Disney Meal Plan Dining, How tipping works? - Walt Disney Boards - Message Boards & Forum Discussing The Genius Of Walter Elias Disney!

Mom of1 Lil Princess · #1 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 03:00 PM

I was looking at one of the flyers for the Disney Meal Plan and I noticed that not all of the tips are included. Some times with certain items or parties of 6 or more have 18% tip added, and somethings like the Cinderella's table include a tip. I would like to know how do the other times of tipping work? Will it show on the receipt the monetary value of the meal we ate even though we used our meal plan? (obviously if it does then I can tip based on the percentage I choose... normally 20% for good service)

Can anyone enlighten me?

**DisneyNutMary** · #2 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 03:06 PM

I haven't used the Diing Plan yet, so if I get this wrong, I'm sorry, but I know someone will correct me with the current info.
I believe you will get a bill with the cash value of the meal, and I also believe the suggested tip amount is listed. Of course you are free to tip what you deem appropriate, but to make claculations easier, I believe Disney is now putting the standard tip amount on the bill.

Mom of1 Lil Princess · #3 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DisneyNutMary

I haven't used the Diing Plan yet, so if I get this wrong, I'm sorry, but I know someone will correct me with the current info.
I believe you will get a bill with the cash value of the meal, and I also believe the suggested tip amount is listed. Of course you are free to tip what you deem appropriate, but to make claculations easier, I believe Disney is now putting the standard tip amount on the bill.

Thanks Mary, this greatly helps me. I really like to try and get all the info before I dive into something.

Maybe someone could give me a clue on what the tip percentage provided is? not that it really matters as I'll have my trusty iPhone with me

**PolynesianMedic** · #4 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 04:18 PM

I have used the dining plan a LOT, BUT never on it's recent incarnation. The tip used to be included, and I thought it was wonderful. They have now removed the tip from the plan, and it is your responsibility to pay it out of your pocket. Even under the old plan, you would still get a receipt as you do at any restaurant with your meal cost per item on it, with the tally and taxes on the bottom. They even showed on the old system what the tip was that was being paid, and if you felt the need for more were allowed to do so. Disney typically recommends 18% and that is probably what you will see on your bill. I hope this helps, and PLEASE let us know what it is really like when you actually get there.

P.S. - I LOVE the dining plan, and I am sure you will too.

Mom of1 Lil Princess · #5 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolynesianMedic

I have used the dining plan a LOT, BUT never on it's recent incarnation. The tip used to be included, and I thought it was wonderful. They have now removed the tip from the plan, and it is your responsibility to pay it out of your pocket. Even under the old plan, you would still get a receipt as you do at any restaurant with your meal cost per item on it, with the tally and taxes on the bottom. They even showed on the old system what the tip was that was being paid, and if you felt the need for more were allowed to do so. Disney typically recommends 18% and that is probably what you will see on your bill. I hope this helps, and PLEASE let us know what it is really like when you actually get there.

P.S. - I LOVE the dining plan, and I am sure you will too.

Aha, interesting... I faintly remember someone saying that Cast Members were happy when people came into dine using the dining plan because they got a already added in valued tip. I'm not surprised they removed the tip inclusion but I am not really thrilled about it

. That is good that they state on the receipt how much everything would have cost, DH would love to know how much he is actually saving.

Now this actually brings up one more question... I wonder if they don't include tax now too. I also actually wonder if when this promo ends (the free dining plan promo) will they start including the tips again?

**hms1016** · #6 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 04:42 PM

I have used the dining plan with and without gratuities included. There is now a suggested gratuity on the bill. I don't remember for sure what the percentage is. I will be going during free dining again this year and will make a mental note of it.

**Oh Pooh** · #7 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mom of1 Lil Princess

Aha, interesting... I faintly remember someone saying that Cast Members were happy when people came into dine using the dining plan because they got a already added in valued tip. I'm not surprised they removed the tip inclusion but I am not really thrilled about it

. That is good that they state on the receipt how much everything would have cost, DH would love to know how much he is actually saving.

Now this actually brings up one more question... I wonder if they don't include tax now too. I also actually wonder if when this promo ends (the free dining plan promo) will they start including the tips again?

Mary was right, the bill has suggested what percentage you should if you want to leave. No they will never add the tip in the dining plan after the promo. I was told it was due to the wait staff wanting more but I think it was Disney. MHO But no it will stay the same after the promo you pay the tip.

The tax was always included and still included ( a friend just got home yesterday & used the plan)

Mom of1 Lil Princess · #8 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oh Pooh

Mary was right, the bill has suggested what percentage you should if you want to leave. No they will never add the tip in the dining plan after the promo. I was told it was due to the wait staff wanting more but I think it was Disney. MHO But no it will stay the same after the promo you pay the tip.

The tax was always included and still included ( a friend just got home yesterday & used the plan)

Thanks for the info, this helps me better understand how it works.

I think it still comes out to be a good deal.

**Oh Pooh** · #9 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mom of1 Lil Princess

Thanks for the info, this helps me better understand how it works.

I think it still comes out to be a good deal.

You are welcome, we think it is worth it & it is only two of us. My DH think of it of pre paying for the food

BellTinkR · #10 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 06:10 PM

Possibly, Disney changed this practice due to Guests complaining about an enforced tip. I hate to say this, but when the gratuity is automatically included, I've often seen a decline in the level of service. People who are not guaranteed a tip will work harder to earn one, I find.

Anyhow, there have been a few times when I was vacationing with my brother and his family and we did not like the service we got, so we called over a manager and asked to have the automatic gratuity removed from our bill. This gave us the freedom to reward the level of service as we experienced it.

Mom of1 Lil Princess · #11 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellTinkR

Possibly, Disney changed this practice due to Guests complaining about an enforced tip. I hate to say this, but when the gratuity is automatically included, I've often seen a decline in the level of service. People who are not guaranteed a tip will work harder to earn one, I find.

Anyhow, there have been a few times when I was vacationing with my brother and his family and we did not like the service we got, so we called over a manager and asked to have the automatic gratuity removed from our bill. This gave us the freedom to reward the level of service as we experienced it.

Wow, how true! I never looked at it that way. I guess if I've ever had horrible service I've left them a penny on the table. I didn't think what would happen if it was included in the bill, that they wouldn't care about giving good service. I've never worked in the restaurant industry so I don't know how they think.

In regards to thinking of the Dining Plan as a prepayment of the meals that is a good idea. I think it would work well for DH because then he won't have a heart attack when he sees the bill after we eat. Or look only at the prices before we order.

**go2WDW** · #12 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 07:02 PM

If they haven't changed the receipts in the past few months since I last used Dining Plan, there is a suggested tip at 18% and 20% printed at the bottom of the receipt you'll receive at the end of your meal.

I'll be there in 12 days using the Dining Plan, so I'll soon know if they've changed anything!

**PolynesianMedic** · #13 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 08:16 PM

The tip was removed from the plan because of the very reason that Tink stated. They were having too many people complain about the service that they were receiving, and thought it best to allow people to award the tip they felt proper. This of course brings the level of service back up, because the staff now has to work for their tip.

BellTinkR · #14 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 07:37 AM

I just want to add that they changed it for the Dining PLAN but not for the Dining CARD aka "Tables Around The World" or whatever it is called this year. If you use the CARD to get your discounted dining, you can expect the 18% gratuity to be included. I don't have one, but that's because I am usually with people who DO have one, and none of them will show the card until the meal is over and they are ready to pay. This way the server does not know that there is an automatically guaranteed 18% tip.

**PolynesianMedic** · #15 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 08:07 AM

Yeah that was the one thing that I thought they could have done with the Dining Plan. Don't tell them until it is time to pay. We would do that from time to time, but then again, we used it so much that we knew what we could get for our meals. Most people don't know, so they are always asking questions, and the servers knew.

Loopy747 · #16 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellTinkR

Possibly, Disney changed this practice due to Guests complaining about an enforced tip. I hate to say this, but when the gratuity is automatically included, I've often seen a decline in the level of service. People who are not guaranteed a tip will work harder to earn one, I find.

Anyhow, there have been a few times when I was vacationing with my brother and his family and we did not like the service we got, so we called over a manager and asked to have the automatic gratuity removed from our bill. This gave us the freedom to reward the level of service as we experienced it.

This is how it was for us at the Coral Reef in March. We had 4 adults and 3 kids. 18% was added due to having 6 or more people. The lady talked "friendly" and "smiled" but she was rude. She had her disney face on but it was like she didnt care. She didnt bother to check on the food, didnt check on our drinks. It really ruined it for all the adults.

Loopy747 · #17 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 02:18 PM

We just ate at the Hollywood & Vine for my son's brithday. My sister came along with us. We told the waited at the end we had the dining plan. He was running like crazy so he just brought the bill over. So then we tell him my sister is the only one who doesnt have the dining plan. He came back and only charged her for a child's buffet and the 18% for having 6 people. And she was UNhappy! It still came out CHEAPER than the reg price adult meal! Some people you can never please! LOL And my sister is one of them! I thought that was awesome of him to do that for her! He was a great waiter and on top of everything! We added extra into his tip!

BellTinkR · #18 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 04:26 PM

I've often added more to the 18% with the Dining Card, especially when I've dined with one of my nieces who has food allergies. When I see the staff fussing over making sure she is taken care of, I go all soft and squishy and end up adding extra to the tip.

Jamapak · #19 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mom of1 Lil Princess

Wow, how true! I never looked at it that way. I guess if I've ever had horrible service I've left them a penny on the table. I didn't think what would happen if it was included in the bill, that they wouldn't care about giving good service. I've never worked in the restaurant industry so I don't know how they think.

In regards to thinking of the Dining Plan as a prepayment of the meals that is a good idea. I think it would work well for DH because then he won't have a heart attack when he sees the bill after we eat. Or look only at the prices before we order.

I worked in several restaurants when I was in college way back in the day. For those who have never worked on that side of the menu, here are a couple of quick things to remember.

Most of your service staff make between $2-$4 an hour as their pay.

The federal government taxes them based on actual food sales and charges them 15% of the total food sales they have.

Out of the tip you leave the waiter/waitress they have to tip out (share with) the bus boy, the hostess and the bar tender. This usually is about 20% of their total tips.

If you leave less than 18% for a tip, it will actually cost them money to serve your food to you.

The unfortunate thing is that most people don't know this and leave small tips for small reasons (my hamburger was too done or not done enough), things that the waiter probably doesn't have direct control over. This ends up making the waitress or waiter mad and then he/she takes it out on the next customer which costs them even more money. Good nights can be very good and bad nights can be very costly for these people.

Remember, they are just trying to make a living too. Treat them like they were someone you cared about and usually they will treat you with equal kindness. The other thing that as a former waiter I learned (and your waiter knows this too)...the more demanding and rude a customer, the lower the tip is going to be no matter what you do.

That is a tough and thankless job and I am blessed to not have to do that today. I am a good tipper and start with 20%. If they are good, I go up and if they are not, then I go to 15%. No matter how bad they are, it should never cost them to bring my food to me. That is just one man's opinion.

Bailey158 · #20 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 11:51 PM

Even on the dining plan, you will get a full reciept that shows how much the meal would have cost. At the bottom it will tell you what 15%, 18% and 20% tip for the bill would be. We have never had the tip automatically added.....places even outside of Disney often add the tip for larger parties (the tip is really where the server's pay comes from which personally I never agreed with....if I get bad service, I should not feel obiligated to leave even 10%). Disney is really bad because often the service is not any better than someplace not Disney and the prices at Disney are a tad jacked up which results in you leaving a much larger tip. Personally I have always thought tipping should be a bonus for a job well done, not the actual paycheck. I love the buffet places that expect you to tip when you are serving yourself and the server at the most maybe refills your drink once.....I refuse to leave 15% at places like that because they generally have done nothing for me to warrant me leaving that amount. When you pay $30 for dinner you go get yourself, you shouldn't have to pay the salary of the server to boot!