Wittnessed a Small Human Drama at Le Chefs.

[MBELSANTI]

We have done this many times, although not with $5..more like $20. On cruises sitting at pool bar, the bartenders make sure your drinks aren't watered down if you know what I mean! It works!

 

[CharmedLife]

This post relates to my thoughts on leaving tips to mousekeeping. I've heard of families receiving no added touches by mousekeeping having left no tip, and then families who had who are greeted with quite a few. I'm eager to see surprises left by mousekeeping during my July vacation but I'm curious as to wether they will leave any "towel swans" or other creative gestures if I don't tip. I will at the end of the vacation if I think they did a good job but otherwise, is tipping prior to your judgement of the service appropriate?

The only problem with tipping Mousekeeping at the end of your trip is that there may be different people in your room over the course of the week. I would hope that even maids at Disney get at least one day off during the week. So the person who collects the tip from your whole vacation, may not be the one who was cleaning your room the whole time.

We usually leave a tip on a daily basis for the housekeeper, and since it's based on what they're ABOUT to do, I suppose you could say it's like tipping in advance, although I've never really thought about it that way. I don't do it to guarantee myself towel animals or anything else, but I do think you probably get a little better service for it, and the same might go in a restaurant. Although, as a frequent diner and former waitress, I've NEVER seen someone tip the server before the meal starts. I guess things just aren't done that way here in the northwoods of Wisconsin...

$80K? Boy, did I pick the wrong profession (engineering). Maybe I can get a job at Disney...

 

[boldlyreal]

Haven't you seen My Blue Heaven..it is the way of the "family" (sticking my finger to the side of my nose) hehe just joking.

 

[Jaime]

This post relates to my thoughts on leaving tips to mousekeeping. I've heard of families receiving no added touches by mousekeeping having left no tip, and then families who had who are greeted with quite a few. I'm eager to see surprises left by mousekeeping during my July vacation but I'm curious as to wether they will leave any "towel swans" or other creative gestures if I don't tip. I will at the end of the vacation if I think they did a good job but otherwise, is tipping prior to your judgement of the service appropriate?

I always tip housekeeping...and have never gotten towel animals in any hotel I have ever stayed in. If they do just the work they are hired to do they work very hard and I feel anyone who makes my bed and cleans my toliet deserves a little something. But that just me. We tip every night and not at the end because house keeping staff usually changes during our stay.

I never even thought about giving money at a restaurant before I was served...I have seen this done at bars though.

 

[reginaastralis]

As a server, though not at Disney yet, I've only been tipped before hand by a dirty old man who didn't want an "unmentionable" to steal my tip. This guy may be why I would be slightly put off if someone tipped me before hand.

Listen, your server is going to be bad or good whether you tip before hand or not. I make sure my guests are well taken care of, and it pays off in the end ... but I just couldn't imagine how I would feel *as a server* to have someone wave money in my face. Maybe it's just me, but I've been serving since I was 15 and I would just be insulted.

And I think I need to just move to Disney already. 80k ... jeesh!

 

[KKB]

When we went and were on the dining plan, we always told the waiter up front that we tipped extra. We said it in a semi-joking way, but made sure they knew we meant it. I was fearful of not getting good service since we were on the plan, so an extra $5 for each table service meal was worth it. Plus, I feel sorry for the staff as they have to wait to get their tips from those on the plan. Service staff make so little hourly that those tips are important to their income.

In fact, it was a waiter at Capt. Jacks...

He said that they LOVE DDP...better, more consistent tips. Come to think of it, since one of DDPs goals (for WDW) is to get people IN the TS restaurants/keep them onsite, TS should be busier than in the past.

I am all about tipping extra for good service...but that IS their job...I shouldn't have to bribe them...but I suppose that most DON't tip extra, so the CM may figure, what is the point? But I'll say it again...18% is a NICE tip.
I have waitressed. You are THRILLED if EVERYONE tips 15% (they don't...), so a consistent 18% is awesome! (I usually tip 15%, 20% for EXCEPTIONAL service) On our last cruise, we tipped our steward, head waiter & waiter and extra tip ON TOP of the auto-tip...because they CHOSE to give us exemplary service, not because I bribed them....

WDW prides itself on ALL its CMs knowing that SERVICE is their utmost goal.

 

[KCMiller]

I've only 'pretipped' at WDW once - it was on NYE, and we had a 7:45 ADR at Rose and Crown. Knowing full well that we were going to sit until the fireworks (along with everyone else out there - don't bother flaming, EVERYONE does this on NYE), I calculated how many 'turns' of the table we were taking up (3, by my count), calculated what the check total would have been for each turn (it was myself, my DH and my DS, 9 at the time, so with drinks, about $100 per turn - not that we spent near that much, but that's what full dinners would have cost), and when our server FINALLY made it to our table, I gave her the full 3 turn 20% tip amount (mistake number one), telling her that this was the tip on what she would have made for 3 different 'turns', but that we'd be staying all night, I wanted to make sure she was taken care of, and that we were in no hurry (mistake number two). She took us completely at our word. We waited ages for our first drink, over an hour for her to come back and ask if we wanted to order any food, and then she vanished. After 2 hours, we had to go track down the manager to get another drink (who, to her credit, comped us the drink, and swore under her breath about the server). Service did not improve - I would say we saw her maybe 4 times in the entire time we were there. We decided to make the best of it, anyway. Oh, she was all over us from 12:05 onwards - charming as all get out - I guess maybe she thought I had forgotten that I gave her $60 on the way IN the door . . . .

I did it that way to make sure that the server didn't think they would get stiffed at the end of the evening - and ended up with the worst service I've ever gotten. But I'd do it again - I choose to believe that it was the server at fault, not the method. Another server might have been pleased to receive a guaranteed tip, and most likely would have received an additional bump on top of the up front cash. Ah, well.


KC

 

[PrincessV]

Speaking as a former server... I never received a "pre-tip" at family-style restaurants, but frequently did in fine dining. I was never offended, as it was given with a smile and usually a special request such as "We'll liekey be here quite some time tonight", or "We're celebrating - please keep the wine replenished throughout our meal." And yes, it led to an even bigger end-of-the-meal tip every time, so I'd call it incentive!

 

[engle]

why we don't tip prior to receiving service? The word TIPS stands for TO INSURE PROPER SERVICE....wouldn't this imply giving the money BEFORE the service?? Just thoughts...not that I ever do this or would consider it even.

 

[webray]

We have always had fantastic service at Le Chefs, without paying up front for it, lol.

That guy was either trying to impress somebody, or knew someone in his party was going to be a pain..he was over compensating for something.
He could have left a generous tip at the end of the dinner.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

My Grandpa used to tip in quarters. Talk about embarassing. And 4 quarters was the maximum and they'd better do a good job to get that.

Ok, back to topic. My Great Uncle who we visited as a child in Florida often tipped the hostess for priority seating/ speedy seating, but I don't believe he ever tipped the waiter before a meal. He would usually let them know what he expected and tipped generously in the end. I think he supposed the hostess would let the waiter know what was in store for good service.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Found this interesting:

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.htm

The idea of gratuities based on a percentage of the food costs is intriguing. Who's to say that the service was better for a $50/pp meal than a $15/pp meal? I guess the assumption is that you'll get more attentive and professional service at a 5-star gourmet dining room than at IHOP, but I've had some terrific servers at Cracker Barrel who were more cheerful, more competent, and overall more helpful than a waiter at a visit in February to a Morton's.

I know we all have bad days, including waiters and waitresses. I just wish there was a non-arbitrary way to level the playing field, regardless of the dining venue.

 

[Humphrey Bear]

My Grandpa used to tip in quarters. Talk about embarassing. And 4 quarters was the maximum and they'd better do a good job to get that.

Ok, back to topic. My Great Uncle who we visited as a child in Florida often tipped the hostess for priority seating/ speedy seating, but I don't believe he ever tipped the waiter before a meal. He would usually let them know what he expected and tipped generously in the end. I think he supposed the hostess would let the waiter know what was in store for good service.

I had a friend in college that would do the quarters thing. He would put little piles of quarters on the table and slowly remove them one or two at a time if the service was slow or mistakes were made. To make it even worse, he would do it in front of the staff! I was shocked and was afraid to even eat the food. I just hoped that they only did something to his food. After the meal I apologized to the waitress and tipped her accordingly.

The funniest thing was how quickly he changed when he started dating a waitress!

 

[ufgator]

This post relates to my thoughts on leaving tips to mousekeeping. I've heard of families receiving no added touches by mousekeeping having left no tip, and then families who had who are greeted with quite a few. I'm eager to see surprises left by mousekeeping during my July vacation but I'm curious as to wether they will leave any "towel swans" or other creative gestures if I don't tip. I will at the end of the vacation if I think they did a good job but otherwise, is tipping prior to your judgement of the service appropriate?

The only resort we've ever gotten towel animals is POR. Tipping doesn't make any difference. We try to tip (but sometimes we forget).

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) We have gone to some very high-priced eateries.
2) I like to tell the waiter, "20% tips come from fawning.".
3) We ALWAYS get top-notch service.

 

[wilde_oscar]

ok, tipping before hand I get, in most of the world it is just how it is done. The 18% ddp tip is a good tip... but what if ya get poor service, has anyone had that tip removed from the bill?

 

[disneystick]

My husband and I ate at Chef de France this past Thanksgiving and recieved just as good service without having to tip the $5.00 in advance.

 

[bradk]

I had a friend in college that would do the quarters thing. He would put little piles of quarters on the table and slowly remove them one or two at a time if the service was slow or mistakes were made.

poor man's version of vince vaughn's character in made.

 

[tiki23]

1) We have gone to some very high-priced eateries.
2) I like to tell the waiter, "20% tips come from fawning.".
3) We ALWAYS get top-notch service.

Love it!