Tipping in 2008

[kimsuenew]

I wrote to WDW (via the website contact). One of my many questions I ask had to do with the 2008 tips. We wondered if we would be able to charge tips to our KTTW card. As a rule we do not carry money with us to the parks, only the card (that we have charging attached to). I received this reply yesterday "What is not included in the 2008 Dining Plan is the gratuities, so you will have to carry cash." I am bummed out, I guess that we will have to get several hundred dollars worth of $10.00's. $5.00's, and $1.00's to take to WDW with us so that we have actual money with us for tips, now that they are not included. Ugh!

 

[WETWHISTLE]

This doesn't sound right...what if you pay OOP for something? Like an appetizer, alcoholic drink, etc. You were able to charge that stuff on your card in 2007. Hopefully someone just gave you the wrong answer.

We plan on paying OOP for appetizers and we have to pay OOP for gratuity...and I do NOT plan on carrying cash around!

 

[LWcalif]

I know there have been other threads on the 08 dining plan, but I haven't had a chance to read them. I was also planning on charging tips to our resort card, as we don't carry cash with us. Just assumed that alcohol, appetizers, tips, etc. would be given to us on a separate check. We're not traveling until Sept. 2008, so I figured it would be worked out by then. If I need to bring cash, I'll plan for that.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

That would upset me to no end!! I would be "tempted" to leave no tip if that was the case. Why could we not charge our tip to our room, unless the servers just don't want to have to report how much of a tip they got? There would be no paper trail, so they wouldn't have to report receiving a tip - just a thought.

 

[OKW Mom]

We thought we were out of Table Services meals when 3 visitors joined us at Cape May Cafe for dinner 9/27.
When the bill arrived our server asked if we were on the DDP and we told her we thought we were out of meals.
When she returned she said "You had two left, so here is the ticket for those, and here is the ticket for the other 3 meals".
I do not know why, however the ticket for 3 meals did have the automatic 18% (maybe because we were DDP people?). I charged that to our room.
How surly will their wait staff be when no one leaves a gratuity (or leaves scant amounts)?
As a parent of three college students working in the hospitality industry, all servers have tips strictly accounted for. The management does not want to be responsible for that much cash or the possibility of IRS issues.
Hopefully the CM that answered you was wrong (cause we don' t carry cash)

 

[just another guy]

Even the servers themselves don't know what going to be the setup in 08. The common sense approach would be that everyone on the DDP be required to have room changing privileges. When the server swipes your card for the DDP, it would print out a blank box area where you write in your tip. Then again, thats the smart setup, so I doubt disney will keep it that easy. Last I heard from a server friend was that they heard someone about there will be 3 choices, 15%, 18% or 20%, and the guest can circle which one they want.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

Even the servers themselves don't know what going to be the setup in 08. The common sense approach would be that everyone on the DDP be required to have room changing privileges. When the server swipes your card for the DDP, it would print out a blank box area where you write in your tip. Then again, thats the smart setup, so I doubt disney will keep it that easy. Last I heard from a server friend was that they heard someone about there will be 3 choices, 15%, 18% or 20%, and the guest can circle which one they want.

I doubt that circling your choice option will fly. I can't even imagine that being an option!! I will decide what to tip, or will not tip at all. Tips are not required except on parties of 6 or more, and we are 5. A tip has to be earned, period!!

 

[Luvamouse]

Even the servers themselves don't know what going to be the setup in 08. The common sense approach would be that everyone on the DDP be required to have room changing privileges. When the server swipes your card for the DDP, it would print out a blank box area where you write in your tip. Then again, thats the smart setup, so I doubt disney will keep it that easy. Last I heard from a server friend was that they heard someone about there will be 3 choices, 15%, 18% or 20%, and the guest can circle which one they want.

Perhaps what your friend saw was the math for the tipping impaired that occurs on many bills here. It is not an option to choose one of the 3 %s by circling or otherwise indicating, however the math is done for you so you can fill in the blank with the amount you desire to tip-- choosing the total for 15, 18 or 20% easily. It is a nice touch for those who might be in a hurry.

 

[asmit4]

I know this has been discussed in another thread- but honestly- I think the servers are gonna lose their azzes on this new "tip what you want" idea.

Sure it may work at your local place at home, but people on the DDP are going to tip lower b/c lots of people erroneously feel the DDP is like an "all inclusive" option. (which it used to be)

I can totally see a family of 4 on the DDP tipping 5 or 10 bucks at a TS meal. Not nearly enough to hit 15%.

I hope they come up with a better plan in 2009 b/c this 2008 plan stinks for everyone involved IMO. The deluxe seems like a nice new concept but the basic DDP is such a downgrade and a pain now.

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

What's wrong with tipping $10 bucks for a table service meal? Does it have to be a percentage of the bill? If a server waits 5 tables for an hour and everyone tips $10 or more, that's $50 per hour. In my book, that's a pretty good hourly wage.

 

[asmit4]

What's wrong with tipping $10 bucks for a table service meal? Does it have to be a percentage of the bill? If a server waits 5 tables for an hour and everyone tips $10 or more, that's $50 per hour. In my book, that's a pretty good hourly wage.

That depends on how you look at it. Let's look at it another way. You dine at Narcoossees for dinner on the DDP. Your total bill for 2 adults, 2 children without alcohol, comes to $175. Your tip per the 2007 DDP would be 31.50 which is 18%. Multiply that times 5 tables = 157.50

Now lets say that you worked at Narcoossees for all of 2007 and now you are going to stay there for 2008. In 2008, you will get $50 in tips.

I'm not going to argue that waiters deserve more or less than 50 in tips, or more or less than 160 in tips an hour.

My point is that say you are used to making 160 in tips, you life, your condo, your car, your expenses revolve around receiving a "typical" amount of tips per day on top of your hourly wage.

Now that the 2008 DDP has changed, your "paycheck" could be drastically less.

If someone told me today that I was suddenly going to be getting paid only 70% of what I got paid last year, I'd be in HUGE trouble. I am used to living on a certain amount (regardless of it being a fair wage or reasonable). I am sure that most people budget their lives around their "standard pay".

If I am used to working with the DDP tips included, I might take a HUGE hit in 2008 and that would be really tough to handle.

I can totally see people not tipping 18% on the DDP, but tipping maybe 5% instead. It's gonna be a real eye opener for the staff.

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

asmit4, I see your point. (And I don't really know if I could unashamedly leave only $10 when everyone knows the standard practice is a percentage.)

I think I'm gonna go without the DDP.

 

[jnadelman]

So, you are saying if I am on the dining plan, I can't charge the tip. I can't put it on my KTTK card and I can't even tip with my own CC? That is crazy. I don't bring cash with me. I don't mind tipping, but why can't I charge it? If I paid normally they would let me charge the tip portion. Don't they realize that servers are now not going to get tips?

 

[Pumbaa_]

I am having a hard time believing people will not be able to pay the tip on KTTW or charge cards . I believe the OP received that response from Disney, but I don't think Disney is correct in this case. I would never bring that much cash with me for gratuities on all my meals.

I guess I would have to be washing dishes every night

 

[Colleen27]

I am having a hard time believing people will not be able to pay the tip on KTTW or charge cards . I believe the OP received that response from Disney, but I don't think Disney is correct in this case. I would never bring that much cash with me for gratuities on all my meals.

That's what I think is going on too. Lord knows there has been plenty of incorrect information to come from Disney sources - I even had one dining CM tell me that the people here on the DIS know more than they do! (I was asking about Teppan Edo's opening date)

I can't imagine that Disney would require tips to be in cash. In this day and age, where even the McDs drive through takes plastic, it just doesn't make sense for a venue that is already set up to accept non-cash payment to go back to a cash-only policy.

 

[just another guy]

I can't imagine that Disney would require tips to be in cash. I

Nor will they, but the servers I know, as of today, have no clue how its going to work. Disney writes their own programs for their computers. As of now, the server have no way to take a random credit card, and charge a zero amount, leaving a blank for a tip. I'll say there is a 90% likely hood that disney will simply require you to have room charging privileges on your DDP room key. Disney's computer people will notify their current program, so when the server swipes your card for the DDP, the computer remembers your card numbers, and leaves a blank on the DDP paperwork. Once the server later picks up the paperwork the guest left behind, the server will then log back into the computer, reopen that check number, enter the tip amount, and the guests room will be charged that amount.

 

[tfiga]

I would be really upset if room charge was required to give the tip. We never give a credit card for charging, we always use cash. Basically my husband and I just plan on putting a $20 bill on each table for our ts credits. I do not think they can force us to use credit cards, can they?

 

[just another guy]

I would be really upset if room charge was required to give the tip. We never give a credit card for charging, we always use cash. Basically my husband and I just plan on putting a $20 bill on each table for our ts credits. I do not think they can force us to use credit cards, can they?

I don't see why they can't. They can simply make it a requirement. Just as you agree to all sorts of other rules in order to be on the DDP, having a credit card linked to the room would be one of them. I've talked to many servers, and they all agree thats the best method. Why are you so against having a card on your room?

 

[just another guy]

I guess another spin off of that would be have a credit card as checkin as a requirement, which I think is 99.9% of guests. No one pays cash. Then on the DDP slips, there would simply be a blank spot to write in the tip. It gets added as a note to your room. Upon checkout they would notify the guest that they owe $XXX amount for all their tips. At that point, the guest could use any credit card, or pay cash.

 

[tfiga]

I do not want a credit card on my room because I do not take one on vacation, not having a credit card helps to keep me on a budget. Yes, I can use my debit card, but that is a hassle because I have to try to keep track of every transaction. If I do not have a choice than I do not have a choice, but there are people who do not even have a credit card and work completely on a cash system. Disney allows people to mail in payments so I think they are aware of this also. Hopefully, they will allow the us to make the determination.