Tipping at Buffets - Holiday Price Increase

[JC0712]

We have ADR's for four buffet/family style meals ( Crystal Palace, Garden Grill, Akershus, and 1900 Park Fare). I had planned to tip $5 per person per meal which would have worked out to 17% to 26% on the original cost of the meals. With the increased price (which is totally unjustified in my opinion) my five dollar tip is now 15% to 22% which is still a pretty good tip for a buffet.

I guess what I'm wondering is do the servers at the higher priced buffets such as Park Fare work that much harder to deserve a higher tip than the servers at the Crystal Palace? It just really makes you question the wisdom of calculating tips based on a percentage of the bill and not the quality of service provided. Also tables with children under 10 would tip less than tables with children over 9 with no difference in the amount of work required of the server. I think that tipping based on the number of people served and the quality of service provided is the best way to go.

 

[VirginiaMom]

I had started a thread just yesterday on this same topic. I'm not sure how I feel about tipping more during the weeks of March 16-30 than I would a week before that just because Disney decides to raise the prices. I'm not going to get any difference in service- in fact, my service could be reduced since the servers might be busier than usual.

I plan to tip based on the service. I have two young kids and many servers spend extra time with us talking to the kids or bringing extra chocolate milks. I definitely tip extra for servers who take the time to give extra attention to my 2 children.

Also, I make sure that before I leave, I do not leave a mess. I hate the stereotype that people with young children leave bigger messes behind, so I do my best to clean our mess (e.g. no crumbs left) before I leave.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I don't mean to be rude, but after reading post about tipping all day long it very simple. Just do what you should do at home, tip 15-20% of the total bill for good service. If you get bad service tip less, if you want to tip above the 15-20% then go ahead. I am going to go in with a good attitude and be as friendly as I can to my server IF I happen to get bad service I will talk to a manager but I am almost certain I wont have to. People these servers are making a living being nice and helpful as possible I am sure they don't want to mess up their money by being mean and leaving you with empty glasses, I know I would not. I hope you have a great time on your vacation.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't mean to be rude, but after reading post about tipping all day long it very simple. Just do what you should do at home, tip 15-20% of the total bill for good service.

Exactly. There's no need for microscopic examination of this burning question! If there are six or more in your party, you're going to get billed for 18% automatic gratuity. If there are five or fewer, tip whatever you think is appropriate.

 

[JC0712]

Sorry, didn't mean to start another controversial tipping thread or imply that people with kids don't tip enough. Its just that reading all these other posts and trying to work out my tipping budget (we are a party of 5 and won't have the auto gratuity) made me realize how using a percentage of the bill can be unfair to servers. Thanks for the replies.

 

[just another guy]

up to a 20% tip, depending on service is the most fair system we have here in America.

 

[Tricia1972]

A $4 increase will add $0.72 to your bill (per person) if you tip on the price increase.

You guys will love what a CM on the dining reservation line told me last week. Making a reservation for Crystal Palace (not using the DDP this vacation she said gratuities were included here)

I tried to correct her, explaining that we don't have the DDP AND we have DDE and we're a party of 7 - we'll be paying 18%. She assured me several times that some locations now include gratuity in the price of the meal and this was one of them.

Can you imagine how annoyed I'd be once I got there if I'd actually believed her?