Tips at Table Service Restaurants!!

[Brave5]

I was just working out how much I needed for tips when we eat at a table service restaurants and it's almost $300 for 14 days for 5 people!!!! I worked it at 15% - is this too much?

Have I got this completely wrong or will I be spending a good portion of our spending money on tips?

 

[ohana7]

You are right. The bill will show the tip at 18 and 20 percent or you can write in your own amount.

 

[wayneg]

You have to remember in America they have a different system to us in the UK. here there price you pay includes everything, you can then leave an optional tip if the service has been outstanding or just because you feel you want to.
In the US its slightly different, the price you see on a menu is plus tax plus an optional service charge, servers in the US get a minimal wage, usually around $4/hr, then they earn their wage direct from the diners, better the service they give the more they earn. The norm is now 18-20% of the pretax bill (you don't tip on tax)
As a party of 5 its totally upto you want you want to leave, just remember they expect to get paid for the work they do (they are even taxed on expected tips) and the prices you pay on the menu do not cover this service charge, if they did we would all be paying 20%+ more on every menu item and probably not getting service as good as we do.

 

[mackay_j]

tip for meal in flying fish (think it was called that it was the sig. restaurant on the board walk was ~$100 for 2 adults and 2 children. We were on the dining plan and the server very "kindly told us that he would allow us to order the special surf and turf meal (starter main lobster and steak) and sweet not usually available on the plan. We didn't really think it through much until the bill for the meal plus 1 cocktail, 1 beer and 2 soft drinks before dinner and then 2 glasses of wine and 2 additional soft drinks with the meal was $490 (although we only had to pay for the drinks) -Not such a good bargain in the end when the drinks and tips were about $160 total

 

[BethEJo]

We were on the dining plan, so had 14 TS credits to use - we left 18-20% for each meal and easily spent over $400 I'd say (we were a group of 4). The first $200 came off the free Disney gift card through booking with Disney, and the rest was out of pocket! Our tip for Jiko alone was almost $60!

It's just the way it is I personally don't think I have any right to complain about the tips when I've been given the dining plan for free

 

[scoobydooby]

I was just working out how much I needed for tips when we eat at a table service restaurants and it's almost $300 for 14 days for 5 people!!!! I worked it at 15% - is this too much?

Have I got this completely wrong or will I be spending a good portion of our spending money on tips?

No you definitely do not have it wrong and that's certainly not too much. Actually is a bit low. As others have said, 18 to 20% is the norm, although 15 is okay for a buffet. It's not really any different than the stuff you buy in the shops there that show one price then you get charged for the tax as well at the till.

 

[london75]

tip for meal in flying fish (think it was called that it was the sig. restaurant on the board walk was ~$100 for 2 adults and 2 children. We were on the dining plan and the server very "kindly told us that he would allow us to order the special surf and turf meal (starter main lobster and steak) and sweet not usually available on the plan. We didn't really think it through much until the bill for the meal plus 1 cocktail, 1 beer and 2 soft drinks before dinner and then 2 glasses of wine and 2 additional soft drinks with the meal was $490 (although we only had to pay for the drinks) -Not such a good bargain in the end when the drinks and tips were about $160 total

I am very happy to tip for service in the US as you actually get good service, where it falls down a little for me is with the tip being a percentage, you need to keep an eye on the total. I'm all for 18% on a normal meal but say we order an expensive bottle of wine, it's no different to the server or kitchen staff than a cheap prosecco so why has the tip gone up?

For that reason I usually look at the 20% number then use a little common sense and think is that amount a sensible tip given I don't currently know how to print money. On the above meal at a value of 490 I'd have still left 50 as though the meal was a 250 one. I don't see that as being tight, it's still a very good tip for the hour's work in my opinion.

That probably won't go down well, yikes.

 

[mackay_j]

I am very happy to tip for service in the US as you actually get good service, where it falls down a little for me is with the tip being a percentage, you need to keep an eye on the total. I'm all for 18% on a normal meal but say we order an expensive bottle of wine, it's no different to the server or kitchen staff than a cheap prosecco so why has the tip gone up?

For that reason I usually look at the 20% number then use a little common sense and think is that amount a sensible tip given I don't currently know how to print money. On the above meal at a value of 490 I'd have still left 50 as though the meal was a 250 one. I don't see that as being tight, it's still a very good tip for the hour's work in my opinion.

That probably won't go down well, yikes.

Not sure what the restaurants would do if they think your tip is way under- Here is what happened to us on one occasion.

We had a very very bad experience in a restaurant and refused to pay the tip. The manager threatened us with the police saying that the tip is mandatory. We still refused and he did give in but we were all very shaken up about it. I think he just let us go when we mentioned phoning our lawyer for advice and my DH produced his phone - Little did he know that unlike the Americans most UK citizens probably don't have a lawyers number on their phone.

 

[london75]

There is that I suppose lol. I frequently go over the 20% when we've had a good meal but it's often based on my perception of what actual amount not the specific percentage will really reward the people that made the meal special.

 

[Tinkerpeas hubby]

We normally always pre load a gift card with $500 for the tips and then if there is anything left over then we will put it towards the spends! Since pretty much everywhere excepts GCs

Last trip since we LOVE using cash unlike others lol we had our daily budgets in envelops ( yes if you wanted to rob us your money would be perfectly counted in £100 inserts for you lol) and then when we have paid the tips for the day what ever isn't spent goes into what we call the blow fund! Haha which means towards the end of the holiday we can go crazy
A lot of the spending money can end up on tips which is why we do the above that way we can keep an eye on what's going out on food! But since we don't pay for the food when out there the blow to the wallet doesn't feel as bad, which is why I love free dining!
I know that our meal at narcoosees seen us tip over the 150 mark and that didn't include any alcohol just 6 people and myself and my son shared as did our twins! So that was an expensive meal, I also found Arkushus to be very expensive considering its a buffet!!

So I'd say to expect to pay a little more then what your budgeting for, at some although your lucky to be a group of 5!!! Once you hit 6 your wallet runs away from you and hides.

 

[ch1975]

i hate the idea of tipping, i accept its the norm in the US, but wont be told how much to tip, as a rule ill tip $10 for the waitress at a breakfast buffet, or $20/25 at somewhere like the rainforest or T-rex, but only if i get good service, if we're waiting ages, or theres an avoidable problem then theres no tip, bell boys, bus drivers or barmen $1 per item/or drink, taxis usually $10;
once went with my brother in law and his family, we couldnt understand why he always took so long at the bar, i went to help him carry the round back on my way back from the loo and realised he wasnt tipping at all, but making the exact total up from his change, the barman would even stack glasses or load the fridge before serving him, his missis explained to the barman that he didnt understand and gave him a backpayment then things ran alot smoother.

 

[Brave5]

Thanks everyone - I think I will try and keep it where I worked it out and if the service is better than good then we will give a bit more. I think we will pre-load a gift card just for tips then whatever (if anything) is leftover we will stock up on goodies to bring home.

Someone also mentioned other people to tip - porters, bus drivers ect. Do you tip the driver every time you use one of the buses? Is there anyone else who should be tipped?

 

[scoobydooby]

Thanks everyone - I think I will try and keep it where I worked it out and if the service is better than good then we will give a bit more. I think we will pre-load a gift card just for tips then whatever (if anything) is leftover we will stock up on goodies to bring home.

Someone also mentioned other people to tip - porters, bus drivers ect. Do you tip the driver every time you use one of the buses? Is there anyone else who should be tipped?

You are not expected to tip the bus drivers apart from the ME one and I'm not certain that is standard? Someone will know. Porters are a $ or 2 per bag. We tip housekeeping $5 a day. Many don't.

 

[london75]

Of all the people that deserve a tip it's housekeeping, their job is long, hard and involves cleaning other people's toilets. For that alone they get $5 a day from us too. For the sake of £3 per day it really makes their day it seems! I think the waiting staff in restaurants are only the tip of the iceberg of all the people that make the stay superb. They do alright already I think so I prefer spreading the tips to those that get overlooked.

I used to work in a pub kitchen when I was a teenager and my sister worked at the same time as a waitress in the pub (she's a couple of years older). I worked harder, longer, got paid less and no tips because no-one saw your face. She sometimes shared but not often!

 

[Laurafoster]

Of all the people that deserve a tip it's housekeeping, their job is long, hard and involves cleaning other people's toilets. For that alone they get $5 a day from us too. For the sake of £3 per day it really makes their day it seems! I think the waiting staff in restaurants are only the tip of the iceberg of all the people that make the stay superb. They do alright already I think so I prefer spreading the tips to those that get overlooked.

I used to work in a pub kitchen when I was a teenager and my sister worked at the same time as a waitress in the pub (she's a couple of years older). I worked harder, longer, got paid less and no tips because no-one saw your face. She sometimes shared but not often!

I guess that depends where you work. I worked in a restaurant whilst I was in sixth firm and was trained to do both front of house shifts and back of house (kitchen stuff, prep, washing up etc). Back of house got paid a fair amount more than front of house. Mind you that was avoid ten years ago now so likely that's changed

We usually tip around 18%, more if we get excellent service. If we have really awful service we complain to the manager and explain why there would be no tip. (We were a large table so they removed the automatic gratuity) Atleast then they will know its deliberate and not us being forgetful or ignorant of the tipping culture.

 

[Elise79]

Thanks everyone - I think I will try and keep it where I worked it out and if the service is better than good then we will give a bit more. I think we will pre-load a gift card just for tips then whatever (if anything) is leftover we will stock up on goodies to bring home.

Someone also mentioned other people to tip - porters, bus drivers ect. Do you tip the driver every time you use one of the buses? Is there anyone else who should be tipped?

As a general rule we tip:
Sit down restaurants - 20%
Buffets - 15-20% depending on how many plates/drinks/if they bought us extra cutlery etc
Barmen - $ for a beer, couple $ mixed drinks (better tip here equals faster service plus as they free pour alcohol stronger drinks)
Bell services/luggage assistance - $1 or 2 per bag depending on how heavy
Taxis - 10% of fare

Personally we do not tip housekeeping. Most times we stay on our DVC points so do not have daily housekeeping and as such I tidy up as we go so they don't have much to do except change the towels (which I always leave in the bath) and make the beds. Even when we stay on a regular cash booking I tidy myself as it is habit now and generally put the do not disturb sign out every other day. Others tip housekeeping - personal choice. It is worth noting that Disney does not consider house keeping a tipped position.

 

[Kath2003]

20% for table service and buffets, $1 per drink at bars, 10% for cabs, $1-2 for bags, $1 per person per day for housekeeping (even though we tidy up after ourselves...!), change at fast food outlets, cafes etc.

 

[anniedream]

One of our first days we went to HRC. We had a prepaid card with cash on from Thomas Cook that we used for most things. We had two drinks which came to $12, that we paid via our prepaid card. The waitress was so friendly and gave us a great service that we tipped her $5 cash in the little glasses they leave on the bar. She then gave us a slip after taking our card payment about tip. My partner filled it out and put $5 as he thought we had to state what we had given her. We then realised that we had given her $10 tip, so pretty much 90%,lol.
The next day we got a taxi. It was from Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista to Seaworld. It cost us $22 and my boyfriend just gave him $30 and said 'keep the change'. We then found out from experienced Orlando holiday makers that the taxi should have only cost $10-12 and because we were british and said it was only our third day he took advantage. After then we were very careful about tipping taxi drivers as they may not all be honest.
However, as for the HRC waitress we didn't mind tipping her extra as she had our photo with us and we have kept in contact with her. Credit where credit is due. It annoys me when they automatically put it on, as I feel you dont get as good a service, as they know they will definitely get tipped.

 

[ch1975]

Thanks everyone - I think I will try and keep it where I worked it out and if the service is better than good then we will give a bit more. I think we will pre-load a gift card just for tips then whatever (if anything) is leftover we will stock up on goodies to bring home.

Someone also mentioned other people to tip - porters, bus drivers ect. Do you tip the driver every time you use one of the buses? Is there anyone else who should be tipped?

sorry i meant the shuttles, ie airport or off site buses, or trips like busch gardens bus from seaworld etc, not the disney buses.