New Credit Card Authorization Holds

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

There use to be a Disney Gift Card app, I had it a couple of years ago. When I went to put it back on my phone recently it seems to no longer be available.

Yeah there shouldn't be a need anymore since MDE came around for a separate app. They should be able to just integrate it within MDE. I can see if they got rid of a separate app due to redundancy but they haven't added the option in MDE yet unfortunately.

 

[AngiTN]

There use to be a Disney Gift Card app, I had it a couple of years ago. When I went to put it back on my phone before our trip it seems to be no longer available.

There is a website. You can always navigate to it using a browser on your phone

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

There is a website. You can always navigate to it using a browser on your phone

Yes, I have my gift cards on the Disney gift card site. The app made it much easier to access them.

 

[cmwade77]

I hate putting tips on gift cards, I'd rather just charge everything to the room. It's not like it's a huge deal, I'm usually walking by the front desk when I go to/from the parks anyway.

From what I have been told, servers prefer that tips be out on gift cards instead of being charged to the room or on a credit card as they are treated more like cash when out on a gift card, which means there are different tax rules that apply than if the tips are charged.

We will be staying at Old Key West this next trip, so we won't be going by the front desk as much this trip

 

[cmwade77]

Honestly, the best thing here to do to have this changed is to complain to guest services.

If enough voices are heard they will change up this policy.

A dually the best thing to do is let Disney know they are loosing sales due to this. Also as I said before, as servers end up not getting tips because room charging stops working, they will start complaining about it and their union will work to get it resolved.

 

[Iowamomof4]

From what I have been told, servers prefer that tips be out on gift cards instead of being charged to the room or on a credit card as they are treated more like cash when out on a gift card, which means there are different tax rules that apply than if the tips are charged.

We will be staying at Old Key West this next trip, so we won't be going by the front desk as much this trip

I think the problem with using gift cards from the consumer's point of view, is that it's possible for a less-than-honest server to steal money off a gift card by charging more than was authorized. I'm sure it doesn't happen often at all, but some people just aren't going to feel comfortable handing over a $500 gift card and trusting the server to only charge the $50 tip or whatever.

 

[AngiTN]

From what I have been told, servers prefer that tips be out on gift cards instead of being charged to the room or on a credit card as they are treated more like cash when out on a gift card, which means there are different tax rules that apply than if the tips are charged.

We will be staying at Old Key West this next trip, so we won't be going by the front desk as much this trip

Shouldn't make any difference. Tips are claimed the same way, cash or other. Technically. By the rules at least.

 

[cmwade77]

I think the problem with using gift cards from the consumer's point of view, is that it's possible for a less-than-honest server to steal money off a gift card by charging more than was authorized. I'm sure it doesn't happen often at all, but some people just aren't going to feel comfortable handing over a $500 gift card and trusting the server to only charge the $50 tip or whatever.

$50 tip? Wow that is very generous. And I wouldn't bat an eye about it, because I document it on my copy.of the receipt and would call Disney and dispute it since it was their server that did it Alternatively, have smaller gift cards you can use.

 

[cmwade77]

Shouldn't make any difference. Tips are claimed the same way, cash or other. Technically. By the rules at least.

Cash is never claimed by the rules, nor are gift cards. Additionally there were some new rules out in place federally a couple years ago about tips being charged to credit cards as well as automatic gratuity. I don't remember all of the details, but it resulted in servers getting taxed at a higher rate than cash tips even when claimed by the rules. I don't know if that ever got repealed, but I do remember it being a huge issue.

 

[Iowamomof4]

$50 tip? Wow that is very generous. And I wouldn't bat an eye about it, because I document it on my copy.of the receipt and would call Disney and dispute it since it was their server that did it Alternatively, have smaller gift cards you can use.

It was an example.

 

[Scoobie]

I started leaving cash tips only a few years ago to avoid the hassle of whether the server is getting all of it or not. It isn't as convenient, but I feel better knowing there is a better chance my server is getting more of what I leave. Please do not tell me if this is not the case! Lol. They work hard and I would like to reward them for magical service, I guess.

 

[joscortel]

Has anyone had any experience yet with multiple people with different cards in the same room yet? Will they still assign cards to individual MB and if they still can/do this I assume that each individuals card would have this policy enforced can someone correct me if any of this is wrong we have a 3 family trip coming up in October and would like to get some clarifications. Actually I'm hoping they implement the option of putting down a gift card either on the room or assigned to our MB that would be wonderful!

 

[Nancyg56]

Cash is never claimed by the rules, nor are gift cards. Additionally there were some new rules out in place federally a couple years ago about tips being charged to credit cards as well as automatic gratuity. I don't remember all of the details, but it resulted in servers getting taxed at a higher rate than cash tips even when claimed by the rules. I don't know if that ever got repealed, but I do remember it being a huge issue.

Any tip that is on a debit or credit card is recorded and added to a server's pay. It is not usually paid at the end of the evening, but is added in as a charge tip on the server's paycheck, and paid out on a paychaeck. Cash is recorded differently, but is also recorded on the pay stub for tax purposes. It all counts as income for the server, and results in the same payroll liability for wages, both for the individual and the business. The business is liable for SS and MED as well as SUTA and FUTA, worker comp and liability insurance. Wages are wages.

In this industry, most restaurant managers insist on servers recording cash tips, and will often check total sales for servers to be sure that they are recording at least part of the cash tips. I run payroll for about 70 small businesses and have several restaurants in my roster. I monitor the wages side to be sure that servers are making at least minimum wage, and have a tip makeup built in to my system. I also caution the owners to watch how cash is recorded because the audits are not pretty. The state Dept of Revenue is generally the entity that will schedule random audits. I have never had to sit though this kind of compliance audit, but my employer has and he has advised that our businesses encourage their servers to report cash through the payroll and not rely on them reporting on their own.

 

[Searc]

I paid off my $80 room charges Tuesday. The $100 hold dropped off my card and a new one has not been issued. My current room balance is $24 with no $100 hold showing on my card.

 

[Iowamomof4]

I paid off my $80 room charges Tuesday. The $100 hold dropped off my card and a new one has not been issued. My current room balance is $24 with no $100 hold showing on my card.

Wow, now that is interesting! I wonder why the hold dropped off?

 

[Searc]

Wow, now that is interesting! I wonder why the hold dropped off?

Was just notified new hold was placed.

 

[AngiTN]

Any tip that is on a debit or credit card is recorded and added to a server's pay. It is not usually paid at the end of the evening, but is added in as a charge tip on the server's paycheck, and paid out on a paychaeck. Cash is recorded differently, but is also recorded on the pay stub for tax purposes. It all counts as income for the server, and results in the same payroll liability for wages, both for the individual and the business. The business is liable for SS and MED as well as SUTA and FUTA, worker comp and liability insurance. Wages are wages.

In this industry, most restaurant managers insist on servers recording cash tips, and will often check total sales for servers to be sure that they are recording at least part of the cash tips. I run payroll for about 70 small businesses and have several restaurants in my roster. I monitor the wages side to be sure that servers are making at least minimum wage, and have a tip makeup built in to my system. I also caution the owners to watch how cash is recorded because the audits are not pretty. The state Dept of Revenue is generally the entity that will schedule random audits. I have never had to sit though this kind of compliance audit, but my employer has and he has advised that our businesses encourage their servers to report cash through the payroll and not rely on them reporting on their own.

Exactly. Cash may not be recorded but that is not correct if it's not. Tips have to be used to make certain the servers pay is meeting minimum wage and if it's not, the employer is required to make up the difference. Now, almost all have no problems reaching the really low minimum wage threshold when you combine their tip avg and their wage avg per hour but they do have to meet it. Go read your labor poster sometime. So yeah, that cash is important and you can bet your employers are gonna make them claim it. At least some of it. And if they are following the rules, they make them claim all of it.

And I believe in some restaurants it's not uncommon to pool tips, cash included. Can employees be dishonest with cash tips? I'm sure they are. Dishonest is dishonest though.

 

[cmwade77]

I started leaving cash tips only a few years ago to avoid the hassle of whether the server is getting all of it or not. It isn't as convenient, but I feel better knowing there is a better chance my server is getting more of what I leave. Please do not tell me if this is not the case! Lol. They work hard and I would like to reward them for magical service, I guess.

Here is the problem, especially at Disney, the servers don't really do all that much at many of the locations. In many cases they take your order and that's about it. Someone else brings your food, another person clears the table and often another person is doing the drink refills. The cooks in the back aren't paid a lot either and they make your food. So really, who deserves the tip?

Now this isn't true at all locations, so definitely go based on who is doing the work, but to say the servers are doing a lot of hard work isn't always true.

 

[cmwade77]

Exactly. Cash may not be recorded but that is not correct if it's not. Tips have to be used to make certain the servers pay is meeting minimum wage and if it's not, the employer is required to make up the difference. Now, almost all have no problems reaching the really low minimum wage threshold when you combine their tip avg and their wage avg per hour but they do have to meet it. Go read your labor poster sometime. So yeah, that cash is important and you can bet your employers are gonna make them claim it. At least some of it. And if they are following the rules, they make them claim all of it.

And I believe in some restaurants it's not uncommon to pool tips, cash included. Can employees be dishonest with cash tips? I'm sure they are. Dishonest is dishonest though.

The supreme Court the entlyrules that mandatory pooling of tips is illegal, so restaurants that still pool tips are breaking the law.

As for if cash is claimed or not, the employers really can't control if the servers properly claim it or not.

 

[AngiTN]

The supreme Court the entlyrules that mandatory pooling of tips is illegal, so restaurants that still pool tips are breaking the law.

As for if cash is claimed or not, the employers really can't control if the servers properly claim it or not.

Is the employer going to let them not claim cash tips if it means they have to pay them more wages per hour? I seriously doubt it
Beyond that, sure, folks can do what they want with their cash tips. That's the #1 reason many servers like cash tips so much
Doesn't change the law though and what they are supposed to do