Tipping with the DDP

[TinkerLily]

We will be using the DDP, and I'm wondering what you all tip for your meals. We leave tomorrow!!!!!! Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[plutolovr]

The norm is 18 to 20%. Disney gives suggested amounts on the receipts. At buffets I usually tip 15%.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

It's no different from what you tip on any other meal. They give you the reciept with the monetary value of the meal so you can go from there.

 

[dopeynme]

I really loved that they calculate the percents for you! Save me doing all that pesky math in my head.
I assumed it was Disney's subtle way of reminding us that the tip is no longer included with DDP.

 

[tiggerx3]

Depending on service, we'll tip 18-20% for a buffet. We went last year in Sept and it was hot!! and my DH gets really thirsty. The CM's were really good about making sure we had drinks. Some spent time talking to us and found out we were celebrating our anniversary. Two CM's gave us cupcakes and one gave us a certificate signed by the Pooh characters.

 

[noahdove]

I take tip envelopes already filled with me and I calculate on the cost of the daily cost of the ddp...

 

[*Valdez*]

Because I have severe food allergies we usually tip 25% if we had good service and my accomodations were met. If I have a hard time (like when we ate at Mama Melrose) we will tip as low as 15% but never below 15%. DH used to be a waiter before he started teaching, so tipping is important to him.

 

[Dipstick]

Tipping 18 - 20%? That is a lot of money to throw around, depending on how much your meal costs of course. Maybe I am just cheap but I think 10% would be fine.

 

[TinkerLily]

Thanks everyone!

 

[OKCmom]

Tipping 18 - 20%? That is a lot of money to throw around, depending on how much your meal costs of course. Maybe I am just cheap but I think 10% would be fine.

10% is a pittance for a tip, it's actually an insult to the server. If you get good/excellent service you should reward the server with a good tip. They aren't waiting tables because they just love refilling ice tea all day.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

10% is a pittance for a tip, it's actually an insult to the server. If you get good/excellent service you should reward the server with a good tip. They aren't waiting tables because they just love refilling ice tea all day.

As a server, I would agree. It's principal that honestly sometimes, I'd rather get nothing. Tips are definitely appreciated but, when standards for good service are above 15% now and we are given less it feel like we weren't appreciated for our level of service, as if we seriously screwed up.

When we do a terrible job, by all means tip less, but if we did well and are tipped a small amount- we almost feel personally attacked.

Well, I don't want to be speaking for the whole of us, but my server friends and I agree. Part of what we talk about commuting to school

 

[Dopey420]

20%

You're spending thousands at Disney. Budget in a few extra bucks for tips for people who are working at jobs that probably don't allow them to go on $5000 (minimum) vacations.

Good tips really brighten a server's day, and make up for the shlubs who order the server around like a slave, and then leave $1.

You're on vacation, tip like a Big Shot. I have friends who are professional athletes and make millions of dollars. When people say they are envious of my friends' lifestyle, I say, "I can live just like they do , except I can only do it once a year for 5 days, while they do it everyday"!!!

 

[P&L@WDW]

Tipping should be in the realm of 15-20% for good service.

Being Canadian, the standard tip up here is 10-15%, BUT that's because our servers are paid halfway decently to start with (At least minimum wage, if not above).

Yes, 15-20% can be a pretty chunk of change depending on what you had for your meal, but if you are forking over the money for the dining plan (but especially if you got it for free with a bounceback or free dining), the LEAST you can do is tip the servers well who work so hard to make your meals enjoyable.

 

[maiapapaya]

20% seems a bit high, unless it's exceptional service. It seems to be getting to the point that when you buy a meal you're now expected to supplement the staff's wages by paying out an additional 20% on top of the meal , the cost of which should include the establishment's operating costs (such as staff) already. It kind of bothers me that Disney automatically bills you for the tip (at 18% - regardless of the service) when you have a party of 6 or more people. We usually pay 15%, plus a bit extra for great service. We wouldnt' make a rule of paying 20%. Especially when travelling to the US when the exchange rate is currently $1.30! (the trip is going to be crazy expensive as it is!)

 

[plutolovr]

I take tip envelopes already filled with me and I calculate on the cost of the daily cost of the ddp...

Wow...You realize that a sit-down meal at Disney can run over what the DDP costs. You should ALWAYS tip based on the cost of the meal not the value of the DDP.

 

[Amy162]

Just curious on other people's thoughts... do you tip the same for a buffet as you do for non buffet meals? For non buffet meals, the server has more to do, so I do tip approx 18 - 20%, but lean more towards 15% for a buffet since the staff doesn't take the order and serve the meal (other than beverages or special requests). What do you do?

 

[chartle]

It seems to be getting to the point that when you buy a meal you're now expected to supplement the staff's wages by paying out an additional 20% on top of the meal , the cost of which should include the establishment's operating costs (such as staff) already.

I take from your post that you do not live in the US and don't realize that tips are not supplementing servers' wages, they are built in as part of their wages. Federal Minimum wage is $6.55 an hour. Minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13.

In fact I believe that if you are a tipped employee they will assume that you get X amount of tips and if you declare less than that amount of tip wages on your taxes they assume you are holding out on them and tax you anyway.

It kind of bothers me that Disney automatically bills you for the tip (at 18% - regardless of the service) when you have a party of 6 or more people. We usually pay 15%, plus a bit extra for great service. We wouldnt' make a rule of paying 20%. Especially when travelling to the US when the exchange rate is currently $1.30! (the trip is going to be crazy expensive as it is!)

This is a different topic that has been brought up and if you feel service was bad you can always talk to a manager about the tip.

 

[maiapapaya]

I take from your post that you do not live in the US and don't realize that tips are not supplementing servers' wages, they are built in as part of their wages. Federal Minimum wage is $6.55 an hour. Minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13.

No, we don't live in the US & didn't realize that the tip is EXPECTED as part of the server's wage. That minimum wage is disgraceful!

My comment hadn't been neccessarily intended just for Disney/American restaurants though. The minimum wage here is much more for tipped employees, but still not great. But there still seems to be an expectation with regard to tipping. I think in general it's not right that restaurants pay their servers so little with the excuse that they get tips (tips should be above and beyond a decent wage, because for most servers there is no guarantee of a good tip).

WRT the automatically billed tipping, I "get" that Disney (and other establishments) do it to make sure that a server doesn't get gypped on on their tip when there's a bigger party, but I wonder if it isn't partially to blame for some of the frequent complaints on here and other sites (with Disney reviews) regarding terrible service. Why make an effort towards serving your guests if the boss has guaranteed you a decent tip regardless of your behaviour towards the guests?

 

[Keegansmommy]

We don't tip as much at the buffets either. I don't think being served a drink and a refill merits a 20% tip. We tipped based on service, not on the cost of our dinner. For example, we had HORRIBLE service at H&V and left a small tip. The waitress there never ever came back to our table. We had an outstanding waitress at LeCellier. I think we ended up tipping over 20%. I think it should be totally based on service and not the cost of your meal. The service is the same whether you order something that is $5 of $50.

 

[mjkacmom]

We don't tip as much at the buffets either. I don't think being served a drink and a refill merits a 20% tip. We tipped based on service, not on the cost of our dinner. For example, we had HORRIBLE service at H&V and left a small tip. The waitress there never ever came back to our table. We had an outstanding waitress at LeCellier. I think we ended up tipping over 20%. I think it should be totally based on service and not the cost of your meal. The service is the same whether you order something that is $5 of $50.

Generally, a more expensive meal takes longer. A server in a diner turns more tables than at a more expensive restaurant, but the tips will be less, because the meal is less expensive. Adult beverages increase the bill, and therefore increase the tip, but the server has to tip the bartender.