Tipping in Paolo

[Tiiiigergirl]

When we went on our first Disney Cruise, our server Georgia, explained that the cover charge was divided between the entire dining room staff and kitchen. She did it in such a tactful way that we weren't in the least offended but were grateful to know so we could reward such outstanding service. I wish I could always put things in such a tactful manner.

 

[WiseGirl]

Our tips were in addition to the $5 cover charge at Palos - to answer Barb's question.

To Thumper1 - we tip what we feel is appropriate and I didn't post it to impress anyone on the DIS boards! My opinion on the whole thing - I feel very fortunate to even be on the cruise and when I consider what we spend to travel and be there, the tips look pretty insignificant to me. We want to reward the people that are working hard to wait on us and make our trips a wonderful experience. Keep in mind that these people work 7 days a week for 4 - 6 months at at time (with no days off). I do agree that servers show bad judgement to suggest that you owe them tips or even to bring it up.

 

[gscott8075]

There is a difference between Topsiders / Beach Blanket and Palos -

The tips we pay to the waitstaff in the regular dining rotation also compensates them for the time they put into breakfast and lunch - whereever it is and whomever they serve. I have never, ever contemplated tipping at any lunch or breakfast.

The Palo servers also work breakfast and lunch - but they do nto share in the "payday" at the end of the cruise. Also, look at how many tables the regular staff handles for dinner - and most of those have kids. Palos is typically 2 or 4 to a table.

The personal service Palo's offers calls for additional gratuiites. We went twice this week - each time, the servers pretty much stated that the $5 isn't for them. So, I agree, Disney needs to communicate it better.

 

[Mmketeer]

Hi all,

Great comments and I think I am going with a $10.00 tip when I dine there in a few weeks (on top of the $5 charge). I would do $15 if we order a bottle of wine or if we have the server go out of their way for us etc. A normal gourmet meal around here in Florida without alchol and the extras is about $55 or so depending on the restaurant for a couple, so I think $10 should be okay and it seems to me to be the min. most folks here on the forum would do. I'll let ya know if when I dine there I change my tipping, but that should be between 15% and 20%. Thanks again for all your comments, I would have hated to go there and disappointed the CM's with my tipping! LOL!

Mmketeer "Wonder" Jan.20/2002

 

[gscott8075]

This ain't no $55 dinner!

You can compare Palo's to a 5 star restaurant. The meal would easily go for $100 - $125 for a couple in a stateside restaurant.

But, $10 is reasonable - I've moved between $10 and $20 and think the $10 amount is right where it's at.

Also, keep in mind with the wine comment - there is a 15% autogratuity added to your bar bill all over the ship. I would think carefully before adding another tip on top - though the line is on the slip for it.


Have a wonderful experience - it is an extraordinary experience

rack of lamb + souffle = happy gscott

 

[Eric Julie and Hailey]

At Palos we tipped $15 for 2 people - on top of the cover charge. On the last day of our cruise, we got a thank you note from our waitress - Katya. She deserved the tip -- she was wonderful.

By the way, we felt it was not appropriate to tip both Katya and our dining room waiter for that night -- so we took $5 off our waiter's tip and $3 off our asst. waiter's tip at the end of the cruise. (I know this is an unpopular choice -- but, it felt right to me.)

I think Disney does a horrible job explaining the tipping situation at Palos. the staff clearly cannot get by with the $5 cover charge -- so why not set a suggested amount for Palos dinner and brunch and end the confusion?

 

[gscott8075]

I respect everyone's personal tipping decisions except those that scram without leaving anything for anybody.

I would keep in mind that it was your choice to eat out of rotation. You are paying your regular server for not only your dinners, but for the work they do at breakfast and lunch for everyone else. Your servers at breakfast and lunch were probably not your regular servers - and you did not tip them. The folks that have them at dinner take care of them for you.

If the service is good, I think the server and asst server should receive the suggested gratuity amount regardless if we are there or not.

Whether if our kids go to the kids club or if we eat at Palo's, we were assigned to them for the entire cruise. I didn't see it that way when I went on my first cruise and we pro-rated like you did. DIS changed my view completely.

Again, I respect your decision -

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Slightly off-topic, but DW, DS and I ate at a Lexington, NC BBQ restaurant yesterday, and in the confusion of various road-stop activities, we <i><b>forgot</b></i> to leave a tip for our waitress. We were a hundred miles down the road when it hit us. What a horrible feeling!

 

[gscott8075]

I will revise my previous post thusly:

"I respect everyone's personal tipping decisions except those that scram without leaving anything for anybody..unless they are in a mad rush while on a roadtrip!!!

There Dave, you are now officially respected!

 

[Michelle]

This is interesting, I have eaten at Palo MANY times and have never had a server explain the gratuity process to me. That does seem a little crass. We do tip generously there; we almost always get a bottle of wine and tip an addditional $25 or more on top of the regular "cover charge". We also tip the regular dining room servers more than the minimum, regardless of how many times we eat there, if the service warrants (and 99% of the time it has, I'm glad to say).

Dave, I guess that's one restaurant in NC where you can't show your face again...