Well, I am going to try my best to help out with this subject. I have been a "server" for the last 12 years. I started out with menu dining, and now I work just banquet's. The standard gratuity or tip that should be given to a server is 15%. If you feel your server did an average job, 15% is customary. If your server did an excellant job, meaning your food was delivered fast, he or she was very knowledgeable, attentive to your needs, and friendly (but not fake or overly friendly), than the sky is the limit. (I once saw a girl get a $600.00 tip from a group of 12 men). I am not saying that every time a server gives you great service, you should be throwing money at them, however, servers generaly earn an extremely low wage, on average, $2-$3.00 per hour. The tip's and gratuities they receive are their main source of income. If I get great service, I will give a 20% tip, and if it is exceptional, I will give more. You don't have to give a server hundreds of dollars to show them you appreciated the job they did. And remember, just because it may seem a server is not giving you good service, does not always mean the server is doing a poor job. Management may overload them, or a cook may not like them, or they may not have the proper tools, equipment, training, or support to do their job to the fullest. I have personally observed all of these. Sadly, when a cook or management have a negative effect on how a server does, they do not suffer, the server does. If you order a drink and have to wait 15 minutes for it, is it because the server is slow? Or is it because he or she had to wade through a crowd of people, go up 2 flights of stairs, wade through another crowd of people, than wait for the bartender, who is overloaded, to finish serving the group of 15 guys who just came off the golf course and need a drink in their hands immediately, than when he is able to get you what you need, realizes he is out of something, so he than has to wade through a crowd of people, go up 2 flights of stairs, go through the kitchen into the storage area, look for what he needs, get it, go back through the kitchen, down the stairs, through the crowd of people, back behind the bar and than makes your drink. You than are able to take it through the crowd of people, up 2 flights of stairs through the other crowd of people, and deliver the person their drink to the response, "It's about time". What kind of tip do you think that person will give? Hopefully you can now understand what we as servers regularly have to deal with, and yes that happens regularly. But if you order a drink and the server shows up 15 minutes later and their breath smells like they just sucked down a few cigarette's, they probably did, while you waited. (Also happens regularly). So when it comes to tipping, try to use common sense. If they do a great job, let them know with a little more than 15%, it will give them a reason to keep up the good work. I will now climb off my soap box and briefly answer how I tip on the
Disney Cruise.
We give according to the job they do. We've taken 3 Cruises on the Magic and for the most part, gave each of the server's, Asst. Servers, and Room host/hostess $20.00 to $30.00 more than the recommended amount. (Sadly there are some who do not leave any tip, as was apperently the case with a couple who were at our table on our last cruise. I felt so bad for the server (Philip) who is excellant and did so much for them) The first and third head server we mostly saw from a distance, busy working or chatting with the other head servers and managers. However, the second cruise we took we had a Head server named Zouhaier. He was excellant and was everything a head server should be and more, we gave him double what was recommended. (Making it $30.00). (I am sure he appreciated it as he remembered us a year later, when we saw him in his new job as the manager for Palo). I also carry around $1.00 and $2.00 bills for lunch, and hand them out accordinly, if the service is great. If average I hold on to them. The Palo servers- Brunch we gave I believe a $10.00 tip, I think they get part of the Service charge you pay for both Brunch and dinner. The dinner server we had was amazing and we gave her a $25.00 extra tip. (She also remembered us the next year). I do not go overboard and throw money around like it grow's on tree's, but being in the Food and Beverage industry, I know the effort that goes into doing what they do and try to reward good service when I receive it.
