How much do you tip?

[LibrarianPrincess]

I'm curious. Do you leave a 15%, 20%, or 25% tip for Disney World Restaurants? I was discussing this with a group and everyone has a different system.

 

[2manypets]

Considering the waitstaff only makes a few dollars an hour, I add 20% for good service and 20% for bad service. Sometimes they are understaffed or the kitchen gets backed up so bad service is not always "bad" service.

 

[SteveH]

I very rarely tip over 20%. Since Florida's minimum wage is under $10/hour I tip right about 20% for good service. However that amount is subject to change based on the attention received. I take the attitude that you start at a 20% tip and it can go down, to get more then 20% the service has to be amazing and I rarely see that type of service at any tourist spot. I don't tip based on the kitchen side, but keeping drinks refilled, checking in and actually bringing my food instead of a food runner matter, plus remember who ordered what all makes up that tip.

In Washington State with the $11.50/hour I generally tip closer to 15% and in Seattle ($15/hour) I tip 10% or less.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I have Tables in Wonderland and it adds an 18% tip automatically. I'll add some if the server is really good

it also means that you tip 18% for bad service unless you want to challenge it with the manager.

 

[TiffanyA]

I tip 20% for a good waiter at TS meals. Good waiter does not always translate to good service (though in my mind they can make up for delays and other indicators of bad service) So if the service was lousy, yet I didn't come away thinking it was the wait staff's fault, I wouldn't stiff them.

I've been lucky to have never experienced bad service at Disney though. Closest to average was Ohana's (didn't come back to refill drinks that often - and I'm not asking to have my drink refilled every 10 minutes), but they were still average and I gave them 18%. I had a bad meal at Skipper's Canteen, but the waitress herself gave good service and tried to be engaging, so she got 20%. The fact that I didn't like the food should not affect her tip. I travel with family and my brother-in-law is very into fine dining, so I tend to book 2 credit meals, though I have eaten at a handful of 1 credit places. Wonder if this makes a difference?

 

[deedeezee]

20%, sometimes more.

 

[Magical2017]

20 percent minimum, whenever we eat out. If the service is very poor, we tip less, but never less than 15%. We have never had bad service at WDW. For our family, we go by the rule that if we cannot afford to tip well, we should not eat out.

 

[sponica]

I have too many friends who were waitstaff so I tend to overtip. I usually tip around 20 to start.

Very few things aside from the waitstaff's attitude/memory is under their own control so they really have to screw up to get less than 20%

 

[rentayenta]

20% to start. DH and I both served and bartended.

 

[alltwelve]

I'm the nerd that pulls out the calculator and figures an 18% tip, then I round up to the nearest dollar from there. However, that's because I usually tip in cash instead of credit card.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

Generally 20%, but I have had some greta service where I tip more and some lousy , usually a buffet, where I have felt I was being generous to even leave 10%.

 

[AnnaS]

20% = sometimes more. Sometimes wW also have the TIW card - we add an additional few dollars.

 

[coast2coastmickey]

I usually default to 20%. If I have bad service, I speak with a manager, and still tip what would have been 20%, even if the meal was comped.

I'll bump slightly for truly exceptional service, around 30%, but I find that a majority of the time, service at most restaurants is fine so I tip slightly above 20%.

Part of this is that I'm lazy. It's easy to calculate 20% of the after tax total then round up to the nearest dollar, so that's what I almost instinctively do

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

20%
More if we feel service was exceptional. (This past trip, service at 'OHANA, Kona Cafe and Via Napoli were exceptional.)
Less if service was horrible. Only Geyser Point earned this award this time.

 

[bigbabyblues]

It depends on how the service is. If the drinks aren't refilled, the server is rude, etc., the tip will reflect that.

 

[smcabee]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/tipping-info-thread-for-disney-dining-updated-for-2017.3568148/

 

[loves to dive]

Almost always 20%. I think there has been only twice in all my years of going that I've done less and that was for really bad service by the server. When I'm using my TIW I usually add the extra 2% unless the service was just o.k.

 

[drwadadli]

Almost always 20% or rounding up to the nearest dollar.

 

[LilyWDW]

20% as long as everything goes well. Mostly because I don't want to do math and I always round up to the next dollar.

I will tip more for exceptional service. I have done this twice at Disney. Once at Hollywood Brown Derby and once at Jiko. HBD I think was closer to 25% and Jiko was over 30%.

I will tip less if it is warranted. If I have to wait for you to refill my drink yet I see you standing around talking to other servers (aka not at other tables that are keeping you busy) then your tip will reflect that. TWICE in my life have I left no tip (not at Disney) and both times I spoke to the manager about the situation so it would be known that I didn't just forget. Only once at Disney have I dropped the tip and that was Crystal Palace when the server never seemed to come back to get plates and my mom and I were at a little 2 person table. Sorry server, but getting the plates out of the way is one of the biggest things you do at a buffet.

 

[disneyvoice]

Always 20% but very often higher, especially if we are at a nicer restaurant or have received excellent service.