Where you given bad service?

[shellybaxter]

So on the DDE, which if I understand correctly, is a 20% discount, they automatically add back in an 18% tip?
I can see why they do that in a large group as it "takes up the wait persons time to wait such a large group", but in a smaller group that amazes me!

I believe the rationale that was rumored was that those with the DDE cards were consistantly tipping on the discounted amount which is not what is expected so they added the autogratuity. The card still saves you 20% unless you were consistantly tipping less than 18% or on the discounted amount when using the card prior to the change

 

[StrwLady]

I was at Prime Time Cafe Saturday. While the service was not horrible it was a little lacking so I had intended to tip 15% (for good service I pretty much tip 20% now). Then when the waiter brought me the bill he said "and you know gratuity is no longer included in the dining plan". Of course I already knew and if I hadn't, it was printed on the receipt! At that point this was my 6th table service for the trip. Not one of the waiters mentioned that to me. I don't take kindly to a waiter basically asking for a tip (you know like the ones that say do you need change when you have $40 on the table for oh maybe a $22 bill!!! ) so at that point his tip went from 15% to 10%. I should have written on the bill "yes I know that gratuity is not included. And since you mentioned that to me 5% more gratuity is not included in your tip"

 

[Tricia1972]

Personaly I don't think that bad service has to do with the DDP in 2007 (and before) or the auto gratuity with DDE and parties of 6 and more. I think that some servers just aren't as good as others.

That being said - we had bad service at:

Kona Cafe - Waitress spent our entire meal chatting with the table behind us about 'back home' as they were all from the same state. We had to chase her down for refills, the check and everything.

Les Chefs de France - rude service from the man who seated us and refused to bring a new high chair as ours was broken to our server who treated us rudely, was slow, didn't get refills and was just unpleasant.

WCC - Our server was invisible here

Chef Mickey's - Another case here servers are given an invisibility cloak. No refills on drinks without asking, dirty plates piled up. Not just for one meal - for both of our meals here, though our breakfast server was slightly better than our dinner server.

Capt'n Jack's - Had to order our entire meal when we sat down, server rushed us through the first half of the meal. When she brought the check she complained about the DDP and how she wouldn't get the proper tips in 2008. How she couldn't afford to work there and live beginning in 2008 and how cheap people are when tipping - that nobody would tip $40 on a $200 bill, and the change of teh DDP would be the end of good service in Disney.

Boma - slow and invisible server fore both breakfast and for dinner. one time on DDP and another with a small group so no auto gratuity.

Crystal Palace Dinner - rude male server, Crystal Palace Lunch - AMAZINGLY wonderful female server.




(Because I feel bad - we had good to great service at Victoria & Albert's, LeCellier twice, Mama Melrose - twice for dinner, 50's PTC, Liberty Tree Tavern, Narcoosee's, Jiko - twice for dinner, and Beaches and Cream as well as our great server from Crystal Palace for Lunch)

 

[patsal]

We travel to Disney a lot. That said, we have used cash, DDE, DDP, and a combo of DDP with DDE.
I have had lousy service with DDP at Whispering Canyon (2006), 'Ohana (2007) and Garden Grill (12/2005), 7/2006 Coral Reef
I have had lousy service with just DDE San Angel (7/2005), Kona(7/2005)
I have had lousy serivce on OOP with no discount at Jiko(2008)

In fairness I think it is luck of the draw with servers since on other trips I've had the best service ever on DDP (2006) at 'Ohana, 2005 DDE Jiko, OOP 9/2007 Kona,7/2005 Coral Reef DDE

 

[Lzylitnin]

We had poor service twice in Nov/Dec of '07 on the DDP.

Once at Le Cellier. Our waitress never refilled our drinks. We asked her repeatedly for refills. We saw her several times throughout the meal, and waiting on others, but she would always just smile as say "Sure, I"ll be right back with those". Our drinks were finally refilled as we were finishing dessert.

The next time was at Narcoossee's. I was really looking forward to this meal. It was our last meal after a 14 day vacation, and somewhat of a celebration. I ordered the surf & turf, filet prepared medium well. The steak was raw. VERY red and bloody. No meat texture at all. My husband compared it to his rare steak he had at Kona a couple of nights before. It was also grisly, fatty, poor quality/cut of steak. The lobster was rubbery, very overcooked, and the potatoes were burnt. And where was our waiter for me to voice my displeasure? Good question. We didn't see him again until time to order dessert. We had even got the attention of another waiter and asked her to find ours for us. Our drinks were not refilled. We were never checked on to see if our food was OK, nothing. We were able to locate a manager and complain, but what could they do? Give us back our dining credits? We were leaving early the next morning and would have never used them anyway. I just felt like they totally blew us off, manager included. They did comp my drink. (mediocre Mojito) They will not see my smiling face there EVER again.

Needless to say, I am happy the tips are not included this year, as the wait staff will HAVE to do their job, not just ignore those that have the tip included. We usually tip 20% or more for great service. We had fantastic service on that same trip at Flying Fish, and left an additional tip for the fantastic service we received.

 

[Lady V]

I was at Prime Time Cafe Saturday. While the service was not horrible it was a little lacking so I had intended to tip 15% (for good service I pretty much tip 20% now). Then when the waiter brought me the bill he said "and you know gratuity is no longer included in the dining plan". Of course I already knew and if I hadn't, it was printed on the receipt! At that point this was my 6th table service for the trip. Not one of the waiters mentioned that to me. I don't take kindly to a waiter basically asking for a tip (you know like the ones that say do you need change when you have $40 on the table for oh maybe a $22 bill!!! ) so at that point his tip went from 15% to 10%. I should have written on the bill "yes I know that gratuity is not included. And since you mentioned that to me 5% more gratuity is not included in your tip"

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I don't think the server did anything wrong.--most people on the plan do not frequent these boards and they probably are telling people so that they know it has changed. I think the way he said it was fine.

 

[shyjade]

Boma & Sci-Fi (both were during free dining back when the gratuity was included). We haven't been back to either place since, it was that bad.

 

[Brian Noble]

I've had anywhere from adequate to darn good service---with and without DDE, large parties and small. Never DDP.

 

[abk96]

Was a thing we experienced at Alfredo's each and everytime we dined there.Have not tried the new place now since Alfredo's was closed and reopened under another name. Danny

I agree with that. But we have dined at Tutto and loved the food and the service was great.

Raglan Road was a nightmare for us back in July 07. Haven't been there since. We practically had to beg for the bread and dip. But our server knew she was getting her tip so it was no sweat off her brow.

 

[Island Mouse]

I should have written on the bill "yes I know that gratuity is not included. And since you mentioned that to me 5% more gratuity is not included in your tip"

This cracked me up. With the new changes with the DDP I can understand the server mentioning that the tip is no longer included, but your statement really had me LOL.

 

[suzimar57]

only once - at brown derby

not exactly bad service entirely though....

DH and i went there for dinner - i had crab cake, cobb salad and grapefruit cake

DH had water (he hated the menu - and told the waiter as much )

the waiter took away all his utensils, leaving him there without so much as a napkin

me, i was nice to the waiter - who couldn't have been nicer to me (while he scowled at DH - yes, i noticed that look!)

so technically, i had great service, DH was ignored, and a lesson learned:

in the future, i'm dining there alone.

DH can just go ride RnRC repeatedly by himself.

 

[StrwLady]

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I don't think the server did anything wrong.--most people on the plan do not frequent these boards and they probably are telling people so that they know it has changed. I think the way he said it was fine.

Across the bottom of the receipt in all caps says that gratuity is not included in the dining plan. So a person doesn't need to frequent the boards to see that.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We were there March/April for 8 nights and ate at alot of TS breakfast and dinner places and had DDE. The only off service was at Chefs De France, it wasnt bad but it was hard to get drink refills.