tipping at buffet meals

[disney_imagineer]

not sure if this may have been discussed before on the DIS....

but i'm completely clueless when it comes to tipping sometimes at WDW. for sit-down meals, i understand the 15% tip. but what happens at buffets? is it still 15% or less? or does it depend on the buffet?

for example, Hollywood and Vine, Boma, etc. are like your typical Vegas buffet where you go get your own food. so how much does one tip? from what i've experienced, it seems to be less than 15%.

Chef Mickey's is also a place where you get your own food, but they have characters so do you tip more because of characters?

And then there's family-style buffets like Cindy's breakfast, Liberty Tree Tavern, and Ohana's where I can understand giving the standard 15% tip.

I know that tipping is really at the discretion of the guest, but i don't want to offend anyone.

 

[Kath2003]

I personally do it depending on the service given by the server. At Disney I have never tipped less than 15% at a buffet, because the service has been excellent. It is not just the fetching of drinks but the time taken to talk to us, to ask us about our day etc. that earns the 15%+ tip. If all the server did was bring us drinks, I would probably tip 15% maximum. I understand that they earn most of their money through tips but to take 15% of a 2-person buffet cost (say $45) means $6-7 for bringing two or three drinks, which in my opinion is plenty.

 

[ducklite]

Actually, 15% is no longer considered standard for full service meals. 18-20% is now more the norm.

As far as buffets, I'd tip the same 20%. They are still working their butts off clearing dishes and bringing drinks. In all honesty a buffet server often works harder. In a full service place the food is usually brought by a kitchen runner, plates are cleared by a busboy and the server only takes orders, delivers drinks, chekcs to be sure everything is OK, and brings check.

In a buffet the server takes the drink orders and brings them, and keeps them refilled. They also clear off usually three or more sets of plates all through your meal.

Anne

 

[indsun]

My standard tip is 15% for bad service. 20% if the service was good. Regardless if it is a buffet or sit-down. Trust me they are working hard. i just think anything less and you look cheap.

 

[n2mm]

Agree, 18% is standard now. However, if you are a party of 8 or more, which counts infants as part of the party, your 18% tip will be added on for you. You can, of course, tip additional to that amount too.

 

[The Sweetness]

My standard tip is 15% for bad service. 20% if the service was good. Regardless if it is a buffet or sit-down. Trust me they are working hard. i just think anything less and you look cheap.

I dont think it is a matter of *looking cheap* I think it is about a decnt reward for a job well done. Buffet servers run their (_!_)'s off! Watch them and you'll see for yourself

 

[cinderella_mom]

Can tips be put on your room card or do you have leave tipes w/cash or cc?

Thanks.

 

[Ticket Man]

Why does the standard tip go up when the prices of food are going up consistently faster than inflation. Therefore even at 15% the wages of servers are outpacing the gains made in other professions, and on top of that the standard is also going up?

Doesn't make sense to me. I generally tip well over 15% but I don't think anyone should expect more than that with the constant rise in the price of restaurants.

 

[ducklite]

Why does the standard tip go up when the prices of food are going up consistently faster than inflation. Therefore even at 15% the wages of servers are outpacing the gains made in other professions, and on top of that the standard is also going up?

Doesn't make sense to me. I generally tip well over 15% but I don't think anyone should expect more than that with the constant rise in the price of restaurants.

I disagree. I think restaurant costs have remained fairly stagnant while other costs have gone way up.

Here in Orlando you've got double digit housing cost rise in a single year, gas at $3 a gallon, etc. That's far more than restaurant prices are rising.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Can tips be put on your room card or do you have leave tipes w/cash or cc?

Thanks.

Room card is fine as long as you've got chraging priveleges.

Anne

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

What ducklite said....I personally think 20% is standard at ALL restaurants.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My family & I always tip when eating at a Disney buffet because the service has always been great. We have been to some buffets restaurants outside of WDW & one time the service was horrible because it took them forever to clear the plates off our table, so we put them on the table behind us. So because of that we did not leave a tip. Basically if the service is great we will tip the servers, however if it is horrible then we will not leave a tip.

 

[Ticket Man]

I disagree. I think restaurant costs have remained fairly stagnant while other costs have gone way up.

Here in Orlando you've got double digit housing cost rise in a single year, gas at $3 a gallon, etc. That's far more than restaurant prices are rising.

Anne

You've convieniently chosen two areas where we've seen high rises in cost of living but overall inflation has averaged 2.5%-3.9% a year. Salary growth in the service industry if far outpacing most other occupations.

 

[Luv'sTink]

My family & I always tip when eating at a Disney buffet because the service has always been great. We have been to some buffets restaurants outside of WDW & one time the service was horrible because it took them forever to clear the plates off our table, so we put them on the table behind us. So because of that we did not leave a tip. Basically if the service is great we will tip the servers, however if it is horrible then we will not leave a tip.

I agree

 

[WillCAD]

I don't care how "cheap" I might look; 15% has been the standard table service tip in America for decades, and that's what I tip for adequate service.

For buffets, I tip 10% for adequate service.

For better than adequate service, I tip more. For less than adequate service, I tip less.

 

[Mo-Yo]

I tip about 20 percent for adequate to good service. Excellence gets a bit more.

I tip 15 for substandard service. Many times late or less-than-perfect food is not the server's fault. It's not fair to penalize them.They work hard, and they usually do their best for wages of about $2 an hour.

The only time i have ever tipped less is for outright RUDE and discourteous service.

Buffet servers work very hard, just like full-service servers, but they tend to do less for me personally. I tip them between 15 and 20 percent depending on the overall level of service.

 

[richard_andmel]

We tip 18-20% for good service. For really good to excellent service we tip more. For bad service we tip less. The one time we vary this is at breakfast, where we tip a bit more because they work just as hard as dinner servers and always get less because breakfast is cheaper.

 

[ducklite]

You've convieniently chosen two areas where we've seen high rises in cost of living but overall inflation has averaged 2.5%-3.9% a year. Salary growth in the service industry if far outpacing most other occupations.

Considering the service industry has been horribly underpaid for years, that's not a bad thing.

Anne

 

[sunnyd11]

What many don't realize, is that the servers are getting taxed on your bill. If you don't leave a tip on your charge or your room card, by law they still have to get taxed on 8% of your bill. So when some don't tip at all, it is actually costing a server money to serve you. When it is a charge card or on a room card, the server is getting taxed 100% of the tip. Most times their $1.83-2.85 an hour, still comes out to the server owing more than their check is worth. So with that, even it is a buffet I still ofcourse tip the 18%-20% of my bill. They don't have to work as hard as a full ala carte meal, however they are still being taxed the same. Have great disney days!

 

[drogerstn]

What many don't realize, is that the servers are getting taxed on your bill. If you don't leave a tip on your charge or your room card, by law they still have to get taxed on 8% of your bill....

What law? Where?...