Tipping Info Thread for Disney Dining (Updated for 2017)

Status
Not open for further replies.

crazy4wdw

Moderator - Restaurant Board
Moderator
Joined
Jan 3, 2001
As we begin 2017, it’s time to do a general update to the restaurant board tipping thread. Same rules as we’ve had in the past and roughly the same information. This is just an updated thread for the new year.

Tipping threads on the Restaurant Board often result in arguments between posters regarding tipping habits and other issues. Please remember to be courteous and respectful to your fellow disboard members.

Often posts on the tipping thread tend to be closed as a result of debates, so again, BE NICE! The restaurant board moderators have created this thread where tipping questions can be asked and answered, especially by members who may be planning their initial trip to Walt Disney World. THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR DEBATES.

Here are the basic guidelines:

1) No fighting, name calling, or debating on individual’s personal tipping habits. This includes but is not limited to:

A) I will not tip my server more than I give my place of worship.

B) I will not tip a server more than I make an hour

C) Everyone knows that servers make 100K a year, why should I tip them?

D) Servers should be paid a living wage and should not have to depend on tips to support
themselves.

E) I should not have to contribute to the general operation of the restaurant by tipping.

F) It’s a buffet restaurant and I have to obtain the items for my meal; I should not have to provide a tip.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) No flaming any disboard member for any reason.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Any post deemed off topic or is against the posting guidelines will be deleted without comment and the poster will receive an infraction.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Any other thread started on the restaurant board which asks about “tipping” will be closed with a note to refer to this thread.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) No personal tipping habits are to be discussed. Generally speaking, what you tip at Disney is entirely up to you. To determine the total cost of your meal, please refer to this link to Walt Disney World menus on the boards. Disney does provide 18% and 20% calculations on the your dining receipt. What you actually tip is up to you with the exceptions below.

A) Parties of six (6) or more are automatically charged an 18% gratuity. This includes everyone sitting at the table, including children under the age of 3. If you are dining with another group and are paying separately, you will still be charged the 18% gratuity if there are 6 or more people at the table.

B) If you are using a Tables in Wonderland discount card (TIW), a gratuity of 18% will be
added to you bill irregardless of the number of people in your dining party.

C) If there is a concern about a set gratuity and the level of service provided, your option is to discuss your concerns with the manager of the restaurant. Only the restaurant manager can adjust a mandatory gratuity. Speak to the manger during the early portion of the meal in order to receive improved service instead of waiting until the end of the meal to complain about the service.

D) Disney does not differentiate between different types of table service restaurants, i.e. buffets, all you care to eat meals, and a la carte. All restaurants, with the exception of quick service, are treated equal by Disney and will carry the same mandatory gratuity if it applies.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) You may pay your gratuity by the following methods:

A) Disney Visa

B) Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, American Express, Visa, JCB (Japanese Credit Bureau)

C) Disney gift cards

D) Disney Visa reward cards

F) Magic Bands or Key to the World Cards (KTTW)

G) Cash

H) Disney Dollars (Disney is no longer issuing Disney Dollars but if you have any
from a previous trip, they are still accepted).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) The gratuity is included for the dinner shows at Fort Wilderness Campground
(Hoop-De-Doo Musical Revue) and the Polynesian Village Resort (Spirit of Aloha).
The gratuity is also included with reservations at Cinderella’s Royal Table in
Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8) For dining plan guests, the gratuity is included for private in-room dining and pizza
delivery to your guest room when using dining plan credits to pay for these meals.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9) Gratuities are not accepted for fireworks dessert parties and other dessert parties such as Happy Hallowishes Premium Dessert Party, Star Wars Galactic Spectacular Dessert
Party, Frozen Ever After Sparkling Dessert Party, etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10) Gratuities are not included for guests who use the Disney Dining Plan. Your dining
receipt will include the total value of the meal with a suggested gratuity of 18% and
20%.
Note: If you use your dining plan credits for the Hoop-De-Do Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness or the Spirit of Aloha show at the Polynesian, the gratuity for the dinner show will be included (refer to #7).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please abide by these guidelines so everyone can discuss the information they need regarding tipping at Walt Disney World. We do not want to ban this topic from the Restaurant Board.

Thank you and we appreciate your cooperation.

The Restaurant Board Moderators: Pumbaa_, Crazy4wdw, Vettegirl
 
Do you know if there's a way to request to pay all of the tip at the table even when paying separately? For instance, my parents and niece are joining us for a few days on our trip this year and we've made ADR for 2 TS meals with them. They are going to pay for their own meals, but we want to cover all of the tip. Does that make sense? Should we just put all the gratuity on our check and then maybe write a note to the server letting them know on the other receipt? Or what would you suggest?
 
Do you know if there's a way to request to pay all of the tip at the table even when paying separately? For instance, my parents and niece are joining us for a few days on our trip this year and we've made ADR for 2 TS meals with them. They are going to pay for their own meals, but we want to cover all of the tip. Does that make sense? Should we just put all the gratuity on our check and then maybe write a note to the server letting them know on the other receipt? Or what would you suggest?
Yes, I'd put the entire gratuity on your bill and just let your server know. If you're paying the gratuity with cash, you could include separate gratuities with each dining receipt.
 
Is there a way to split the tip? My in laws are coming with us and we are a party of 9. While I wouldn't mind covering the tip here and there, for 8 people (plus infant) and 6 TS meals, it will add up FAST. We are on the dining plan for the first time, so I'm not sure how our bills will come. I assume they will come automatically as one.

We plan to pay for tips with our MB. I don't know what my MIL intends.
 


Is there a way to split the tip? My in laws are coming with us and we are a party of 9. While I wouldn't mind covering the tip here and there, for 8 people (plus infant) and 6 TS meals, it will add up FAST. We are on the dining plan for the first time, so I'm not sure how our bills will come. I assume they will come automatically as one.

We plan to pay for tips with our MB. I don't know what my MIL intends.
Just ask for separate checks
 
Ok, how does one rationalize the obvious overlap of #7 and #10?

We are going to Hoop de doo. We are using dining plan credits. #7 says it is paid, #10 says gratuities not included.

Is our gratuity paid or not?
 
Ok, how does one rationalize the obvious overlap of #7 and #10?

We are going to Hoop de doo. We are using dining plan credits. #7 says it is paid, #10 says gratuities not included.

Is our gratuity paid or not?
#7 is an exception to #10.

Generally speaking, gratuities are not included. The meals listed in #7 are an exception and the gratuities are included.
 


#7 is an exception to #10.

Generally speaking, gratuities are not included. The meals listed in #7 are an exception and the gratuities are included.

That is what I was thinking but didn't know for sure. OP might want to include (including Dining plan) to
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. :thumbsup2

I'll include a clarification to #10.

No problem. The page helped a ton, just was confused in a :goofy: kind of way when I got to 7 and 10.
 
We are doing the DDP for the first time. In the past, we've paid out of pocket. With the plan, how does tipping work? Are we given a bill with automatic 18%? Or can we tip however much we want (more or less)? Will it be a typical food bill with only a tip? What if we eat with another group? Will it be automatic with a larger group? Appreciate knowing what to expect so we can budget and plan. Thanks!
DDP - Disney Dining Plan, not Deluxe if it matters
 
We are doing the DDP for the first time. In the past, we've paid out of pocket. With the plan, how does tipping work? Are we given a bill with automatic 18%? Or can we tip however much we want (more or less)? Will it be a typical food bill with only a tip? What if we eat with another group? Will it be automatic with a larger group? Appreciate knowing what to expect so we can budget and plan. Thanks!
DDP - Disney Dining Plan, not Deluxe if it matters
Refer to #10 in the first post:

10) Gratuities are not included for guests who use the Disney Dining Plan. Your dining receipt will include the total value of the meal with a suggested gratuity of 18% and 20%.
Note: If you use your dining plan credits for the Hoop-De-Do Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness or the Spirit of Aloha show at the Polynesian, the gratuity for the dinner show will be included

A gratuity will not be automatically added unless you have a party of six or more.
 
We are doing the DDP for the first time. In the past, we've paid out of pocket. With the plan, how does tipping work? Are we given a bill with automatic 18%? Or can we tip however much we want (more or less)? Will it be a typical food bill with only a tip? What if we eat with another group? Will it be automatic with a larger group? Appreciate knowing what to expect so we can budget and plan. Thanks!
DDP - Disney Dining Plan, not Deluxe if it matters


Based on my experience from my last few trips, here we go:

Inform the server once you are sat that you're on the dining plan. They can then help guide you as to what is or is not included. They might scan you magic band then, or perhaps towards the end of your meal. Once you're finished, they will present you a check. It shows full prices, lists the 18% and 20% tip figures, and has a blank spot for you to write in a tip. The server will saying they will be back in a moment, perhaps ask you to total up the receipt, etc. If you have charging abilities, now is when you write in your tip. Your bill was $100, you wrote in $20, and the server then comes back, and says that they will be back with paperwork in a moment. They will return and explain the paperwork. Dining plan takes care of the meal, and the rest then goes back to your room(if you have charging abilities). Lets say $8 of that $100 was a beer. The full amount going to your room would be $20 + $8, and what little tax the beer has.
 
Just back from a recent trip to Teppan Edo. I also searched the archives on Disboards for this. Seems there is not a lot:

What are folks' opinions on tipping the chef. I know the rules for this board are not to discuss amounts or percentages. My questions is more a qualitative and temporal one: 1) would you give more than your customary tip or do you feel it's built into the price? And, 2) if you would give more, do you do so on the bill to the server or slip the chef some cash at the end during the drawn-out goodbye (ala bell services)?

I ask because at our local restaurant it is common to slip the chef cash during his/her grill cleaning time. Many customers do it. Doesn't seem so common at the Epcot Teppan Edo though. Thoughts?
 
It's in #7. Gratuity is included with Royal Table when using dining plan. Dinner Shows and Royal Table are the exception because they require 2 TS. I wish all of the Signature Dining locations would get on board with this...

CRT gratuity is a line on the prepayment invoice that is sent, so it is included whether booked on dining plan or ADR prepaid with credit card.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top