Tips on the Dinning Plan

[klangkat]

Originally Posted by royal99

I will never understand the American/ disney way of tipping its not a tip it's an extra charge to get the servers wage up-to an acceptable level. A tip should be how much good service you think you received during the meal, but I understand that is how it's done state side but I will never get my head round it.

Question for you out of interest on DDP if a group 6 had bad service and just paid the bill with no Tip and just upped and left would that count the same as not paying for part of your food/drink bill? If the manager called the police could you be charged? ( not thinking of doing it just interested how it would worked out legally)

But if you upped and left without paying the tip, you're not making some statement about fair wages, or showing Disney your disapproval... you're depriving a very hard working, low paid individual a key chunk of their rightful earnings... so no, it's not legally required, and I doubt there's much they could do to stop someone, but I don't think that many people would do it, given the situation...

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

Originally Posted by Elise79

As far as I can remember when the tips were removed from the DDP in 2008 it was done so because of negotiations with the unions regarding servers wages. At that time the cost of the DDP was also lowered slightly. The DDP only included everything up to 2007.

You have chosen to upgrade to the DxDDP therefore as a large group you have to accept that the tips are going to be automatic and that is a cost you should have budgeted for.

And yes I have been in a large party but I have never considered having them adjust my auto gratuity even at buffets as I knew it was going to be there when I chose and booked my ADRs.

yeah we went 2006 grats were included, in 2008 they weren't x

[Supercod]

Originally Posted by scoobydooby

This is just the way wait service staff are paid. You're not doing them a favour. It's just culturally different. It is a lot of money but its not extra, just part of the price.

Yeah I have been reading up on the subject and I agree, come to the view that it's just part of the price of the meal in the USA, while in the UK we see it as underhand to not show food price with the total including VAT. In the USA the sales tax is never shown on the price of goods and for restaurants, while many look crazy cheap, actually once you take in sales tax and tip they are still cheap, just not as crazy cheap as you first look at it, exception being Disney but you are in a theme park and frankly when you compare it to its French counterpart or even UK finest (or not so fine once you have done Disney) it's actually still good value in that view point.

I am pretty sure that being spoiled with the “everything paid for up front” Dining Plans of old are what's clouded my view.

[Pootle]

Originally Posted by Supercod

Yeah I have been reading up on the subject and I agree, come to the view that it's just part of the price of the meal in the USA, while in the UK we see it as underhand to not show food price with the total including VAT. In the USA the sales tax is never shown on the price of goods and for restaurants, while many look crazy cheap, actually once you take in sales tax and tip they are still cheap, just not as crazy cheap as you first look at it, exception being Disney but you are in a theme park and frankly when you compare it to its French counterpart or even UK finest (or not so fine once you have done Disney) it's actually still good value in that view point.

I am pretty sure that being spoiled with the “everything paid for up front” Dining Plans of old are what's clouded my view.

Good post OP

[Miss Mo]

Meals I can cope with but what REALLY bugs my happiness is when YOU walk up to a bar, order 2 beers and YOU carry them back to your seat and you are expected to tip for someone to take the lids off two bottles for you!!! Now cocktails with a bit of banter involved I get but not opening bottles! Even carrying two straightforward (overpriced) drinks to me at a table in a bar is pushing it if I'm honest.

I also agree with others who are saying about restaurant tips being linked to service. I don't actually see why the more you spend requires a bigger tip either. It doesn't take any more effort to carry the finest steak to my table than it does kids nuggets and chips. Does it?? Surely if you are paying for the service then it should be about the amount of work carried out and how well it was carried out rather than the value of whatever is on the plate. (and I say this as a veggie who normally has the cheapest thing on the menu so I'm not being tight here.) Different if you were tipping the person doing the actual cooking.

But like others say, it's their way of doing it, so I don't moan (unless something is REALLY bad) and I pay my tips because that's the way it is done.

mo x

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

Originally Posted by Miss Mo

Meals I can cope with but what REALLY bugs my happiness is when YOU walk up to a bar, order 2 beers and YOU carry them back to your seat and you are expected to tip for someone to take the lids off two bottles for you!!! Now cocktails with a bit of banter involved I get but not opening bottles! Even carrying two straightforward (overpriced) drinks to me at a table in a bar is pushing it if I'm honest.

I also agree with others who are saying about restaurant tips being linked to service. I don't actually see why the more you spend requires a bigger tip either. It doesn't take any more effort to carry the finest steak to my table than it does kids nuggets and chips. Does it?? Surely if you are paying for the service then it should be about the amount of work carried out and how well it was carried out rather than the value of whatever is on the plate. (and I say this as a veggie who normally has the cheapest thing on the menu so I'm not being tight here.) Different if you were tipping the person doing the actual cooking.

But like others say, it's their way of doing it, so I don't moan (unless something is REALLY bad) and I pay my tips because that's the way it is done.

mo x

I'm also confused regarding the cost of food determining the tip. As you say, its not as if the chef gets the tip x

[Magic Megadegs]

Really interesting thread, thanks OP. just wondering about special offers / vouchers etc. I know you get bombarded with offer / voucher leaflets etc when you get there but are there other ways to line them up before you leave?

I have 'liked' restaurant Facebook pages, will sign up to restaurant websites too but is there a good site that details discounts / vouchers? I've noticed from the fb pages that Wednesdays seem to be the special offer night for quite a few but there are 6 other nights in a week, lol x

We're desperate to try Padrino's Cuban Bistro after some fabulous reviews from a few foody friends and think that will be our weds special slot filled x

[Elise79]

With most restaurants sign up on the website and move your birthday to during your holiday. Also sign up only about a week in advance. Most send you a voucher for signing up and one for your birthday.

I also get various vouchers during the year from different restaurants as I am on their email lists.

Don't forget if you use a voucher or discount you tip on the pre-discounted amount

[MrRomance]

Originally Posted by Supercod

Hi, I understand that you now pay the tip when on the dinning plan (you didn't in 2005) anyway I am not happy that we are automatically being charged 18% for every meal because we will be a party of 7.

I have no issues paying that tip on a table service meal but on a buffet meal, no way am I paying 18% for someone to bring me a drink when I have to go get my own food. I take it I am not forced to pay this 18% and can politely tell me server that he/she done nothing to warrant a 18% tip and kindly change that to a 10% one if it's a buffet ;-)

I am not being tight here but on deluxe dinning plan, I could be paying out over a thousand dollars on tips over 10 nights. Unless I have my maths way wrong on this.

I think you make a genuine and valid point as far as the buffet restaurants go, but as PP's have said, I don't think you have a choice with a party of 6 or more. When we were there for our Disney Wedding, we had a large party and it was mandatory 18%. What we did was make 2 reservations and request tables close together!

For non-buffet table service, I think 18% for larger parties is completely reasonable, but as you point out, 18% to bring you a drink is a little much!

That said, as someone who lived in the US for 5 years, I think it's also worth mentioning that servers in most states are paid half the minimum wage because there is an expectation that they will make up the rest in tips. It is very much a cultural difference with some servers earning $3 an hour in some places. Just something to bear in mind.