Tipping & Buffets

[cmwade77]

Being a server I always tip at least 20% of the bill, sometimes more depending on the server but never less..Well one time down on the pier I had this horrible horrible server, basically sat us took our order and never returned. Long story...I know in Indiana buffets make the same as table servers only 2.13 a hour.

I hate to say this, but really it is not our fault if servers do not make what they should. They should really work it out with Management to get what they are entitled to, also it should be noted that if tips do not cover up to federal minimum wage, then the restaurant must make up the difference.

I generally will leave a 15% tip for good service at a sit down restaurant, but at a buffet it depends, if I pay at a Cash Register and get my own drinks, no tip is given, generally speaking at those locations the employees can not keep the tips, they have to be turned over to the company to do as it sees fit with it. (I.E. Home Town Buffet, Soup Plantation, Sweet Tomatoes).

Now if at the buffet I sit down eat and pay the server afterwards, it depends on what the server had to do and how much of their job they did, my penny example was one because the server did NONE of his job whatsoever.

I simply expect the following from servers:

1. Be friendly
2. If I have questions about the menu answer them as best you can
3. Get my first drink within 3-5 minutes of taking my drink order, which should be taken pretty much as soon as I sit down (I really would prefer 1-3 minutes, but anything over 5 will start to affect the tip)
4. When my drink is down to about 1/4 left, refill it. I actually had one server that would refill the drink when it had 3/4 left, he got a great tip bcause of this and a few other things he did.
5. Clear the table in a timely manner, i.e. before the next course is brought out or while I am up getting food at a buffet.
6. Bring the check within 5-10 minutes of me being done eating, anything over 10 minutes will definitely reduce the tip.
7. If I am paying by credit card bring the check back within 5 minutes of taking it.
8. If i am paying by cash and need change bring the change back within 5 minutes of taking it.

I know many will think I am being unreasonable, but that is the service I expect for a 15% tip (or 10% tip at a buffet). The more the server does above and beyond that the higher the tip. Now also please note I am understanding, for an example we went to Baker's Square one night and because they had one customer the entire night before they had to call people off the next night and as a result there was a long wait as there was only one server and the restaurant was swamped, they even had the bus boy waiting tables. We ordered desert and our waitress gave it to us for free because of the wait, we weren't complaining either, we understood what had happened. Not only did we leave her the tip based off of what the bill should have been, we included the price of the pies in the tip as well, she really did very well under the circumstances, note that even with all of this we never had to wait for a refill on our drinks, which only goes to show how poor my waiter was at the Crystal Palace example I gave a while back.

 

[clombardi]

Maybe I wasn't raised as well as you. Maybe I didn't get enough hugs when I was a child.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I hate to say this, but really it is not our fault if servers do not make what they should. They should really work it out with Management to get what they are entitled to, also it should be noted that if tips do not cover up to federal minimum wage, then the restaurant must make up the difference.

I generally will leave a 15% tip for good service at a sit down restaurant, but at a buffet it depends, if I pay at a Cash Register and get my own drinks, no tip is given, generally speaking at those locations the employees can not keep the tips, they have to be turned over to the company to do as it sees fit with it. (I.E. Home Town Buffet, Soup Plantation, Sweet Tomatoes).

Now if at the buffet I sit down eat and pay the server afterwards, it depends on what the server had to do and how much of their job they did, my penny example was one because the server did NONE of his job whatsoever.

I simply expect the following from servers:

1. Be friendly
2. If I have questions about the menu answer them as best you can
3. Get my first drink within 3-5 minutes of taking my drink order, which should be taken pretty much as soon as I sit down (I really would prefer 1-3 minutes, but anything over 5 will start to affect the tip)
4. When my drink is down to about 1/4 left, refill it. I actually had one server that would refill the drink when it had 3/4 left, he got a great tip bcause of this and a few other things he did.
5. Clear the table in a timely manner, i.e. before the next course is brought out or while I am up getting food at a buffet.
6. Bring the check within 5-10 minutes of me being done eating, anything over 10 minutes will definitely reduce the tip.
7. If I am paying by credit card bring the check back within 5 minutes of taking it.
8. If i am paying by cash and need change bring the change back within 5 minutes of taking it.

I know many will think I am being unreasonable, but that is the service I expect for a 15% tip (or 10% tip at a buffet). The more the server does above and beyond that the higher the tip. Now also please note I am understanding, for an example we went to Baker's Square one night and because they had one customer the entire night before they had to call people off the next night and as a result there was a long wait as there was only one server and the restaurant was swamped, they even had the bus boy waiting tables. We ordered desert and our waitress gave it to us for free because of the wait, we weren't complaining either, we understood what had happened. Not only did we leave her the tip based off of what the bill should have been, we included the price of the pies in the tip as well, she really did very well under the circumstances, note that even with all of this we never had to wait for a refill on our drinks, which only goes to show how poor my waiter was at the Crystal Palace example I gave a while back.

Do you really think I could go up my manager and ask to make more then 2.13 a hour???? This is the way the whole waitress system is made up over the whole United States of America. I hate it when people say " ohhh you need to ask to make more". They would laugh in our face, its how the system is ran. Now some states the servers make more because the cost of living is more then some other states. I am not crying saying I am not making decent money, I am a experienced server and I do okay. The good tippers make up for the bad tippers and the stiffers. I don't think you are unreasonable with most of your requests..

 

[DebbieB]

When I am on the DDP and the tip is included, We don't leave more UNLESS the service is exceptional! 18% is enough for most service. We usually leave about 15% so they are actually getting more. I would never tip 18% at a buffet and at Disney were a buffet would cost over $100 for my family I'm not leaving $20 dollars for bringing some drinks and clearing a few plates! If the tip is included at a buffet with the Plan then I wouldn't leave any more.

I agree. When I was there with 3 friends, the dining plan included about a $20 tip for the table at a buffet. That's plenty, I would not leave more. I don't buy the argument that they make less than minimum wage. With tips like that, they are way over, probably making more than me with just a couple tables.

 

[shellybaxter]

Do you really think I could go up my manager and ask to make more then 2.13 a hour???? This is the way the whole waitress system is made up over the whole United States of America. I hate it when people say " ohhh you need to ask to make more". They would laugh in our face, its how the system is ran. Now some states the servers make more because the cost of living is more then some other states. I am not crying saying I am not making decent money, I am a experienced server and I do okay. The good tippers make up for the bad tippers and the stiffers. I don't think you are unreasonable with most of your requests..

Actually in California the law will not allow an employer to pay less than regular minimum wage (currently $7.50 per hour - going to be $8.00 per hour in January). This didn't necessarily happen because the cost of living is higher in Cali; it happened because there was a political push for servers to make a higher wage. You are right. Your boss would probably laugh at you for asking for more money, but unions and political lobbiest could get your laws changed. I personally don't like the sub minimum wage and would have voted against it, or asked my representatives to, if it came up for a vote in my state. It won't because I live in California, but if it did I'd support the elimination of the sub minimum wage.

All that being said, I respect that Disney servers don't get a full wage and take that, as well as the level of service into acccount when I'm tipping. In my six trips I've only had one meal with really bad service. In California if I'd gotten service like that I would have left no tip at all. In Florida I did leave about 8% to take into account that the server was not making a regular wage. I spoke to the manager and told them why I was leaving such a small tip so the server would know what she had done wrong. It was pretty apparent to me, but she seemed clueless.

 

[cmwade77]

Do you really think I could go up my manager and ask to make more then 2.13 a hour???? This is the way the whole waitress system is made up over the whole United States of America. I hate it when people say " ohhh you need to ask to make more". They would laugh in our face, its how the system is ran. Now some states the servers make more because the cost of living is more then some other states. I am not crying saying I am not making decent money, I am a experienced server and I do okay. The good tippers make up for the bad tippers and the stiffers. I don't think you are unreasonable with most of your requests..

With the labor shortage we do have (at least here, esp. English speaking labor) I definitely think you could, if all of the employees joined together and asked at once for at least minimum wage plus tips, guess what, they would have to as they couldn't find replacements for all of you.

None of my requests are unreasonable and believe me, I tip well for good service and tip poorly for poor service, I never try to make up for a server's wages, as there is no possible way that I could know what the laws are in each state, so I have to asume they are all the same as mine to be fair to all. Of course growing up the standard tip was always 10%, then somewhere in the mid 90's it changed to 15%, I won't go above that for acceptable service, now if the server provides great service, then they get tip worthy of it, note that it doesn't take a lot to impress me either, I know it may sound like it does, but really, little things like making sure my drink is refilled, or perhaps even just describing some of the dishes offered. And as I pointed out earlier slow service doesn't always mean I won't leave a decent tip. I will always leave some sort of tip, if the service is really, really bad I will leave a $0.01 just so the server knows I didn't forget the tip but that his/her service was really bad, only had that kind of service twice though, once at WDW and once at Rain Forest Cafe in Downtown Disney here in California.

 

[byoung]

According to the majority of online sources 10% seems to be the proper tip for the average buffet. For a full service restaurant 15%-20% seems to be the proper amount.

Agree here.

 

[JennyDrake]

Back to the original question <ahem>...I tip 10-20% at buffets depending upon teh level of service. Since teh DDP went into effect, I have expereinced much poorer service at WDW. (I use a DDE, so I don't participate in teh plan.) If a server never lets the drinks run dry and whisks away empty plates rapidly, they will get 20% from me.

 

[my3disneygirls]

20% is what we tip for sit down or buffet. If the server stinks that will go down considerably. I think servers really get the shaft for breakfast in a non resort restaurant. The bill for two may be 15.00 or less. I can't leave only 3.00 when the server spends just as much time on me in the AM as the PM. If the server keeps my coffee mug filled and is professional, I will give them more than 20%.

 

[tomerin]

We tip 20% no matter what type of place it is..if the service stinks then the tip will go down

exactly what i was going to say

great service excellent tip

service good good tip

lousy service no so good tip

 

[suzannews]

We tip the same, sit down or buffet. Haven't been to a non Disney buffet in years with the exception of a Ponderosa in Ohio last summer that my husband's family decided on. Drinks were full, place was clean, plates were cleared, extra napkins without asking...she got 20% and thanked us about 3 times!

 

[MasterShake]

I guess it's up to the individual, but I think it's funny that people tip 10%-20%above what's considered the standard. If a contractor gives you a quote for $5,000 and he completes the work on time and with a smile. Most don't give him $6,000, because they felt the service was good. It's just interesting that so many people feel obligated to pay so much more.

 

[my3disneygirls]

I guess it's up to the individual, but I think it's funny that people tip 10%-20%above what's considered the standard. If a contractor gives you a quote for $5,000 and he completes the work on time and with a smile. Most don't give him $6,000, because they felt the service was good. It's just interesting that so many people feel obligated to pay so much more.

Since the contractor gives you a quote with the labor included this is not an issue. I am not going to tip someone who is already getting 70 to 90 dollars an hour.

 

[mickeymedic]

I tend to tip less at a buffet than at a full-service restaurant for two reasons:

1. Fewer services are delivered by the waiter/waitress. In a full-service restaurant, the waiter/waitress is not only taking drink orders, refilling drinks and removing dirty dishes, but is also taking food orders, running to and from the kitchen to pick up food, bringing out multiple courses, ensuring the table has condiments, etc. In a buffet, the amount of time necessary to devote to each table is less. Which leads to my next point...

2. Because the waiter/waitress has fewer services to deliver per table, they are able to provide service to more tables at one time. Most of us tip 15-20% because we know that the waiter/waitress is only earing $2-something per hour and relies on the tips to make up the difference. In a buffet, the waiter/waitress is able to serve more tables at any given time and is receiving tips from more tables at any given time. I think it is reasonable to tip less when fewer services are performed. Especially if the server is able to make up for it by serving more tables than their full-service restaurant counter-part.

Just my 2 cents as a former waitress.

 

[chrismb22]

Sorry if this is OT, but what is the standard tip they take out on the DP and does that show up on your receipt -- or is it figured in? If it's 20% ok, fine but if it's like 10-15% odds are I will want to give more than what's figured in.

And as for what I usually do, I ususally do 20% unless I'm just getting a bagel/coffee or something. Like if the meal is $10 I usually leave at least $3.

(After Dad retired he worked as a delivery guy for a pizza/sandwich shop for years. I tend to be generous cause of the stories he's told me!)