Tipping

TrueBlue was just saying that you should tip based on the price of your food, tax excluded. But most people tip on the total with tax included, so the server gets a little extra.

Thanks for the help!

Yes, this is right. Personally, I tip on the total.

I like the Australian system, eating out costs a bit more, but there is no tipping. Servers make a decent wage, are not expecting tips. (my sis worked in a pizza place and made around $20.00/hour, (in 2004) When we were visiting, we always had excellent service, and knew how much we would be paying up front.

Is it just me, but I am used to tipping around 10%, 15-20 for superb service. An expectation of 18% seems high.

I usually pay 15% unless the service was really great, then of course I'm happy to tip more.

I think Courtney's comment was very interesting. Here in Ontario, Canada, people working in restaurants that serve liquor have a minimum wage $1.35/hr less than every other minimum wage worker. It would be interesting to pay servers a standard wage instead of having to rely on their tips to survive.

I was in Australia 5 years ago and read ahead of time that servers don't expect a tip. I didn't tip but felt very uncomfortable because I wondered if other Americans didn't know their policy and tipped. I was afraid that possible tipping from other Americans had them expecting it from me. It was really weird not to tip.

JP, i grew up in southern ontario, now I live on vancouver island. When i am visiting ontario, i tip better than i do elsewhere because of the lower rate. My feeling about this are, i don't tip the clothing store clerk who goes above & beyond for me, why would i tip a server who does not. When said server & retail worker are making the same minimum wage.

Does any one know what the minimum wage for servers is in Florida?

"The Florida minimum wage is $7.67 per hour, effective January 1, 2012.

Employers of tipped employees, who meet eligibility requirements for the tip credit under the FLSA, may count tips actually received as wages under the Florida minimum wage. However, the employer must pay tipped employees a direct hourly wage of $4.65 as of January 1, 2012."

http://www.floridajobs.org/minimumwage/Announcement-FL_MinWage2012.pdf

Wow, and I thought the $1.35/hr less in Ontario was bad! Tipped employees in Florida make $3.02 less per hour!
Mind you, just because that is the minimum wage doesn't mean that is what all tipped servers are being paid. I wonder what Disney's waiters make?

The Disney Company is notorious for under paying cast members. I can't imagine that it's much more than minimum, perhaps though it gets better with seniority.

I just can't help but wonder if ALL waitstaff get paid the same or if say for example the waiters at The Yachtsman get better wages than the ones at say Beaches and Cream for example.

i think i will tip a little higher than my normal, but good servers can do very well, lets say they work a 4 hour shift, with 5 tables an an hour, averaging $100.00 per table, at 18% thats $360.00 even with a tip out of 3% to the kitchen, $60.00, thats still $300 for 4 hours, sure wish i could make that kind of cash.

When my Sis graduated from university and was working as a biologist, she kept waiting tables at a formal restaurant, she usually made double or triple on the weekends over her day job paid.

Vettelover - I know that the kitchen staff amongst Disney restaurants are fairly mobile and move around at different restaurants over the course of their careers. I guess I just assumed it would be the same for wait staff but I don't know if that is true.

If I were Disney I would pull my best servers from all of the establishments and move them to the fine dining establishments. Even if there was no raise from corporate, they would see an increase in tips and that would make it a plum position.

I wonder if the Victoria & Alberts, and dinner show staffs would get paid more. They have a limited number of seatings at those so the wait staff can't turn a table quickly for more money.

This is interesting to me. I've worked in a number of kitchens, including at Disney. While the servers had to tip out the bussing staff and the bartender (our bar tender worked behind the scenes; we didn't have a bar accessible to the guests), we in the kitchen never got a "cut" of the tips. Is this common in your area?

yes,it is very common. Every restaurant I've ever worked at has tipped out the kitchen.

My restaurant doesn't, but it is not uncommon to even tip out the management on duty that night.

From my experience it varies from 2% to 4% in my area (Halifax, NS)

We generally tip 15%. It just depends on the service of course. When the service has been exceptional, we'll tip 20% or more. I remember back in the day getting a 25 cent tip and thought that was great! I guess I'm showing my age!

The problem is that it is not that simple. The waiters and waitresses at higher prices resteraunts do a much lower volume of tables then for example the waffle house. The average guest at the waffle house may stay only 45 minutes while at the $100 place the average time is 90 minutes. They also have far fewer tables because the high level of attention expected by the guest. Servers at more expensive plays more people to tip out to then the waffle house. The server at the waffle house won't have to give a share to the assistant waiter, bartender along with kitchen staff and bus boys.

I tip for service. If the food was bad, trust me, that server is probably earning that tip all the more as they try to settle my issues with the kitchen. If that server can keep me happy even through poor food. They deserve the best tip possible.

Amen, Sister!!

As a Australian, who works in the service industry, I can tell you, that no we do not expect tips from Americans, or anyone really. Most places will have a tip jar at the counter, but that is generally it.

I worry that I will forget to tip while we are at WDW in September, and the servers will hunt us down. (seriously)

No tipping in Japan either
Dee

Good afternoon,

I've tipped 20% on the total bill but have now realized that I've been overtipping for my whole life. I now tip on the food total.

Jim

I usually double the tax and add a dollar.

Tax where I live is 5% so I triple the tax usually. If they are really awesome, I then add more. If they are terrible, then we go from there.

I worked in a restaurant and I find it very rude when people remind me to tip. I will usually tip a bit less and tell them I found it insulting they are demanding/ reminding me to tip them. That being said, they still get a good tip in the end. If I have had a problem with a server, I speak with a manager to make sure I cover tip out(% to back of house staff) because I don't think they should have to pay, that isn't fair.

We'll see how it goes. My friend had a tables card so I hear the discount men's they automatically apply 18% so I likely will just leave it as is and not add more. I don't really want to tip at buffets that much but it really isn't extra in the end since the discount takes care of that amount.

We have never, ever had any server at WDW remind us about tipping or say anything about it. I have had them stop me before we got out the door to thank me for their tip. We tip from 18 - 20%. That's the norm in PA. and that's what I'll tip in FL. If I would have a really bad server, yes I would adjust that some, but I have never ran across anyone yet in the 30 some years we have been going to WDW that I had to do that to yet. And like Kristen said, the tip is for service, not the food! That is dealt with at the Kitchen level or management.

I'm the same way. Someplace on the board I know I've mentioned that I will tip less if you remind me. It just seems like begging to me. I do tip less if I've been "reminded".