Wait Staff Disappointment

[TavieP]

Verbal Abuse? Better grow a thicker skin. I do not do this as a 1st resort I ask but if someone ignores me and still expects that large tip and if I am forced to dress down someone it ends with a manager and no I am not embarrassed in the least. Only had to do it twice in all of the many meals I have had there once at Ohana when the waitress was trying to get us in and out it looked seemed in 15 minutes and the other time at Hollywood & Vine when they parked a cart of dirty dishes beside our table for a good 45 minutes and the waitress filled our drink order and even though I asked 4 separate times for refills she didn't seem inclined to fill the order and got miffed when I asked for the manager because I was not paying that tip.

May I ask, how do you know they're still expecting a large tip? They challenged you on the amount of tip you left?

Either way, what you're doing is, indeed, verbal abuse. Please stop doing this to waitstaff. They are not your children, they are not your underlings, they are not your employees, they are not your servants. If you don't like the service, speak to a manager, lower the tip if you feel you must, but don't think you can try and humiliate people. Trust me when I say that you're the one that ends up looking bad in that situation.

 

[jbehr12]

Did you have a TIW card per chance? I have a theory that if you tell them you have TIW at beginning they will be less attentive since they know they get the automatic 18% tip no matter what. I now wait to tell them at end.

I notice similar too. It is one of my biggest complaints. I don't think they hire enough staff. The Boma breakfast one is ALWAYS that way. I like ketchup on my eggs and sausage and it takes a couple asks and like 25 mins for them to bring it (wish they'd maybe put a tray of it on buffet, tray of the little ramekins of ketchup since they seem to be too cheap to have bottle on the tables). And takes a year to pay our tab. We only ate at GF Cafe once and had slow forgetful service too.

I used to serve and bartend for years. An automatic 18% tip is a blessing for wait staff where tipping can be a total crap shoot. For every great person on these boards that “always tips 20-25% except for that one time”, there are at least two that don’t have those standards. Then take into account the international visitors that don’t know to tip or just don’t because it’s not part of their culture.

No server with an ounce of intelligence, especially with a large number of international patrons, is going to use that as a reason to give sub par service.

 

[Meglen]

I For every great person on these boards that “always tips 20-25% except for that one time”, there are at least two that don’t have those standards. Then take into account the international visitors that don’t know to tip or just don’t because it’s not part of their culture.

When ever im out and noticed people who only leave a few dollars on the table and we have the same server and they were good to us I will leave a few extra dollars to make the difference on my bill. I dont understand how people think 2$ tip is ok still when the bill is close to 30$.

 

[Fethbone]

I hate to say it, but DH and I went to Victoria and Albert's for our anniversary dinner last week, and I can't say I was impressed by the service compared to other places we've been at a similar price point. Maybe it was because we were the youngest people in there by 15+ years or first-timers or something. Greeted and seated in a timely manner, but then took forever to get water. I asked if there was a sommelier I could speak to regarding wine, and was given a soft no and zero help by the server, who told me all the servers had wine training. I later found out the GM is the sommelier according the the restaurant website. Maybe our server was not impressed at our desired wine budget or that I am female- not the first time it's happened. Also a little miffed that they apparently didn't even bother to look at the credit card I was giving them, as our other server set the copy-to-sign receipt in front of my DH, even though the card had my name on it. I admit I am being picky, but I was a little disappointed as most of the reviews and post I've seen have said both the food and service were pretty much perfect....and, well, for what you are paying, you kind of expect it to be perfect. Also a couple issues with the atmosphere, but at least the food was good!!!

 

[brockash]

Woah ho... not even close. People on vacation are horrible tippers. For one thing, they've already spent so much just getting there and anything extra they spend comes out of things that they would enjoy on vacation. But mostly it's a sense of accountability. If I tip low around town it will eventually get back to me next time I eat there. Most people don't expect to be recognized when they return to a WDW restaurant. To his credit, our waiter at Cali Grill did remember us on our second and third trips (a year apart) which was cool. He remembered my son was an adventurous eater


Yes, of course. As I mentioned a few times maybe in subsequent or previous posts, always talk to the manager early. But this notion of an automatic tip resulting in substandard service is just silly. If you did not get 18% service then you say so and have them lower it.


Here's my general system...

• My baseline tip is 20%. The server gets this if all they do is take your order, bring your food, bring your bill and collect your payment; without unreasonable delays.
• More than a few mistakes taking our order and I start pulling a percentage point or two off this.
• Excessive delays, especially without communication; food that arrives cold; drinks remaining empty; sloppy uniform, all tend to pull that baseline down a point or two.
• Rudeness or a persistent bad attitude will pull a few points off my percentage.
• Anticipating our needs, making a great menu or wine suggestion, having a cheerful and engaging personality will always increase my tip percentage. In fact it will remedy most of the service errors mentioned above.

I generally expect to tip 25% at a WDW signature restaurant and often tip closer to 30%. If I'm getting service that has me ticking off points in my head, about the time they hit 15% I start looking for the manager.

At a traditional buffet, where you serve yourself food and drinks, I would cut my base percentage in half. Where the server brings your drinks out maybe start with 15%.

I suppose if you live in a smaller town this may be true. It has not been my experience. It's also been my experience that I and others I've vacationed with generally aren't as concerned about every nickle/dime (how could we be at Disney lol( as we are at home. I buy my kids more snacks, we eat more junk, I buy them toys (which I don't do at home unless for special occasion,) so for us the tipping thing just goes with that mindset of having a good time and not being overly concerned with things we normally would be at home. Interesting to know that's not your experience though. As always different strokes for different folks

 

[DrunkJam]

When ever im out and noticed people who only leave a few dollars on the table and we have the same server and they were good to us I will leave a few extra dollars to make the difference on my bill. I dont understand how people think 2$ tip is ok still when the bill is close to 30$.

I do try to tip appropriately, but, since tipping in the way that it occurs in the US is very different from how it occurs at home, I can also see how people may do something different without malice.

 

[cobright]

I later found out the GM is the sommelier according the the restaurant website.

Israel Perez is VnA's sommelier and maitre d'hotel. If you read his bio you'll see that his role as sommelier entails managing the wine list, establishing the recommended pairings, and training the waitstaff on the subject. My wife and I were lucky to be included in a Chef's Table dinner at VnA and he stopped by after a bottle at the table turned out to be corked. Even then he was not there to take our orders, that was the waiter's job. But he thought we might need an explanation about what was wrong with the bottle of wine that was sent back. He soon found out we were a table of lushs and let us all get on with it.

Maybe our server was not impressed at our desired wine budget

I promise you this was not the case. I've eaten at VnA twice now and while the first time was on someone else's tab and we did not pay attention to price at all; the second time was a standard dining experience and we had a pouilly fuisse and I think a French pinot noir. Both bottle were just over $100 ea. Our waiter completely professional, helpful, and not a bit dismissive. We've had the same experience at all of the Disney signature restaurants. I refuse to buy expensive wines from restaurants and, oddly, knowledgeable wine servers are the first and best to understand this.

or that I am female- not the first time it's happened.

This... unfortunately I do see this everywhere and too often at WDW. Even the nicer places. Some of it comes from the diverse workforce and the gender bias inherent to many cultures (I mean our own of course ... but it is taken to other levels elsewhere. See the Latinx debate going on now). And I'm not going to judge anyone by such broad strokes except to acknowledge that it does happen.

server set the copy-to-sign receipt in front of my DH, even though the card had my name on it.

This is the one that burns my wife up. Myself too, but I'm certainly the one being less disrespected when this happens. My wife is a Director of Finance and our family's primary breadwinner. I'm an artist and land a job often enough to fund a yearly trip to WDW (or two). Yet that little billfold looking thing gets set right in front of me...

I've seen this happen at the best of places. I've seen it happen at restaurants with female owners and head chefs. At the most Progressive coffee shop in Seattle I've ever seen...

It can color even the best meal poorly.

 

[RealBlast3]

I am not denying what the previous poster said who relayed news from Disney servers who informed them that thanks to tips they make $90,000 a year. But I will say that that does fly in the face of every single piece of news reported, official and anecdotal that details the struggles of waiters struggling to get by on tips and low salaries.

Again, not saying it can't possibly be true but that it is a bit of incredible, even fantastical bit of news that I have never heard anyone say about any wait-staff's income in the restaurant business ever. Such a bit of news like that would be easier to believe if there was more corroborating evidence to support it, or even fellow members of this board, particularly those who have worked in Disney who could confirm it.

Otherwise, what I think many of us have always heard our whole lives is that servers do not make anywhere near that salary, in Disney or otherwise, and that tips help them to just get by, not nearly give them a triple figure salary.

 

[gharter]

I think it all depends on where you are a Dining Server. If you have multiple tables and multiple seatings in a very busy Signature Restaurant (where bills are high, so tips could be high as well), that could be very feasible.
If you are working a non-signature, I doubt they would make any where near that.

 

[Lashed34]

Do you think people from outside the U.S (as we are) tend to follow the 15-20% or tend to leave a set sum, maybe $10 as a fixed gratuity?

 

[RealBlast3]

I think it all depends on where you are a Dining Server. If you have multiple tables and multiple seatings in a very busy Signature Restaurant (where bills are high, so tips could be high as well), that could be very feasible.
If you are working a non-signature, I doubt they would make any where near that.

Ok, then, it can be a possibility for a small minority of wait-staff, but then it is hardly a point worth countering the notion that most wait-staff are struggling to make ends meet and can receive meager tips, generally speaking, which to me, is more likely where the majority of wait-staff fall into. Trotting out that rare $90,000 figure income of a few servers in a high-end restaurant does not disprove that waiters in Disney are less likely to make huge tips for all the reasons already mentioned.

 

[crazyash83]

I use to be a server (not at Disney) and I found that I use to tip more before I was a server. I have incredibly high standards now for what I expect in service especially at high-end restaurants. I do not give a tip just because they served me. Tipping is based on the quality of service! I also understand that servers are at the mercy of the kitchen/back of house. If you have a crappy back of house, front of house will definitely feel it and you cannot tell customers that lol soooo servers are left kinda on the battle field

 

[gatour]

I am not denying what the previous poster said who relayed news from Disney servers who informed them that thanks to tips they make $90,000 a year. But I will say that that does fly in the face of every single piece of news reported, official and anecdotal that details the struggles of waiters struggling to get by on tips and low salaries.

Again, not saying it can't possibly be true but that it is a bit of incredible, even fantastical bit of news that I have never heard anyone say about any wait-staff's income in the restaurant business ever. Such a bit of news like that would be easier to believe if there was more corroborating evidence to support it, or even fellow members of this board, particularly those who have worked in Disney who could confirm it.

Otherwise, what I think many of us have always heard our whole lives is that servers do not make anywhere near that salary, in Disney or otherwise, and that tips help them to just get by, not nearly give them a triple figure salary.

I find the figure realistic for Disney signature restaurants. Years ago I read where some NYC servers were making six figure salaries.

Looking at Citricos. Figuring just two people at a table and they spend $150. Server has a section of five tables, and each table turns three times. Server works five days a week and take four weeks off per year. Everyone tips %15, the server would gross $81,000. Of course they will get three and four tops, people will order bottles of wine or at least several glasses of wine/mixed drinks. So $90,000 is easily reachable.

Most servers don't get close to this and some struggle living pay check to paycheck.

 

[Lashed34]

Interesting that people are mentioning signature restaurants where the turnover is far less than a regular one. I understand the bills would be higher per table, but if the server is serving more tables/people in an standard restaurant surely they will earn more?

Albeit they're working harder.

 

[KenHutch]

May I ask, how do you know they're still expecting a large tip? They challenged you on the amount of tip you left?

Either way, what you're doing is, indeed, verbal abuse. Please stop doing this to waitstaff. They are not your children, they are not your underlings, they are not your employees, they are not your servants. If you don't like the service, speak to a manager, lower the tip if you feel you must, but don't think you can try and humiliate people. Trust me when I say that you're the one that ends up looking bad in that situation.

How do I no I have a party of 8 and the mandatory tip alone is large. I was a vry good Marine if I yelled at you, you went above and beyond to rate it. And I do notice a huge difference in some attitudes when I have paid cash and tip is in question.

 

[KenHutch]

Supporting data, please. This appears to be an assumption of opinion - especially if a PP is correct that at least some Disney servers earn in the very high five figures.

No. You are not ever forced to. You choose to. Again, please just stop treating human beings so disgustingly.

While it was the Marines and not civilian there are some Marines still alive today because they learned when I yelled at them.

 

[lovin'fl]

Yeah. One time we went to CG. Party of 4. Our server spent a lot of time with us. Chatting and such. But he only had like 2 tables. The entire place was a tad empty (which is odd considering you can't get an ADR easily). But they don't pack in the signatures. Anyway, our meal was drug out (not by us) for 2.5 hours and then we were told to sit and watch Wishes. Which we hadn't expected since our meal was 2.5 hours before. But it was nice. Though our server didn't have much happening in the 3 hours we were there. I think us and a 2-top. So figure $240 a day in tips. That's more like $62K. Still not bad. But not $90K. Though I imagine the set price places that turn tables over constantly, like Ohana, makes some big $$$. Those guys serve like 4 tables at a time and turn over every 60-90 mins.

 

[TavieP]

How do I no I have a party of 8 and the mandatory tip alone is large. I was a vry good Marine if I yelled at you, you went above and beyond to rate it. And I do notice a huge difference in some attitudes when I have paid cash and tip is in question.

Stahhhhhp yelling at people. Walt Disney World is not the military.

 

[smiths02]

I am not denying what the previous poster said who relayed news from Disney servers who informed them that thanks to tips they make $90,000 a year. But I will say that that does fly in the face of every single piece of news reported, official and anecdotal that details the struggles of waiters struggling to get by on tips and low salaries.

Again, not saying it can't possibly be true but that it is a bit of incredible, even fantastical bit of news that I have never heard anyone say about any wait-staff's income in the restaurant business ever. Such a bit of news like that would be easier to believe if there was more corroborating evidence to support it, or even fellow members of this board, particularly those who have worked in Disney who could confirm it.

Otherwise, what I think many of us have always heard our whole lives is that servers do not make anywhere near that salary, in Disney or otherwise, and that tips help them to just get by, not nearly give them a triple figure salary.

I had a good friend who was a teacher. She made just as much waiting tables at Maggiano's as she did teaching. No, it wasn't $90,000, but I don't think the Boma server makes what the Golden Corral server does or the California Grill server makes what the Waffle House server does.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I was a vry good Marine if I yelled at you, you went above and beyond to rate it.

Hutch
You are no longer an active duty marine. Stop dressing down people for whom you are not in any way responsible.

While it was the Marines and not civilian there are some Marines still alive today because they learned when I yelled at them.

There is not a single restaurant server you have ever encountered as a restaurant server who is still alive today because they learned anything from you, except that you apparently feel it is your right or duty to yell at them if you are dissatisfied in any way.