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ANG
10-15-2012, 01:35 PM
My mother and stepfather are joining us for most of our dining so I had to make the ADRs for 6 people. This puts us at the automatic 18% tip.

But she plans to get a separate check for them each time. Does the 18% still apply?

Strmchsr
10-15-2012, 01:57 PM
Yep. They just apply the 18% to both checks.

Gator
10-15-2012, 03:28 PM
That was my experience on our last trip in 2011. My parents were with us but had their own DDP. We had 18% for each meal they were with us.

ibelieveindisneymagic
10-15-2012, 04:44 PM
Yep, that is how it is handled ... 18% on each of the separate checks. ;)

Although, even with the automatic tip (either in the early DDP days, or as part of a group), I've still had great service, so I don't even worry about it anymore.

ANG
10-15-2012, 07:06 PM
See now when I made the ADRs, I was told I had to count our DS2 (who is only 1 and is not on the dining plan). But if we aren't paying for him, does our group count as 5 instead?

DizneyRox
10-15-2012, 07:55 PM
See now when I made the ADRs, I was told I had to count our DS2 (who is only 1 and is not on the dining plan). But if we aren't paying for him, does our group count as 5 instead?
Negative ghost rider... You count heads at the table, regardless of if they are eating. Even a little one takes up floor space.

18% of what the 5 of you eat will be added to the bill, split any way you Ike it, but it will be there...

anneo
10-16-2012, 11:49 AM
We went in March with my parents, and our boys were 5 months and 2 at the time, and even though only 4 of us ate, our boys bumped us up to the table of 6 category and the 18% tip.

#1donaldfan
10-16-2012, 12:58 PM
I was going to answer yes, that the 18% counts, then saw about the 2 yr old ??? I didn't know that Disney would count the non-eater as part of the tip percentage. WOW !! I never mind paying a GREAT tip for GREAT service, but the bar goes down as the service goes down. I don't like being held to a standard rate. However at Disney I have no problems, so far, as (for the most part) I have had great food, service and atmosphere....so paying a big tip is ok !!! :cool:

DizneyRox
10-16-2012, 04:31 PM
The tip doesn't get bigger when there are more poepl, it's just automatically added, like a surcharge.

Imagine 4 adults and two 6 month olds go to a restaurant. The kids don't order anything, the adults order food that costs EXACTLY $25 each.

18% of $100 is $18. So, the bill is $118.

Now, same 4 adults go to the same place and eat the same meal (imagine they leave the kids in the room to watch TV). Bill is $100, most people tip 18% and so, the bill again is $118. No difference.

Well, there's a little difference for me, I will usually tip much better than 18%. And the surcharge causes me to NOT pay more than that on principle. So, I actually save money when a surcharge is applied. But, generally speaking, there's no difference in the bill other than one is a surcharge and the other is actually a gratuity.

TheRustyScupper
10-16-2012, 08:29 PM
See now when I made the ADRs, I was told I had to count our DS2 (who is only 1 and is not on the dining plan). But if we aren't paying for him, does our group count as 5 instead?

1) Three weeks ago, WDW was going to do a trial.
2) They would not count an under-3 in a party of six.
3) This would eliminate the 18% auto-tip.
4) Since this would cut the servers' tip, the union protested.
5) WDW had to back-off, as this was a direct union contract violation.

NOTE: MANY, MANY people think the servers make too much in tips and tables of 5-6 would just "drop a twenty" on the table and think it was an adequate tip. At character meals and signature eateries, this could be a $12-40 tip drop for the server PER TABLE.

mom2morgan
10-16-2012, 08:47 PM
Well, there's a little difference for me, I will usually tip much better than 18%. And the surcharge causes me to NOT pay more than that on principle. So, I actually save money when a surcharge is applied. But, generally speaking, there's no difference in the bill other than one is a surcharge and the other is actually a gratuity.

Yep, that sounds like me. I make it a habit to tip generously but hate being "forced" to, as then it doesn't feel like a real reward for good service.

disneysmiles
10-17-2012, 02:42 AM
Doesn't Disney expects you to tip at least 18% whether you are in a big group or dine alone? I always just considered when they automatically add it to a bill with 6 or more guests, that they were just saving me the hassle of dealing with the math.

Having a 6th person there that doesn't eat won't add to the cost. The tip is a percentage of the total bill. A 2 year old eats free, so 18% of 0 is 0.

ANG
10-17-2012, 02:58 PM
hate being "forced" to, as then it doesn't feel like a real reward for good service.

How I feel exactly.