Letting server know you tip like a local

[Shooby doo]

Here's a thought, maybe it's the restaurants that push the %, the more we Tip the less the Restaurant has to "Top up" to minimum wage. Like other's I do wonder why the % has increased so much, it's not as if the cost of the meal has stagnated Did laugh when we ate somewhere that had a suggested amount up to 35%
Having just returned from the Netherlands & a non-tipping culture,even leaving 10% was greeted with an enthusiastic welcome.
SD

[shabba]

Only had bad service twice in over 10 trips. The worst was actually by a British server in the Rose & Crown Epcot, which resulted in me not getting a pudding due to her gassing with another customer & I would have missed the fireworks. The 2nd was at a Red Lobster, where the male server proceeded to tell us on ordering he strived for a 25% tip. He then forgot one or two things from the order.
Both received a tip around 10% and no fuss was made by myself, this is simply because my wife hates me going off on one when poor service rears its ugly head. So I stay stum & quietly ceith to myself.

[RickT]

Tipping is a topic I could talk about all day, however one thing which does brass me off is tipping across different restaurants... More so for Disney and their OTT prices.

We are non ddp, so a meal in cinderellas Royal table does not come cheap, but then the tip amount which is added is insane when the service you get is what you just expect, ie.. Taking drink orders, bringing drinks, pestering again if we need a top up when cups are half full, bringing the food, taking the plates away, a few more shuttles taking and bringing stuff and then a $50 tip is expected at 20%!

Compare this to our breakfast in Dennys where we ordered from the $6 menu, with a total bill of $30, which at 20% is $6, the old timer waitress there was slogging her ass off as much if not more than the kido in Disney and may have been there since 6am but the tipping game is really unfair that your top up of tips will depend on the prices the restaurant is charging.

I tipped our Dennys waitress $10 and she remembered us from a few days before when we went back... It did result in me having to tip again $10 😂😂but this time we were not charged for coffee and the kids got some fruit juice free of charge.

The tipping game as a worker just seems you are lucky or your not...

[scoobydooby]

Originally Posted by RickT

Tipping is a topic I could talk about all day, however one thing which does brass me off is tipping across different restaurants... More so for Disney and their OTT prices.

We are non ddp, so a meal in cinderellas Royal table does not come cheap, but then the tip amount which is added is insane when the service you get is what you just expect, ie.. Taking drink orders, bringing drinks, pestering again if we need a top up when cups are half full, bringing the food, taking the plates away, a few more shuttles taking and bringing stuff and then a $50 tip is expected at 20%!

Compare this to our breakfast in Dennys where we ordered from the $6 menu, with a total bill of $30, which at 20% is $6, the old timer waitress there was slogging her ass off as much if not more than the kido in Disney and may have been there since 6am but the tipping game is really unfair that your top up of tips will depend on the prices the restaurant is charging.

I tipped our Dennys waitress $10 and she remembered us from a few days before when we went back... It did result in me having to tip again $10 😂😂but this time we were not charged for coffee and the kids got some fruit juice free of charge.

The tipping game as a worker just seems you are lucky or your not...

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Have you actually eaten at Cinderella’s Royal Table? I ask because the meal price includes gratuity.

[shoei]

My family are from Sarasota and I have been visiting since I was small. There has been a noticeable decline in the quality in service since it became more popular as a British holiday destination, so yes, I do think it is a definite decision by certain servers not to treat brits as well. I would say that when I have visit places that have less British tourism, I haven't received poor service.

I would also say. Most of the service I have received, even the poor service is better than a lot of the service I have received in the UK.

[landandword17]

Couple of things.

1) Americans tip by American standards abroad for the most part. I used to work in a hotel during college and all I can say is bless them because I brought home an extra £100 every week during the peak American tourist months. Sometimes they would go to. leave without tipping and you could see their discomfort so they would leave it anyway. The biggest tip I got was £50 which was an almost 100% tip. We go to Italy every year and I see Americans tipping there all the time too. We don’t tip in Europe and find service their far too slow for our taste and so far we have never experienced anything so out of the ordinary it deserves a tip.

2) it’s hard to please everyone. I don’t want chat, I don’t want to tell them where I’m from and how long I’m there and on and on. I don’t punish an overly friendly server with a lower tip but I do think it’s something I have to “endure”. For the most part they read my body language and back off so when the Americans next to me are telling her their life story I think “thank god that’s not me” because I don’t want it and I think it shows. Once, our server jumped into the booth beside me and threw her arm around me, calling me hun after I asked her to recommend a cocktail. I was mortified. When she did it to the American lady later in the evening, the American lady threw her arm around her and they had a grand old time. I suppose I don’t envy them because it’s hard to know what the customer wants and most Brits I’d think don’t want the fuss. I’ve noticed lots of people here saying they hate the Landry’s manager coming over for example. I also found it hard serving Americans when I first started hotel work. They have a different way of communicating and I was always trying to read them and be one step ahead. Compared to us they are hard work but they are never passive aggressive. They are very up front and to the point. We used to get so many passive aggressive Brits who would write letters weeks later about the terrible food, phone days later and say they didn’t like their dinner, draw a thumbs down on the receipt or write swear words 🤷 Had I ever known they were sitting there raging I could have made it right. The Americans called you over right away and you had the chance to fix the problem and still send them home happy.

3) My approach OP would be to communicate with them. Not about the tip amount but about what you expect. They want the tip, they want to get good feedback, they all want to get good social media reviews these days so I would just speak up and tell them what you want whether it’s to hold the bill, don’t bring my main until I’ve asked, I won’t order my main until later, we’d like to enjoy our drinks for a while and then we’ll consider dessert etc... Engage them in conversation if you want lots of hands on service. If you have a problem tell them and ask to speak to a manger if it’s a major problem with the food quality or service.

4) They think good service means speed and efficiency. Even in a 5 star hotel we were given the bill before we had finished. That’s why they keep tipping up drink, asking if you’re okay, clearing plates as soon as they’re empty even if others at the table are still eating.

[sue97]

I met up with my American cousins in Paris and they were not tipping at all as their guide book told them that you don't tip in Paris. I found this out after a restaurant refused us a table for eight, they had been there the night before and were returning. I jokingly said to my cousin, Jimmy you must not have tipped enough and he said we did not tip.

We had some great service and some awful service this year in the US and expecting to get 20% for awful service is ridiculous. We paid 15% but talking to a guy on the plane and they did not pay if service was bad.

[Floridatilly]

I think we have been pretty lucky whilst in Florida. We have always had fantastic service. Apart from o Hannah’s when the server huffed & rolled her eyes when I requested more noodles, then she brought the tiniest slither of bread pudding you have ever seen for our family of five. I asked for more and she looked like she was going to explode! But apart from that we have encountered lovely servers. We are obviously open to chat as the servers can tell with our Cheshire Cat smiles, we love the banter and it seems that the server does too, doesn’t seem fake to us. It’s part of the experience of eating out in Orlando for us.
I could not do their job, we have witnessed some really rude customers who speak to the servers like dirt. I’d be tempted to serve their meal on their head! Lol

[Vinniecat]

Originally Posted by Sandra & co

That’s awful to think they are only being nice for tips, so they are all nasty and put on a fake niceness for tips. I do find a lot of Americans sound fake but I thought that’s just how they were but I was probably right they are over nice for a good tip!

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We had terrible service at black Angus steak house as well as terrible food. I don't expect someone to fawn over me when I am in a restaurant but I do have standards of service that I expect. Our server there was also quite rude. We were trying to decide what to do tip wise when we saw it was included. I think it just meant our waiter thought he didn't have to bother

[scoobydooby]

For me, talking specifically Disney, the issue with tipping isn’t the tipping. We can debate all we want what is normal but every US travel guide printed will tell you 18-20% is normal. That’s the answer. Also I’ve been visiting WDW for 20 years and can count the bad service experiences I’ve had in less than the fingers of one hand. For me the issue is the price of the table service meals in relation to their quality and value which has been on a rapidly declining scale for the last 4 years or so. I object to the cost of the 20% tip because the food is not worth what they charge even accounting for the captive audience surcharge. I’m never sure what people are expecting when they complain about bad service. If I receive my food and drinks in a timely manner from a polite server who can answer any questions about the menu I’ve had good service. I’m not expecting a performance because of the tipping culture.