Tipping - Confused

[Seany]

I have read the post about tipping in the Disney Restaurants thread and I am not sure whether I am confused or not (so I suppose I am).

How much do I tip in a restaurant? I tip in the UK at least 10% upto 15% if the service has been fantastic. I used to work in a restaurant and was more than happy with a 10% tip, that is what I have always based my assumptions around tipping on.

How much am I expected to tip to not offend? 20% has been mentioned on other threads, am I tight fisted by being a little shocked initially at this?

What did others tip when they were in the US?

Thanks

 

[Magic Megadegs]

I'm with you here, confused.com too. I was told 15 to 18%?!?

 

[wayneg]

Tipping in the US is totally different to the UK.
When you pay for a meal in the UK the price you pay includes everything, food, chef & wait staff. It is then optional to leave a tip.
In the US the price you pay the restaurant does not include the wait staff, you pay them directly based on the quality of service you recieve. It is recommended you tip 15-20% but its upto you (unless you are a larger party, tip could be added automatically, Disney include 18% on parties of 6 or more)

That is the main reason menu prices are lower than UK prices, they don't incl the service. I am a tight fisted Yorkshireman, rarely tip more than a couple of £ in the UK but I have no problems with 15-20% in the US.

 

[dixonsontour]

Tipping in US is very different to the UK.

In the UK the servers get at least minimum wage.

In the US servers can be paid very little per hour - from memory $ 2 or $3 an hour. They are taxed on an assumed level of tips and also have to pay out a certain percentage to other employees like bus boys who clear the tables.

If you don't tip it actually costs the server money.

Recommended tip at disney is 18% or 20% - disney put these amonts on the check to save you working it out. I allow same offsite.

The tip is calculated on the cost of food and drink pre tax.

Eating out costs less in US even factoring in the tip.

 

[Seany]

wayneg, Dixonsontour, thanks very much

 

[wayneg]

In the US servers can be paid very little per hour - from memory $ 2 or $3 an hour. They are taxed on an assumed level of tips and also have to pay out a certain percentage to other employees like bus boys who clear the tables.

I believe the current minimum they have to pay is $4.65. They tried getting a bill thru earlier this year that would slash it to $2.13, in return the restaurant would have to guarantee employees would make at least $9.98 an hour when tips were included but it failed to get passed so I don't think its changed from the $4.65 (£2.87) it was. For a 40 hr week thats £115

 

[Kath2003]

We would much rather overtip than undertip. We budget for 20% tips when we plan our holiday. Not going to tip 20% for poor service but it's very very rare that we see anything less than outstanding service (plus we're fairly easy going, as long as the drinks keep coming )

 

[wilma-bride]

We always tip 20% unless we've had poor service. I have been known to tip more on a couple of occasions, when a server has gone completely above and beyond. Unlike some people, I never reduce the tip for poor food - it's not the server's fault if the food is bad.

 

[Annabell]

How about eating in a buffet restaurant (e.g. Chef Mickey's) ? Do you tip the same 15-20% as you would at a table service restaurant ? Just wondering.

 

[wayneg]

We always tip 20% unless we've had poor service. I have been known to tip more on a couple of occasions, when a server has gone completely above and beyond. Unlike some people, I never reduce the tip for poor food - it's not the server's fault if the food is bad.

I am in tha camp of reducing tip for overall service and quailty, IMO its upto the server to make sure the food is as I want it. Thankfully food is generally good. main one I remember last year was Kona cafe, she was shocking so just left $5. This year many meals included 18%, I will never add more if they include it, Beaches & Cream for some reason she didn't add it so I left more, I think it was near 25% IIRC.
Always tip what you are happy with, our American friends don't tip anywhere near as much as us, you just have to remember you are contributing to their wage, not tipping over their wage.

 

[chmurf]

How about eating in a buffet restaurant (e.g. Chef Mickey's) ? Do you tip the same 15-20% as you would at a table service restaurant ? Just wondering.

yes

 

[wayneg]

How about eating in a buffet restaurant (e.g. Chef Mickey's) ? Do you tip the same 15-20% as you would at a table service restaurant ? Just wondering.

yes

Thats not everyones opinion, I know many Americans don't believe you should.
They have a faster turnover of tables and generally cover more tables than a full TS restaurant.
If in Disney again they add 18% for parties of 6 or more.
If just the 3 of us I usually leave $10 however much the bill comes to, it probably works out at 12-15%

 

[OrlandoMagic]

When having a table service meal I will always go in with a 15% tip in mind, then when it does come to tipping I will decide on the service I have had how much over or under I will tip.

Fortunately most of the time I end up tipping 18-20% as the service is generally good but I will also lower the tip if I feel the service was bad or below par. I believe the server should be working hard to ensure they give the best service possible which in turn earns them good tips.

Unfortunately there are times where your server is rude, lazy and/or generally provides bad service. I believe it's important to leave only a small tip or no tip at all if this happens to you otherwise these people will carry on getting paid for poor service, not something either the public or the restaurant owners/managers want.

 

[wayneg]

Another point for those that are new to tipping. You don't tip on the tax.
If a bill comes to $106 ($100 + $6 tax) and you want to tip 20% you tip $20, not $21.20
To make it easier I know some tip 15% on the whole amount including tax then round up to the nearest $. Using the same example figure of $106 that would be $16(16%) tip.
Everyone has their own ways of working it out, Disney show 18% + 20% amounts at the bottom of the bill.

 

[disneyholic family]

as for sweet tomatoes - i tip there too....can you believe it? just a few dollars, but the result is always a bunch of dinner coupons magically appear from the servers pocket...

 

[Seany]

Thanks again to everyone, I tip here in the UK but it's a whole different thing in the US and I wouldn't want to offend.

Thanks again

 

[dixonsontour]

Just to add if you are in a restaurant and something isn't to your satisfaction (food or service) do speak up - don't be 'British' about it.

Service is usually excellent at disney. The only time we had horrendous rude service - DH spoke to the manager and they didn't charge us for the whole meal.

Americans don't usually hesitate to send food back or speak up.

 

[madmumof2]

I am overly generous by nature so I go with 20% but if I get an exceptional server (as I did in T Rex, Mama Melrose and 'Ohana last time) I will add a few more dollars on.

Our last morning we had breakfast at 'Ohanas and got exceptional service and some freebies as we'd missed one of the characters when nipping the youngest to the loo. Since we can't use change at home that waitress got all of my leftover change from our two week stay, not sure exactly how much that was but it was a fair bit more than 20% but we couldn't have used the change anyway.

She came out and gave us a cupcake each and said I'd made her day

For buffets I don't tip, who are you supposed to tip when you're getting the meal yourself? If there is someone refilling our drinks they'll get a couple of dollars but it's not hard to do that and I wouldn't tip a drink re-filler, when I have to get my own food, the same % as someone serving a 4 course meal with drinks.

I don't tip barman either when buying drinks, again not hard to do, but I do tip room service, taxi's, and anyone who makes our stay more enjoyable or easier.

 

[disney_princess_85]

For buffets I don't tip, who are you supposed to tip when you're getting the meal yourself? If there is someone refilling our drinks they'll get a couple of dollars but it's not hard to do that and I wouldn't tip a drink re-filler, when I have to get my own food, the same % as someone serving a 4 course meal with drinks.

I don't tip barman either when buying drinks, again not hard to do

I actually think that buffet servers work harder than regular servers as they are constantly clearing plates, tidying tables and refilling drinks. It's not necessarily about how 'hard' it is anyway- it's customary to tip all servers, which includes those who work in a bar.

 

[wayneg]

I don't tip barman either when buying drinks.

If going in for an odd drink somewhere I would just round it up to the next $ but if you are staying in a bar for more than 1 drink and you tip you will notice a big difference in drink strengths plus the speed you get served. I notice a massive difference when cruising, they automatically add 15% but I tipped another $1-2 per round ontop of that, as our drinks were nearing the bottom the server was there, very strong drinks, even had the odd round missed off the bill. The last one on the Disney Magic was so good I tipped another $20 as we left the ship.

Buffet tipping, as I said they turn over tables faster and serve more tables but IMO they do just as much fetching and carrying as another other server, thats why I still tip, just not quite as much.

I don't tip for room service we all differ on that one as well