Tipping at resturants

[Janice Irene]

There are 6 of us going to WDW understand that 18% gratuity is added on to the bill. Do you have to abide by this or can you make your own tip depending on the service you receive? Thanks

 

[Nancyg56]

There are 6 of us going to WDW understand that 18% gratuity is added on to the bill. Do you have to abide by this or can you make your own tip depending on the service you receive? Thanks

The tip is automatically added onto the bill. You must abide by it. We will often add more if the service is excellent. In the event you have an issue with the service, speak to the manager. In over 14 years of Disney Dining I have spoken to a manager only twice.

 

[vacationer1954]

We will often add more if the service is excellent. In the event you have an issue with the service, speak to the manager.

And really, this is how it should always work. Don't just take bad service and then spitefully leave a small tip. Instead, complain to a manager during the meal so that they can make it right there and then.

 

[Nancyg56]

And really, this is how it should always work. Don't just take bad service and then spitefully leave a small tip. Instead, complain to a manager during the meal so that they can make it right there and then.

I am pretty easy going so very little upsets me at dinner, however once I get riled up, I need to rectify the problem. Both instances occurred at Coral Reef and were many years apart. My party of 9 was divided between two tables and we had two different servers. My DH table was treated like they were royalty, and mine like we were hired help. The tip was included in the DDP at that time, but we were celebrating so there was a lot of add on's. much coming from my DH who had just found out we had dedicated the trip to his birthday, and (And who had also been told to stop commenting on the prices, he was making everyone uncomfortable. He then subbed his comments to "It's only money" LOL!) He ordered bottles of wine for both tables, but individually we all were adding on. Our server checked out, his was stellar. I stopped by the manager at the end of the meal and had a chat. I was okay that the server got the tip included on DDP items, but told the manager that i was not giving one more cent to her, and that I would check my bill. Oddly enough the straw that sent me over the edge was that everyone at DH got coffee at no additional charge and one member at my table ordered coffee and the server made a huge deal about the added cost. The soda was the beverage, etc. It's the little things that generally make you nuts. Had the coffee just been added to the bill I probably would have just let the entire night go, but that lecture!

 

[Darklord77]

If a company has a policy of instituting an automatic gratuity then I do not leave a penny more. The company has decided for me how much their employee's service is worth. I am not a fan of automatic gratuity. If a server is not cutting it, the best way to change their behavior/work ethic is through a tip or lack of. I'm not an a$$ when it comes to tips, but I expect a competent level of service.

 

[SantaDuffy]

You don’t have to abide by it. You can have the automatic gratuity removed if you wish by speaking to a manager and explaining the issue. We have done it a few times. If the server is behaving poorly then the best way to nip that behavior in the bud is to give it a financial consequence, not to let it go. A little less money in the old pocket should get the level of service back up. So don’t hesitate to do it as long as you have a reason. Don’t settle for poor service.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My party of 9 was divided between two tables and we had two different servers.

Just as general information: this scenario would not ordinarily result in the automatic gratuity being incurred.

If a company has a policy of instituting an automatic gratuity then I do not leave a penny more. The company has decided for me how much their employee's service is worth. I am not a fan of automatic gratuity.

You have tacitly agreed to the automatic gratuity by meeting or exceeding the party size that triggers it.

Annnnndddd...this thread should be locked shortly. There is a pinned dedicated thread for all tipping discussion.

 

[KenHutch]

We are a party of 8 most trips so I usually tip 25% but I will totally embarrass my daughter if service is bad. The most notable case of this was Le Celler in 2012 and Yachtsman in 2015. Both times my daughter and I ordered rare steaks. At Le Cellier the waitress actually told my daughter she did not want a rare steak she must of meant medium. Well my daughter and I are carnivores. We know what rare is and in both cases the waitress brought out medium well. I sent them back and in both cases they came back well done. I called a manager and both time they tried to comp the meal. I declined because the 3rd time they were perfect but I was not going to give someone a $75+ tip for lousy service.

 

[Nancyg56]

Just as general information: this scenario would not ordinarily result in the automatic gratuity being incurred.

You have tacitly agreed to the automatic gratuity by meeting or exceeding the party size that triggers it.

Annnnndddd...this thread should be locked shortly. There is a pinned dedicated thread for all tipping discussion.

This was years ago when the tip was included in the DDP If you used that plan any extras were auto tipped at 18%, no matter the party size. I knew that by using the plan I was agreeing to the terms, which is why I needed to be stinkin mad to want the money removed.

 

[rwdavis2]

We are a party of 8 most trips so I usually tip 25% but I will totally embarrass my daughter if service is bad. The most notable case of this was Le Celler in 2012 and Yachtsman in 2015. Both times my daughter and I ordered rare steaks. At Le Cellier the waitress actually told my daughter she did not want a rare steak she must of meant medium. Well my daughter and I are carnivores. We know what rare is and in both cases the waitress brought out medium well. I sent them back and in both cases they came back well done. I called a manager and both time they tried to comp the meal. I declined because the 3rd time they were perfect but I was not going to give someone a $75+ tip for lousy service.

I would take issue with the severs telling your daughter how she likes her steaks but the server did not overcook them. The kitchen did.

 

[Disneypro1]

If a company has a policy of instituting an automatic gratuity then I do not leave a penny more. The company has decided for me how much their employee's service is worth. I am not a fan of automatic gratuity. If a server is not cutting it, the best way to change their behavior/work ethic is through a tip or lack of. I'm not an a$$ when it comes to tips, but I expect a competent level of service.

100 % correct. We tip based on service. Sometimes that means a very small or no tip. Others a nice 20% tip. But to automatically place 18% in it. Just screams for the server to do absolutely the minimum effort required. My wife also stated as another poster. You can have the automatic tipping removed if you ask manager. She has done that for business meetings.

 

[Disneypro1]

We are a party of 8 most trips so I usually tip 25% but I will totally embarrass my daughter if service is bad. The most notable case of this was Le Celler in 2012 and Yachtsman in 2015. Both times my daughter and I ordered rare steaks. At Le Cellier the waitress actually told my daughter she did not want a rare steak she must of meant medium. Well my daughter and I are carnivores. We know what rare is and in both cases the waitress brought out medium well. I sent them back and in both cases they came back well done. I called a manager and both time they tried to comp the meal. I declined because the 3rd time they were perfect but I was not going to give someone a $75+ tip for lousy service.

Exactly The server should do exactly as you ask pertaining to how you want your food. That’s their job.

 

[siren0119]

The sad truth is that MANY times the server will become the focal point when a patron wants to "punish" the restaurant for a poor experience. Because that is an area where the patron can exert some control, they do so. This means that if the kitchen does something wrong, or if the patron had an issue with getting their table (long wait, table not where they prefer, etc) or if a drink was made incorrectly, the server is "punished" with a poor tip. The server is the ONLY person in that scenario not making full minimum wage. Obviously not everyone does this, but it's far too common. If your SERVER caused your problems....absolutely 100% of the time speak to a manager and tip reflective of that. If it was the kitchen, the host, the bartender or even the manager...the restaurant does NOT suffer when you short-tip your server, only the server does.

 

[KenHutch]

I would take issue with the severs telling your daughter how she likes her steaks but the server did not overcook them. The kitchen did.

When I sent them back they obviously just put them back on the grill and cooked them more. You could look at them and see they had been over cooked that is what annoyed me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If a server is not cutting it, the best way to change their behavior/work ethic is through a tip or lack of.

The best way, really, is to talk to a manager as early into the bad experience and have it turned positive. I'm honestly curious why someone would tolerate bad service? To avoid tipping?

You don’t have to abide by it. You can have the automatic gratuity removed if you wish by speaking to a manager and explaining the issue.

But again, talking to a manager when the bad service is first realized will more than likely improve the service. Doesn't this make more sense than suffering through poor service?

 

[skullsplitter]

I hated the auto tip back when I was a waiter. I preferred to bet on myself and normally had the auto tip waived. Do servers have that option at Disney?

 

[kaytieeldr]

When I sent them back they obviously just put them back on the grill and cooked them more. You could look at them and see they had been over cooked that is what annoyed me.

So your issue wasn't technically with the overcooking, but with the wairress not looking at the food and recognizing it was still wrong? Makes complete sense.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I hated the auto tip back when I was a waiter. I preferred to bet on myself and normally had the auto tip waived. Do servers have that option at Disney?

Typical restaurant policy, automatic srrvice charge on parties at/over a certain size. I thimk the server doesn't have a choice.

 

[handinpocket]

So your issue wasn't technically with the overcooking, but with the wairress not looking at the food and recognizing it was still wrong? Makes complete sense.

Wow, are you just trying to be offensive and rude.....or is this your regular demeanor?

 

[NYCgrrl]

I hated the auto tip back when I was a waiter. I preferred to bet on myself and normally had the auto tip waived. Do servers have that option at Disney?

It's been sometime since I worked serving tables but I think I would have been perfectly happy getting an automatic tip for larger parties. As I recall, historically, larger parties meant under tipping.

As for your question re: Disney servers and automatic tipping. No idea if they have the option of opting out but it's quite easy for a patron to add more to the tip line if they want.