Tipping???????

[BoingBoingBaggie]

Where do people stand on tipping if you are on the DDP, as I thought that the tipping was included in the price.

Do people still leave a tip if the service is good?

We were planning to make tips if the service was very good, although I have read on some threads that the service for DDP customers can be shoddy at times, being as the service staff aren't expecting a tip.

 

[wayneg]

Where do people stand on tipping if you are on the DDP, as I thought that the tipping was included in the price.

Do people still leave a tip if the service is good?

We were planning to make tips if the service was very good, although I have read on some threads that the service for DDP customers can be shoddy at times, being as the service staff aren't expecting a tip.

I have never done it as I prefer offsite dining but our friends that work for Disney told me the tip is included and they don't leave any extra, but its a personal thing if you feel they deserve more then give it.
We got great service at Planet Hollywood a couple of years ago, it was a free meal voucher with tip included, just left a couple of dollars for her.

 

[Beep]

We don't eat at many top restaurants in Orlando but I'm just as likely to leave the same amount for the servers at Denny's or somewhere similar. To us good service is good service no matter where it is.

If we've spent $10/$12 on a buffet breakfast I'm quite happy to leave $4 if the service has been very good.

 

[AliceGardner]

Sorry I didn't want to debate ideology either - I just assumed it was illegal not to declare income.

But it has been quite a few years since I did any waitressing myself (did some as a holiday job when I was at university), so maybe things have changed.

Alice

No wish to debate your ideology but, yes, I think you are being naive.
In the UK, no NIC (tax by another name) is due on cash tips paid directly to server.
Credit/debit card tips are reallocated by employer after deduction of NIC and PAYE.
NIC cannot be reclaimed.
Many part time servers don't earn enough to reach income tax threshholds over the course of the year but they may do so in the few weeks they are working, very hard to get back small amounts of cash deducted as PAYE.
Employer can use pooled tips to reach minimum wage, i.e. employer gets to keep the tips.

One of our daughters did waitress work whilst at university so we are very aware of the minefield this area can be.

ford family

 

[UKDEB]

We tip a minimum of 20% and usually more since we tip on the total check, not the pre-tax amount. Where the gratuity is added automatically it's invariably 18% and it's always pre-tax.

In places like the Orlando Ale House, we usually end up tipping 30% - 40%. When you can get 4 beers and 2 lunch-time entrees for less than $25, plus a great hour or more chatting to the bartender , it just seems wrong to leave $5.

As far as DDP goes - there's absolutely no need to leave an additional tip, albeit from January the tip will NOT be included.

We tip 20% on bar tabs, too. Some tip $1 per drink. If you pay attention, you'll discover that many Americans tip less.

The valet/bell-hop issue is a big bug-bear of mine and one I've mentioned several times before. They seem to have a finely-honed system worked out. You tip the guy who takes the car away. Then the guy who takes the bags from the boot (trunk ); yet another takes them to the room. If they store your luggage for you (even though you've tipped the guy who kindly arranged it), you can be sure that a different person will take them to the room. I really think that if you check in early (and tip appropriately) and then go off to the parks, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect to have your bags delivered to your room whilst you're out. We really cottoned-on to this racket when we did a road trip back in 2005. We were checking in and out of hotels every couple of days and you go through this triple-tipping con every time you check in and out. Boy does it get expensive!

We've just arrived home from Reunion in Orlando which is a cashless, tipless resort. I have absolutely no problem with tipping whatsoever, but not having to think about it does make for an extremely relaxing, stress-free stay.

 

[natalielongstaff]

We've just arrived home from Reunion in Orlando which is a cashless, tipless resort. I have absolutely no problem with tipping whatsoever, but not having to think about it does make for an extremely relaxing, stress-free stay.

that sounds like my kind of resort Deb

 

[Rain]

What I find irritating is the fact that we can order an expensive meal say 120 dollars for the 2 of us, at the next table they may choose the cheaper dishes and have a bill of 30 dollars. Both gets the same service in the same place. One has got to tip 6 dollars we have to tip 24 dollars.

I don't know how many tables an hour they serve but it looks to me that they are earning a very good hourly rate.

 

[tink too]

We usually leave a minimum of 20% on the total cost of the bill.

I tip housekeepers $1-$2 dollars a day - depending on what type of service we've required (I often ask for clean towels only - if we're out all day how dirty could the room be? )

We too have noticed Americans leaving "small change" tips after settling a large bill! I think if the servers are running round to keep us all fed and happy - they deserve the extra cash - since they earn so little to start with!

 

[martinrmn]

Again it all depends on the service. I normally tip 15-20% in US. However, if I am not happy with the service at home or on hols I will complain. Too often us Brits don't complain, we only moan to one another after the event. Watch the Americans. They expect and get good service. If not they complain. As to the maids who clean the rooms we usually leave $1.00 per day. On the last day we tip a little more as we are leaving.

 

[rolshuk]

We are on free DDP so we wont have to tip in resturants except on "OOP" items where I believe the tip is then automatically added.
However I was lead to believe housekeeping is not officially a tipped position but people usually leave a dollar a person per night. Now there are 4 of us in our room and we will be there for 14 nights,this would be $56 or £28.I think this is rather alot especially if it is not a tipped position or am I just mean

 

[wayneg]

We are on free DDP so we wont have to tip in resturants except on "OOP" items where I believe the tip is then automatically added.
However I was lead to believe housekeeping is not officially a tipped position but people usually leave a dollar a person per night. Now there are 4 of us in our room and we will be there for 14 nights,this would be $56 or £28.I think this is rather alot especially if it is not a tipped position or am I just mean

You are not mean no, tipping is optional, you leave it in appreciation of good work. Never ever feel guilty of not leaving a tip. We have just had 25 nights at Courtyard by Marriott LBV. First 10 nights in a suite, housekeeping was great every day made bows on the toilet roll, toothbrush holder made from facecloth etc. Always something a little different to come back to every day, I had no problem leaving her $20 tip on the last day (some do it daily but I expect good service without having to) the next 15 nights in std room she did the minimum she had to so I just left her all my coins, about $3, on last day.

 

[rolshuk]

Sorry...I didnt explain myself very well ! I fully intending leaving a tip but pehaps not quite so much .
My DD is making some mousekeeping envelopes and I was thinking of doing about ten with $3 or 14 with $2. If we stayed a week in a hotel here I would probly leave £10 at the end of the week if we had really good service.I wouldnt feel guilty as I know they make a minimum wage and DH hardly gets much above that so its all I could afford!

 

[Lizzybear]

In the UK I tip 10%, in the US at least 15% and usually more. I've never had bad service in the US but if I did i'd consider tipping less if I felt as if they couldn't be bothered as opposed to just having a bad day. I remember in 2002 my parents went for a meal and they said the server was clearly absolutely knackered and when they asked her if she was OK she told them she worked in the day at a department store before going straight to her serving job in the evenings.

 

[wayneg]

Sorry...I didnt explain myself very well ! I fully intending leaving a tip but pehaps not quite so much .
My DD is making some mousekeeping envelopes and I was thinking of doing about ten with $3 or 14 with $2. If we stayed a week in a hotel here I would probly leave £10 at the end of the week if we had really good service.I wouldnt feel guilty as I know they make a minimum wage and DH hardly gets much above that so its all I could afford!

Leave whatever you are happy with, some will say leave more some say you shouldn't. Its your money, your choice.

I had never even heard of tipping housekeeping until I joined Dis. No-one I know does it, many I know have my uncles attitude, if they are not earning enough then get a job somewhere else, he wont tip housekeeping, waiters, anyone.

 

[Orelover]

Hello Everyone, Just a quick thought, not trying to start anything.

Tipping service staff is a personal choice. Until a few years ago 10% for a food bill in the US was very appropiate, but then the Feds decided to start Taxing Tips as personal income. So, the Resturant Association in America decided to raise the tipping percentage to 15-20%. This is an optional request and was only "put into action" as a way to keep wait staff at roughly the same income level as prior to the new tax law. The minimum wage in FL is one of the lowest in the country, and most of the wait staff at WDW resturants are college students who only work 10 to 15 hours per week and pay $300 or more a week for Apartments offered through the Disney intern program.

As for Bell services we tip the guy who unloads the car a $1 per bag and the guy who delivers to the room $5 for the whole load. Just a note Bell Services pools their tips, so tipping just the delivery guy is fine.

We never use Valet Service, becuase you can pull your own car right up to the front door and load or unload yourself and your luggage.(that walk from BWV parking lot the lobby is a killer)Dh and I do this all the time, then one of us will go park and walk back to the lobby and we check in.

Maid Service tipping is somthing I'm even new to. Never did before DIS. But, I wait til the end of the trip to tip. I can then evaluate the service and tip appropately, usally $1 per day per person.

Thanks for reading and HAVE A DISNEY DAY!!

 

[wayneg]

Maid Service tipping is somthing I'm even new to. Never did before DIS. But, I wait til the end of the trip to tip. I can then evaluate the service and tip appropately, usally $1 per day per person.

I wonder if tipping housekeeping started by some of them coming on DIS and saying thats what you should do?
Like I said before no-one I know does it, I never did before DIS and friends I have in US had never heard of it.

 

[Orelover]

Ya know, you're probably right!

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

We normally tip 15-20% for great food/good service in restaurants (and mostly they've got 20% from us).

Housekeeping - $1 day for each of us (3); I've never thought to tip at the end of my stay in case it's different people looking after us on different days.

My one particular bug bear is 'free' valet parking - you still have to tip the guy taking the keys, then again for bringing the keys back to you Hey ho!

We are normally so pleased with the level of service, by the great food, that it doesn't really sink in that we're paying out loads of extra $$$ per trip on tips

Ooh - one thing we were told by some Americans on our third or fourth trip - if dining in a buffet restaurant (ie Golden Coral, Sizzler, etc), you only need tip $1 each person since the only serving they do is bring your drink/plate.

Hope it is the case cos otherwise I'll feel real bad all the times we've only tipped $1 each

 

[wayneg]

Ooh - one thing we were told by some Americans on our third or fourth trip - if dining in a buffet restaurant (ie Golden Coral, Sizzler, etc), you only need tip $1 each person since the only serving they do is bring your drink/plate.

This depends who you talk to, Some say you are taking up just as much of their time and if you are like me in a buffet they do more work. I will eat 2 courses normally. Thats 2 plates and 1 drink, In a buffet I dont like lots of food on my plate so I might use 5 or 6 plates.
Tipping should be what you feel they deserve wherever they are. There should be no pressure. Twice I have felt under pressure to tip as they have written on my bill more or less telling me I should. Both cases I have written on telling them if they had not asked they would have got 20% and just left a small tip. I have no problem tipping 20% but I won't be told to.

 

[Pootle]

I wonder if tipping housekeeping started by some of them coming on DIS and saying thats what you should do?
Like I said before no-one I know does it, I never did before DIS and friends I have in US had never heard of it.

Before going to college in the seventies, I did a season as a room maid in a Swiss hotel and I can tell you that tips were very important to us even back then I wouldn't even stay in a Travelodge without leaving a tip!

Agree with most others in this thread though .... when in Rome etc ..... so 15-20% but a lot more if we've decided to share any part of the meal.

My DH would also agree with a few of the sentiments here about valet parking and bell services. He wouldn't use these services unless his life depended on it. Now when I'm there without him it's a different story .......