To Tip or Not to Tip...That is the Question.

[pinkminnie]

$4.00 a day, and I print off some of those cute little Disney envelopes to leave it in. The kids get a kick out of taking turns choosing which envelope to put out each day.

 

[totalia]

I've worked in the service industry for 11 years.

I started off working in a library serving patrons. Then I worked in a grocery store cutting meat and cheese for customers (possibly the worst job in the world considering how I was treated while I was there). I worked at a mall information booth serving customers of the mall. I worked at Burger King for a year. Now I work in a hotel at the front desk.

I know what the service industry is like.

In all of my years in working in the service industry, I've received only THREE tips even though I have always been told that I am very pleasant and sweet.

The guests in the hotel that come in often call me (depending on the person of course), smiley, sweety, darling, love, and cutie. At Burger King, they called me either the nicknames happy or smiley. I have always been told I do a wonderful job by customer, coworkers and management.

Do my jobs sound simple to you? When I was working at the library I fell off a chair and had to be out of work for a week because I hurt my back and my neck. I ended up with stitches when I accidentally ran my finger over a slicer when at the grocery store. I ended up with third degree burns when I was working at Burger King (the oil in a boiler was on too high and exploded out of the cooker when I lowered fries into it) some of them spots on my face. I am very lucky the scars are almost completely gone and you can only tell when I get really tan.

And yet, through all of this, I have received a total of 3 tips.

My point is that, shouldn't all customer service get tips then? No ones job is wonderful or easy or simple. Everyone works hard and customer service is possibly the worst thing in the world that you can work in. It will always be that way.

That doesn't mean the person deserves more. They are in a job that they were hired to do. These jobs have in their job description that you may be subjected to hazards and sometimes have disgusting, heavy or dangerous things you might have to do.

Yes its nice when someone does something nice for you. But it should not be required.

 

[disneyfanz04]

I was the one who started this poll, and I think I am sorry that I did...I really didn't want to start a debate on whether you should or shouldn't tip mousekeeping or whether they deserve it or not, just simply what YOU do. I personally do tip, but I tip anyone who helps me out...when I go to the grocery store and need help out to the car and a bagger helps me, then I tip them....kinda like a thank you.

 

[Mississippian]

Disneyfanz, my local grocery store owner gets very upset if the customers tip the bagboys. They are paid well for the work done, and he doesn't want them hustling tips. The carrying out of groceries is a service is something that HE is offering and paying for.

To all and sundry,
As for the Disneyworld tips, I sometimes leave a tip for the maid, usually when the room has been wrecked. But I don't feel oblicaged to dump money on the maid, as some people here do, perhaps because I have to work for a living.

Finally, please stop the caterwaling about school teachers not being paid enough. My wife used to be a school teacher (she's now an administrator), and we felt at the time that considering the fact that due to holidays and summer break it's practically a half-time job, the pay was just great. As an administrator her pay is just unbelieveable, although she does have to work all year. The next-to-free government insurance alone is worth $15-20 thousand a year!

So please, no complaining about teacher pay, because it's plenty! My family is on the government gravy train, and I love it, and so should you complainers!

 

[totalia]

Originally posted by Mississippian
Disneyfanz, my local grocery store owner gets very upset if the customers tip the bagboys. They are paid well for the work done, and he doesn't want them hustling tips. The carrying out of groceries is a service is something that HE is offering and paying for.

To all and sundry,
As for the Disneyworld tips, I sometimes leave a tip for the maid, usually when the room has been wrecked. But I don't feel oblicaged to dump money on the maid, as some people here do, perhaps because I have to work for a living.

Finally, please stop the caterwaling about school teachers not being paid enough. My wife used to be a school teacher (she's now an administrator), and we felt at the time that considering the fact that due to holidays and summer break it's practically a half-time job, the pay was just great. As an administrator her pay is just unbelieveable, although she does have to work all year. The next-to-free government insurance alone is worth $15-20 thousand a year!

So please, no complaining about teacher pay, because it's plenty! My family is on the government gravy train, and I love it, and so should you complainers!

Bravo. Exactly.

 

[eeyore0062]

We tip $1 per person per day, and if we request anything extra, we tip an extra dollar. These ladies work hard and deserve all the tips they can get!

Boy I WISH I got extra credit for all I do. And an extra little payment. I do things far outside my job description.

I am in an untipped position in the travel industry, and am offered tips quite often. I know that I cannot accept them, and I accept that.... it just makes me feel good to know that my work is appreciated. A kind word to my supervisor is as appreciated by me as a tip would be, so if you feel that someone deserves a tip, and they cannot accept it, please inquire where you can write to let the supervisor know of the service you received.

BTW, I have also worked in the service industry since I started working at 17 in jobs including waiting tables, hotel housekeeper, hospital and home health RN, teacher, merchandise salesperson and guest relations. I feel that those positions which can accept tips definitely deserve them, and even though I cannot, I will not begrudge those who can!

 

[caribbeanme]

I printed out the mousekeeping envelopes and tipped $2 a day. I always tip (grocery, luggage, restaurant, etc.), or thank, or have written complimentary letters about people who have gone out of their way. I used to work in the service industry, and my mom was a nurse, and we still remember people who gave sincere thank yous, or tipped (well, my mom, not so much...). I agree with totalia that it's just the job you're paid to do and you should give your best, regardless if people thank or tip you. But if people go out of their way and say thank you in whichever way they can, then I don't see why they shouldn't. I know doctors, lawyers, and accountants who get lavish gifts from clients, not just customer service..

That said, I don't think you HAVE to tip, particularly if you've pinched your pennies. It's hard enough as it is to afford a Disney vacation....

 

[mudnuri]

Generally speaking- we tip housekeeping.

When we were in WDW in April- the only thing the housekeeper HAD to do was vacuum- (she didnt every day) and take the pile of dirty towels from the floor by the door, and replace them. THATS IT!

I didnt tip at WDW- because its not a tipped position- per disney...they make more than the "tipped minimum wage"

I have been known to lay down a $10 or $20 if the housekeeping staff has actually listened to me, and brought extra towels, taken care of our room while we were out etc..before I leave a tip like this- I make sure its the same housekeeper...if they've left an envelope- I put the $$ into it, and bring it to front desk with our room ## on it, just incase they are not working that next day.

Brandy

 

[overwhelmed]

having lived on tips once or twice in our lives, my husband and I tip failrly well...

In the case of hotels, we tip about $2 daily, (no kids, and I straighten up only enough so they can differentiate the trash from the rest) but I also request something every day along with the tip, usually extra coffee supplies. I might try leaving a larger tip sometime during our week to see if we get an animal or some such.

I suspect that its different maids every day, and therefore I don't want to wait until later to tip all at once.

Regardless of the quality of hotels we choose, I cant remember the last time I stayed in a hotel that didnt have some kind of crusted food or hidden mess thats left from previous guests. I dont under tip when that happens, but I do alert the management.

Tipping, because it is optional, will always be a hot-button and intriguing topic. great thread!!!


I have single digit jitters!!!

 

[arminnie]

If I truly could not afford to leave a $2 tip, and I was satified with the service, I think I would leave a quick thank you note (one liner) to housekeeping.

For those of you that choose not to tip - do you have a problem with leaving a thank you note - or do you choose not to do that also because no one gives you a thank you for your job?

 

[ahoff]

Reading this thread brings to mind the opening scene of the movie "Reservoir Dogs"!

 

[ctrabada]

There's 3 of us and I tip $5/day.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Just a little FYI. I heard from a woman who's mother was a mousekeeper that of course they appreciate tips but what really has made her day on a few occasions was a nice note that she would get from a family about how she was helping to make their vacation magical. Not only will we tip on our next trip but we will leave a few nice notes to show our appreciation.

 

[skiwee1]

I tip $5 per day for the 3 of us.

 

[hockey mom]

We are in a lot of hotel rooms between hockey and vacations and I am incredibly grateful that there is someone out there willing to scrub a toilet, clean a tub, and give us nice clean sheets to sleep in that I tip everywhere I go.

If I can spend $4000- $7000 on a Disney vacation I can afford to tip the person that is giving me somewhere clean to crawl into at the end of the day.

I think the poll speaks for itself- it shows that only 20% of people do not tip at all.

It also brings a smile to my face to think I just made someone else's day a little better, and to be honest I didn't need that ice-cream anyway.

 

[#1hockeymom]

Well said, hockeymom! I whole-heartedly agree with every single word! I'll be in one of those "tournament rooms" this weekend and I will be tipping the maid, as always!

Hope to see you at the rink one of these days!
Debbie

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

We tip $2 a day for 2 adults and 2 kids.

We also write notes to the mousekeepers and we "talk" to them in the hallways when we see them.

Our last trip to POR we had the same mousekeeper for most of our trip. In the evening of our first night we spotted her in the hallway. We told her that the children thought that Tinkerbell had snuck in the room and placed the towel animal and their stuffed animals in a picnic scene. She smiled and said that was wonderful. EVERY day we were there she left fantastic "towel" animal scenes. She made cobwebs with plastic spider rings, she was amazing!! She even left us a note saying she would not be in the next day but would continue to be our mousekeeper after that. She signed it, Tinkerbell.

Before we left we gave her an extra $20 tip because she truly made our trip magical.

At the GF or POR, we tip $2 per day. The mousekeepers at POR deserve a tip as well as the mousekeepers at the GF. If you tip $5 to GF then tip $5 to POR.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by hockey mom

I think the poll speaks for itself- it shows that only 20% of people do not tip at all.

It also brings a smile to my face to think I just made someone else's day a little better, and to be honest I didn't need that ice-cream anyway.

I don't think poll says much other than the people who tip chose to replied to it. I normally tip although an article in the NY Times travel sections says 70% of hotel guests don't tip housekeeping. Disney doesn't list housekeeping as a "tipped" position so guests relying on the resort newsletter for tipping guidance probably don't tip. I'd be surprised if even half of the guests tip housekeeping.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I am a BIG overtipper....just something that makes me feel good about asking for towel animals...I think I tipped $40.00 for my daughter and I for 5 days...and I would tip the girl when I called for turndown service. ( usually a different person than the morning mousekeeper)
I always left a "Mousekeeping" envelope with "Towel Animal, please" and came back to a room full of them!