Tipping in 2008 - Dining plan and buffets

[Lauralei]

For a buffet, we usually leave $5.00. That's for me, DH and DS(8 yrs. old). That's also for lunch or dinner (we don't do BKST buffets). The servers are only bringing drinks, they shouldn't be tipped 18 to 20%--that's ridiculous! And as someone said, the service might be bad if everyone did that--that's only for your softdrink or coffee--how bad could it get?

 

[Lauralei]

I've read more since my last post. At a bar I tip 10% or less, therefore if I ordered a specialty drink at a buffet I would tip about the same. Also to the mentality of you can afford a Disney Vacation, you can afford to a big tip--is absurd! At any place we've ever went even besides Disney where the buffets can be anywhere from budget to extravagant, in places like Las Vegas or Atlantic City, if we just had softdrinks served to us we usually leave about $5.00. Why should we tip as if we were at a full service restaurant? We're not getting full service!

 

[bookgirl2632]

Having read thread upon thread concerning tipping, I've concluded that no one will ever agree on it. Some of us will continue to tip on the low end for buffets because they view the level of service at a lower level. Others of us will tip like they normally do, giving 15% to 18% for good service. I tip the same for buffets as I do for a "full service" meal. Why? Because that's how I show my appreciation. Hopefully, for the buffet servers, it all evens out for them.

 

[just another guy]

From www.tipping.org

Buffet


Waiter / Waitress 5% to 10% of the total bill is suggested. This depends heavily on exactly how much work is done by the waitstaff. In some restaurants, the waitstaff does very little. Usually is simply bringing fresh linen and/or utensils. In some other restaurants, the staff brings drinks, and some orders from the kitchen directly.

Hmmm, I think I made a comment about people using sites to back up their opinion.

Once again, that a generic site that speaks as if all buffets are the same. If you think Boma and Old Country Buffet are the same, you've got bigger problems. Good service at a nice buffet deserves 15-20%

Why should we tip as if we were at a full service restaurant? We're not getting full service!

Oh the, "but I have to get up for me food?" excuse. Guess what, thats why you are there. Try looking at it from the servers perspective. Instead of ringing in an order, and then killing 15 minutes until its ready, the buffet server is always taking plates back. They are doing even more work than at a menu restaurant.

 

[dzorn]

$3. base wage per hour

5 tables tip $5 each take 1 1/2 hours each roughly 16.50 per hour

$19.50 per hour does not seem like bad wages to me. I know many that would trade.

Not sure what Florida base wage is or how many tables a buffet server has, but they are always busy and most tables have been filled whenevery we have been dining.

I do think buffet servers do less work. I base my tipping on the service recieved not if it buffet or table service.

Denise in MI

 

[Pumbaa_]

dzorn, that math would work if the tables are full all the time or if you had prime shifts. Doubt if that happens all the time

For us, we will continue to tip and not worry about what they 'make' hourly or annually. (I sure am not sharing what I make )

 

[kimsuenew]

We tip the same at either a buffet or sit-down dinner. It never dawned on me not to. I suppose it is a matter of preference and perhaps depends on how you were raised/the area you were raised in. I love my parents dearly and for the past several years we go to a nice buffet for Easter and Thanksgiving. My mom will just put a few dollars down for her and dad, as she feels they personally did all the work (with the exception of their drinks). I simply (and discreetly) add more to my tip, to cover the portion I feel she should have left for the wait staff.

 

[momof3littlelilos]

You are correct we do not tip as high. The reason is restaurant staff are paid considerably more up here than down there. The minimum wage here is 8.00 an hour. The minimum wage in Florida is 6.67. We pay 10% for regular service and 20% for good or exceptional service.

I believe that the minimum wage still doesn't apply to wait staff in the US...as far as I know they still make a little more than $2 an hour and are dependant upon tips for income...
Has this changed in the last year and I missed it?

 

[MarieA]

This is false. Servers are not taxed on money they did not receive. (It's more complicated than that, but I'm not going to rehash it all here.) Suffice it to say that no Disney server would ever fall into that category, and even if they did, the standard rate assumed is 8% aggregate. Servers are not taxed on single tables.
David

My daughter is a server at a local chain restaurant and has to claim tips based on her total bills for the night. She cannot close out her bills until she includes the tips. Taxes are taken out based on the tips that are claimed for the 2 week period. Her paychecks are very low ($50 - $70 for 2 weeks - 25 hrs. per week) because her tips are taxed and her hourly wage is very low $4.00 per hr.

 

[MarieA]

Let me just reiterate what another poster mentioned above. Minimum wage for servers is SIGNIFICANTLY LESS than min. wage in other fields. I don't know the exact rate, but I think it's about HALF of what reg. min. wage is. They DO NOT make a living wage from their pay. It is expected that they will make enough from tips to pay rent, buy groceries, make car payments, etc. That's just the way it is in this country. I never worked in the food industry, but my DH did when he was in high school. He always leaves 20% tip. If the service is not as good, he'll leave 15%. This is what these people have to live off of. It's just really sad that people are trying to find ways to keep them from earning a decent living - both Disney and guests are guilty in this. Heck, even out in the real world - people just don't get it that these servers live off of their TIPS NOT THEIR WAGES!

Exactly!!!! Servers are paid anywhere from $2 - $4.50 per hr. They do depend on their tips to live.

 

[mom2my3kids]

My daughter is a server at a local chain restaurant and has to claim tips based on her total bills for the night. She cannot close out her bills until she includes the tips. Taxes are taken out based on the tips that are claimed for the 2 week period. Her paychecks are very low ($50 - $70 for 2 weeks - 25 hrs. per week) because her tips are taxed and her hourly wage is very low $4.00 per hr.

Exactly, If someone comes in and stiffs you on a 50.00 check. You still have to claim your total sales and claim at least 8% of your sales to the government. So you are telling the government you made 4.00 off of that ticket even though you made nothing. Now you are supposed to claim all of your tips, the government imposed the 8% to make sure they were claiming a certain amount. I hope this makes sense to everyone.. Also as long as you tip between 15-20% of the bill for good service you have nothing to feel cheap about.

 

[GreatLakes5]

Exactly, If someone comes in and stiffs you on a 50.00 check. You still have to claim your total sales and claim at least 8% of your sales to the government. So you are telling the government you made 4.00 off of that ticket even though you made nothing. Now you are supposed to claim all of your tips, the government imposed the 8% to make sure they were claiming a certain amount. I hope this makes sense to everyone.. Also as long as you tip between 15-20% of the bill for good service you have nothing to feel cheap about.

Help me understand. I'm an accountant so I understand the money, but I've never worked in or for a restaurant. Do I understand correctly that when waitstaff finishes a shift they have to "close out" by recording their tips somehow with their employer. When they receive a paycheck it is for their hourly wage x hours worked - taxes on both that wage and the tips they claimed (but already took home)? So to a certain extent it is an honor system in that if I had a $50 total bill at a table and they tipped me 20% ($10) I would have to be honest and list the $10, otherwise only 8% of that bill would be listed as a tip as far as my taxes and the IRS are concerned?

Which would, of course, lead a person to say that even if someone got stiffed at one table, there's a good chance that they make more than the 8% on other tables and it then becomes something between them and their conscience what they actually claim to have made in tips?

Just trying to follow.....

 

[MarieA]

Help me understand. I'm an accountant so I understand the money, but I've never worked in or for a restaurant. Do I understand correctly that when waitstaff finishes a shift they have to "close out" by recording their tips somehow with their employer. When they receive a paycheck it is for their hourly wage x hours worked - taxes on both that wage and the tips they claimed (but already took home)? So to a certain extent it is an honor system in that if I had a $50 total bill at a table and they tipped me 20% ($10) I would have to be honest and list the $10, otherwise only 8% of that bill would be listed as a tip as far as my taxes and the IRS are concerned?

Which would, of course, lead a person to say that even if someone got stiffed at one table, there's a good chance that they make more than the 8% on other tables and it then becomes something between them and their conscience what they actually claim to have made in tips?

Just trying to follow.....

You have to claim a certain percentage of your total sales for the night as tips (not sure what the exact percentage is) otherwise you cannot close out for the night. Taxes are taken out based on hourly wages and tips reported. It is an honor system.

I'm sure that most people don't realize that if you walk out without paying for your meal - your server is responsible for the bill.

 

[angelmav]

You have to claim a certain percentage of your total sales for the night as tips (not sure what the exact percentage is) otherwise you cannot close out for the night. Taxes are taken out based on hourly wages and tips reported. It is an honor system.

I'm sure that most people don't realize that if you walk out without paying for your meal - your server is responsible for the bill.

There not exactly stifffed where the IRS is concerned, its still an honor system and this is one of the most under-reported industries in the US. Typically, servers only have to report what they are tipped, which again is under-reported because the IRS bases their tip avg on 8% of the bill, which is what most servers report as their wage even though it is usually much higher. The IRS imposed 8% as a way to get servers to pay anything on their tips, which still works out quite well for most servers.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Help me understand. I'm an accountant so I understand the money, but I've never worked in or for a restaurant. Do I understand correctly that when waitstaff finishes a shift they have to "close out" by recording their tips somehow with their employer. When they receive a paycheck it is for their hourly wage x hours worked - taxes on both that wage and the tips they claimed (but already took home)? So to a certain extent it is an honor system in that if I had a $50 total bill at a table and they tipped me 20% ($10) I would have to be honest and list the $10, otherwise only 8% of that bill would be listed as a tip as far as my taxes and the IRS are concerned?

Which would, of course, lead a person to say that even if someone got stiffed at one table, there's a good chance that they make more than the 8% on other tables and it then becomes something between them and their conscience what they actually claim to have made in tips?

Just trying to follow.....

You are totally correct, I close out at the end of the day, I have to at least claim 8% of my sales for the day. So if my sales were 400.00 I have to at least claim 32.00 but you are suppose to claim all tips. Now if a server does not claim all her tips she is only hurting herself. Because the government goes by your income as to how much Social Security, Disability you would get at retirement.

 

[GreatLakes5]

Now if a server does not claim all her tips she is only hurting herself. Because the government goes by your income as to how much Social Security, Disability you would get at retirement.

Well, as a "financial person" I'd disagree with that - not that I'd condone dishonesty - just the part about worrying over getting enough retirement from the government. The more you take home the more YOU would control for your retirement rather than relying on our politicians

BUT I get it now...thanks!

 

[dqpowell]

My daughter is a server at a local chain restaurant and has to claim tips based on her total bills for the night. She cannot close out her bills until she includes the tips. Taxes are taken out based on the tips that are claimed for the 2 week period. Her paychecks are very low ($50 - $70 for 2 weeks - 25 hrs. per week) because her tips are taxed and her hourly wage is very low $4.00 per hr.

You misunderstood what I was saying, and by your comments here you are actually supporting my point.

The simple fact is this: No Disney server is ever taxed on money they did not earn, because the 8% assumed rate is taken on the aggregate. (Side note: most servers are taxed less than they should be taxed when they self-report tip income due to under-reporting.)

David

 

[MarieA]

You misunderstood what I was saying, and by your comments here you are actually supporting my point.

The simple fact is this: No Disney server is ever taxed on money they did not earn, because the 8% assumed rate is taken on the aggregate. (Side note: most servers are taxed less than they should be taxed when they self-report tip income due to under-reporting.)

David

I guess I did misunderstand what you said. Servers are taxed based on a percentage of their total checks. However there are some people who think it's okay not to tip and I just wanted to let them know that servers depend on their tips earn a decent wage. It's not an easy job - sometimes you have to deal with inconsiderate people, bad attitudes, etc. and you have to do it with a smile.

When my DH and I go out to dinner we tend to tip very generously because our daughter is a server (20 - 25% for good service). We rarely eat at buffets but when we do we generally tip 15%, which I understand from this thread is a little high - the consensus is 10% for buffets.

 

[chip 'n dale rule]

Actually, my DS is now 15, so that's not an issue. When he was younger, we all went up together. He selected his food, I served it (I hate it when kids serve themselves, btw), & my DH held the plate. Sometimes, I did both. I didn't feel like we posessed super powers to be able to accomplish that. If you have more kids than adults, I can see things would be different.

As for carrying plates..... At TS restaurants, the server delivers drinks & plates. Usually a busboy cleans them up. If the family doesn't order appetizers or desserts, the buffet server could end up clearing away more dirty plates than the TS server brings. They also bring your drink. If we choose to eat a restaurant where we have to serve ourself, that's not the servers fault. They're still having to deal with our dirty plates, which IMO is worse than delivering fresh plates.

And your Spa analogy..... Was I supposed to see a correlation between that & TS vs. buffet dining?

I too am able to serve my children and myself at the same time, I am talented for sure . But I am in fact serving myself and my children. Hence my "server" isn't. If a restaurant assigns a waiter more tables at a buffet than at a TS they are acknowledging the fact that there is less work for that waiter per table at a buffet. So even if that waiter is recieving less in tips per table it is still going to equal out because they have more tables. I do not tip 20% at a buffet and I do not think this makes me cheap. Nor do I think I should stay home as a previous poster suggested.

Thank you to the poster that included the link for appropriate tipping at a buffet.

I used to waitress at a restaurant that used a menu during the week and had a buffet on weekends so I know from personal experience that it is MUCH EASIER to take care a table if they are eating from a buffet. I could easily handle twice the number of tables on buffet night!!

 

[Pumbaa_]

Links are great, there are always links to prove your point one way or another.

Here are a few pulled off of different internet sites

Self-service restaurant or buffet [/URL]- Nothing unless there is some service. Tip 10% if the server delivers all or part of your meal or keeps your drinks refilled.

She recommends tipping buffet waiters the same percentage of your meal’s cost that you would for regular waiters — 10 percent for below average service, 15 percent for average

Tipping at buffet-style restaurants is very common, since buffet workers are the exact same wage and do depend as much on tips. The amount of the tip should be 15-20%, or more for exceptional service.

Tip for Tipping at Buffet Restaurants
How much should you tip your server at a buffet restaurant? The following is a quote from an article in today's Wall Street Journal (subscription required):


The appropriate tip is 10%, says Peter Post, a director of the Emily Post Institute. That's less than the 15% to 20% you would tip a server during a typical restaurant meal because the buffet server isn't doing all the work involved in serving you, including bringing you your food. Still, he says, a tip is necessary because the server during a buffet is still generally providing some service such as clearing your plates, bringing water and taking drink orders. The tip also should always be calculated off the pretax amount regardless of whether you're dining at a buffet or a full service meal. "You don't want to pay a tip on the tax," says Mr. Post.