Tipping..

[missnic07]

Okay I know we have to tip in the restaurants, but I'm wondering what else we tip for?
Do we tip the ME driver for getting our luggage off the bus? Mouse keeping?

 

[ninamouse]

We tipped the driver on Magical express and left a tip for Mousekeeping at the end of the stay but everyone is different.

 

[LeaversOnTour]

It'll probably be the porters at the hotel who remove your luggage, who will then store it and take it to your room for you $1 per bag is about the general rule of thumb.

Mousekeeping is dependant on how much they do etc, some will make animals from towels, mickey of the bed, flannels into turtles etc We tip about $2-$3 a day, but do this every few days, some like to do it everyday in case the maid changes.

$1 per person for the ME driver I think is enough but that's only my opinion. Tipping is a rather contentious subject. Each to their own I say

 

[scoobydooby]

I tip.

$5 per day housekeeping.
$1 or $2 per drink
The ME driver who does get UK guests bags off the bus. $1 per bag
The porter who brings them to your room. $1 per bag.
Same going home.
The porter who brings the garden grocer stuff. $5
Valet parking $5 but don't use it much.
20% at restaurants.

I think that's all.

 

[missnic07]

Thanks everyone! It gives me an idea on amounts

 

[disneyholic family]

I tip.

$5 per day housekeeping. - $5/day
$1 or $2 per drink - i don't drink
The ME driver who does get UK guests bags off the bus. $1 per bag - i don't use ME
The porter who brings them to your room. $1 per bag. - bellboy who brings bags to room - $10 minimum - unless i have a ton of luggage and then it might be more.
Same going home.
The porter who brings the garden grocer stuff. $5 -i've never used garden grocer
Valet parking $5 but don't use it much. - $3 when picking up the car
20% at restaurants. - 20%
the porter at the airport - if they check in my luggage at the curb - $20

I think that's all.

as someone noted, everyone is different....
my averages are in red in the quote above.

 

[Kath2003]

$1 per person per day housekeeping; double if beds are changed.
$1-2 per drink
$2 per bag; $5 if it's heavy!
Cabs 10% or just round it up to the nearest $5/$10
Restaurants 20%
Fast food - the small change (i.e. $5 or less)

 

[Elise79]

If you are going to be frequenting a bar more than once it pays to tip well You will get better service and stronger drinks (if you are having mixed drinks)

I personally don't tip housekeeping anymore. We stay in a DVC unit and the only thing they have to if is come in and collect the towels (which are always in one pile for them) and replace with the clean ones. I will clean up any mess we make myself anyway. It is not considered a tipped position so it is up to you whether you leave something extra for them.

Bell services tip $1 or $2 a bag and round up to the nearest $5 plus we usually tip $10 for them bringing our owners lockers up as they are heavy!

If you use a taxi they will need tipping about 10% I believe but I haven't used one in years so can't remember.

I have never tipped the ME driver either - didn't think about the couple of times we used it as none of the American families getting off with us did (and some of them had luggage too).

 

[disneyholic family]

$1 per person per day housekeeping; double if beds are changed.
$1-2 per drink
$2 per bag; $5 if it's heavy!
Cabs 10% or just round it up to the nearest $5/$10
Restaurants 20%
Fast food - the small change (i.e. $5 or less)

regarding fast food, do you mean the person at the counter?
I have never ever tipped a person at the counter of a fast food establishment.
Or do you mean it in another context?

 

[disney_princess_85]

Housekeeping: $1 per person, per day
Restaurants: 18-20%+
Bars: $1 for a soft drink/beer, $2 for a mixed drink
Taxis: 10-15%
ME driver: $1 per bag
Bellhop: $2 per bag
Tour guide: 20%

 

[scoobydooby]

On my trip last month seven families got luggage off ME and five if us tipped the driver. It's the kind of thing I mentally record!

 

[Kath2003]

regarding fast food, do you mean the person at the counter?
I have never ever tipped a person at the counter of a fast food establishment.
Or do you mean it in another context?

Almost all fast food places, coffee shops etc. have a tip jar. I just chuck small change and the odd dollar bill in change into the jar. Those guys work hard.

 

[scoobydooby]

Almost all fast food places, coffee shops etc. have a tip jar. I just chuck small change and the odd dollar bill in change into the jar. Those guys work hard.

I have never seen a tip jar at a WDW fast good place though? Off site yes, which I guess is what you are referring to.

 

[Kath2003]

I have never seen a tip jar at a WDW fast good place though? Off site yes, which I guess is what you are referring to.

Can't remember specifically, usually if there's no obvious tip jar I just tell them to keep the change and go on my way. There's no expectation to tip at quick service places but you can if you want to. We have had times when we haven't (when the total is a nice round number, for example!) but usually we do. Sometimes if there's no tip jar, there's a charity box instead. We don't eat fast food much, so have never really paid much attention.

 

[disneyholic family]

Almost all fast food places, coffee shops etc. have a tip jar. I just chuck small change and the odd dollar bill in change into the jar. Those guys work hard.

i don't think i've ever seen it at what i think of as fast food (mcdonalds et al), but yes, they always have them at starbucks.
but i never tip them either.

 

[duffdo]

At the moment, we are two adults and travel with 4 bags. Generally my tips are as follows:

DME driver - $5
Bell Services who take bags to the room - $5 (although I did give $20 to the guy who took us and our luggage from SSR to VA check in at DTD)
Mouse keeping - $2 per day (although this was not always taken!)
TS meals - 20% (slightly less for buffets, depending on service)
QS meals - I dont tip
Taxis - generally round up the fare to the nearest $5
Valet parking - never used it!
Anything else which may require a tip $1-$2

 

[hsc3boys]

I dont recall tipping ME, we just followed what everyone else did.
Took our own luggage to the room.
We did tip for delivery from Garden Grocer, but don't remember how much.

Have never tipped house keeping anywhere I have ever stayed in any country. Had no idea anyone ever did? Having said that I (nearly put "we", but as only female in family, defiantly "I") always leave the room tidy and clean up after us, so not a lot for them to do. (I am the sort that rinses bath out after use/wipes down sinks after use etc).

We do tip in restaurants, more to those that leave us in peace! We find it all far too over the top, being asked very couple of minutes if everything is alright and if we want another drink (when we still have one) is very irritating and stops us enjoying our meal. Planet Hollywood we had a particularly bad experience of this. I don't really like the whole tipping thing, surely the amount we pay for accommodation, meals etc should enable the businesses to pay the staff properly?
Also did a few sums and decided they seem to be on to a good thing with these tips, do they not get paid a wage?

 

[duffdo]

Also did a few sums and decided they seem to be on to a good thing with these tips, do they not get paid a wage?

I believe servers on Disney earn between $3-$4 per hour so £1.85-£2.50 per hour. They also pay tax based on tips they would be expected to earn, so under tipping can actually cost the server money! Although in saying that those in the higher end restaurants can earn a fortune. Others, not so much!

 

[flortlebap]

I believe servers on Disney earn between $3-$4 per hour so £1.85-£2.50 per hour. They also pay tax based on tips they would be expected to earn, so under tipping can actually cost the server money! Although in saying that those in the higher end restaurants can earn a fortune. Others, not so much!

The minimum wage is $7.93, if they don't make it up in tips then the restaurant has to pay the difference. That's why I don't really understand this mandatory tipping thing - it seems to be just giving the restaurants an excuse to pay their servers less than they actually have to whilst relying on guests to effectively pay over the odds for their meals to subsidise their wages!

That said, I always tip as it isn't the servers fault

 

[chmurf]

The only CS place I tip at is Wolfgang Puck Express, as they bring your order to your table. I usually leave $1 per person.

Mousekeeping : it's my understanding that Mousekeepers are not supposed (allowed) to take tips when they're left in the room. It's tolerated as long as the tip is clearly labeled as a tip (hence the mousekeeping enveloppes and such).
Taking money from a guest's room is theft, and it's immediate termination. That's why a growing number of mousekeepers no longer take tips left in the guest rooms.

I will tip mousekeepers when I ask for an extra service (extra towels for example) and tip from hand to hand, but I don't tip for daily cleaning.

When I get free dining I will tip 20% on average (very good service will get up to 30%), because I got food for free, so let the server have a fair share. Otherwise I go from 15% to 20% depending on service

Bell service will get $1 per bag, $2 if the bag is especially heavy.