Tipping question re: Buffets

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Lucyjane45xxx

I really don't understand the whole people thinking they shouldn't tip in a buffet restaurant?
I mean okay they may not bring your meal to you but they are still constantly refilling your drinks, checking up on you and then clearing the table. Some people at buffets have multiple plates meaning the servers are doing just as much, if not more than at other table service restaurants.

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Personally, I tip less (but I still tip!) because the buffet servers don't take our multiple course food orders, don't relay those orders to the chefs, don't make sure the food is correct and don't bring all those courses to our table, like they do at a table service restaurant. Whereas table service servers do all the other things (bring drinks, clear multiple plates, check you are ok, etc). So buffet waiters only do maybe two-thirds of the job that a table service waiter does.

The suggested norm for tipping at buffet restaurants is generally 10% (see here, for example) whereas it's around 15 to 20% for table service restaurants, so it seems that many people think the same.

Of course, tipping is entirely voluntary and is meant purely as a reward for good service. You can tip as much or as little as you like. If you are happy to tip buffet servers, say, 20% then there's absolutely nothing wrong with that (and I think the server will be happy too).

[loves2plan]

I base my tip on the service and how hard the server has worked, not on whether it's table service or a buffet. I've had some awful, indifferent servers at TS meals where we've had to flag them down to get a drinks refill and some amazing buffet meal servers (Thomas at Chef Mickey's was exceptional!) who have worked much harder. It's not the meal that dictates it as far as I'm concerned, but the server - their attitude and how hard they work.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Burgmeister

Generally don't agree with tipping as a "norm" (outstanding service is different) but know it is pretty much compulsory in the US - so I do it.

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It's not compulsory to tip in the USA. In fact, legally it has to be entirely voluntary without any sort of compulsion from the restaurant or wait staff. No one should make you pay a tip nor make you tip a certain amount.

However, it is customary to tip certain people. Or, to put it another way, it is the "norm".

Service charges, especially those that are stated upfront, are different.

Originally Posted by Burgmeister

I find in the US its difficult to know who you are expected to tip. Obviously wait staff and, apparently bar staff. Taxi drivers, bus drivers (but not public transport?) cleaners, bell hops, skycaps etc. But how do you absolutely know which roles you are supposed to tip for?

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The DIBB's guidebook provides a good idea of who it is customary to tip:

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/Tip...ando-p-40.html

There are plenty of other guidelines on the internet that provide suggestions of which positions are often tipped. I think you've listed most of them.

[sha9]

Originally Posted by loves2plan

I base my tip on the service and how hard the server has worked, not on whether it's table service or a buffet. I've had some awful, indifferent servers at TS meals where we've had to flag them down to get a drinks refill and some amazing buffet meal servers (Thomas at Chef Mickey's was exceptional!) who have worked much harder. It's not the meal that dictates it as far as I'm concerned, but the server - their attitude and how hard they work.

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I agree with this. We often go back and forth to a buffet and the server has to clear multiple plates. Usually we do breakfast buffets so the servers are popping back to full our juice too. We’ve definitely had some service at buffets which was better than waiter service meals.

[DisneyDaffodil]

So, if we did decide to tip say 10% at buffets at Disney, how does it work? Just add 10% on the bottom of the bill and then charge it to magic band? I would base it on service, as I know we have had regular top ups of drinks and clearing of plates sometimes so then I would tip as per table service. But some servers can leave dishes for ages and have not offered drink top ups, or try to rush you through so in this case 10% would be reasonable. Does anyone do this while staying onsite, or would it not be considered appropriate?

[Guest]

I don’t recall my drinks being refilled, I am sure I get my own. I also don’t have multiple plates, I have one plate with different things on it. I didn’t know it was normal to have multiple plates, DH sometimes has a second plate but he feels guilty about it and it is very much the exception.

Accordingly the server does far less for us that at a TS meal. No idea if DH tips differently or not, but I shall be encouraging him to do so in future.

[YorkshireT]

I would say $5 for family of four is very reasonable. But it depends on work done. I may go to $10 for family of 4 if service exceptional.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by Scotsmomma

They do still have it on your bill as a suggested tip😲

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40 dollars tip for serving 4 adults and a kid at a lunch buffet. The world has gone mad. If I were Edward's Dad I'd tell him to forget his medicine degree he's planning on studying and stick to clearing dirty plates.

[DisneyDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Claudette

I don’t recall my drinks being refilled, I am sure I get my own. I also don’t have multiple plates, I have one plate with different things on it. I didn’t know it was normal to have multiple plates, DH sometimes has a second plate but he feels guilty about it and it is very much the exception.

Accordingly the server does far less for us that at a TS meal. No idea if DH tips differently or not, but I shall be encouraging him to do so in future.

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We usually only have one mains plate, but can have a soup bowl, salad plate and then dessert plate. So for 3 of us, there can be a pile of plates by dessert time.

Breakfast buffets usually have juices topped by servers, depending on the server. But I agree that the servers at buffets usually do less, so I feel 18-20% tip is high for a buffet.

[steruth]

What about the likes of ponderosa ? I've always tipped 18 to 20%was that too much xx