We did it again! Family of 4 eats for $75 a day. Read all about it, plus reviews!

[mejo]

A couple of points here

1) In this thread we're talking about Disney restaurants, which frequently turn away walk ups since they're too full. If they didn't have you they'd have someone else -- someone who would likely tip.

2) The server has taxes witheld on the tip the IRS assumes you left -- whether or not you actually left it. Even if she gets that money back when she files at the end of the year, she (or he) is still has less money in her pocket NOW, and the government is the one getting any interest that money earns.

So no, I don't think the waitress should be "glad to have you" if you don't tip.

The waitress does not get charged by the IRS per person, they get charged for an average that you probably made, now I'm not from Florida but going by my experience waitpeople make far more in tips than what they pay taxes on. And if we are going to talk just Disney, all Disney waitstaff make the same in wages before taxes as most of the other Disney employees, why do you think that they should make more?

 

[mejo]

I can't believe I'm still commenting on this thread and this may well be a waste of my breathe because some people will never be convinced. Anyway, my sister manages a restaurant in "Smalltown" America. Before that, she was a server for many years. So last night I had the opportunity to interview her about this debate. Let me start by saying that her restaurant has prices and offerings similar to Disney, appetizers in the 7-9 dollar range and entrees in the 19-23 dollar range. Here are some things she told me. Her servers get $3.28/hr, but they don't collect a pay check as all of that gets applied to taxes for their tips. She said they have to at least claim 10% in tips of their food and beverage bill before tax that very night. She said that sometimes people don't leave tips or tip low, but it always works out. Her servers average 15-20% in tips every night. It all balances out. She said it is not uncommon for them to walk out on a Wednesday night with $200 in their pocket (nothing special about Wednesday - just an example). I asked if we should feel sorry for the servers at Disney who do AT LEAST as well as the servers in her restaurant and she thought that was silly. She actually makes less than her servers, but gets other perks. She is a single mom who is able to pay her mortgage and support her family just fine. Yes, she works hard, but for her, the trade off is worth it.

I know not every server in every restaurant makes the same amount of money. I just thought it was interesting information.

Exactly, that is $52000 clear, so someone that has to pay taxes on their wages would have to make well over $70000 in order to clear that much.

 

[jarrdisney]

Exactly, that is $52000 clear, so someone that has to pay taxes on their wages would have to make well over $70000 in order to clear that much.

Mejo, thanks to your posts I think I am going to take up waiting tables again. I had no clue it was such a lucrative proffession. Especially when you feel that tipping is optional. In fact, I'm gonna have my GF drop her job right now so she can go back to making $2/hr at the Olive Garden. If tipping is optional she definatley could have put herself through college with that money!

 

[Dorisk3]

Tipping might be considered "optional" to some, but unless you are trying to prove a point with bad service, to tip low for good service is tacky and unfair! And, just because folks are into Disney doesn't mean we believe everything written on the disboards. To be a good person is also to be generous in my opinion. What is an extra few dollars for most people to give to a server who gives good service when they are so quick to buy souvenirs for themselves!

 

[chobie]

Tipping might be considered "optional" to some, but unless you are trying to prove a point with bad service, to tip low for good service is tacky and unfair! And, just because folks are into Disney doesn't mean we believe everything written on the disboards. To be a good person is also to be generous in my opinion. What is an extra few dollars for most people to give to a server who gives good service when they are so quick to buy souvenirs for themselves!

Amen. I would also add that not tipping or low tipping after good service is just plain mean. I'm glad that Disney values its employees enough to add the tip on to the dining plan and big parties.

 

[Snow_White]

Just FYI: I have a friend who is a professional waiter and he admittedly makes over $100,000 in tips per year. I don't think we need to worry about him starving or being thrown out on the street. Just out of curiousity, I showed him some Disney menus and asked what he thought the servers made there and his estimation of Disney servers is that they make very good money as well, based on the menus and average tips. He said that poor tippers always average out b/c of good tippers.

 

[chobie]

Just FYI: I have a friend who is a professional waiter and he admittedly makes over $100,000 in tips per year. I don't think we need to worry about him starving or being thrown out on the street. Just out of curiousity, I showed him some Disney menus and asked what he thought the servers made there and his estimation of Disney servers is that they make very good money as well, based on the menus and average tips. He said that poor tippers always average out b/c of good tippers.

Some probably do make good money and they work hard for it. It is still wrong to tip badly when you have had good service.

BTW, unless you can come up with actual figures, the "I have a friend who said this" is not a very convincing argument. If one has a philosophical problem with tipping they should not go to full service restaurants.

EDA: I just crunched those numbers and your friend would have to be bringing home about $400 a night, five nights a week, 52 weeks a year to make over 100,000 in tips. Could happen, I guess.

 

[Ms.Mouse]

ANOTHER FACT THAT MAY (HOPEFULLY) CLEAR THIS ALL UP IS THAT THE SINGLE PARTY WE WERE WITH INSISTED ON MATCHING OUR TIPS AT THE RESTAURANTS. THIS MADE EVERY TIP 20% OF THE TOTAL BILL. I DIDN'T STATE THIS BEFORE BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BECOME SUCH A VITAL ISSUE. LITTLE DID I KNOW!

I've been following these posts knowing from the first day I read this (when there were only 4-5 posts altogether) that there would be a "problem" with the tipping. TOO BAD IT TOOK 7 OR SO PAGES TO UPDATE THOSE WHO FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT TIPPING PROPERLY!!!!! And I'm not saying this in a mean or sarcastic manner. ..... There are many people who "stiff" the waitstaff and don't see anything wrong with it... on this forum and on others. So as a general opinion not necessarily directed to the OP, I have to say...
I agree with a previous poster (Mickey'snewestfan) that if you're taking a multiday trip, you should also be able to tip properly since you're paying very well to stay there, go into the parks, buy souvenirs, etc. etc. Especially, if financially well enough off to be able to go on TWO or MORE consecutive years in a row!!!!!!
We all pay lots of $$$$$ to get there and to stay there and for the most of us, to eat there. If we don't have enough to pay the extra few $$$ out (yes, a few $$$ when you're considering how much we're paying to get there!!!) Then don't eat TS at all!!! Eat all CS if you're "scrimping" to save those few $$$ THERE ARE HEALTHY OPTIONS AT MOST OF THE COUNTER SERVICES!!!

I can't believe some of the posts I've been reading here and the ideas that some have... I, at this time have a B degree working on (hopefully someday) a M degree also and have no problem with the fact that some waitstaff somewhere may be making more than I am!!!!! I worked hard to get where I am in a job that I love and SO WHAT!!! if someone is making more than I am!!! You're always going to find those with less education making more than those with more..... MAYBE those who can't take it are not in a job they are happy in I worked as a waitress and let me tell you... THEY WORK HARD FOR EVERY $$$ they get...It's a back-breaking job and they have to take a lot of gruff from many customers and if fortunate, may make minimum wage, and if very fortunate, may make a little more... so they deserve to be tipped appropriately. It's not up to us to "count their pennies, it's up to us to do right...SO, YES, IF WE CAN'T AFFORD TO TIP "PROPERLY" WE SHOULDN'T BE EATING THERE!!!!!

 

[SuBeat]

People have a problem with this because they are looking for something to have a problem with. Tipping is a personal choice, not a requirement. The op has felt that she needed to defend herself because she was attacked that is ridiculous.

I can not believe that you people call yourselves Disney People, but then again maybe you need Disney to counteract all the turmoil in your lives.

I think most people are aware that tipping (while maybe not specifically required) is an expected part of the cost of dining at a TS restaurant, and one should plan accordingly.

And contrary to what I think you are implying, I believe the true "Disney people" are the ones that are generous enough to share a little pixie dust in the form of an appropriate tip.

 

[majortom]

And if we are going to talk just Disney, all Disney waitstaff make the same in wages before taxes as most of the other Disney employees, why do you think that they should make more?

Sorry, this is just not true. Disney servers are paid like every other server in Florida, sub-minimum wage.

/carmi

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Yes, I am very serious about that. I have managed restaurants, I also know that the below minimum wage for waitresses is not so much the case anymore. I also know that waitresses do not need to be making more than I do with a masters degree and believe me many of them do.

1. Waitressing is a position that is easy to enter. Hence you could be one right now if you wanted to. That must mean you prefer your job, wages such as they are. You are perfectly free to go beat em at their own game if you don't like that some make more than you.
2. A Masters degree will get you a free bus ride at Disney. In other words, it doesn't entitle you to anything other than to say you have a degree. It certainly doesn't guarantee you more money than another job field. Education is but one of the factors that affect pay. There are many others.
3. If a waitress works hard enough and schmoozes enough to get 100 grand in tips, more power to her. She earned it and should be making it. If waitresses get together and bargain collectively and they get 18%, in meal plan tips, more power to them. It's not like Disney had to agree to an automatic percentage of meal plan tips. Nor do I have to get the meal plan if I don't want to pay an automatic 18%. If market forces dictate Disney starts losing money by giving 18%, they won't be giving 18%.

Originally Posted by majortom
Then she also did not eat for under $75 a day. You cannot have it both ways. By posting her exact dollar amounts without posting how much someone else added in tips, she is doing one of two things:
1. Arguing that these are valid amounts to tip.
2. Misleading readers into thinking one can eat as she did for those amounts she listed.
Either is wrong. Again saying "one can eat for $75 a day if one has someone else paying for everything over $75" may be true but is certainly meaningless

.

Bingo!!! However, I would add that if the difference is small, it's still a meaningful post, just with a headline that doesn't quite fit.
+++++++++++

is a 12 year old considered a child when it comes to dining, or was an ADULT passed off as a child?

A 12 year old is an adult when it comes to dining. However, most places will let even a 12 year old or over order off the kids menu if they want. The buffets and all you can eats won't. But I can't really think of any others that won't off hand. One can also share at all the counters and most a-la-carte restaurants.

I can not believe that you people call yourselves Disney People, but then again maybe you need Disney to counteract all the turmoil in your lives.

Whoa....
I personally am not even sure what a "Disney" person is. I certainly love to go to Disney and would like to see those that do a wonderful job in what they do down there compensated well for their efforts.

JarrDisneysaid.

Mejo, thanks to your posts I think I am going to take up waiting tables again. I had no clue it was such a lucrative proffession. Especially when you feel that tipping is optional. In fact, I'm gonna have my GF drop her job right now so she can go back to making $2/hr at the Olive Garden. If tipping is optional she definatley could have put herself through college with that money!

I was stupid for even going to college. I could have had 1/2 a mil in the bag as a waiter and retired a millionaire before 30.

 

[majortom]

He said that poor tippers always average out b/c of good tippers.

Did he say: "I am glad that some people do not tip, because I am only interested in my average tip and if everyone tipped me fairly, I would make too much money?" Obviously not. His point was that as a server one should not stress over those that tip poorly. That does not justify tipping poorly.

Retail businesses price their products so that they are profitable even after some level of theft and breakage occurs. Saying that: "It is ok for me to take an item without paying, since they count on some being stolen" is a similar (if someone more extreme) attitude.

/carmi

 

[majortom]

Exactly, that is $52000 clear, so someone that has to pay taxes on their wages would have to make well over $70000 in order to clear that much.

You presume that every server cheats on his or her taxes. If not, they are required to pay on that just like everyone else. At many high-end restaurants (and at many in vacation/convention areas like Disney), servers receive a large majority of their tips from credit card charges and so would not be able to cheat on their taxes even if they wished to do so.

Finally, it does not matter how much they make. They take their jobs based on an expectation as to what they will earn. You may that someone doing that job should not earn that much. You have a right to your opinion. What you do not have a right to do is take a seat from someone that will reward them as they (and Disney) expect.

/carmi

 

[thelionqueen]

But the OP said that on occasions with a particularly low tip she had had bad service. And furthermore she pointed out that someone else was putting down extra tip money. She didn't say she couldn't afford the tip, she went on to say her mother wanted to do it as a nice gesture. How can anyone have a problem with any of this?

You need to go back and read the post I quoted these comments in. Your comments don't pertain to the point I was making about the post I quoted. Nothing was said about bad service, and it had nothing at all to do with what you posted.

 

[thelionqueen]

Did he say: "I am glad that some people do not tip, because I am only interested in my average tip and if everyone tipped me fairly, I would make too much money?" Obviously not. His point was that as a server one should not stress over those that tip poorly. That does not justify tipping poorly.

Retail businesses price their products so that they are profitable even after some level of theft and breakage occurs. Saying that: "It is ok for me to take an item without paying, since they count on some being stolen" is a similar (if someone more extreme) attitude.

/carmi

Very well put!!

BTW, I consider myself a "Disney Person" (though don't really know what that implies to others) and also feel that being generous to those who DESERVE it (NOT bad service) is a small way of giving the magic to another. I may start a whole nother debate about overtipping by $1

I don't even want to start about tipping Mousekeeping or Valet..another 200 pages later we'd still be trying to convince non-tippers they are just wrong.

 

[Snow_White]

EDA: I just crunched those numbers and your friend would have to be bringing home about $400 a night, five nights a week, 52 weeks a year to make over 100,000 in tips. Could happen, I guess.

Yeah, isn't it crazy? It sounds out there, but I actually believe it. Just FYI, he works 6 or even 7 days a week, never 5 (I don't know why). He works at one of the most expensive/elite places in the Baltimore area--like I said, he is definitely would I would term a professional waiter, he's not just someone who is working at Chili's while he gets his college degree. His best estimation is that an average WDW server would bring home at least $50,000/year in tips (I showed him the dinner menus for Le Cellier and similar places to that fyi). Of course, who knows what the real figures area--I just figure that since he is a prof. waiter he knows more than me about this, lol.

 

[Snow_White]

Did he say: "I am glad that some people do not tip, because I am only interested in my average tip and if everyone tipped me fairly, I would make too much money?" Obviously not. His point was that as a server one should not stress over those that tip poorly. That does not justify tipping poorly.

Of course not, my only point was that you guys are stressing over it more than actual servers do. All you can do is control your own tipping habits, not those of complete strangers. I really doubt that anyone is going to change their tipping habits based on the advice of strangers.

 

[tinker&belle]

I can't believe I read the whole thing...

Ironically, the OP got flamed last time for her CS choices, this year it's her choices (about tipping) at the TS. I do feel bad for the OP. She stated she hadn't planned on $75, and when she started the thread (from looking at her receipts) she totaled $75 and that's what she posted. I can just see her excitement as she figured how low she had fed her family for, and excited to share it on the boards.

Tips were obviously taken care of, but if she had eaten at all CS (like last year,) the tip issue wouldn't have come up and I'm sure she would again be flamed for ot following the food pyramid guidelines...

That being said, before my tipping character falls into question, I always tip at least 15% (acceptable where I live) but DH is always very generous (upwards to 25% sometimes). At table service, we do this.

As far as the tip jars from starbucks to coldstone...don't even get me started!!!

 

[Dorisk3]

Actually, if you go back and read last year's 75 a day post, most people in the majority complemented the OP and agreed with her. For all that everyone was saying that she got flamed before, I had to look it up and read it. From what I remember a few people stated they liked to eat nice at Disney and wouldn't eat all that fast food, and maybe 1 or 2 mentioned fruits and veggies. No big deal- just a little disagreement- no flaming! Ironically someone did mention tipping once- but it wasn't really discussed- the OP poster said that she had a separate envelope she carried with her tip budget. Just because someone doesn't agree with a poster it doesn't mean they are flaming her!

 

[DaisyD]

Yeah, isn't it crazy? It sounds out there, but I actually believe it. Just FYI, he works 6 or even 7 days a week, never 5 (I don't know why). He works at one of the most expensive/elite places in the Baltimore area--like I said, he is definitely would I would term a professional waiter, he's not just someone who is working at Chili's while he gets his college degree. His best estimation is that an average WDW server would bring home at least $50,000/year in tips (I showed him the dinner menus for Le Cellier and similar places to that fyi). Of course, who knows what the real figures area--I just figure that since he is a prof. waiter he knows more than me about this, lol.

Does your friend work at Ruth's Cris? I know when we eat there the waiters are very professional. Our bill is always at least $200 for just the two of us. We tip at least $50 each time. I can easily see a waiter in this setting making over $400 a night. We hav a friend that works in WDW as a waiter who does make a 6 figure salary.