Reservation Hoarders - You Know Who You Are :)

[21stamps]

Why? And what makes it different? I started waiting tables when I was 12 and helped my Dad, and began getting paid when I was 14. People have been ordering dessert and coffee for years, you just did not know. The only one who gets to decide what is ridiculous behavior in an eatery is the owner of said establishment. As many of us have pointed out, Disney is just fine bringing the hammer down if they do not want something to happen.

I agree it's up to Disney. But my personal opinion of ordering a cupcake at a reservation required dinner is- it's ridiculous. I can have that opinion and the person who does order the cupcake can still order one, and have a differing opinion than mine.

 

[Nancyg56]

I agree it's up to Disney. But my personal opinion of ordering a cupcake at a reservation required dinner is- it's ridiculous. I can have that opinion and the person who does order the cupcake can still order one, and have a differing opinion than mine.

I do not think you cannot have an opinion, the opposite is true. What I am opposed to is the practice that can happen here on the DIS...I don't do this so it should not happen, or ADR's should only be for those who order a dinner. For some reason there are people who feel strongly that their way is the only way, and it can embarrass others to shy away from doing something that is allowed and that may work for them.

 

[21stamps]

I don't think most or even any reservation required restaurants ever specify that you must make a minimum order. Like I said, I just never had heard of such a thing, and didn't realize people actually did that, until reading it on these boards.

 

[21stamps]

I do not think you cannot have an opinion, the opposite is true. What I am opposed to is the practice that can happen here on the DIS...I don't do this so it should not happen, or ADR's should only be for those who order a dinner. For some reason there are people who feel strongly that their way is the only way, and it can embarrass others to shy away from doing something that is allowed and that may work for them.

I won't seek out a cupcake at BOG thread and shame anyone. If that's their gig then fine, but I can still be a little shocked by it.lol

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I won't seek out a cupcake at BOG thread and shame anyone. If that's their gig then fine, but I can still be a little shocked by it.lol

And I can feel sorry for the server that has to serve the family that is ordering one cupcake and a cup of water.

 

[VillainFavs]

If they enter the park early and order a cupcake, they have to spend an hour eating it.

Otherwise, they are held up at the door until rope drop.

Of course this is for breakfast, rather than dinner. But people still do it.

Unless it's changed recently, that's completely wrong. We went, ate a quick breakfast, and headed outside to line up for 7DMT so we were right near the front of the line. No way did we spend anywhere near an hour at the table.

 

[VillainFavs]

And I can feel sorry for the server that has to serve the family that is ordering one cupcake and a cup of water.

If we're talking about breakfast, there is no server. No tip involved. No one to feel sorry for.

If we're talking about dinner, you have no idea how much tip is being left. Could be that family really only wanted dessert, but still tipped generously. Made the server's job extra easy. You never know...

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Are you suggesting that children are more entitled to these experiences than an adult would be? Or that because parents have children they are entitled to enjoy the experience because they are doing do with a child in mind? I find that mindset to be very self absorbed. Where does this end? My son was very senior in his department,which was seniority based. Every holiday he would have first choice and would sign up for 1/2 day, usually the early shift, as he had been told some of the young parents wanted mornings with their children. Now he did not need to sign for the hours at all, but done complained he did not have kids do he should work all day. Really? If you do not have children you don't have family?

I am a parent, and i am a Nana. U would never expect that the young ones in my family are more entitled to anything simply because they are young. They learn early that you cannot always have your way. You cannot always be first. And cute doesn't matter to anyone but Pa. To him they are more special, and cute to boot. Everyone else expects them to understand that others matter too.

Now I never stand in front of little ones. I won't take the last pastry. I always offer them first. But the one who offers is me. I get to decide what is special and where their place is. The day my child's enjoyment trumps that if any one else just due to age, I have failed miserably in my job.

I think my original post speaks for itself and I think you read way too much into it. It is more along the lines of your last paragraph here. Except to add you do that (offer) precisely because you have the capacity to do it (you are an adult). And by doing it, you teach them to offer. that is all. To behave otherwise is to behave as a child. and Lord knows we don't need anymore adults acting like children as a model for our children!

 

[nugov2]

Well, what I'm about to say won't be popular, but anyway,

I think it is a little ridiculous to go to a restaurant and spend an hour eating a cupcake, I didn't realize that people do that until I read it on these boards. The thought would never cross my mind either. Apps and drinks are different though.

Why, are apps and drinks different then cupcakes and drinks. I will say that we did do this at BOG. We decided to do a late reservation as the food looked eh to us so we went at 8. Dh and I had a couple of drinks each and split an appetizer and the kids had a cupcake..nothing beats a couple of cold drinks after a 105 degree day!!

We were seated in front of the window where it snows which my kids thought was amazing. Our waitress was so much fun, gave the kids rose napkins to take and brought the kids the coveted grey stuff before you could order it and it was a crap shoot if you'd get it. We were definitely there an hour+ by the time we were served everything and finished our second drink. After a long day in the heat we were all thrilled to be off our feet relaxing and then left and hit a couple more rides before heading home. Our bill was still $70 and my dh tipped her very well because of how she made everything special....she made a big deal about the beast wanting them to have the grey stuff and then when we met beast the kids told him they didn't like it and his reaction was priceless. It was my favorite memory from that trip. Glad I was not influenced by neigh sayers complaining it was unfair.

 

[Nancyg56]

And I can feel sorry for the server that has to serve the family that is ordering one cupcake and a cup of water.

BOG is a CS restaurant. Servers there don't care one way or another what anyone orders, any more than a server at CHH cares if someone comes in and orders a treat from their dessert menu and asks for free water. If at a TS restaurant someone just wants dessert they will deal with it. In the end servers must accept that what they lose on one order will be made up in another. This is no different that someone ordering $300.00 worth of food at BOG dinner, from appetizers to cocktails and dessert, and then only having $325.00 in their pocket, or a party of 7 at CP, complete with two babies on formula, who needs to be out in 30 minutes, requests the check in advance, and eats and runs but is obligated to leave the required gratuity. It all works out.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The number of people who book Cali Grill for a wine and dessert and camp for fireworks is huge. So what? Disney is okay with it.

Similarly, BOG QUICK SERVE breakfast will let a family of 7 order a Mickey Straw and call it a meal on their way to the 7DMT queue.

If Disney thought this was a problem, they could do something about it. They clearly do not.

Am I sitting on a couple of ADRs for my October trip right now? You bet I am. Do I need them to make clearer how they're regularly handling Jedi Training, FP+ for the Frozen stuff in Arendelle, and AK night hours? Diggity.

 

[Disneylover99]

If we're talking about dinner, you have no idea how much tip is being left. Could be that family really only wanted dessert, but still tipped generously. Made the server's job extra easy. You never know...

Yup. From my experience as a server, the customers who ordered next to nothing were the best tippers and made my life easy. The families who ordered apps, entrees, desserts, etc.... and ran me ragged, typically tipped the worst.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

If we're talking about breakfast, there is no server. No tip involved. No one to feel sorry for.

If we're talking about dinner, you have no idea how much tip is being left. Could be that family really only wanted dessert, but still tipped generously. Made the server's job extra easy. You never know...

BOG is a CS restaurant. Servers there don't care one way or another what anyone orders, any more than a server at CHH cares if someone comes in and orders a treat from their dessert menu and asks for free water. If at a TS restaurant someone just wants dessert they will deal with it. In the end servers must accept that what they lose on one order will be made up in another. This is no different that someone ordering $300.00 worth of food at BOG dinner, from appetizers to cocktails and dessert, and then only having $325.00 in their pocket, or a party of 7 at CP, complete with two babies on formula, who needs to be out in 30 minutes, requests the check in advance, and eats and runs but is obligated to leave the required gratuity. It all works out.

For dinner, BOG is table service.

And no, I have no idea how much is being left. But I can still feel sorry for the server.

 

[21stamps]

Why, are apps and drinks different then cupcakes and drinks. I will say that we did do this at BOG. We decided to do a late reservation as the food looked eh to us so we went at 8. Dh and I had a couple of drinks each and split an appetizer and the kids had a cupcake..nothing beats a couple of cold drinks after a 105 degree day!!

We were seated in front of the window where it snows which my kids thought was amazing. Our waitress was so much fun, gave the kids rose napkins to take and brought the kids the coveted grey stuff before you could order it and it was a crap shoot if you'd get it. We were definitely there an hour+ by the time we were served everything and finished our second drink. After a long day in the heat we were all thrilled to be off our feet relaxing and then left and hit a couple more rides before heading home. Our bill was still $70 and my dh tipped her very well because of how she made everything special....she made a big deal about the beast wanting them to have the grey stuff and then when we met beast the kids told him they didn't like it and his reaction was priceless. It was my favorite memory from that trip. Glad I was not influenced by neigh sayers complaining it was unfair.

I don't believe that I ever said it was "unfair". There's been several things that I've read on these boards that make me think "wth".
My opinion won't change, and neither will the cupcake people's.
It's all good.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Yup. From my experience as a server, the customers who ordered next to nothing were the best tippers and made my life easy. The families who ordered apps, entrees, desserts, etc.... and ran me ragged, typically tipped the worst.

That is funny, because my experience is the exact opposite.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Unless it's changed recently, that's completely wrong. We went, ate a quick breakfast, and headed outside to line up for 7DMT so we were right near the front of the line. No way did we spend anywhere near an hour at the table.

Recent threads here tell a different story. They say that they are held up until the rope droppers are either right on their heels or they are behind the rope droppers.

Of course, one never knows what will happen.

 

[nugov2]

I don't believe that I ever said it was "unfair". There's been several things that I've read on these boards that make me think "wth".
My opinion won't change, and neither will the cupcake people's.
It's all good.

General statement of people who posted before you years ago...not specific to you. Would be hard for your opinion now to influence my decision back when we went.

I don't care if you change your opinion just giving my perspective so people who are researching don't feel they are committing a faux pas for not wanting to eat a dinner, but still enjoy a restaurant that offers a great experience.

 

[Disneylover99]

That is funny, because my experience is the exact opposite.

The point is, you just never know how a server is going to feel. Your experience is not always the way it is. Nor is mine. Some servers may prefer the people who only order cupcakes. Some may not. So you might be feeling sorry for a server who scored a huge tip. Just a different perspective.

 

[nugov2]

So when you are looking at small plates, remember that you have no idea what will be left behind, not if the server is worth his or her salt.

This is key with our family. We definitely will thank you in a big way if you are a great server. Actually any profession where tipping is the norm.

Our server at CRT also made a huge deal for my dd. We had a chocolate slipper pre ordered and she came up to my dd and said is your name ___? She was like yes...and she said to dd I'm so glad...Cinderella heard you were coming today and had something made special for you! Then came back and brought the slipper. You would have thought she won the lottery she was so happy. She could have simply brought it out with no fanfare and that would have been just fine, but she knew she could make it more special and did. She was tipped for making that memory for us. The pictures, the feeling I had...all more special because of that two minute gesture. I'm sure she knows that pays off at tip time a lot of the time and it did for her that day. An attentive server can really make good money...a bad tipper is just that and nothing you do above and beyond will change their attitude, but a generous tipper can definitely be swayed to leave significantly more when the experience was even more enjoyable. At least that is the norm in my circle.

 

[21stamps]

I think this happens a lot. The I'm paying a lot for my vacation, so I can cut corners with other expenses.

But on that note, I don't tip housekeeping. But we are DVC. And we don't stay long enough to get an actual cleaning. We get trash and towel service, sometimes, if housekeeping remembers. Most of the time, we empty the trash and the towels are left on the sink counter. They spend less than a 5 minutes in our room, if that. Now, if I am staying on a cash reservation, I leave a tip, even for one night.

Totally a lot of people only focus on "how expensive my trip is". But all of those other things are part of the trip as well. What you (not you) are paying Disney and an airline for your flights/room/park tickets are not related to anything else that you choose to do while there.
And I don't think that mentality is applied anywhere else, but somehow at WDW it's justified.