Tipping

[eeyoremom]

I know this could start quite the discussion. I would love to hear from servers who actually work at WDW. We just came back, and I thought the table service meals had gone up by quite a bit in the last few years. We had several meals as a group, so tips were added automatically. Most meals that tip was $40-$50. The servers were waiting on 4-5 tables. We were there about an hour. That would be at least $150 per hour. Do the servers get all of that? or is it split between other people, and if so how? I know none of us make that kind of money. We never go to restaurants that cost as much as those at WDW. We do leave 20% tips for good service, but that is based on $12-$14 meals. That is something like $3 per person, not $6-$7 per person. I'm certainly not saying the servers don't work hard. I'm just questioning the amount of the tip. I really would like to know if there is a split of that money at WDW. Thanks for your opinions.

[DizneyRox]

Yeah, eating at WDW is expensive... I think the tip on many of the TS meals is a little out of whack with reality too. Which is why I won't give a disappointing location a second chance.

Don't forget, that is pre-tax too. They should be paying income tax on that which is why I ALWAYS pay tip on a credit card.

[TysMomTink]

Yes, servers at WDW and other places can do very well. They do indeed report tips to the IRS as a percentage of their sales; restaurants are liable for audit and most will require servers to report appropriately, this will include them compensating for cash tips.

As for prices at WDW, perhaps because I live in a tourist area, I do not find the prices to be out of line with other restaurants. I may be the one person in the world who does not shudder when I see the prices.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

I know in most places, the tip is quite often split. The server receives the bulk, bus "boys" receive some, and if you drank alcohol - the bartender receives some.

Now, I don't know if this is how WDW works.

[DizneyRox]

As for prices at WDW, perhaps because I live in a tourist area, I do not find the prices to be out of line with other restaurants. I may be the one person in the world who does not shudder when I see the prices.
Really? I friend recently came back from a trip, and went to Garden Grill on my suggestion. They reamed me up and down about the $120 bill they got for three people for dinner.

It's the one fairly constant comment I get from people that come back, they can't beleive the cost of eating. Our last trip (over a year and 1/2 ago), we spent about $1100 for 10 days for "three" people. The little one wasn't even three yet, so many meals, he was free. My only saving grace was that the dining plan would have run us over $1300.

[Tygger7]

Really? I friend recently came back from a trip, and went to Garden Grill on my suggestion. They reamed me up and down about the $120 bill they got for three people for dinner.

It's the one fairly constant comment I get from people that come back, they can't beleive the cost of eating. Our last trip (over a year and 1/2 ago), we spent about $1100 for 10 days for "three" people. The little one wasn't even three yet, so many meals, he was free. My only saving grace was that the dining plan would have run us over $1300.

Apparently, those people have never been to Cedar Point. :D WDW is more expensive, but compared to other amusement parks, they're on the low end of the scale. The parks up north have limited operating seasons, so they have to charge more whey they are open. I just don't like it because I don't do big thrill rides, so it's a complete waste for me.

[renecat]

WDW dinning may be a little bit higher then off poperty dinning but I think thats just about anywhere with a captive audience so to speak.
Also we splurge a little more when we are on vacation then at home dinning out. WE normally don't get appetizers or dessert when we go out at home. This also raises your total bill. I tip 20% with good service so yes at times our tip at WDW is hefty. We just plan for this before we go. Part of our vacation experiance is the dinning. Especially at WDW they have some great places to eat.

[PETE FROM NYC]

I agree that WDW dining, and automatic tipping are getting out of hand.
A tip is supposed to be a reward for good service. A forced gratuity of 18% for six or more is nothing but a surcharge, and does nothing to ensure decent service.
Yes, we have had great servers, but have also had some that were pitiful. And a forced gratuity is an insult to the patron in those cases.
As far as WDW dining being that great, not in my taste. They try to do everything fancy, and charge too much for anything. With few exceptions, I prefer CS because the simpler foods are harder to mess up.
Here are a few examples:
I am a fisherman, but I have not seen anything appetizing at Coral Reef.
I am of Italian descent, and what WDW calls Italian cuisine, I call garbage. Tourist food at its worst.

[CanadaLovesDisney]

Tips generally get split between hostesses, bus boys/girls, servers, bartenders then back of house staff which includes line cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, sometimes also management. The server usually only receives a portion. And if you get no tip on a table often times servers are still expected to give the restaurant their tip % on that bill.

It's a rough job. I have seen servers abused by guests on a few occasions in WDW. Some people have no respect. So for the most part they deserve it. Therefore we budget good tips into our trip planning.
Of course eating in Disney is more expensive. That should come as a shock to no one! But it's well worth it in our opinion!

[TheRustyScupper]

About once-per-year I get the chance to expound,
or at least offer my opinions on tipping. This comes
from someone who has financial interest in two eateries,
. . . a breakfast/lunch (5:00am-3:00pm) "diner"
. . . a fine dining (5:00pm-1:00am) restaurant

1) We do not automatically tip any percentage.
2) At an average-priced (eg. Applebee's) eatery:
. . . poor service gets 0%-10%
. . . good/average service gets about 15%
. . . great service gets about 18%
. . . we assume tips are divided among other staff
. . . all should share in service levels
3) However, we temper this with the eatery type:
. . . diner: about 10%, 15%-20%, 25%-30%
. . . average: about 5%, 12%-15%, 18%-20%
. . . fine dining: about 2%, 10%-12%, 15%-18%
4) We take into account the waiter's work:
. . . table appearance
. . . promptness
. . . amount of work
. . . attentiveness
. . . pleasantness
. . . proper order fulfillment
5) Pay should depend upon the job, not the check size.
6) Example for a table of four:
. . . average service earns $150 at Ruth Chris
. . . average service earns $65 at Applebee's
. . . average service earns $20 at a diner
7) Is it fair to reward "average" based upon the check?
. . . the workload is about the same
. . . the weight of a plate is about the same
. . . the amount of beverage refills can be the same
. . . the labor to clear the table can be the same
. . . the hectic diner could mean more "running"

[disneynarula]

It is very rare that we get service so bad that I don't want to leave a tip. In that case I would talk to the manager and try to get it resolved that way. I am sure a manager would want to know if someone was not living up to the magic.

I think the 17% automatic tip is crazy at the buffets. Service for drink refills should be less.
I understand that there are servers at the meat stations, etc. The buffets are really expensive as it is so the workers should get paid from that money.

I do get annoyed when there is a automatic tip applied on parties of five or more when one of the five is and infant. That happened to us last trip. Our youngest was eight months old and still eating jar food yet we were charged for a party of six.

I miss the dining plan with the tip included.

[DizneyRox]

Our youngest was eight months old and still eating jar food yet we were charged for a party of six.

Actually, you were only charged for a party of 5, unless you ordered something for the infant. Automatic gratuity amount is only based on the billed amout, not the number of people. It is applied based on the head count, but the amount is only based on was is ordered.

[disneynarula]

No... we were at a buffet and they added the gratuity for us automatically because we were a "large" party. I would never leave a 17% tip at a buffet. The server was very rude and I had to contact a member of management to have it taken off. In general I am a generous tipper but 17% at a buffet that is already overpriced is too much.

[disneynarula]

We also tend to just opt not to get the dessert if we aren't hungry for it. Even though it is tempting to get it because it is "free" with the dining plan it increases the price of the bill and that increases the price of the tip percentage. I won't not get the dessert to save money on the tip but sometimes I'm just too full for it.

[DizneyRox]

I understand what you're saying, YES, you were charged an automatic gratiuity, BUT you were only charged 17% of the total bill, which was probably 5 people's meals. Again, unless you ordered something for the infant.

Auto gratuity (or the gratuity surcharge as I like to call it) is triggered by head count, but only based on what is actually ordered. 17% of 0 is 0. The bill for the infant was probably 0.0.

If you're saying that you were billed for an infant meal at a buffet, then that is another problem.

I also agree that 18% for a buffet is obsurd. Espectially when some of them are close to $40 pp.

[EeyoresBestFriend]

As for prices at WDW, perhaps because I live in a tourist area, I do not find the prices to be out of line with other restaurants. I may be the one person in the world who does not shudder when I see the prices.

I'm in the same boat that you are. I find the prices to be fine for the type of dining being offered(we also live in a tourist area). When we went to New Orleans last year,and Las Vegas (on the strip) the time before that, I found that their restaurant prices to make WDW look positively reasonable!

For the record, DH and I have no problem paying for good dining, which we find at WDW.

[Kenny1113]

Yes Vegas is $$$ !!!!

To the fisherman- Im with you, I am picky about where I order seafood. I made the mistake off ordering seafood at coral reef. Never again.

To all of those who have had bad service with an automatic gratuity added. I'd the service is that bad and you can provided legitimate examples, most establishments will remove or adjust the percentage.


To the OP, usually (I stress usually) in finer ($$$) establishments the servers do have to work harder to provide service on match with the price of the meal. And usually have less tables assigned to them than casual establishments. I also hold them to a higher standard.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Just wanted to chime in that on our last trip we had such good service I typically tipped 22 to 28%. I plan in my tips just like I plan in all my other trip expenses so I don't have a problem tipping well for good service while on vacation.

As far as the automatic gratuity, I always disagreed with this because you are stuck even if you have bad service. On the other hand, if a server works very hard and gives a lot of her time to a large table and then gets nothing I can see why they would prefer automatic gratuity for larger parties...

[Butters]

I agree with most of you that buffet tipping should be a different standard.... What do most of you tip at a buffet? We typically give about $3 pp....

We are usually around 18 - 20% at table service

[Mickey'sGirl]

We tip the same whether we are at a buffet or a full service restaurant. The servers are still clearing our plates (and in the case of our 13 year old son, lots of plates), and refilling our beverages.

[ElenitaB]

On the other hand, if a server works very hard and gives a lot of her time to a large table and then gets nothing I can see why they would prefer automatic gratuity for larger parties...
Having worked as a waitress while in grad school, I can tell you that I often would get stiffed (and not just me) and not because of bad service, but because we had many foreign diners at our establishment (a well-known hotel in San Diego... not the Hotel Del Coronado though). The concept of tipping is apparently quite different in parts of Europe and Japan. Considering that many tourists from abroad frequent Disney World, I can understand why the waitstaff negotiated the automatic gratuity.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Having worked as a waitress while in grad school, I can tell you that I often would get stiffed (and not just me) and not because of bad service, but because we had many foreign diners at our establishment (a well-known hotel in San Diego... not the Hotel Del Coronado though). The concept of tipping is apparently quite different in parts of Europe and Japan. Considering that many tourists from abroad frequent Disney World, I can understand why the waitstaff negotiated the automatic gratuity.

Did not consider that...good point