Unethical Experience with TownCar Service

[Lewisc]

I had an experience with a local town car company about a year ago (the same ones I mentioned earlier in this thread). They automatically add the 20% gratuity and charge it to your credit card in advance. When the driver dropped us off at home, he hung around a little like he expected an additional tip. He did a good job, but I thought 20% ($12) was enough for a 30 minute ride.

Driver may have been greedy. It's also possible he was a fillin driver. I probably would have said something like the company tacked the gratuity on the bill. Make sure they don't keep it.

 

[mom_rules]

Also used Tiffany-driver assured us he would be our return driver so I tipped large (bad mistake), -we never got picked up.

 

[seashoreCM]

One suggestion for dealing with poor service, particularly in a restaurant:

See the manager and start negotiating the total as shown on the check. With the tone of the quotation marks as in "mandatory" tip you "negotiate" by flatly reciting one third off as a discount for the poor service.

Chances are the manger will split the difference. If no service charge or gratuity was already stated on the check, add ten percent for a tip. The final result will now be roughtly the total food or limo ride minus the tip.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[VickiVM]

In this sense of the word, I'm pretty sure only professions (doctors, etc.) have ethical codes of conduct. To expect towncar drivers to conduct themselves in accordance with a code of ethics seems akin to expecting carnies or migrant workers to "behave ethically."

I'm sure you didn't mean to insinuate that migrant workers (or carnies for that matter) inherently behave unethically. Unethical people - professional and laborers alike - behave unethically.

Sorry - but I have a good friend who works closely with migrants to ensure their children maintain their education even as they move about following various harvests seasons.

Vicki Moreno

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

We used Tiffany Towncar for our 3/22-3/28 trip. He was on-time and pleasant, but I did feel his mood change when it came time to pay and I mentioned that I was putting the roundtrip fare but only the one-way tip on my credit card. I felt he wanted me to put the r/t tip on there -- and even was acting "fuzzy with his English" -- despite the fact that he'd been chatting up a storm on the entire drive from the airport. I politely explained that the TT website said to do this, as he may not be our return driver, and he did acknowledge that it was a possbility.

As it turned out, he was also our return driver, and he seemed pleased when I tipped him after the return leg. Guess he just wasn't 100% sure that he'd get a roundtrip tip until I "showed him the money".

 

[manning]

My response to the demanding a 20% by the driver.

"Let's see what is that three digit number? yo ya 911."

 

[DisneyWisher]

Ever notice at most restaurants, parties of 8 or more, there is a minimum, mandatory tip of 18%? I think this is sleazy, myself. I mean, you can't tell me what to tip! A tip is for exceptional service!

Speaking as someone in the business, I run my family's pool hall. They do that because a lot of times if large parties are splitting the check theres always someone that never tips or everyone will throw in a $1 or 2. An example. Where I work on Thursday night we offer free draft while playing pool. We have a group of regulars, 4 men between the ages of 40-45. They generally stay 4 hours and get about 7-8 pitchers of beer. Thats over $50 in free beer. Guess how much they leave the waitress (she is awesome, she waits on the customers hand & foot, constantly refills their glass) They leave her $5. Not each, altogether only $5. Thats $1.25 per person for 4 hours of service. I would like to mandate a tip but we haven't. When I tell people about the special I do tell them all we ask is that you take care of your waitress. Some do, alot don't.

 

[ribbot]

Why can't you show your receipt from the first leg of the trip that you tipped the total trip already? When you go to sign the credit card receipt write 20% (or whatever amount) RT included in charge. Let the driver go back to the office and fight for his tip.

Why not just put the cost of the car on the credit card and tip in cash?

Or just use cash and tip the driver each way?

 

[amwhitaker]

I think tipping is getting a bit out of control. I have recently been to a couple of drive-thru's and there is a tip jar outside of the window. EXCUSE ME!? I was at a sit down restaurant last week and left the tip on the table for our waiter, and when I went to the front of the restaurant to pay they had a tip jar there! Now who is getting those tips? The person ringing me out at the register? Am I supposed to tip him/her for taking my money promptle and giving me correct change? Come on now!

 

[WillCAD]

Speaking as someone in the business, I run my family's pool hall. They do that because a lot of times if large parties are splitting the check theres always someone that never tips or everyone will throw in a $1 or 2. An example. Where I work on Thursday night we offer free draft while playing pool. We have a group of regulars, 4 men between the ages of 40-45. They generally stay 4 hours and get about 7-8 pitchers of beer. Thats over $50 in free beer. Guess how much they leave the waitress (she is awesome, she waits on the customers hand & foot, constantly refills their glass) They leave her $5. Not each, altogether only $5. Thats $1.25 per person for 4 hours of service. I would like to mandate a tip but we haven't. When I tell people about the special I do tell them all we ask is that you take care of your waitress. Some do, alot don't.

Perhaps if business owners would pay thier waitstaff REASONABLE wages, the waitstaff would not be so at the mercy of the customer for thier livelihood.

Instead of mandating a tip, simply raise your prices and give your waitstaff a raise. Then when they get a cheapskate customer they can still afford to buy thier kids those new Nikes.

 

[swilphil]

We first used TTC 3 years ago, and I remember that the tip was paid in advance for both ways. On our last 2 trips using them we have tipped each driver separately in cash. There is no 20 percent min. mandated tip, that is the amount they recommend.

 

[DisneyWisher]

Perhaps if business owners would pay thier waitstaff REASONABLE wages, the waitstaff would not be so at the mercy of the customer for thier livelihood.

Instead of mandating a tip, simply raise your prices and give your waitstaff a raise. Then when they get a cheapskate customer they can still afford to buy thier kids those new Nikes.

How do you raise prices on free things??? Raise our hourly pool prices?? So those that are either too young to drink or those that choose not to drink suffer?? 4 people shooting pool is $14 an hour and when you throw in the free draft. Where can you go for an hour of fun and drinks for $3.50 an hour?? What should we charge? We pay our waitress better than anyone in the business. $5 an hour and they work hard for their money. I always tell them take care of the ones that take care of you. The cheapskates are always welcomed to walk to the bar for their free beer.

 

[WillCAD]

$5 an hour is better than anyone in the business? That's highway robbery!

Why is it that the people who work the hardest and have to put up with the most crap in thier jobs not only get the least respect but also the lowest wages?

Why not simply put a surcharge on certain tables and include wait-service and beer with those tables, and let the cheapskates and underage customers shoot at tables with no free beer and no waitstaff?

I am with those who believe that a tip is something that should be given voluntarily. This whole guilt trip is solely on the heads of cheapskate employers who noticed that good waitstaff were making money with tips, so they used that as a justification to pay them lower salaries. Today, that's a common practice (in many states the minimum wage doesn;t even apply to waitstaff!), but I think it's deplorable.

DisneyWisher, I apreciate how tough it must be to run your business and make a reasonable profit, your waitstaff's low salaries arte not the responsibility of your customers. You offer pool, beer, and waitservice for $3.50 an hour, people will expect to come in for $3.50 an hour. If you think your waitstaff deserve more money because of how hard they work, then I think you should pay them more. If you have to raise your prices, which you have already said are a great bargain, then so be it.

Personally, I would be very glad to see waitstaff paid reasonable wages and never have to depend on tips again.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

$5 an hour is better than anyone in the business? That's highway robbery!

Uh..... this isn't indentured servitude, it's a job. Employment at will, if you will (pun intended.) Those who want a higher paying job will find a way to get one. Besides... 4 tables of $5 tips over the course of an evening (4 hours) is an extra $20, thereby raising the hourly rate to about $10. For slinging suds. No high school diploma required. That guy is a real monster.


Now back to your regular DISboard programming.

 

[Cmbar]

ExPirateShopGirl

That was so funny!

Quick Note. We have used Tiffany four times and never had any of this stuff happen. I figured out before I went that they were each getting half of the tip and I put the car on the Credit Card and had the tip ready to go in cash. If they did exceptional service I had a few extra dollars for that. It really didn't have to be difficult. I could care less if someone looks like they are hanging around for a tip. Tough I gave you one. If you don't like it, give better service. Keep in mind, (Someone correct me if I am wrong) Tiffany contracts these drivers. I believe they would want to know the ones that give lousy service and the ones that try to hike more money from you. Please let them know. But as with all things, it is usually the person you get servicing you that is the problem and not the whole company. We have gotten Berkley Edwards a few times and he never made you feel like you weren't tipping enough. Just a really pleasant and helpful driver and my guess he gets tipped a great deal more than most drivers because he provides excellent service.

As far as the rental car vs. towncar. Aren't they different purposes? I mean I know I can get a rental car for the same price, but I don't WANT to go pick up a car and then have to pay tolls and figure out how to get somewhere where I only go once a year. I absolutely don't want to drive to each park and pay parking and have to wait for those annoying little shuttles to take you from your parking space to the main gate. SO that is why we do a towncar. Somebody pick me up, drop me off and pick me up again. I guess we have had great service so its a no brainer for us!

Oh Yeah and to the person who talked about the tipping. Someone please explain to me why when I pay $4 for a cup of coffee I have to tip on top of that. Is Starbucks paying their people pennies?