Tipping Tipping Tipping....the dreaded tipping thread. LOL ?????? Please

[Lorelai]

When we arrive at the airport for our Disney trips we self park and take the shuttle to the airport. We carry/roll our suitcases from the car to the shuttle. Then we roll from the shuttle to baggage. Once off the plane we roll from baggage to car rental where we load our car/minivan. Then we self park at the Polynesian and all go check-in. Whenever the room is ready we all go to the mini-van and take our luggage to our room.

It always seems like no big deal to us to cart our own luggage, or park our own car. However, I think it is great to have Bell Services/Sky Caps etc. because there are many folks who simply can not, or perhaps would just rather not, walk from the lot or carry their own luggage. To each his/her own. I think I am just feeling like we are really far left of the norm here by maintaining our bags on our own.

***I think we might still be having flashbacks from a pilgrimage to Europe where my mother and father-in-law were the second youngest couple on the pilgrimage (next to us) and all other participants were well into their later years. When we arrived in Europe the porter assigned to our group was one man who was about 5 feet tall, completely bent over and possibly nearing 90 years old. Therefore, my husband and father-in-law carried everyone's luggage on and off of each train. I don't think they were ever tipped, but they were much appreciated by our new found friends. And the porter.***

However, when dining out, which we do a great deal of in Disney, we always tip between 15% and 20%. 15% for average service, 20% for very nice service. And 20% with much thanks and gratitude for very, very nice service.

When the day comes for us to need some help, I am sure we will research current tip standards.

 

[luvsJack]

Just a note to those that mention "bad service" from wait staff. Having, in the past, worked as waitress for years, if I am getting what seems like bad service I try to look around and notice what the waiter/waitress is doing all around. Now this would probably not happen at WDW, but sometimes if you look around you may notice that he/she is the only person on the floor or one of only a couple and doing the best they can with the number of customers they have. Maybe everyone called in sick or whatever, maybe for some reason the resteraunt is busier than the manager expected. Or you may notice other problems, that the wait staff is dealing with and doing their best to work around. If this is the case, bad service is the fault of managment; not the wait staff.

As far as tipping goes: I always tip in resteraunts and housekeeping. We park our own car and carry our own bags, so we really don't have that issue. But, I always thought that the purpose of tipping was to up the workers pay to at least minimum wage. Waiters and waitresses make a percentage of min wage with the assumption that they will make the rest in tips. What do housekeeping and bell service and the rest we are tipping make per hour? Its not that I don't think they deserve more they do. All of these are hard jobs, I don't necessarily think that any one is harder than another. But if person A is making $7 or $8 an hour, and person B is making less than min wage, (and both being in a position that expects to receive tips) shouldn't person B be the one making the tips or at least the larger amount of tips? And if we are not paying out tips every time we turn around, wouldn't we all feel more comfortable paying a larger tip to person A (if they do the job we expect) And yes yes I know--the cost of living is high and can you make it on $8 an hour--but thats something most all of us deal with. For most jobs, the cost of living climbs higher faster than the rate of pay, whether we work in the service industry or not.

 

[fey_spirit]

My point is that a lot of the we owe servers the world routine stems from the "they work so hard" routine... you know what - we all work hard, so how does that make them special?

We all deal with other people whether they be bosses, clients, customers, etc in the course of our daily jobs (You can't tell me that even in your job you don't have to deal with other people being a thorn in your side) who are a pain.

I just don't see why I should have any more sympathy for servers, bellhops, hairdressers etc - then I would anyone else in any other job.

That's all I'm trying to say...

right now. i am at work. i don't deal with the public. i sit here at my computer at the bank in my corporate office building. no, i am not a teller. its still stressful because i am always swamped with work.

i didn't say that the only stressful job out there is one which you deal with the public. i said, that dealing with the public is stressful.

please don't over read into what i write.

 

[Ember]

Well, I read the whole thread. I learned rather a lot, actually.

I am with the poster that feels tipping should be abolished. It is a random, archaic notion that has far out worn its usefulness. As a customer I shouldn't have to subsidize wages, and as a worker people should be paid fairly for the job they do by the people who employ them.

There is no rhyme or reason for who gets tipped. You tip the person carries your bag for three minutes but not the person at a store who runs around for you getting different sizes in clothes. You tip the bartender who pours your beer but not the person makes your latte in the morning (or if you do, it's a whole quarter in the tip jar they share with 4 other people). You tip the wait staff at a restaurant but not the person in the food court who cleans up after you. These are all minimum wage positions, all requiring service, but yet only some of them are tipped. And don't even get me started on people like nurses and teachers. These people do things as part of their everyday work that is far above and beyond what most people ever realize and no one tips them for providing their services.

I do tip, and I tip well, but it's grudgingly. I acknowledge that it's an expectation of society and I choose to use the service so I act accordingly. But I would rather something changed so that this ridiculous system could be no more. And for the record, I currently work in the service industry. It doesn't change my opinion on tipping.

And I do not tip for poor service. If the person can't even meet the minimum requirements of their job, then don't expect me to pay them for their incompetence.

 

[lustergirl]

wow!! I would be flat out broke if I tipped as much as the original poster. My husband who is a tight wad would say, for $10 every time we move our luggage he could of did it himself- ha!!

 

[ICF]

Thought I would add something else to the thread that I started that has gone HOG WILD. Anyway....yesterday my dd and I went to dinner at Outback. Our bill was about 44 bucks. I tipped 6 and that was it. Our waitress was very nice, but she barely checked on us, took forever to bring our drinks..matter of fact our salads were brought out by a food runner before our drinks made it out. Then when I asked for another glass...that took her a long time. I really didn't want to leave her 6 bucks but I just couldn't. She had 3-4 tables including ours when we were there. The food was brought out by other people so it wasn't like she had a lot to do.

I would hardly say that $6 was that poor of a tip. It works out to be 13.6%, and given that your $44 likely included tax the cost of your food / drink (which I think is what your supposed to figure the tip % on) was probably only $40-$41, making your tip pretty much 15%.

Even in your case if everyone tipped rougly $5-6, and were at the table for roughly an hour that would equal $20-$24/hr in tips plus her "hourly wage".

I know some places require that you share the tips but that's not a bad hourly rate, given it would equal about $50K (on the low end) a year if she were working 40 / hrs a week.

 

[fey_spirit]

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Well, I read the whole thread. I learned rather a lot, actually.

I am with the poster that feels tipping should be abolished. It is a random, archaic notion that has far out worn its usefulness. As a customer I shouldn't have to subsidize wages, and as a worker people should be paid fairly for the job they do by the people who employ them.

There is no rhyme or reason for who gets tipped. You tip the person carries your bag for three minutes but not the person at a store who runs around for you getting different sizes in clothes. You tip the bartender who pours your beer but not the person makes your latte in the morning (or if you do, it's a whole quarter in the tip jar they share with 4 other people). You tip the wait staff at a restaurant but not the person in the food court who cleans up after you. These are all minimum wage positions, all requiring service, but yet only some of them are tipped. And don't even get me started on people like nurses and teachers. These people do things as part of their everyday work that is far above and beyond what most people ever realize and no one tips them for providing their services.

I do tip, and I tip well, but it's grudgingly. I acknowledge that it's an expectation of society and I choose to use the service so I act accordingly. But I would rather something changed so that this ridiculous system could be no more. And for the record, I currently work in the service industry. It doesn't change my opinion on tipping.

And I do not tip for poor service. If the person can't even meet the minimum requirements of their job, then don't expect me to pay them for their incompetence.

 

[mom2my3kids]

But think about it, do you really think people would wait tables for minimum wage? Would the system be better if the restaurants raised prices and paid workers a set amount. Do you think you would have better service then like you do at a fast food restaurant? I know personally I would not wait tables making that amount to hard of a job for one. For two, the thing I do like about serving tables is depending on how GOOD a server you are depends on what you bring home. So the BETTER you are the more money you make and so on normally speaking. Who is to say but gosh I never knew there was so many people to tip besides a server.. Small world I live in I guess.

 

[DiszyDeanette]

But think about it, do you really think people would wait tables for minimum wage?

Not sure, since servers don't even make that much. (except in CA) If a server is making the standard $2.13/hr in a place where the tips are really lousy? Minimum wage might be just fine with them.

 

[TaylorsDad]

I personally love the idea of abolishing tipping and just increasing price to accomadate a decent wage for the waitstaff. I do not see this happening though. What I think would be more fair is abolishing the tipping %. Too many think a certain percentage is required regardless of service received.
Why should someone working LeCellier deserve a much bigger tip than the lady working at say Bob Evans or Outback just because the items I order at one cost more than the other. If I am dininng with a friend and go to a favorite place just for coffee and stay over an hour with waitress bringing refills multiple times is a quarter tip acceptable as percentage wise its over 20%.
If service is good how about tipping based upon how many is in ones party or how much extra effort one has to put forth for a table.

 

[fey_spirit]

Considering the number of folks out there working just as hard, if not harder for minimum wage - and putting up with just as many, if not more, headaches? Yeah, actually I do think people would wait tables for a living...

I don't buy the "we need tips to make sure servers do their jobs well" - we don't need tips in other minimum wage jobs to ensure that people do their jobs well, they do them well or they don't have them anymore... really simple.

But think about it, do you really think people would wait tables for minimum wage? Would the system be better if the restaurants raised prices and paid workers a set amount. Do you think you would have better service then like you do at a fast food restaurant? I know personally I would not wait tables making that amount to hard of a job for one. For two, the thing I do like about serving tables is depending on how GOOD a server you are depends on what you bring home. So the BETTER you are the more money you make and so on normally speaking. Who is to say but gosh I never knew there was so many people to tip besides a server.. Small world I live in I guess.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Considering the number of folks out there working just as hard, if not harder for minimum wage - and putting up with just as many, if not more, headaches? Yeah, actually I do think people would wait tables for a living...

I don't buy the "we need tips to make sure servers do their jobs well" - we don't need tips in other minimum wage jobs to ensure that people do their jobs well, they do them well or they don't have them anymore... really simple.

We will have to agree to disagree, that is why my local fast food joints are begging for employees. I don't see the tipping system ever going away, there will always be the stiffers,the ones who resent tipping so they tip lousy and the ones who are jealous because a server can make decent money. I can tell you there are enough decent tippers out there to make up for the bad ones so it evens out in the end. But I will say, I think everyone should have to wait tables at least a week to see what its really like. Why OH Why do I always get into these tipping discussions..

 

[Kathi OD]

Jif I am getting what seems like bad service I try to look around and notice what the waiter/waitress is doing all around. Now this would probably not happen at WDW, but sometimes if you look around you may notice that he/she is the only person on the floor or one of only a couple and doing the best they can with the number of customers they have. Maybe everyone called in sick or whatever, maybe for some reason the resteraunt is busier than the manager expected. Or you may notice other problems, that the wait staff is dealing with and doing their best to work around. If this is the case, bad service is the fault of managment; not the wait staff.

You're absolutely right, and these instance should be brought to the attention of the management. If your server is doing their best, but still delivering somewhat less than expected service because of the situations you describe, it is not right to take out your displeasure on the waitstaff, as the situation is beyond their control. Leaving a tip in these situations is definitely appropriate.

JBut, I always thought that the purpose of tipping was to up the workers pay to at least minimum wage.

Not at all. The purpose of tipping is to reward good service. The practice of tipping began long before there was such a thing as minimum wage. Seriously, why would, or should, the rest of the world be responsible for making up what an employer doesn't pay its employees? Of course, a business could raise its prices in order to pay minimum wage (or even more), but I'm wondering how many would go out of business due to lack of customers willing to pay the higher prices?

 

[fey_spirit]

For the record I have actually waited tables for more then a week (Closer to a month and a half, and then I had to go back to school). And I did it without tips... in one on of the busiest spots in the area - and I not only had to do the job of a regular server, but deal with keeping track of the sale of bingo cards as well. (It was a full serve restaurant, that held bingo games every other night... it was part of the activities for the local NCO club.)

I'm not jealous of anything - I just feel that pay should reflect the value that one's job offers to the community at large, and frankly - jobs where people have to get shot at, run into burning buildings or educate/shape the future of our children offer a lot more value to the community they serve. Therefore should be making more money then someone carrying my hamburger.

We will have to agree to disagree, that is why my local fast food joints are begging for employees. I don't see the tipping system ever going away, there will always be the stiffers,the ones who resent tipping so they tip lousy and the ones who are jealous because a server can make decent money. I can tell you there are enough decent tippers out there to make up for the bad ones so it evens out in the end. But I will say, I think everyone should have to wait tables at least a week to see what its really like. Why OH Why do I always get into these tipping discussions..

 

[fey_spirit]

Can I ask an honest question?
Why is it that everyone says that the day that the customer is having should have no affect on the tip they leave on one hand...

And then on the other hand say that you have to take into consideration the type of day the server is having and other factors that have nothing to do with you? Should be taken into consideration when leaving the tip...

What's with the double standard?

You're absolutely right, and these instance should be brought to the attention of the management. If your server is doing their best, but still delivering somewhat less than expected service because of the situations you describe, it is not right to take out your displeasure on the waitstaff, as the situation is beyond their control. Leaving a tip in these situations is definitely appropriate.

 

[Allegro]

Good grief. I've just read this entire thread and now I'm completely stressed about tipping.

I am one of those people who tip because I feel pressured to do so although I think I always tip reasonably, I resent that I'm forced into it. When the service is mediocre I feel my tip should be too but don't feel I have that option (although I won't got a penny over 15% - and if that insults anyone tell me to keep my money, I certainly won't be insulted). If I get exceptional service it makes me feel good to tip well but I think how much I tip should be dictated by the service I get.

I like to carry my own bags simply because I can and don't feel its a hardship but talk about pressure/resentment when you tell a bell hop you'd like to handle your own bags.

I was prepared to tip the maid service. I was prepared to tip at restaurants (I LIKE the the DDP no longer has the tip included so that *I* can decide how much to tip). I wasn't prepared to tip the army of people who will wrestle me for my bags it seems from the airport on out. Ugh!

Now I'm all stressed about who I'm going to inadvertantly stiff.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Good grief. I've just read this entire thread and now I'm completely stressed about tipping.

I am one of those people who tip because I feel pressured to do so although I think I always tip reasonably, I resent that I'm forced into it. When the service is mediocre I feel my tip should be too but don't feel I have that option (although I won't got a penny over 15% - and if that insults anyone tell me to keep my money, I certainly won't be insulted). If I get exceptional service it makes me feel good to tip well but I think how much I tip should be dictated by the service I get.

I like to carry my own bags simply because I can and don't feel its a hardship but talk about pressure/resentment when you tell a bell hop you'd like to handle your own bags.

I was prepared to tip the maid service. I was prepared to tip at restaurants (I LIKE the the DDP no longer has the tip included so that *I* can decide how much to tip). I wasn't prepared to tip the army of people who will wrestle me for my bags it seems from the airport on out. Ugh!

Now I'm all stressed about who I'm going to inadvertantly stiff.

I agree, will not let anyone help me with my luggage, why should I pay someone to do what I am capable of doing for myself, and yes I do tip the required amount but I do resent it because there is no real choice about it if you get bad service you are not stiffing the waiter they are stiffing you with bad service. When the message for a tip isn't rammed down your throat I tip quite happily but the you MUST TIP makes me resent the whole business.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Good grief. I've just read this entire thread and now I'm completely stressed about tipping.

I am one of those people who tip because I feel pressured to do so although I think I always tip reasonably, I resent that I'm forced into it. When the service is mediocre I feel my tip should be too but don't feel I have that option (although I won't got a penny over 15% - and if that insults anyone tell me to keep my money, I certainly won't be insulted). If I get exceptional service it makes me feel good to tip well but I think how much I tip should be dictated by the service I get.

I like to carry my own bags simply because I can and don't feel its a hardship but talk about pressure/resentment when you tell a bell hop you'd like to handle your own bags.

I was prepared to tip the maid service. I was prepared to tip at restaurants (I LIKE the the DDP no longer has the tip included so that *I* can decide how much to tip). I wasn't prepared to tip the army of people who will wrestle me for my bags it seems from the airport on out. Ugh!

Now I'm all stressed about who I'm going to inadvertantly stiff.

Sorry but the last part of your post made me laugh...

 

[hmhs]

When tipping mousekeeping, what time of day and where should we leave the tip? Do mousekeepers pool tips?

 

[Mulan82]

Can I ask an honest question?
Why is it that everyone says that the day that the customer is having should have no affect on the tip they leave on one hand...

And then on the other hand say that you have to take into consideration the type of day the server is having and other factors that have nothing to do with you? Should be taken into consideration when leaving the tip...

What's with the double standard?

so does this mean that if you are having a bad day and you don't like anything or anyone, you will take it out on your server? does that make you extra critical of my service?

im not saying that table problems are not 100% the servers fault. but if your food isn't cooked the way that you like it how is that my fault? i serve the food. i can't cook it for you too. if the kitchen is slow. how is that my fault? just because the restaurant doesn't LOOK busy to you doens't mean the kitchen isn't hustling and bustling back there.

don't forget that im just human and i have days where NOTHING is going my way too.