottalovepluto]

…at the end of the meal when they got their tip they really tried to make up things with offering all kind of extra drinks etc…

I think you misinterpreted what is normal behavior at WDW. Disney’s servers are always offering me extra drinks to-go and often offer advice and chat about your plans at the end of the meal. Never done DDP.

(Well almost always- the time during Covid when service was down across the board everywhere these touches were missed periodically.)

 

[Disneylover99]

This is me being annoyed the servers never care at all when we tip at WDW - and we usually end up tipping more like 20-25%. Never had one try to "make up things" or offer anything. It might have to do with your accents that they expect no tip.

Yeah. We’ve had the ddp a number of times. We always tip well.
Once we pay, they’re finished with us and we never see our server again.

 

[DutchJoyce]

I think you misinterpreted what is normal behavior at WDW. Disney’s servers are always offering me extra drinks to-go and often offer advice and chat about your plans at the end of the meal. Never done DDP.

(Well almost always- the time during Covid when service was down across the board everywhere these touches were missed periodically.)

I know what normal behavior is at WDW, this was certainly not my first visit and it will not be my last

 

[gottalovepluto]

I know what normal behavior is at WDW, this was certainly not my first visit and it will not be my last

So- fill us in! What else did they do for you?

 

[DutchJoyce]

No, I will not, because this is not a competition or something. I went to WDW and noticed that because of me being an international tourist and using the DDP the servers were surprised that I tipped. That's all. That's sad.

 

[NYCgrrl]

The ex (French) didn’t expect Europeans to tip as a general rule and when he worked as a maitre d he’d ensure the different parties were spread throughout various stations.
Ensured a more even tip disbursement at the end of the night.

We used to purchased the deluxe dining plan and always tipped commensurate with service.

 

[pooch]

The DDP does not include tips (it did when it first started). There is absolutely no excuse for not tipping the waitstaff. Whatever your opinion of tipping in general is, it is the norm here. Unless your service was horrendous, in which case you should be speaking to a manager, you should be leaving a tip!

 

[Debbie Jean]

Probably says more about servers previous experience with Europeans and how you are perceived. As others have pointed out whether paying DDP or OOP, tips in the range of 15-20% are normal and expected from Americans. As an elderly solo traveler I usually receive excellent service and tip accordingly… can’t say a server has ever remarked on that.

 

[FreeTime]

I know what normal behavior is at WDW, this was certainly not my first visit and it will not be my last

If what @gottalovepluto said is not what you perceive as normal behavior then that would be problematic to me. I have always been offered extra whether on DDP or OOP.

 

[Isthisnormalatdisney]

The DDP does not include tips (it did when it first started). There is absolutely no excuse for not tipping the waitstaff. Whatever your opinion of tipping in general is, it is the norm here. Unless your service was horrendous, in which case you should be speaking to a manager, you should be leaving a tip!

in Disney restaurants if the service is awful most of the time the manager will listen but not do anything. So will likely have to leave less tip. Only issue is when you have 6 or more and they force a tip. Than the server already knows they getting tipped. Granted vast majority of servers are great and less than 10% of the times at table service is the server not of top quality.

 

[pooch]

Having been raised by a single mom who supported us waiting tables, I am always puzzled by the thought that a built in tip means subpar service. The argument was made when the tip was included in the DDP. Then, when it was removed, people complained about having to leave a tip. The same arguments are made on cruise boards. What terrible opinions people have about waitstaff. Mom treated everyone well and gave great service because that was her job.

 

[Isthisnormalatdisney]

Having been raised by a single mom who supported us waiting tables, I am always puzzled by the thought that a built in tip means subpar service. The argument was made when the tip was included in the DDP. Then, when it was removed, people complained about having to leave a tip. The same arguments are made on cruise boards. What terrible opinions people have about waitstaff. Mom treated everyone well and gave great service because that was her job.

That’s great that your mom treated everyone well, but how does that singular anecdotal experience translate to all other waitstaff? (Also, not to be crass and maybe I’m missing something, but what was I suppose to get out of her being a single mom, I just feel like I’m missing context since you included it? Maybe that will help me understand your message)

But yes the same argument is made on cruise boards and the tipping just subsidized the companies as evidence has been shown.

Why are you turning this “opinions” into something like a personal attack on “waitstaff?”

Also Walt Disney world is an international destination. Vast majority of countries don’t have this tipping system we have.

 

[pooch]

Oerhap

That’s great that your mom treated everyone well, but how does that singular anecdotal experience translate to all other waitstaff? (Also, not to be crass and maybe I’m missing something, but what was I suppose to get out of her being a single mom, I just feel like I’m missing context since you included it? Maybe that will help me understand your message)

But yes the same argument is made on cruise boards and the tipping just subsidized the companies as evidence has been shown.

Why are you turning this “opinions” into something like a personal attack on “waitstaff?”

Also Walt Disney world is an international destination. Vast majority of countries don’t have this tipping system we have.

I dunno, I just read people talking about auto gratuities as a correlation to mediocre service and I don’t think that is the case. A good server is a good server regardless of anticipated tips. And a bad server will still be bad no matter what they get tipped.

 

[Isthisnormalatdisney]

Oerhap

I dunno, I just read people talking about auto gratuities as a correlation to mediocre service and I don’t think that is the case. A good server is a good server regardless of anticipated tips. And a bad server will still be bad no matter what they get tipped.

Go to any of the threads about tipping housekeepers and you will have people swearing up and down that they get better service when they tip them. Clearly they are convinced that tipping gets them better service, so on that same token if they don’t tip they just feel they get worse service.

I personally find even with the autograt the service the vast majority of time is good, I think I said only under 10% of the time is the service not top quality, which might have been a bit too generous as its maybe 50% top tier, 20% good tier, 20% just ok, 5% meh, and 5% manager we need to talk. Those are rough estimates. The autograt also makes my life easier in a way since I don’t have a choice, I would also prob tip more since most of my party is on the younger age but with the autograt I just do what is required.