tipping

[mickeytravel]

:secret:now that the tip is no longet included on the dp what would you consider is a proper tip for buffet dinners.(ex. chef micky, boma etc)

[Itchy]

When ever I have gone to one of the resturants that you mentioned before I got on the dining plan w/tip included, I always left the standard 18+ percent tip.

I have the basic dining plan this time and plan on leaving the 18+ for the CM.:thumbsup:

[dteed]

18%+, they will give you a copy of the bill so you can see the total price as if you had bought the meal. We always tip the same regardless of TS or Buffet.

[katzctkpt]

18% They do refill your drink glasses and remove your empty plates when you've gone back for 2nd's or 3rd's.

[DizneyRox]

According to the DDE, it's 18%, regardless. If you're eating at a table service location, it's 18% no questions asked, good service, bad service and even no service.

If it were up to me, a couple bucks if my drinks were filled all the time and my dirty plates are gone in a timely fashion. Less if the above doesn't happen, possibly nothing.

[jszczur5]

According to the DDE, it's 18%, regardless. If you're eating at a table service location, it's 18% no questions asked, good service, bad service and even no service.

Does that not negate the whole premise of the gratuity? Good service = good tip!
Also, one of the supposed reasons for removing the gratuity from the DDP was to make the servers (who have been becoming less "magical" the past few years) earn their rightful tip. If we are obligated to leave the same 18% gratiuity as before, how does that encourage the servers to go the extra mile? I realize that you are talking about the DDE, but the same applies to DDP parties of 8 or more.
This is my personal experience - I accept that it may not be your's: When we were seated at each TS meal last year (during Free Dining), the servers asked if we were using the DDP, and when we said yes, at least half the time, there was an immediate, palpable difference in the server's attitude. And I don't mean for the better. Honestly, out of 8 TS meals, 4 servers made us feel like second class citizens. The best service, by far, from beginning to end (3 separate individuals) was at Le Cellier. Yay Canada! The worst, Sci-Fi Diner, where we had less than 3 minutes to look at the menu and choose all of: drink, appetizer, main course and dessert. The food was also not that great. But I could scarcely complain, as our server did not come back to check how the food was, or to refresh drinks. Three of us chose ice cream sundaes for dessert, and they must have been left sitting out too long before being delivered to our table, as they were totally melted. My husband and sons just ended up drinking them like milkshakes. There is no way that I would have paid an 18% gratuity OOP for the total lack of service that night. If it happens again this year, (because yes, the kids insist on eating there again), that server would be lucky to get a $5.00 tip. That being said, the best server we have ever had at a Disney restaurant was Michael at the Sci-Fi Diner the year before. We saw him again last summer, but unfortunately were not seated in his section.

[Tigger&Stitch]

Since when is "standard tip" 18%? I thought it was 15%? We would often tip 20% for great service, but to automatically go t 18% for average service is a bit high.

So...will an 18% tip automatically be added to all buffet meals for DDP? Don't know if I'd be willing to sign for that...refilling my drinks isn't much compared to full table service.

And what is the difference between DDE and DDP?

[Here we go again...]

Since when is "standard tip" 18%? I thought it was 15%? We would often tip 20% for great service, but to automatically go t 18% for average service is a bit high.

So...will an 18% tip automatically be added to all buffet meals for DDP? Don't know if I'd be willing to sign for that...refilling my drinks isn't much compared to full table service.

And what is the difference between DDE and DDP?

DDE is the Disney Dining Experience, it gives you 20% off your dining at select locations. So now you get 20% off but a mandatory 18% is tacked on to the bill.... nice.

DDP is Disney Dining Plan. The 18% gratutity used to be included in the amount you paid for the plan. Now it is no longer included. You have to pay the tip yourself. However, it is not a mandatory 18% unless you have a party of 8 or more.

I am with the other posters that said the service went down when they heard you had the DDP. They knew they were getting 18% no matter what so you could be ignored and they still go their money. That gave the servers time to pamper others that were not on the plan so they would leave a larger tip.

I have mixed emotions about losing the tip... I loved that it added to the value of the DDP. But, I do like being able to give someone what they deserve, good or bad.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . I always left the standard 18+ percent tip . . .

1) Did I miss the memo?
2) Since when is there a "standard" tip, let alone at 18%?
3) As for DDE, I do not eat anywhere that predetermines my tip.
4) Even when in a large group I arrange ahead of time to set the tip ourselves.

[Disneytravels]

I realize that you are talking about the DDE, but the same applies to DDP parties of 8 or more..

In 2008 it is parties of 6 or more now.
Nice huh!

[Duchess99]

I always tip 20% as a standard, so I thought that the included 18% was a bit low. I added additional tip to some of the bills for exceptional service.
I thought it was a great thing to have the tip included because it was one less thing to worry about during the trip.
Now that the tip is out of the DDP, has the cost gone down for the plan? What is the difference?

[jszczur5]

Now that the tip is out of the DDP, has the cost gone down for the plan? What is the difference?
Yes, the price has gone down.
For TS meals, the appetizer has been eliminated as well as the gratuity, and the price has gone down one whole dollar per person per day.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We start by planning to tip 15% for our meal, TS or buffet. The actual tips depends on the service we receive.

I don't usually tip more than 15% at a buffet, but if the server is great, and I've had great ones both inside and outside WDW, we'll go up too...all about the service.

Although I feel that the value of the plan is a lot lower without the tip, I also like being able to "control" the tip I give, although I never had an issue with service on the DDP. Oh well, it is what it is this year.

[Tigger&Stitch]

Thanks for the info, HereWeGoAgain.

Good to know that we can at least set the tip if it isn't automatically included.

[KateMW]

According to the DDE, it's 18%, regardless. If you're eating at a table service location, it's 18% no questions asked, good service, bad service and even no service.

If it were up to me, a couple bucks if my drinks were filled all the time and my dirty plates are gone in a timely fashion. Less if the above doesn't happen, possibly nothing.

What is the DDE and are they high? I am a very good tipper, but on the other hand, I don't tip people who do a bad job. I waited tables for 3 years and if I did a bad job, I knew I was running a risk of not getting a tip. It's that risk that made me do a good job, even when I didn't want to.

[KAT1811]

1) Did I miss the memo?
2) Since when is there a "standard" tip, let alone at 18%?


I'm with you. When I managed in the industry our owner would NEVER allow us to tack on a tip, regardless of circumstance. Some times I felt bad for the servers because we were in fine dining (very expensive fine dining) and we were close to a ivy league college that brought in a lot of Eurpoeans that were not very familiar with our tipping customs and many times the servers got WAY below what they deserved (they always delivered consistantly exceptional service regardless of whom they were serving). Our owner always said that a tip was never a right and we had no right to tell people what they had to tip (regardless of party size), it was a gratuity in the purest sense of the word.


In 2008 it is parties of 6 or more now.
Nice huh!

Glad that we are still a party of five!!! LOL!!!


Yes, the price has gone down.
For TS meals, the appetizer has been eliminated as well as the gratuity, and the price has gone down one whole dollar per person per day.

:haha: :funny: :laughing: :silly: Less for the same, new concept, still as unappealing as less for more!

[Hull-onian]

We always leave a 20% tip no matter what. Now with this 18% tip the server will not get as much:shake:. In all the years we have patronized Disney reataurants, we have always had excellent service and about 95% percent of the meals have been excellent:eat:. We are getting the DDE for the first time this year because of our length of stay of seven days. We also tip mousekeeping too:laundry:.