How much for the tips?

[DANAM]

I was wondering about two things. People that have done the new DDP, what was your average tip per day? We will be there 7 nights. I figured $20 a day for the TS tips for 2 adults and 2 kids. Assuming our average meal would be $100.
My other question is about buffets. I have worked in the industry for years and this has always been my issue. We always leave the standard 18% tip. If service is horrible, we see you to take our order and that's it, 10% but never less. We have also been known to leave extra tip before on DDP but what about buffets? Does everyone leave 18%? I will be honest we normally do $1 or $2 per person which works out to be about 15% normally, but in Disney I am not sure. What do ya'll think?

[SBETigg]

For decent service at a table service restaurant, buffet or not, I would stick to 15-20 % per meal for tips. We usually tip 20 %, depending, but 18 % is a good happy medium.

[Jared]

I don't tip more at Walt Disney World than I do at home, which is usually 15 percent, unless the service warrants otherwise. The same goes for buffets. I often take flack on the boards for not tipping enough, but I was taught 15 percent is the proper amount, and I am comfortable with that rule.

[wendy*darling]

I will be honest we normally do $1 or $2 per person which works out to be about 15% normally, but in Disney I am not sure. What do ya'll think?
I would not be comfortable with this amount. Considering that an average dinner buffet is between $25-28 per adult and $12 per child. That would be less than 10%.
I agree that buffet servers deserve the same tip as menu restaurants. I think sometimes they work even harder- if you have a family that gets up and down for many platesful of food- that's a lot of checking and clearing to do. Plus drink refills.
So if you have a server who is on the ball and keeps your table neat and your glasses full- I would tip closer to 20% of your total bill. 18% is a nice middle ground too.

[Polynesian Dweller]

You really can't (and shouldn't) think of tipping in per day or per person figures. You are paying someone for the level of service they have given you for the meal and that should be thought of in terms of a percentage of the bill for that meal. The percentage that you leave is based on how good the service was in your estimation.

As with Jared I was taught 15% growing up, and that's still an Ok level, but the standard service amount has been drifiting upward in the last few years and seems to be 18% now. If service is really good then 20% would be in order and if its poor something under 15% is in order. Zero is rarely ever appropriate.

By the way, tip is usually calculated on the PRE-tax amount of the bill.