Which Dibber was this?

[sam7]

Last year in Black Angus we got talking to a waiter who explained some bits of the tipping that I never knew. For example in a restaurant where you are shown to the table by one person, served drinks by another and have a main waiting doing food and seeing to you - the main waiter has to give a percentage of the food bill to the busser and the bar man, regardless of what tip he receives, so if you don't tip the waiter is out of pocket on that table.
He also told us that disney waiting jobs were the holy grail and almost every waiter in Orlando is on a waiting list to get a disney job - he told us how much they earn and it was a massive sum - he also told us that they don;t get tips, tips go straight to Disney.
I have no idea how much of this is true, but he had not reason to make it up

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by sam7

Last year in Black Angus we got talking to a waiter who explained some bits of the tipping that I never knew. For example in a restaurant where you are shown to the table by one person, served drinks by another and have a main waiting doing food and seeing to you - the main waiter has to give a percentage of the food bill to the busser and the bar man, regardless of what tip he receives, so if you don't tip the waiter is out of pocket on that table.
He also told us that disney waiting jobs were the holy grail and almost every waiter in Orlando is on a waiting list to get a disney job - he told us how much they earn and it was a massive sum - he also told us that they don;t get tips, tips go straight to Disney.
I have no idea how much of this is true, but he had not reason to make it up

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I am friendly with a few Disney servers and extremely friendly with a Disney Barman.

They retain 100% of their tips and nothing goes to the kitchen staff or anybody else. Some choose to backhand the busser so their tables are looked after but that's their choice.

[DisneyWannabe]

Originally Posted by sam7

Last year in Black Angus we got talking to a waiter who explained some bits of the tipping that I never knew. For example in a restaurant where you are shown to the table by one person, served drinks by another and have a main waiting doing food and seeing to you - the main waiter has to give a percentage of the food bill to the busser and the bar man, regardless of what tip he receives, so if you don't tip the waiter is out of pocket on that table.
He also told us that disney waiting jobs were the holy grail and almost every waiter in Orlando is on a waiting list to get a disney job - he told us how much they earn and it was a massive sum - he also told us that they don;t get tips, tips go straight to Disney.
I have no idea how much of this is true, but he had not reason to make it up

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I don't think that is totally true, many servers do tip out, BUT it is unlawful for this to be a company policy/enforced AND it is possibly tax fraud in that the IRS may not be getting the tax from those who have received tips in a non-tipped position. I think some servers use this example as a means to try and justify why they tipping % is so high.

We were speaking to some locals (very lovely people) in a couple of restaurants who bemoaned how tourists have artificially raised the tipping rate and the service level has plummeted as a result. They said they continue to leave between 10-15%. They said they felt this to be true of all tourist areas and that in non-tourist areas the rate remains at 10-15%. They also reminded us not to tip a % at a buffet but to pay $ per person. They explained the minimum wage in the US and how it works, as we explained how ours works. We agreed that 10-15% would be a good rate for good-exceptional service, a few dollars for ok and zero for poor service. Really good chinwag.

[taffs travels]

We had a good chat with our server in Dennys as he was interested in the Swansea Dennys and how generally in the UK we wouldn't leave a big tip She said she was on a similar minimum wage and her tips paid for 2 x holidays in the Carribbean and Jamaica every year .
She was offered a managers role there but she would have been worse off so turned it down. If she can make that much in Denny's where the food is cheap imaging what the signature restaurants servers get !

[Mickie]

I’ve never really believed Disney’s guide 18-20% mainly on account of so many other places quoting 15%. And this from USA today

Tip somewhere between 15 to 20 percent for sit-down meal. Buffets can be less — about 10 percent.

That should go down well at the character buffets!

[400ixl]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

Low wages is something of a fallacy.

Florida has a minimum wage which is v similar to our under 21 one, and the employer must make up the wage to that.

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Not quite true. Tipped staff do not have to be paid the minimum wage of $9, but a minimum of $5.23. They only have to make the difference up if the tips do not cover that difference.

So yes they have a minimum wage, but 40% of that could come from the tips they make before they actually see any benefit of those tips themselves.

There is also a difference between a tip and a service charge, they are taxed in different ways.

[greekgranny]

Was surprised to find an 18% service charge added to our bill at the Old Sugar Mill café in DeLeon Springs in Feb. There was only two of us and the meal is akin to a buffet, they bring the batter and you make your own pancakes. Glad we spotted it though as DH was about to leave a tip.

[400ixl]

Other thing people need to remember is the tip is based on the pre-tax amount not the full bill.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by 400ixl

Other thing people need to remember is the tip is based on the pre-tax amount not the full bill.

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Honestly, it doesn’t matter, at least not in Orlando. It makes very little difference - around 1% or so. People shouldn’t get too concerned over whether it’s pre or post tax.

(For a $100 meal, the difference between a pre tax tip and a post tax tip is around $1)

Similarly, people shouldn’t get too concerned over whether they tip 18% or 17% or 15% (or whatever). It’s meant to be a rough guide to an approximate amount, not an exact amount. It’s why guides usually say between 15 to 20% - they mean roughly in that area. It doesn’t mean exactly 15% for standard service and exactly 20% for good service, or anything like that.

[duchy]

Originally Posted by sophiepop

We do tip at about 15% ish but I am getting so frustrated by the fact that if we go out for a nice meal I am expected to pay more than I actually earn an hour just for someone to bring my food and refill my drink maybe once.

We have never not tipped but it is getting to be ridiculous amounts! If someone chased me down the street because I had only given them $20 I would be shocked. How on earth much are they earning a night if each table gives this amount?

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What you earn is irrelevant though.
You've chosen to eat at a table service restaurant in a particular price bracket. No one forced you not to eat at a cheaper one or even QS where a tip isn't customary . It is just part of the cost of eating out in America and should be a part of deciding if a particular restaurant is "worth it" to you personally (we all place different values on "worth it" it's incredibly subjective)