Tipping...can I just ask

[peanut67]

I am from the Uk.....now I hear groans, I do understand about tipping and how the waitrers get paid poorly and are taxed on potential tips they get...in fact I tip over here in the UK and the above does not apply.

My question is, if the service is very poor would you

a. leave a tip anyway, might be a bit less than the norm.


b. Not leave any at all and explain why


hope this does not offend anyone, just wondered what the locals thought...thanks Angiex

 

[Gluman11]

My general rule is:

If the service is "above and beyond", I will start at 20% and go up from there........maybe 25%.......but that has to be "REAL GOOD" service

If the service is "what should be expected" !!!!, then I'll tip from 15%-20%........

And if the service is outright horrible, then its up to you.......you are welcome to reduce the tip or not tip at all...........I will generally leave a tip regardless, but it will be significantly less than 15% if the service is bad.............The server would have to "offend" me or my family for me to leave zero tip........

 

[jay-nee]

I tip 15% normally. I tip up to 20% for exceptional service. If service is awful or non-existant, I will tip down to 10%. I have never not tipped, although DH gets mad when server is outwardly rude (i.e, Jordan at Alfredo's). I would have loved to give him an explaination!

The problem with tipping is people are all over the board on this topic. My brother and my sister-in-law are both professional servers and neither have a problem with the above.

As far as buffets, I still can not figure out how to tip for those... Argh!

Have a lovely time! BTW, some of our best memories are riding the WDW buses with folks from the UK. Always so polite, what a nice respite from the hoards of rude Americans that will plow you over... Another plus for a fall break at WDW...

 

[PrincessDadx2]

We usually tip 15-20%. For great service we will do a little more and also ask to speak to the manager. We will then praise the employee in front of the manager.

For poor service we usually do 5-10% and once or twice have had to complain to a manager in front of the server.

 

[kilee]

There's only been once (not at WDW) in the recent years that I haven't tipped. And it was only because this server was the WORST in the world. Even if I'm getting relatively bad service I still try and tip-- just not very much (probably about 7-10%). If the service was really, really good then I'm in the 25-30% ballpark. Everyone else falls into the 15-20% range.

Buffets are usually a even 15% for me. I know we had a group of 11 at Chef Mickeys last fall. So the tip was added into our bill and it was in the mid $50 range. No offense, but we couldn't get our drinks refilled, and the waitress was never anywhere to be found. Alittle aggrivating to tip her that much for her 2 time appearance--once when we were seated the other to bring our bill. If I weren't on vacation enjoying myself I probably would of said something to management about the tip not being deserved for so much.

The built in tips were the worst part of the large group dining.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Originally posted by peanut67
I am from the Uk.....now I hear groans

No groans here!

We usually tip between 15-20% depending on the service. We have left nothing in some places but it's extremely rare (not at WDW). I would never think of giving an explanation. We just leave the tip and leave.

If you get REALLY poor service, do not feel obligated to leave a tip.

 

[Terry S]

For regular to good service I normally tip 20%. For exceptional service I tip 25%.

I don't beleive I have every not tipped. I have given 10% for real bad service.

 

[tjkraz]

For what it's worth, I don't think I would ever go without leaving any tip. The server might just interpret that as carelessness or thoughtlessness on the diner's part.

I think it would get someone's attention better if you left an extremely small tip. That sends a message that you did give some consideration to the service that was offered, but didn't think very much of it.

 

[Nickunited]

There are no groans here. We love the UK!!

Um - its funny that you ask that question. I noticed that this year - with every check I got on WDW property, there was a little note on the left hand side stating the rules of tipping.

Normally, 15 - 20% is very good. Normally that is like double the tax!

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

peanut67 - I'm not sure if the do it at WDW but many resturants automatically add a gratuity/tip to the bill for larger parties (example: 8 or more). If you don't notice it, you could end up paying twice.

 

[llggood]

I am a waitress so I know how important it is to tip! I tip 15% of service is okay, 20% above and beyond 25% if wow! If the service is absolutely low grade nasty service I leave a nickel hence they waiter or waitress will get the meaning. My dad taught me that one. A buffet I tip 15% as long as they are good about keeping my glass filled otherwise 10%.

 

[Gaiusrex]

I tip the same at a buffet as I do at a regular restaurant. The servers work just as hard if not harder. They still have to visit your table for drinks. They should be clearing plates, because at a buffet, you could end up cluttering your table if you make several trips.

really good -- 20% and up
average -- 15%
really poor -- 10%
offensive -- get me a manager.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Make sure that you don't reduce the tip due to something beyond the servers control. IE, if the food isn't what you expected don't reduce the servers tip. If the server knows about the problem they should try to solve it, but don't hold it against them, especially if you didn't even mention the problem to the server.

T&B

 

[chesirekate]

I tip 20% usually, more if the server is outstanding. As stated above, a very small tip for a very bad server gets the point across. I use the same system for buffets. My sister used to work at a buffet and sooooo many people would leave like $.50, even though she busted her butt for them, clearing their dozens of plates, filling their 5 servings of soda each, retrieving special requests from the kitchen, cleaning up spilled drinks and kiddie messes. The mentality is there that buffet servers have it easy, but it's not always true, so I always give them a good tip if they do their job.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Originally posted by Nickunited
There are no groans tax i
Um - its funny that you ask that question. I noticed that this year - with every check I got on WDW property, there was a little note on the left hand side stating the rules of tipping.

Normally, 15 - 20% is very good. Normally that is like double the taxit !

FYI
Actually, it depends where you are. In NY, where your tax is 8.something%, doubling the tax give you a nice 16%+ tip, but in NJ and FL, where the tax is 6%, doubling the tax only gives you 12%, which is less than the fairly standard 15 - 20%

I used to wait tables in NJ and I had a great couple under tip me because they were used to jsut doubling the tax. They left the restaurant and I was very surprised by the tip It was a large bill and things had gone well and them were really nice tome, so it just seemed like I was going to get a good tip. Anyhow, they did come back and apologize and give me more money - explaining that they were used to doubling the tax and realized that they left a tip that was on the smaller side....that's how I know about the difference in doubling tax in different states

In FL with 6% sales tax, tripling the tax would give you about 18%, right in between the 15 - 20% for good service.

Hope that helps!

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Originally posted by Gaiusrex
I tip the same at a buffet as I do at a regular restaurant. The servers work just as hard if not harder. They still have to visit your table for drinks. They should be clearing plates, because at a buffet, you could end up cluttering your table if you make several trips.

really good -- 20% and up
average -- 15%
really poor -- 10%
offensive -- get me a manager.

This is a pretty standard scale, a good one to tfollow. Although I think you can go 10% or less for really poor service. Also I've heard of 10 - 15% on buffets. I do 15% on buffets as long as the service is good.

 

[iwannabeminnie]

My daughter is a waitress at a restaurant that has a buffet at noon and menu service at night. She actually DOES work much harder at the buffet. Think about it, when you order off the menu, your waitress brings you one plate (okay, maybe two if you get a salad), you finish it and you're done. When you go to a buffet you may eat off of two or three (maybe even four or five) plates. Plus at buffets people tend to linger longer which means your glass is going to be refilled more often AND you are using a seat that another paying customer could be filling.

 

[jann1033]

our normal tip is 20%, imo if service stinks ( and it's the server's fault not the kitchen ie the food is cold and i see the server standing around talking for 10 mins. before she/he brings my meal) i would tip 10% or less depending on how horrific it is ...however I am the crabby one in the family and husband puts down the cash and leaves 20% no matter what(maybe 18% if i raise my eyebrows high enough and his meal was messed up enough )

 

[LoriMistress]

I think it all depends...

If the waiter just plan sucked, but the food was great, then give a small tip.

But if the service was poor, the food, and the waiter, I wouldn't tip at all. I would have probably *****ed at the manager and walked out.

 

[Minky]

I have very strong feelings on this as a server myself

Here goes, 15-20% is left for standard service.....barebones basic job.

If we are out with children that make a mess, and the server had to do a lot of extra work and running around and clean up after the little ones 30% or more

I have never ever ever not left a tip. It is essentially stealing. A waiter has to tip out bartenders and bussers and foodrunners based on the percentage of their sales, also are taxed on sales, and the IRS assumes they make a certain amount based on their sales....SO by not leaving a tip, the server is basically paying for you to go out and eat!

I have been doing it a long time, I have MANY regulars that leave me 40-50% tips everytime they come in (a lot) NEEDLESS to say I move the earth sun and stars for them the second they walk in the door lol