18% tip required for parties of six or more.

[Speedy1998]

Just got, back from Disney today, and I ran into what seems to be a new tipping policy while I was there (I checked on all of the menus and not all of them have been changed yet). Disney is now including a 18% tip for parties of six or more. This is at all TS restaurants reguardless of weather it is a buffet, family stlye, or order off the menu type.

[DreamFinder2]

There are still a few "independently owned" restaurants, like Cali Grill, where the 18% for large parties is at the server's discretion...I know this because we just talked to our server about it last week :secret:.

Interesting, though, if WDW is REQUIRING it.

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

You should be able to adjust it even if it's on there.

If you change it, put your initials next to and sign the slip they can't charge more than you approved. If they do, you can dispute the charge.

This is at least true in TN.

[Dakota Rose]

Even at buffet restaurants? That doesn't seem right...

[McGoofy]

Yeah, we did a few TS back in February with a party of seven. When we made the reservations prior to going, we were told at that time that there would be an 18% gratuity charged automatically. We ate at Le Cellier, Hollywood & Vine (buffet), Tony's, Coral Reef @ Living Seas, and breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe.

[playdead88]

18% auto grat is pretty standard no matter where you go for parties of 6 or more - which is still under 20% and i think 18% is tipping etiquette these days :thumbsup:

[merlinmagic4]

The CM told me the same thing when I was trying to make ADRs for our April trip. It's okay.....it will actually save me money because I am an overtipper.

[KylesMom]

You should be able to adjust it even if it's on there.

If you change it, put your initials next to and sign the slip they can't charge more than you approved. If they do, you can dispute the charge.
If it is Disney's policy to charge 18% gratuity for groups of 6 or more, you will not be able to get away with changing the total price - unless you get a manager involved and have them remove it due to poor service, etcetera.

This would be akin to changing the total of an item you bought in the gift shop because you thought it was only worth $5 instead of $10. Their policy is even quoted on the Disney World website:
An automatic 18% gratuity charge will be added to your bill for parties of 6 or more.

I am sure it is (or will be) indicated in very fine print on all applicable menus and in the folio they utilize to bring your bill to you.

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

If it is Disney's policy to charge 18% gratuity for groups of 6 or more, you will not be able to get away with changing the total price - unless you get a manager involved and have them remove it due to poor service, etcetera.

This would be akin to changing the total of an item you bought in the gift shop because you thought it was only worth $5 instead of $10. Their policy is even quoted on the Disney World website:

I am sure it is (or will be) indicated in very fine print on all applicable menus and in the folio they utilize to bring your bill to you.

Like I said this is true in TN.

I've worked for 4 restaurants here in Nashville and all of them stated on the menu 8 or more automatic gratuity but you can't force people to pay gratuity. If they changed the tip amount you had to charge what tip amount they wrote. It would be credit card fraud to not do so. I saw this occur first hand....the server lost their job.

Most people just don't know that they can change it.

[momof3+twins]

I'm also an overtipper (so is my husband). So, it is great for me. We will always be charged 18% since we are a family of 7. Charge me 18%, I usually tip alot more at disney!!! Saving money sounds GREAT!!

[peemagg]

Before we went in January, when I heard about this change, I called and asked about if that would also count for us. Our party consisted of 5 adults and 3 infants. Even though the infants ate off of our plates they still charged us as a party of 8. I was told that that would not be the case for us even though it obviously was.

[Speedy1998]

Even at buffet restaurants? That doesn't seem right...

Yep!!

First place we ate was Chef Mickey, and that's where we found out about the policy.

[Speedy1998]

I am sure it is (or will be) indicated in very fine print on all applicable menus and in the folio they utilize to bring your bill to you.

It was already on most menus, and the ones that it was not on, the hostess was sure to tell us when we checked in that our party of 6 was going to be charge the gratuiyy.

[Dakota Rose]

Well we might eliminate the buffet restaurants from our itineraries then. We always tip when we eat at a buffet, but I don't see how 18% for buffet service is fair.

[MMouse6937]

So how does this work with the dining plan? I know you have to pay for the gratuity now, but do they just automatically add it on and hand you a bill for the 18% tip? I don't really care as we will probably tip that much anyways, but I'm just wondering how it's going to work with the dining credits and receipts and such. Thanks for the info! :)

[McGoofy]

So how does this work with the dining plan? I know you have to pay for the gratuity now, but do they just automatically add it on and hand you a bill for the 18% tip? I don't really care as we will probably tip that much anyways, but I'm just wondering how it's going to work with the dining credits and receipts and such. Thanks for the info! :)

You got it. You will just get a bill with the tip and anything extra that you may order such as appetizers, alcoholic drinks, etc... On that receipt it will also show you how many TS credits you have remaining. You can pay the bill with cash, credit card, or room charge (if you put a credit card on your room card).

[aurora, ariel, and bell]

We are going with a party of 7. Two families and two rooms. Can we get the gratuity listed per family? Just to save us the problem of figuring out who owes what? (:confused:I know it will still be 18%) Same thing for drinks, appitizers etc?
I don't want the other couple to be stuck with part of my expenses:mickey:

[katzctkpt]

I do not agree with an automatic tip of 18% for parties of 6 or more. The waiter/tress tips imo is based on their service to the table. We've had some that have gone above the call of duty and some that just was down right awful. When we have an awesome server we normally leave 20% if it's average 18% then when it's poor just depending on how poor they get a lot less. We had one that didn't even come to the table for 20 min after sitting us with no menus so we could at least look then after she finally came she wanted to know what we wanted and we were like we'd like to see a menu then she huffed off after that we ordered and finished and waited another 20 minutes for the check no drink refills or even how was your food? So she got the ultimate tip. 1 cent... Oh, this didn't happen on Disney property.

[bleukarma]

We are going with a party of 7. Two families and two rooms. Can we get the gratuity listed per family? Just to save us the problem of figuring out who owes what? (:confused:I know it will still be 18%) Same thing for drinks, appitizers etc?
I don't want the other couple to be stuck with part of my expenses:mickey:

It’s listed on the bottom of each receipt. I went to the House of Blues last week with a party of 6 and we had 3 different people in our party paying. Each receipt had 18% added, per the amount that was on the receipt. So…I payed for myself so I only paid 18% of my meal only. The people that paid for other peoples meals had 18% of their total price added.

None of us saw it listed anywhere in the House of Blues and when we got our receipts we were actually kind of upset. I am usually an overtipper, but time around we received the worse service anywhere….in or out of Disney. It was so bad we were going to talk to a manager but we couldn’t get any help to actually get a manager. By the time the receipts came around we just wanted to pay and get out of there. Again, I am usually one that leaves at least 20% but this server didn’t deserve the 18. But…policy is policy I guess.

[Dakota Rose]

I don't mind the requirement for TS restaurants, as it's common at most restaurants Disney or not, but for buffet-style restaurants....ugh.

In our group, there will be 4 adults, 1 child and a 6-month-old infant who obviously won't be ordering from the menu. Does this make us a group of 6? It shouldn't...

[Wayne]

I went to the House of Blues last week...

FYI: House of Blues, while located in Downtown Disney is NOT a Disney Restaurant.

[javamama]

I don't have an issue w/the 18% we usually tip 20% minimum in Chicago for good service. Here's my question though we have a party of 10, in a few places they have us in 2 tables of 6 and 4 or 5 and 5 is it still considered a party of 10 then?

[bleukarma]

FYI: House of Blues, while located in Downtown Disney is NOT a Disney Restaurant.

No, it isn't, but they still added on 18% tip to our bill. :mickey:

[NJGIRL]

I have no problem with that policy since I tip 20% on all meals even buffets. MY only problem would be remembering not to tip on top on the tip:blush:

[Floridian Yeti]

I think the 18% policy for larger parties is ok, with two reservations (no pun intended!).

1. If your service is poor, you should be able to contest the charge, and I would do so with the manager on duty.

2. I agree with many of you that 18% is steep for most buffets, unless they involve a lot of personalized interaction (chefs on the floor, custom preparation, etc.), and that is not the case at many (most?) buffets at WDW. (I'm not talking about some guy sawing away at a steamship round of beef)

As an ex-server, long ago, I do understand the rationale behind this new policy. Trust me, there are more than a few folks who think that a $10 tip is appropriate for a $70 check...and for a $200 tab as well.