Tips on the Dinning Plan

[wayneg]

2. To thoses that have been used to eating ofsite cheaply- We were there over Xmas (well over at tampa) and found the prices have jumped - I mean really jumped. We only ate at more basic places as we were just having a few days at busch ahead of a cruise. We went to Olive garden and Red Lobster and for the 4 of us spent at least 50% more on each meal than we have done in the same places a few years ago last time Xmas 2010 (didn't eat off site last summer 2011 as on the dining plan). Most mains were all in the region of / $17-$22. The freebies they used to give out caesur salads/breads etc all now add on a few more $. Just a heads up for those that haven't been for a few years or like us have used the dd plan in recent years.

I find there is a difference between Orlando (themepark area) and the rest of Florida for both food & hotel prices.
Just double checked a few places as we haven't eaten offsite since last Nov but in the past 5+ years places like Orlando Alehouse, Chilis etc have only risen about $1/entrée.
You also need to plan, look for Olive Garden 2 for $25 3 course meals, free entrees, free desserts, 20% off, BOGOF etc. I go with a folder full of vouchers.
Turn up and pay menu price and it can be more than expected.

 

[mackay_j]

I find there is a difference between Orlando (themepark area) and the rest of Florida for both food & hotel prices.
Just double checked a few places as we haven't eaten offsite since last Nov but in the past 5+ years places like Orlando Alehouse, Chilis etc have only risen about $1/entrée.
You also need to plan, look for Olive Garden 2 for $25 3 course meals, free entrees, free desserts, 20% off, BOGOF etc. I go with a folder full of vouchers.
Turn up and pay menu price and it can be more than expected.

We usualy would but as it was only for 3 meals we didn't bother (or have time as we didn't know we would be able to go until 6 days before we due to travel- ill family member). Our last meal was in the Olive Garden on the 192 (as we flew home from MCO - tampa had no flights by the time we booked). I just checked my recipt and mains were $16, $17, $20 an $22(steak) salads addn $2 (as wanted caesar not house). We also had eaten there a few years ago - and I am sure we did not pay that much. (but we may, as you suggested, have used coupons as the girls always collect them - wonder where they got that from )

 

[GirlDreamer]

As most of you seem to be saying don't do buffet's however as most of our buffet's are character meals, I do hope the person in the suit gets a share of the tips and not the full amount going to the person who delivered 1 drink to the table and removed the plates ;-)

No the suits don't get any tip, they get full pay. Even more than the other Front of House staff, because of what they do. The servers don't usually keep all the tips to themselves though. I guess who that is shared with depends on the restaurant. I can only speak for the one in the Norwegian pavilion in Epcot, where the servers shared tips with the foodrunners and the bartender. Unless it's changed it's 1% for each.

 

[scoobydooby]

The tip has not been included in the DDP for years now. I'm sure we were tipping in 2009?

 

[Elise79]

The tip has not been included in the DDP for years now. I'm sure we were tipping in 2009?

Yep - it changed January 2008

 

[royal99]

I will never understand the American/ disney way of tipping its not a tip it's an extra charge to get the servers wage up-to an acceptable level. A tip should be how much good service you think you received during the meal, but I understand that is how it's done state side but I will never get my head round it.

Question for you out of interest on DDP if a group 6 had bad service and just paid the bill with no Tip and just upped and left would that count the same as not paying for part of your food/drink bill? If the manager called the police could you be charged? ( not thinking of doing it just interested how it would worked out legally)

 

[meggiebeth]

I will never understand the American/ disney way of tipping its not a tip it's an extra charge to get the servers wage up-to an acceptable level. A tip should be how much good service you think you received during the meal, but I understand that is how it's done state side but I will never get my head round it.

Question for you out of interest on DDP if a group 6 had bad service and just paid the bill with no Tip and just upped and left would that count the same as not paying for part of your food/drink bill? If the manager called the police could you be charged? ( not thinking of doing it just interested how it would worked out legally)

I think I heard that they can't force you to pay a tip, but I'm not sure. I hate having to tip when I feel the staff don't deserve one, because that's how we are in Britain! Besides here 10% is an acceptable tip yet for really good service yet in the US it is rude!

I don't see why waitstaff should have to rely on tips to make it to minimum wage. I guess it does give them an incentive to work hard and please the guests. Some people tip mouse keeping which I didn't even think of doing.

Meg~ Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[royal99]

I think I heard that they can't force you to pay a tip, but I'm not sure. I hate having to tip when I feel the staff don't deserve one, because that's how we are in Britain! Besides here 10% is an acceptable tip yet for really good service yet in the US it is rude!

I don't see why waitstaff should have to rely on tips to make it to minimum wage. I guess it does give them an incentive to work hard and please the guests. Some people tip mouse keeping which I didn't even think of doing.

Meg~ Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Totally agree with you. When I am out friendly good service I give great tips. Average to poor service gets nothing.

 

[tinkerpea]

They wouldn't take of the gratuity just because you don't feel it's right to pay it. It's a Disney policy. In the US servers depend on their tips to pay for their bills. A server there don't get full pay as they would here in the UK. When I was a server in Disney, I got paid $3.50 an hour. If you get bad service, then that's a different matter. Then you could complain to a manager that then should remove it. But as long as the server is doing their job, there's no reason why you shouldn't pay. If it's that big of a deal, then don't do the buffets.

And to tinkerpea: What a horrible story! Your reservations aren't linked at all, so another restaurant wouldn't be able to see any comments they would choose to put into your bookings.

It was our Disney wedding and honeymoon and so I was so upset when he spoke to us like that and told us that was what he was going to do!

We always tip well, I was a silver service waitress in my teen years and I know how hard the job can be, we alway tip here in the UK so I always make sure to budget for my tips in the US!

 

[scoobydooby]

Would people refuse to pay the tax on goods because it is calculated separately not as part of the goods price? No. Because we know that's just the way tax works in the US. This is just the way wait service staff are paid. You're not doing them a favour. It's just culturally different. It is a lot of money but its not extra, just part of the price. I would note I have seen on US boards US citizens saying they tip less on buffets to be fair. As for what the wait staff do. I have always had great service at the buffets. Drinks refilled several times, plates cleared quickly, advice about the food. I think buffet staff have probably spent more time at our table than in ordinary TS places when I think about it. I did waitressing as a kid. It's a horrible job. I always tip 20%.

 

[klangkat]

I will never understand the American/ disney way of tipping its not a tip it's an extra charge to get the servers wage up-to an acceptable level. A tip should be how much good service you think you received during the meal, but I understand that is how it's done state side but I will never get my head round it.

Question for you out of interest on DDP if a group 6 had bad service and just paid the bill with no Tip and just upped and left would that count the same as not paying for part of your food/drink bill? If the manager called the police could you be charged? ( not thinking of doing it just interested how it would worked out legally)

But if you upped and left without paying the tip, you're not making some statement about fair wages, or showing Disney your disapproval... you're depriving a very hard working, low paid individual a key chunk of their rightful earnings... so no, it's not legally required, and I doubt there's much they could do to stop someone, but I don't think that many people would do it, given the situation...

 

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

As far as I can remember when the tips were removed from the DDP in 2008 it was done so because of negotiations with the unions regarding servers wages. At that time the cost of the DDP was also lowered slightly. The DDP only included everything up to 2007.

You have chosen to upgrade to the DxDDP therefore as a large group you have to accept that the tips are going to be automatic and that is a cost you should have budgeted for.

And yes I have been in a large party but I have never considered having them adjust my auto gratuity even at buffets as I knew it was going to be there when I chose and booked my ADRs.

yeah we went 2006 grats were included, in 2008 they weren't x

 

[Supercod]

This is just the way wait service staff are paid. You're not doing them a favour. It's just culturally different. It is a lot of money but its not extra, just part of the price.

Yeah I have been reading up on the subject and I agree, come to the view that it's just part of the price of the meal in the USA, while in the UK we see it as underhand to not show food price with the total including VAT. In the USA the sales tax is never shown on the price of goods and for restaurants, while many look crazy cheap, actually once you take in sales tax and tip they are still cheap, just not as crazy cheap as you first look at it, exception being Disney but you are in a theme park and frankly when you compare it to its French counterpart or even UK finest (or not so fine once you have done Disney) it's actually still good value in that view point.

I am pretty sure that being spoiled with the “everything paid for up front” Dining Plans of old are what's clouded my view.

 

[Pootle]

Yeah I have been reading up on the subject and I agree, come to the view that it's just part of the price of the meal in the USA, while in the UK we see it as underhand to not show food price with the total including VAT. In the USA the sales tax is never shown on the price of goods and for restaurants, while many look crazy cheap, actually once you take in sales tax and tip they are still cheap, just not as crazy cheap as you first look at it, exception being Disney but you are in a theme park and frankly when you compare it to its French counterpart or even UK finest (or not so fine once you have done Disney) it's actually still good value in that view point.

I am pretty sure that being spoiled with the “everything paid for up front” Dining Plans of old are what's clouded my view.

Good post OP

 

[Miss Mo]

Meals I can cope with but what REALLY bugs my happiness is when YOU walk up to a bar, order 2 beers and YOU carry them back to your seat and you are expected to tip for someone to take the lids off two bottles for you!!! Now cocktails with a bit of banter involved I get but not opening bottles! Even carrying two straightforward (overpriced) drinks to me at a table in a bar is pushing it if I'm honest.

I also agree with others who are saying about restaurant tips being linked to service. I don't actually see why the more you spend requires a bigger tip either. It doesn't take any more effort to carry the finest steak to my table than it does kids nuggets and chips. Does it?? Surely if you are paying for the service then it should be about the amount of work carried out and how well it was carried out rather than the value of whatever is on the plate. (and I say this as a veggie who normally has the cheapest thing on the menu so I'm not being tight here.) Different if you were tipping the person doing the actual cooking.

But like others say, it's their way of doing it, so I don't moan (unless something is REALLY bad) and I pay my tips because that's the way it is done.

mo x

 

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

Meals I can cope with but what REALLY bugs my happiness is when YOU walk up to a bar, order 2 beers and YOU carry them back to your seat and you are expected to tip for someone to take the lids off two bottles for you!!! Now cocktails with a bit of banter involved I get but not opening bottles! Even carrying two straightforward (overpriced) drinks to me at a table in a bar is pushing it if I'm honest.

I also agree with others who are saying about restaurant tips being linked to service. I don't actually see why the more you spend requires a bigger tip either. It doesn't take any more effort to carry the finest steak to my table than it does kids nuggets and chips. Does it?? Surely if you are paying for the service then it should be about the amount of work carried out and how well it was carried out rather than the value of whatever is on the plate. (and I say this as a veggie who normally has the cheapest thing on the menu so I'm not being tight here.) Different if you were tipping the person doing the actual cooking.

But like others say, it's their way of doing it, so I don't moan (unless something is REALLY bad) and I pay my tips because that's the way it is done.

mo x

I'm also confused regarding the cost of food determining the tip. As you say, its not as if the chef gets the tip x

 

[Magic Megadegs]

Really interesting thread, thanks OP. just wondering about special offers / vouchers etc. I know you get bombarded with offer / voucher leaflets etc when you get there but are there other ways to line them up before you leave?

I have 'liked' restaurant Facebook pages, will sign up to restaurant websites too but is there a good site that details discounts / vouchers? I've noticed from the fb pages that Wednesdays seem to be the special offer night for quite a few but there are 6 other nights in a week, lol x

We're desperate to try Padrino's Cuban Bistro after some fabulous reviews from a few foody friends and think that will be our weds special slot filled x

 

[Elise79]

With most restaurants sign up on the website and move your birthday to during your holiday. Also sign up only about a week in advance. Most send you a voucher for signing up and one for your birthday.

I also get various vouchers during the year from different restaurants as I am on their email lists.

Don't forget if you use a voucher or discount you tip on the pre-discounted amount

 

[MrRomance]

Hi, I understand that you now pay the tip when on the dinning plan (you didn't in 2005) anyway I am not happy that we are automatically being charged 18% for every meal because we will be a party of 7.

I have no issues paying that tip on a table service meal but on a buffet meal, no way am I paying 18% for someone to bring me a drink when I have to go get my own food. I take it I am not forced to pay this 18% and can politely tell me server that he/she done nothing to warrant a 18% tip and kindly change that to a 10% one if it's a buffet ;-)

I am not being tight here but on deluxe dinning plan, I could be paying out over a thousand dollars on tips over 10 nights. Unless I have my maths way wrong on this.

I think you make a genuine and valid point as far as the buffet restaurants go, but as PP's have said, I don't think you have a choice with a party of 6 or more. When we were there for our Disney Wedding, we had a large party and it was mandatory 18%. What we did was make 2 reservations and request tables close together!

For non-buffet table service, I think 18% for larger parties is completely reasonable, but as you point out, 18% to bring you a drink is a little much!

That said, as someone who lived in the US for 5 years, I think it's also worth mentioning that servers in most states are paid half the minimum wage because there is an expectation that they will make up the rest in tips. It is very much a cultural difference with some servers earning $3 an hour in some places. Just something to bear in mind.