Tipping Info Thread for Disney Dining

[smidgy]

Your Disney servers are people, just like everyone else. They strive to give exceptional service to each & every guest. Unfortunately, sometimes cast members call in sick, or new cast members are being trained that aren't yet as seasoned as some, or the kitchen is just completely crashing with tickets and maybe someone fell or got burned. Dish machines break down, gas burners quit working, ice machines fail to produce ice. These are all real scenarios that Disney guests are not aware of or ever see. Sometimes unfortunate things happen that compromises service and all that cast member can do is just keep going as fast as they can to provide the guest with the the best service they can. Some servers are not servers by trade and as unfortunate as it is, need to get out of the business. Aka, they suck. But for the Cast that is running their butts off, a kind word, a thank you or just a few minutes of patience can turn a meal that might be lacking around. Restaurant cast work hard because they love to make the guest happy. I've encountered many cast servers that have become my regular requested people to see, and have eventually become friends. I look forward to seeing them each trip as I do Mickey Mouse.

may I speak for servers everywhere when I say

 

[MinnieMallons]

My wife and I are visiting WDW in 9 days.

Here in the UK we would usually leave a tip in cash when paying on card so that the waiter who served us gets this directly. As it can often be the case that there is no facility to tip when paying on card and that if you do it goes into a general pot which may or may not hen be divided evenly among staff.

We are staying on site, have dining plan and will be charging back to the room for extras where possible rather than carrying lots of cash.

My questions are:

1) Is there any difference for the servers at WDW if I pay gratuity in cash or charge it to my room?

2) There seems negligible difference between an 18% and a 20% tip, even on large bill it would only be a couple of dollars. Are you not considered to be suggesting the service was not good enough if you select the 18% tip option when presented with both in print on your bill?
Maybe I'm being a bit British about it, but I could not for sake of embarrassment pay less than the 20% suggestion if presented with it.

3) It is suggested that you tip anyone who moves your luggage, mousekeepers, taxi drivers, bar tenders and waiters. Would you tip the Magical Express, buses, boats and monorails? If not, why not? They seems to be the only ones not getting a tip.

 

[mom2of2]

My wife and I are visiting WDW in 9 days.

Here in the UK we would usually leave a tip in cash when paying on card so that the waiter who served us gets this directly. As it can often be the case that there is no facility to tip when paying on card and that if you do it goes into a general pot which may or may not hen be divided evenly among staff.

We are staying on site, have dining plan and will be charging back to the room for extras where possible rather than carrying lots of cash.

My questions are:

1) Is there any difference for the servers at WDW if I pay gratuity in cash or charge it to my room?

2) There seems negligible difference between an 18% and a 20% tip, even on large bill it would only be a couple of dollars. Are you not considered to be suggesting the service was not good enough if you select the 18% tip option when presented with both in print on your bill?
Maybe I'm being a bit British about it, but I could not for sake of embarrassment pay less than the 20% suggestion if presented with it.

3) It is suggested that you tip anyone who moves your luggage, mousekeepers, taxi drivers, bar tenders and waiters. Would you tip the Magical Express, buses, boats and monorails? If not, why not? They seems to be the only ones not getting a tip.

1) it doesn't matter how you pay a tip, servers get it at the end of their shift. The only difference is the automatic grat, that goes on their paycheck

2) you may tip whatever you want. 18% and 20% are calculated for you on the check for convenience. You can go lower for mediocre service, higher for outstanding service

3) bartenders and servers are paid a very low hourly wage because it is assumed that tips will bring them up to at least minimum wage. Mousekeepers, buses, boats and monorails are already paid above minimum wage so it is not a tipped position.

hope that helps

 

[rewilliams]

We are using the dining plan so I am not sure how much a meal actually costs, I have been setting aside money for tips but not sure how much for each sit down dinner. There will be 3 of us 2 adults and 1 child, can someone give me an idea of how much I will need for a typical sit down meal? Thanks

 

[KaLyn]

We are using the dining plan so I am not sure how much a meal actually costs, I have been setting aside money for tips but not sure how much for each sit down dinner. There will be 3 of us 2 adults and 1 child, can someone give me an idea of how much I will need for a typical sit down meal? Thanks

Our TS meal tips (mostly character and family styled) should range between $15-$25 each. But we have 2 adults and 2 kids. Pricing can be found online so you can better estimate.

 

[MsMamaBear]

Ok, I'm new and scanned this thread, not read each page for page, so forgive me if It was already asked.

Can we charge our tips to our room and then pay those with Disney gift cards? Or can we pay the tip at the restaurant with a Disney gift card?

 

[mom2of2]

Ok, I'm new and scanned this thread, not read each page for page, so forgive me if It was already asked.

Can we charge our tips to our room and then pay those with Disney gift cards? Or can we pay the tip at the restaurant with a Disney gift card?

either way is fine

 

[maxiesmom]

Ok, I'm new and scanned this thread, not read each page for page, so forgive me if It was already asked.

Can we charge our tips to our room and then pay those with Disney gift cards? Or can we pay the tip at the restaurant with a Disney gift card?

Are you on the dining plan? If so, I would suggest charging the tip back to the room and then going down and paying it off with your gift cards.

The one time I tried paying for tips with gift cards while on the dining plan, it seemed to confuse some of the wait staff. One even charged my meal to my gift cards, even though I had told him I was on the dining plan and the gift card was for the tip only. They can't reverse that charge right away, so I ended up dealing with it and scheduiling another ADR to use the extra credit.

 

[lwyrwood]

Just got FD for my 2nd trip to WDW. I have never had a dining plan before so I am very excited. Do you generally tip on what the cost would have been or more since it was free?

 

[jenseib]

Just got FD for my 2nd trip to WDW. I have never had a dining plan before so I am very excited. Do you generally tip on what the cost would have been or more since it was free?

You tip on the amount pre tax before any discounts or "free". the total wil lbe on the bill with suggested tip amounts

 

[MsMamaBear]

Are you on the dining plan? If so, I would suggest charging the tip back to the room and then going down and paying it off with your gift cards.

The one time I tried paying for tips with gift cards while on the dining plan, it seemed to confuse some of the wait staff. One even charged my meal to my gift cards, even though I had told him I was on the dining plan and the gift card was for the tip only. They can't reverse that charge right away, so I ended up dealing with it and scheduiling another ADR to use the extra credit.

Ok, thanks! I don't want to run into problems like that!

 

[MsMamaBear]

either way is fine

Thanks!

 

[Elizamarie763]

Your Disney servers are people, just like everyone else. They strive to give exceptional service to each & every guest. Unfortunately, sometimes cast members call in sick, or new cast members are being trained that aren't yet as seasoned as some, or the kitchen is just completely crashing with tickets and maybe someone fell or got burned. Dish machines break down, gas burners quit working, ice machines fail to produce ice. These are all real scenarios that Disney guests are not aware of or ever see. Sometimes unfortunate things happen that compromises service and all that cast member can do is just keep going as fast as they can to provide the guest with the the best service they can. Some servers are not servers by trade and as unfortunate as it is, need to get out of the business. Aka, they suck. But for the Cast that is running their butts off, a kind word, a thank you or just a few minutes of patience can turn a meal that might be lacking around. Restaurant cast work hard because they love to make the guest happy. I've encountered many cast servers that have become my regular requested people to see, and have eventually become friends. I look forward to seeing them each trip as I do Mickey Mouse.

Thank you from servers everywhere!

 

[minnie56]

: Thank you from servers everywhere!

And I love they everyone really thinks it's 'free' dining lol
It's full pop on the room rate...that makes 'free' dining available.

 

[jenseib]

: Thank you from servers everywhere!

And I love they everyone really thinks it's 'free' dining lol
It's full pop on the room rate...that makes 'free' dining available.

Obviously you have to compare numbers but I have gone many times where i paid rack rate on the room plus paid for the dining plan, so this is a deal.

 

[minnie56]

I've done it every which way ...end of the day for me, works out pretty much the same with dining ..without dining...I'm always so close!

 

[RealBlast3]

I'm thinking about purchasing a Tables in Wonderland card because I do alot of dining on my trips and my trips are so long, usually 10-15 days, and I eat 3 table service meals a day. I use the dining plan, but even then, because I eat at lots of places that charge 2 credits, I usually have to pay out of pocket for around 5 meals, so I figure the TIW card could be useful to me.

My question is how does tipping work with TIW and the Dining plan? Now, in my case, I almost always order 1 or 2 more appetizers than the Deluxe plan provides, along with several cocktails, sometimes a bottle of wine, and maybe a specialty coffee if I want. So, while I do understand that I can apply the TIW card to those extra purchases, I'm confused about the tipping policy.

Now I always tip 18-20% (sometimes more) with the dining plan anyway, no matter what. But I don't have to give a second tip on the OOP part of the bill I'm using the TIW discount on, do I? For it to count, I mean.

I'm probably overthinking this. It's just when you order OOP stuff on the dining plan (as I always do), they always present you with a separate check for it. I just leave the tip on the main check (which does include the OOP in the itemized section, as it applies to the total), but I don't tip a 2nd time, when I'm paying for the OOP stuff.

I'm worried with TIW card, I would have to leave a 2nd tip since it applies an 18% tip automatically, according to the website.

Thanks to anyone who can understand my question!

 

[Pumbaa_]

your TIW purchases will have a separate bill with the automatic 18% gratuity

Your Dining Plan 'bill'/receipt will come in its own paper bill.

Two unique transactions from the point of view of Disney systems

 

[funkydelia]

1) it doesn't matter how you pay a tip, servers get it at the end of their shift. The only difference is the automatic grat, that goes on their paycheck 2) you may tip whatever you want. 18% and 20% are calculated for you on the check for convenience. You can go lower for mediocre service, higher for outstanding service 3) bartenders and servers are paid a very low hourly wage because it is assumed that tips will bring them up to at least minimum wage. Mousekeepers, buses, boats and monorails are already paid above minimum wage so it is not a tipped position. hope that helps

. This really helps explain things!! Thank you.

 

[disneyfan55]

So is everything the same at WDW with automatic tipping? Just wondering since IRS changed tax laws on 'included/mandatory tips' in Jan. Thanks!