Tipping at buffets ?

[kmermaid]

How much do you tip at buffets? I like to be prepared and getting all my tip $ in advance. TIA

 

[oogieboogie]

We still tip 15-20%. Just because it's a buffet the server still gets drinks, clears off plates, etc. In fact one time at Boma, our server went over to Mara and got chicken strips for my son. He definitely got more than 20%.

 

[beattyfamily]

15 to 20%

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I do 20%. If they give me anything for free or do something extra special, I go up from there.

 

[DepCor0311]

Definately the in the 15-20% range. Sometimes the people who wait your table at a buffet hustle more than they would at a regular sit down resteraunt.

 

[ducklite]

Unless the service warrants more or less, 20%.

Anne

 

[canwegosoon]

Maybe I'm cheap...but 15% I feel is fine for a Buffet. The drinks/clearing of the plates is not stressful, getting a complicated order correct is. Only exception would be for above and beyond the scope of normal duties....then more. BTW I tip 20% for non buffet. I have also been known to leave more at Beaches where the waitress deserves more than the 15% automatically included in the Vouchers.

 

[shinedalgarno]

I never tip over 15 percent for buffet service......if the service is particularly poor, then I only tip 10 percent...

If they were to charge me a child price for my 12 year old, or do something special like that, then it would warrant a 20 percent tip...but it would take something special to get more than 15 percent from me when I am serving myself.......

 

[Forever42]

At Disney we tip 15-20% at buffets because they always go above and beyond what servers at non-Disney buffets do. For us, they've always done as much or more as non-buffet servers have.

Plus, they're making the same per hour as the non-buffet servers.

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

We always tip 20% wherever we go!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I generally tip the 15 - 20% for buffets. Last time at Chef Mickey's the waiter went and found Goofy and brought him over to our table. He hadn't made it to our room and we were getting ready to leave. This is definitely above and beyond for me.

But if you want to talk about embarssing, my in-laws live in FLA and whenever we visit they like to go to a buffet. I usully end up treating (no biggie its usually the Golden Corral) but my in-laws insist on leaving the tip - $2 for 6 people. I usually pretend I have to go to the bathroom and send everyone out to the car and then quick run over and toss more money on the table. AAAHHHH!! $2 for 6 people - how embarassing.
Sometimes my MIL catches on and follows me back to table and picks up the money!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[skiwee1]

I do 20%. If they give me anything for free or do something extra special, I go up from there.

What could they give you free when it is a buffet? Just curious!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Once at Boma breakfast the CM did not charge us for the pressed pot of coffee (don't know if it was a mistake or not) so we threw in a few extra bucks OVER the 20% mark.

Also, when DD was 4, sometimes the CMs did not charge her because she ate very little. They would TELL me that they would not charge for her, so I made sure to tip 20% on what the bill WOULD have been if they had charged for her, PLUS a few more bucks.

 

[luvdisney999]

As a server myself (not at Disney, though, I wish), I would just like to say that buffet or not, you should still tip the same. We have a salad bar where I work and many people will just eat that and believe that doesn't warrant a tip.

However, most servers don't just get to keep what they make. A LOT of restaurants insist that their servers tip people out, aka. the hosts, bartenders, and sometimes food runners. This tip-out is based on the server's sales and a buffet counts just as much as a full-course meal. If they are already giving 5% tip-out and someone only leaves 5%, they basically worked for free.

In addition, most servers are paid minimum wage or LESS per hour. I, for instance, work in PA, which only pays its servers $2 an hour (after taxes we are left with about 50 cents!). I have never found a state that pays its servers over minimum wage. I feel that if the server is working, they should be paid and that pay comes from people's tips.

I am pleased to read the posts above where people tip 20%. I can assure you that many people DO NOT. Some do believe in tipping less, even when the server works really hard. Granted there are days when the server DOESN'T warrant it (even I've left little or no gratuity before), but the server really has to have NOT earned that tip.

So thank you to those of you who do tip 15-20% for adaquate service and above that for those that receive spectacular. This should be especially true at Disney because you are experiencing the Disney magic and this is one way to spread that magic along to others. And even when you return home to your local restaurant, you can still spread some magic and put a smile on the face of a hard-working server who is doing her best to please you!

Now, if you'll get me get off my soap-box, I will climb down and wish everyone a magical evening. Thanks for letting me vent after another rough day at my restaurant. Believe me - my Disney vacation cannot come fast enough!!

 

[Bracho]

I agree with most... 20% unless the service and server is something to write home about.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

luuvdisney99-This is a hot topic on these boards. I bet if you do a search you will see some heated debates, even some locked threads, over this subject. Many people come back with the argument of "Well, no one makes you wait tables, why don't you just quit?"

I don't even get involved in the discussion anymore. It seems a lot of people are PROUD to tip 10% at buffets. They think you, as a server, are just being greedy...that OF COURSE you will post to suggest the highest tip possible.

 

[NMW]

We always tip 20% unless the service was extra special, then we tip more.

 

[estnh]

As a server myself (not at Disney, though, I wish), I would just like to say that buffet or not, you should still tip the same. We have a salad bar where I work and many people will just eat that and believe that doesn't warrant a tip.

However, most servers don't just get to keep what they make. A LOT of restaurants insist that their servers tip people out, aka. the hosts, bartenders, and sometimes food runners. This tip-out is based on the server's sales and a buffet counts just as much as a full-course meal. If they are already giving 5% tip-out and someone only leaves 5%, they basically worked for free.

In addition, most servers are paid minimum wage or LESS per hour. I, for instance, work in PA, which only pays its servers $2 an hour (after taxes we are left with about 50 cents!). I have never found a state that pays its servers over minimum wage. I feel that if the server is working, they should be paid and that pay comes from people's tips.

I am pleased to read the posts above where people tip 20%. I can assure you that many people DO NOT. Some do believe in tipping less, even when the server works really hard. Granted there are days when the server DOESN'T warrant it (even I've left little or no gratuity before), but the server really has to have NOT earned that tip.

So thank you to those of you who do tip 15-20% for adaquate service and above that for those that receive spectacular. This should be especially true at Disney because you are experiencing the Disney magic and this is one way to spread that magic along to others. And even when you return home to your local restaurant, you can still spread some magic and put a smile on the face of a hard-working server who is doing her best to please you!

Now, if you'll get me get off my soap-box, I will climb down and wish everyone a magical evening. Thanks for letting me vent after another rough day at my restaurant. Believe me - my Disney vacation cannot come fast enough!!

Luvdisney

Thank you for a well presented argument--you permanantly changed my perception of tipping at buffets!

 

[Marseeya]

But if you want to talk about embarssing, my in-laws live in FLA and whenever we visit they like to go to a buffet. I usully end up treating (no biggie its usually the Golden Corral) but my in-laws insist on leaving the tip - $2 for 6 people. I usually pretend I have to go to the bathroom and send everyone out to the car and then quick run over and toss more money on the table. AAAHHHH!! $2 for 6 people - how embarassing.
Sometimes my MIL catches on and follows me back to table and picks up the money!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG, how funny! My parents are $2 tippers for EVERYthing, even the nicer restaurants. I haven't been out to eat with them very often as an adult, but thinking back on it, it's pretty embarrassing!

For my husband and me, we're pretty good tippers, but when it comes to a buffet, it just depends on the service. If we have dishes piled up everywhere and have to beg for our drinks, we pay very little -- just a token gesture. But if the server was attentive and even does the bare minimum, we'll start at 15% and go from there, whether it's a buffet or full-service restaurant.

 

[rt2dz]

A little background first: at 15 I was a hostess at a restruant, at 18 a server, at 21 a manager, at 25 a restraunt consultant, 3 years ago I switched to full time mommy, but I still do some side work and event planning here and there. In all but 7 states, servers only make $2.13 an hour and generally have to tip out greeters & food runners & expo & bartenders & back wait & buss staff--even when not used. I've seen tip out to be on average of 3% of sales (even if no tips) or up to 30% of what is made. In my career, I've attended a lot of conferences & conventions. I worked for very big name companies,leaders in the industry, not mom-n-pop shops.

Basic service is typically 15%. Good service is typically 20%. Service Way above and beyond or "camping" (hanging out at a table longer than usual turn over), big messes on the floor/table from small children (or others) deserves 20%+ At lunch, if your total tip equals less than $1 per person per hour move it up to $1 per person per hour (even if not eating).! However, buffet service changes things. Typically the tip for buffet, since the patrons are doing 90% of the work, is 10%. And if you ever get any type of discount/comp (coupon, something taken off the bill, something for free, etc), You tip on the amount of the bill BEFORE the discount/comp!!! Or what the bill should have been if everything was charged for. Even if it was because of bad food. If the whole meal was free, you should tip even more than 20%.

That being said, buffet or not, we start our tips at 20% and work down for exteremly horrible, rotten service and go up for good to exceptionally wonderful service. I've tipped 50% before. And I've only been tempted once to stiff (Crystal Palace in MK).