Those tipping questions.....

[PoppyAnna]

Okay, I know it's probably been asked many times before, and I did search before I started this thread but the results were quite old.
So here goes, if you're fairly happy with a TS meal and the service how much do you tip? It's about 15% and above in the US isn't it?
Do you leave a daily tip for housekeeping?
Who else do you tip? Take away delivery guy/gal?

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

In the U.S. I tip 15-20%.
We also tip the valet, bellmen, taxi drivers, bartenders & housekeeping. I hope I didn't leave anyone out.

 

[Minniespal]

Here is a great link that explains tipping:-

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/tipguidelines.htm

 

[Andy B]

The DDP gives 18% as standard tip for a TS meal ans this seems to be the now accepted norm. I feel that buffets do not deserve as much as the service is less. Housekeeping is not a tipped position in that they receive more per hour than restaurant servers and the tax authorities do not assume they receive tips, that said there are many who advocate tipping $1 per person per romm per night.

 

[wickesy]

I generally consider, both at home and on holiday that anybody who is providing a service for me deserves a tip. Yes they are only doing their job, but I feel that by providing a tip I am showing MY appreciation for the service they have provided.

The amount of the tip depends on the quality of service they have provided but would generally be around 10-20%.

 

[UKDEB]

It's certainly customary to tip housekeeping - as Andy says, $1 per person per night is oft cited, but it depends on the cost of the room to some extent, and those in housekeeping positions in more upscale hotels can probably expect to receive more.

Where tips are automatically added in restaurants, 18% now seems to be the norm. We usually leave 20% (who can be bothered to work out 18%? ). As the DIS article mentions, the tip is for the service, not the food. If you don't like your meal, but the service was good, you should still leave a tip as normal. We were with a friend one time who was served a really dreadful steak (no-one's fault as there was no way to know until he started eating it). The server graciously took it away and replaced it. Our friend wanted to leave a smaller tip, and he took a lot of convincing that, if anything, he should be leaving a larger tip. The same applies if you share an entree. The server should really be tipped on the number of people in your party, as if you'd all ordered entrees. I suspect this often gets overlooked.

For drinks in a bar, $1 per drink seems to be the accepted amount. If you run a tab, though, just add a tip at the end in the same way you would at a restaurant (so, for us, that's 20%).

If you order room-service, a similar percentage is expected, on top of any delivery charge levied by the hotel (as that goes to the hotel, not the employee).

We also tip taxi drivers a similar amount, although it does depend on the fare. For example, we took quite a few taxis around WDW last October and the fares tended to be in the region of $12. In that instance, we'd pay $15.

Tipping can get expensive, especially if you check in and out of multiple hotels during a trip. You are expected to tip the bellhop every time your bags are touched (and they have it down to a fine art, making sure as many of them as possible do just that). So, you tip the guy who takes them from the trunk of your car (not forgetting to also tip the valet - invariably a different guy - who parks your car). This first guy will either store your bags if you are arriving before your room is ready, or will leave them on a trolley ready for the next guy who will escort you to your room after check-in. He will tell you all sorts of things you don't need to know, both on the walk to your room and, when you arrive at your room, about the room itself; all the while smiling through gritted teeth . If your luggage has been stored, rarely will it be delivered to your room whilst you are away - how would the bellhop get his tip? $1 a bag is no longer really enough. I see on the DIS information page, $3 a bag is suggested. That seems a lot to me, but I would say the bellhop expects at least $10 these days. Of course, you then have to go throught the whole handing money over thing when checking out. I really don't mind tipping at all and I accept that it's part of the culture in the US. I do have a problem with this particular practice which I see as a ruse to get more money. Just call me a cynic.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We always tip if we get good service but if the service is poor I reserve my right to not tip.

What Deb says rings true and we found especially so at the Boardwalk last year, having arrived our car was emptied and loaded onto a trolley = tip I gave $5, then moved into another area by someone else = tip, I gave $5, then another 'bellhop' kind of guy took the cases up to the room, I mean that is 3 seperate 'tips' for basically one function.
Fortunatley on the 3rd instance I wasn't there and I had all the money, Julie said the guy was waiting around for his tip but I must have missed him

Don't get me wrong many people at restaurants, bars and working at hotels rely on tip's for their income, I am not against it but sometimes it can just go so far I feel.

 

[stal]

Remember that people in table service jobs only get about $2-$3 PER HOUR, so at the end of a 10 hour shift they would be going home with only $30 if it wernt for the tips.

 

[wayneg]

Another thread I am subcribed to regarding tipping, I am sure there are many more.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1402395
Personally I think a Buffet waiter/ess deserves as much as any other, when I go to a buffet I hate having lots of food on my plate so they have to clear away anything from 5-8 plates/dishes from me. They have to top up drinks the same.
On the other thread they discuss tipping even when service is bad, no way would I do that. I would leave a 1 cent coin to show I had not fogotten to tip and they get the message. If they give poor service they should be looking for another job not getting tipped.
I also have had message written on my bill more or less telling me I had to tip, can't remember how it was worded but I did not like the wording so I wrote on heres 10% you would have recieved 20% if you had not asked.
Always a good subject this.

 

[wayneg]

Remember that people in table service jobs only get about $2-$3 PER HOUR, so at the end of a 10 hour shift they would be going home with only $30 if it wernt for the tips.

They have to be paid $3.65 as of January 1, 2007. Thats the minimum wage in Florida for tipped employees, even at that rate they still have to work 50hrs+ to earn £100. So yes they do rely on tips but some of them are on very good wages with tips included, I once spoke to one waiter who said he earned around $1000-$1500/week. I guess this is not the norm but don't feel sorry for them all.

 

[PoppyAnna]

Wow, thank you for all your information.
Amazing when you go into it, all the angles to see it from.

 

[stal]

They have to be paid $3.65 as of January 1, 2007. Thats the minimum wage in Florida for tipped employees

Oh sorry i was going off what my CM friends wage was two or three years ago!

 

[MorningGlory]

After my dad decided to come with us a couple of weeks ago, it took me a couple of days to figure out the best way to explain to him about the US tipping culture that i'v read so much about (Dad is notorious for having a similiar attitude to Mr Pink in Reservoir Dogs ). In the end up, I just said to him straight 'Dad, no ifs or buts.....you MUST tip!!!' and explained about the low wages and tax on expected tip earnings.

I think he rolled his eyes a little, which was a much better reaction than the protestations and arguments I was expecting

@ UKDEB:

'For drinks in a bar, $1 per drink seems to be the accepted amount.'

Really?! Didn't realise that. This could become very expensive


What about buying a CS meal in a park? I assume these are just like McDs where you buy your meal at a counter, have it put on a tray, then carry it to your own table? Are you expected to tip the servers in these kinda situations?

 

[wayneg]

'For drinks in a bar, $1 per drink seems to be the accepted amount.'

Really?! Didn't realise that. This could become very expensive


What about buying a CS meal in a park? I assume these are just like McDs where you buy your meal at a counter, have it put on a tray, then carry it to your own table? Are you expected to tip the servers in these kinda situations?

No you dont tip at CS food outlets.

Only ever bought 1 round of drinks in Orlando last August. 5 drinks came to about $35, 20% would have been $1.75, Debbie would you have left $5? I left $2 and thought that was more than enough for 2-3 mins they took to pour. I don't mind tipping on food as its so much cheaper than here but the drinks seemed expensive. Maybe not I don't know, I don't drink at home.

 

[Hilary]

If your luggage has been stored, rarely will it be delivered to your room whilst you are away - how would the bellhop get his tip?

Neither will it be collected from your room for checking out without you being present - but - I think this is also done to ensure there can be no question that any luggage has gone 'missing' when in the care of bell services

 

[Revtel]

Tipping can get expensive, especially if you check in and out of multiple hotels during a trip. You are expected to tip the bellhop every time your bags are touched (and they have it down to a fine art, making sure as many of them as possible do just that). So, you tip the guy who takes them from the trunk of your car (not forgetting to also tip the valet - invariably a different guy - who parks your car). This first guy will either store your bags if you are arriving before your room is ready, or will leave them on a trolley ready for the next guy who will escort you to your room after check-in. He will tell you all sorts of things you don't need to know, both on the walk to your room and, when you arrive at your room, about the room itself; all the while smiling through gritted teeth . If your luggage has been stored, rarely will it be delivered to your room whilst you are away - how would the bellhop get his tip? $1 a bag is no longer really enough. I see on the DIS information page, $3 a bag is suggested. That seems a lot to me, but I would say the bellhop expects at least $10 these days. Of course, you then have to go throught the whole handing money over thing when checking out. I really don't mind tipping at all and I accept that it's part of the culture in the US. I do have a problem with this particular practice which I see as a ruse to get more money. Just call me a cynic.

Debbie,

Your suggested rates seem to be way in excess of those which are recommended by Americans on the US boards on here. Most Americans tip the bell who brings the cases to the room only, and $1 per case seems adequate. Also, many only tip the valet park on departure, never on arrival.

This has certainly been my practice in recent years. I do tip 15/20% in restaurants, buffet or CS.

 

[Simon06]

wouldnt it be easier just to carry your own bags to your room? Or does the bellhop, get to them before you have chance to carry your own? I bet some tourists dont tip at all. would you still get the same sort of service without tipping

 

[wayneg]

wouldnt it be easier just to carry your own bags to your room? Or does the bellhop, get to them before you have chance to carry your own? I bet some tourists dont tip at all. would you still get the same sort of service without tipping

Depends on hotel you go to, Some have bellhop waiting and seem to grab your bags and there off others you have to ask for assistance. I am bigger and stronger than most bellhops just watch me if they try touch my cases. I can manage without them. Only time I have had no choice with cases being handled is at the port boarding the ship, then I dont mind as they do work to get it to your cabin. I once had one in New York at the Crowne Plaza I took the cases right down to the Taxi and the guy wanted tipping just for putting a case in the boot after I told him I could manage, he held out his hand I shook it and I said good bye, he tutted

 

[UKDEB]

Only ever bought 1 round of drinks in Orlando last August. 5 drinks came to about $35, 20% would have been $1.75, Debbie would you have left $5?

Probably not. We tend to tip 20% for everything with a value (so restaurants, bars, room service, taxis, etc). It's the bell-hop and valet which perplex us. As one poster has already mentioned, many US DISers suggest they only tip the valet when they bring the car back, and the bell-hop who delivers the bags to the room. However, all the others do expect a tip, so you have to be as hard as nails, blaze or ignorant (and I mean that in the literal sense - that you really don't get it, not in the sense that you're being deliberately rude) to walk away.

Edited to say - 20% would have been $7. You left less than 6%.

 

[UKDEB]

wouldnt it be easier just to carry your own bags to your room?

Sure, as long as you're prepared for an uninvited wake-up call at 3am .

As I said before, I don't have a problem tipping the bell-hop, but I don't like the manipulative and skillfully rehearsed practice of involving as many of them as possible. Maybe I've got it all wrong, but that's the way it seems to me. I wish there was some official code of conduct we could all adhere to and then we could all relax.