Advertisement
Sometimes at the Walt Disney World Resort, it seems I’m tipping everyone. The guy who parks my car and the guy who brings it back; the guy who stores my bags and the guy who un-stores them; the waiter, the hostess, the maitre ‘d and the bartender; the housekeeper and the person who delivers a few extra towels; the limo driver, taxi driver, Town Car driver, and the Disney’s Magical Express driver. I’m pretty sure that on my last trip I tipped a fellow guest $5 for saying, “Good morning.” Where does it end?
The fact is that tipping, at least in our United States of America, is a time-honored tradition. I’m wagering it was started by Benjamin Franklin. He seems to be the one that started most traditions in this country and I’m betting he dropped a few coins on a local tavern employee for refilling his ale tankard and started the whole mess. Thanks, Ben. Next time you stop into the American Adventure at Epcot, fell free to hiss when he first appears.
Think about it… you order a $12 hamburger and a $7 beer at Walt Disney World and then have an obligation to pony up another $4-$5 as a gratuity because restaurants in this country insist on paying their service people as if they were making running shoes in a third world country. I’ve always wondered why we just don’t raise the prices by 15 percent and pay the workers accordingly—sounds too simple doesn’t it?
Like it or not, you’ll be faced with the issue of who to tip and how much to offer on your next Disney vacation and, as always, I’m here to help.
Gratuity [grah*tu*i*tee] (noun) A small gift, usually of money, given to somebody such as a waiter as thanks for service given.
Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Then why does it bring such angst to Disney vacationers? The facts are that most of us have some familiarity with tipping the wait staff at restaurants but, unless you’re a frequent and seasoned traveler, the many other tipping scenarios might be a bit daunting.
It’s also fact that not all cultures subscribe to the same tipping regimen that we Americans do. I can only guess at the confusion by some of the international visitors to Walt Disney World.
Let’s begin with…
Travel to Orlando
It’s no surprise that our vacation will begin with transportation—getting our luggage, our traveling companions and ourselves from our homes to Walt Disney World. I know there are several possibilities here (e.g. - personal car, train) but I’d suggest the majority of readers fly in, so we’ll start there.
Assuming you get yourself to the airport with a personal vehicle, the tipping might begin with airport curbside check-in, or what I still refer to as the “skycap.” If your airport offers this service, these friendly folks are typically located outside the airport at small counters or kiosks (unless you live in the Northeast and it’s winter, in which case these helpful folks will be holed up in the airport’s coffee shop). For no charge, they can print your boarding pass and tag, and weigh and accept your checked luggage. The suggested gratuity for these folks is $1 to $2 per bag, more for oversized bags.
Do I endorse this service? That’s a big “Yes!” I do suggest tipping here unless you fancy your Samsonites heading off to Paraguay. Seriously, at large, busy airports, like Orlando International, this curbside service can save you the time and aggravation of getting into a lengthy line at the airline counter. For a few bucks, it’s a very worthwhile service.
An even better service, available for your return trip, is Disney’s Resort Airline Check-In which, essentially, places these “skycaps” at your hotel. If your airline is one of those supported, by all means use this service and tip the same as you would for airport skycaps.
If you do visit the airline counter, there’s no need to tip the employees there who may check you in, print your boarding pass and/or accept your checked luggage.
Arrival in Orlando
One of Disney’s Magical Express drivers. Photo by Steve Russo.
Hopefully, you’ve had a nice, uneventful flight (that’s how I prefer my flights to be) and have now landed in Orlando. As I’m sure you’re aware, there are myriad options for travel to Walt Disney World. Here are a few suggestions for tipping:
- Taxis: Tip 15 percent of the fare—more for exceptional service, helping with bags, etc.
- Disney’s Magical Express bus drivers: A standard suggestion is that airport shuttle drivers should receive $2 to $3. Some would suggest tipping the driver for the sole task of getting you to your resort safely. I disagree. My personal opinion is I would only tip a Magical Express driver if I was storing luggage and he or she assisted in some fashion. At that point, I think $1 per bag is appropriate.
- Limousine or Town Car drivers: 10 percent to 20 percent of the bill. In most cases, the Town Car services in Orlando (Tiffany, Happy Limousine, QuickSilver, etc.) expect full roundtrip payment on the trip from the airport to your resort. For that reason, I would split my tip in half, giving 50 percent to the driver taking me to the resort and the other half to the one that will ultimately return me to the airport. That prevents any issues with getting a different driver for the return trip.
- Counter or lot services for a rental car: No tipping required.
Resort Arrival
"Welcome home. May I take your bags?" Photo by Steve Russo.
We’ve arrived at our Walt Disney World resort. Now what? Again, there are several alternatives.
If you’ve used Disney’s Magical Express and left your luggage with them, you need to simply check-in and go on your merry way. There’s no one to tip there.
If, however, you’ve driven up in rental car, taxi, limousine or rickshaw, and/or you are carrying your own luggage, you will probably be offered assistance from a Bell Services cast member. Here are some, er… tips on tipping:
- Never ask to borrow a luggage cart to transport your own luggage. The Bell Services cast member and his cart are a package deal. That would be akin to saving on a restaurant tip by offering to dash into the kitchen to plate and deliver your food once it’s cooked. Bad form.
- In the likely event that your room is not yet ready, Bell Services will store your bags. They’re even nice enough to refrigerate a few items if you have medications requiring it, have just made a grocery stop, etc. In any case … tip! Use the standard of $1 to $2 per bag. Remember that a bellman’s tips are not limited to delivering bags to and from hotel rooms. They should be tipped for each major task performed for you.
- There was a time when it was acceptable to tip on luggage delivery only. The same was true with things like valet parking—you tipped on pickup, not drop off. I had this confirmed for me at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort when I tried to tip a cast member who was storing our luggage. She told me to “Save it for the person who delivers it.” As near as I can determine, this practice has changed and it’s now expected to tip on both ends. If anyone out there knows more about this, let me know.
- A quick note on the $1 to $2 per bag suggestion… use common sense. That suggestion applies to suitcases. If you pull up with eight to 10 plastic grocery bags, I would think $2-$5 would cover the lot of them.
- When your bags are delivered to your room, you should again tip that bellman the standard $1 to $2 per bag.
- If Disney’s Magical Express is handling your luggage, there’s no reason to tip. You don’t need to be in your room when the bags are delivered so Disney takes care of compensating the bell person on these deliveries. I know that it may be awkward if you happen to be there. If you’d be embarrassed to have the bell person leave empty handed, you could tip him or her anyway or simply shuffle your feet, stare at the floor and ask, “I understand that Disney’s Magical Express takes care of your gratuity for bag delivery. Is that true?” and react accordingly.
- If you discover you’re out of cash or only have very large denomination bills, you shouldn’t tell the cast member that you would tip later. If you’re like me, you’ll probably forget. The best solution is to be prepared and bring enough small bills for your expected trip. If you haven’t, ask the cast member if he or she can provide change or get it at the front desk. I’m betting s/he will be happy to oblige.
At the Resort
Now we’re tucked comfortably in our rooms with our luggage delivered, unpacked and stowed away. Done tipping? Not so fast.
- It’s suggested that you tip housekeeping between $2 and $5 per day. That range is there dependent upon how big a slob you are. If you’re a neatnik and just need the beds made and towels and toiletries refreshed, lean toward the minimum. If you like to “rock star” your room, open the wallet. It’s also suggested that you tip each night instead of giving one large tip at the end of your stay. Similar to the Town Car driver, this will accommodate having different housekeepers each day.
- I’ve read that leaving the tip on the nightstand might have negative connotations. I know, I had a hard time buying that too. At any rate, be safe and leave it on the desk or a counter. Leaving cash is certainly acceptable but, at times, it may be unclear if it’s a tip or simply cash left behind and the housekeeper may not take it. A sure-fire way to avoid confusion is to leave it with a note (“For Housekeeping”) or, better yet, in a small envelope.
- What about Disney Vacation Club members staying on points? In this case, you don’t receive daily maid service, so I certainly wouldn’t advise tipping daily. You do receive trash and towel service mid-stay and housekeeping will need to do a thorough job of cleaning for the next guest (as they did prior to your check-in) so I suggest a single tip at the end of your stay.
Here are a few other tipping suggestions when in your room:
- Room service with gratuity included on the bill: $2.
- Room service without gratuity included: 20 percent of the charge.
- Toiletry/towel delivery: $2.
Restaurants - Table Service
Do I have to tip both of them? Photo by Steve Russo.
We have to eat, right? What are the suggestions for tipping the restaurant’s cast members at Disney’s table service restaurants?
At the core, the size of any gratuity should depend on how well you are served. In a restaurant, this would include ensuring your order is taken and delivered correctly. A good waitperson will be polite, check on you after you receive your food and check back at reasonable intervals to ensure everything’s okay, check on drink refills, etc. A great waitperson will be all of that and, if requested, make suggestions on menu items and wines, or somehow go above and beyond to ensure your experience is special. To be honest, that seems to happen at Walt Disney World more frequently than not.
Although many people do this, you should not let the food’s taste or preparation affect your tip: The server has no control over it. If you feel strongly about it, mention it to your server and the manager or maître d’. If they’re good at their jobs and your complaint is legitimate, they’ll offer to correct the situation or offer some compensation.
I might also suggest that you let them know of a problem even if you caused it yourself. “I thought I’d like the oysters and peanut butter casserole but, after tasting it… not so much.” They may be able to help and, if they do, be prepared to show your thanks accordingly. The key here is not to expect relief but, if it’s offered, show gratitude.
Here are a few restaurant tipping guidelines:
- Restaurant wait staff: 15 percent to 20 percent of the bill depending upon service.
- If you linger at your table for a period of time when the restaurant could normally seat and serve others, you should increase the tip proportionately. I’m thinking of a situation such as lingering an extra 45-60 minutes in order to catch Wishes from your table at the California Grill.
- As I mentioned previously, you should always tip for service. Even if the service was less than splendid, you should leave a minimal tip as they’re generally shared by the restaurant’s workers. If your server was truly horrible, mention this to the manager.
Restaurant - Counter Service
What about takeout or one of Walt Disney World’s many counter service restaurants? As a rule, no tipping is necessary. However, if you receive some service, like a waiter packaging your food, then tip $1 to $2.
Restaurant - Buffets
You serve yourself… but still tip. Photo by Steve Russo.
Tipping at one of Disney World’s buffets can be confusing. A server at a buffet has much less responsibility than those at a table service restaurant. However, they do take and deliver your drink order, keep your drinks refilled and haul away your used plates while you make 15 trips to the dessert table (OK, that’s me, not you). Remember these tips are shared with the runners who replenish the food trays as well. For these reasons, a tip of 10 percent to 20 percent is still recommended.
Here’s an interesting quandary: at Walt Disney World, an 18 percent gratuity is typically added if you’re dining with a party of 6 or more or you are using the Tables in Wonderland discount card. I’ve had this happen at several buffets and have not, as yet, questioned it. I’m betting, however, that one could have that gratuity lowered for a buffet if you ask. However, in my experience, I believe the wait staff at Walt Disney World buffets earns their 15 percent to 20 percent.
Salons and Spas
I can’t find a lot of information specific to Walt Disney World but, in the spa industry, many workers are paid on commission or receive a minimum wage plus a small percentage of the fee charged. At the Senses Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, a 20 percent gratuity is added to each spa service. Of course, additional gratuity may be allotted at your discretion. Gratuities are not included for treatments at the Mandara Spa at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, the Zahanati Spa and Fitness Center at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, La Vida Health Club at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Ship Shape Health Club at Disney’s Yacht Club, Olympiad Fitness Center at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, or Sturdy Branches Health Club at the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. At these locations, it would seem the following suggestions are appropriate:
- Massage therapist or facial esthetician: 15 percent to 20 percent.
- Hairstylist or barber: 15 percent to 20 percent.
- Manicurist or pedicurist: 15 percent to 20 percent.
So there you have it—the complete guide to tipping at the World—unless of course I’ve forgotten anyone.
I hope that this will help at least of few of you deal with many tipping situations on your next visit. The best advice I can offer is to remember that when you tip a service person, you’re essentially paying a part of that person’s salary. Consider the service given and tip appropriately—it will be appreciated.
As always, thanks for reading.
Comments
Gah! Brits struggle with this concept, as we are torn between EXTREME politeness and not being used to tipping anything that breathes anywhere near us!
Yep as a Brit I just don't like tipping. I am used to leaving a few pounds for the Waitress after a meal (not often more than 10%, often depends what change I have on me). But in the USA even though I know I should tip as this article suggests I find it difficult to want to give bellhops and similar tips. Also leaving a tip for housekeeping just seems weird to me!
Why can't America just sort its employment laws and minimum wages out so that tipping is a nice extra, not something that HAS to be done.
When I visit another country I prepare myself for simple local customs and habits, lest I be thought of as the "ugly American" tourist. Why then does it seem to be a legitimate excuse for those who visit our country to disrespect our time-honored traditions simply because "that's not how we do it back home"?
Most customs seem silly to the outsider and are not easily explained. If we don't ever wish to broaden our experiences we should just stay home.
So anybody have an idea when the change happened on tipping on both ends of bell hop and valet services? Even this month I only tipped when I got my bags back, so they probably viewed me as uncouth, but I never even considered I should tip both ways.
I think the tipping on both ends for bags happened when people learned that the outside people (valet and bag assistance) are employed by private contractors and not Disney employees. While the inside people are Disney employees. In other words a tip when bags make it to your room means no tip for outside people. As far as tipping valet when car is taken and returned you only need to tip once because that is the same company and the employees tip share. You can tip twice but that is not necessary.
I don't think the culture of tipping in America will change anytime soon. I'm not defending the practice, just trying to explain it.
For the Brits (and others for whom tipping is, er... foreign), did the article at least help you with the expectations?
So I left it at the inside desk, then it was the same company that delivered it to my room (Disney)? On the day I checked out, I just picked up and dropped off from the desk myself, so it was obviously the same company then. How is a general guest supposed to know that the guys with the Disney nametags aren't really Disney employees?
I don't like double tipping. Just tip if you see the guy. Otherwise, ignore it.
I double tipped when I took advantage of Garden Grocer where you order groceries to be delivered to the Disney Resort. I agreed to 20% gratuities made online at checkout only to realize the Disney Resort bellman had to carry it from their refrigerated area to my room upon arrival at the resort.
With Magical Express, my bags didn't reach my room at my most recent trip. When I called the front desk, they said they accidentally delivered it to the wrong room. Later, they sent it to the correct room. I was so mad that I didn't tip the bellman, although I don't know if he made the mistake.
Other than these two tipping misfortunes, I primarily tip 15% for wait service at restaurants and perhaps $2 for luggage service, and $5 for housekeeping (I leave a explicit note that it is a tip since they might not take it).
The thing about tips is it is barely anything compared with how much Disney charges for everything else. It is amazing that there's no mandatory service charges. The law on this has changed again. It is back to voluntary tips even for large groups dining in restaurants.
One more thing about tipping your waiter. Your tip should be based on the non-discounted price. If you're enjoying a discount of 50%, for instance, your tip should not be on that discounted amount but on the full menu price. That way the waitperson isn't shortchanged just because you are getting a discount.
I disagree. Tipping should be based on how much you paid for the food. The idea that you need to tip more based on retail pricing means the pricing was too high at not at level most customers will visit the restaurant. I would otherwise not be there so the waiter would not get anything. Also, does this mean if the restaurant offers a combo platter, I must tip based on the non-combo individual priced items? I would not do this. It is hard enough to figure out a restaurant bill. It is worse to keep track of actual costs, which at best is theoretical. You should tip based on how good a service you received and the bill.
Reading danyoung's post, I take it to meant if I went to a restaurant and I had a coupon or a gift card that cut my final bill in half, I would still tip a percentage on the original bill. To take it to the extreme, I've had gift cards that covered the whole bill so I was presented with a final bill of $0. I still tipped a percentage of the original bill.
Yes, that is what I'm saying. If there's a combo platter, you tip on the price of the combo platter, not on the price of the individual items. It's the same as if you get an entrée and it has 2 sides. You don't do the math and tip on the total of all the individual items - you just tip on the menu price of the meal. But you absolutely need to tip on the non-discounted price of the meal. It's not the fault of the waiter that you have a coupon. He's doing the same amount of work, so you should be tipping based on what the meal would normally cost. Of course, Jimbo, you can tip whatever you want to tip, right down to nothing if that's what pleases you. Just know that if you tip on the discounted total, you're tipping below standard.
Very seldom do I have a discount that reduces my bill by 50%. It is more likely that I might get 20% off or a free appetizer. Sometimes I might get one free entree for one full priced entree, but the offer requires the purchase of 2 full priced drinks, which cuts the discount in half. I do not consider a gift card to be a discount. Gift cards are same as cash. You can tip with a gift card if you have sufficient balance. I still tip based on the final bill.
Proper tipping etiquette is to figure the percentage based on the original, non-discounted subtotal, excluding tax. Any percentage discount received because of an annual pass, AAA card, etc. should not be counted against the tip.
That's interesting. I suppose the work of servicing a $30 entree should be more than servicing a $15 entree, but that isn't necessarily true. A plate of food is the same work as the next plate of food. Many busy restaurants have runners. So the idea that waiters are doing all the work isn't true. Certainly, they should share their tips with the runners and bus-boys, but that is their option.
Note: Federal law define the tips as the minimum of 8 percent of the gross receipts, which means discounts from coupons are not added back and you should be glad that they aren't. Etiquette does not figure sales tax into the equation.
The column gave excellent advice for how to navigate WDW's tipping landscape and be a respectable guest. Regardless of sound advice there will always be the bimbo who parades his churlishness, proud to be Scrooge. I just remember comedian Ron White's mantra: you can't fix stupid.
Mostly good advise but I question one item:
If the gratuity is included on the bill why would I tip on top of the tip?
Proper ettiquette for sit down dining is to tip a percentage of the prediscount and pretax amount. Some people do not include alcohol in that amount. Something like an annual pass discount you would tip on the full price. If for some reason you got a free meal, you should tip based on what your meal would have cost. Just tip your server. They will make sure the whole team is ripped out at the end of the night. The server will share the tip with runners, bussers, bartenders, etc. A good server gives a large share of their tips to their team because they don't want to be the one no one wants to work with. Some really picky drinkers will tip the sommelier separate, but you don't have to as usually your server will take care of them.
As for valets and bell staff, I've found that valets only expect tips on pick up. Most seem surprised when you tip on drop-off. You should tip on drop-off only if you have a special request. For example, if I just need to go in my room to change and will be leaving again within a few minutes I might tip and tell them I will be leaving again soon. They will know to park close so you get your car faster. Bell staff I have encountered a few that expect to be tipped when dropping off, but most don't seem like they expect it. If they're nice, I don't mind tipping them for helping get my luggage out of the car. My pet peeve is when I have to take the luggage to the bell desk myself (for example if I've checked out of the room, but I'm not leaving yet and want to store my luggage for a few hours) and the person expects a tip. They are literally just writing my name on a luggage tag and putting my stuff in the next room.
The tip for room service when gratuity is included is a good question. I've had some room service people work really hard (they come in, bring a newspaper for me, set up my meal at the desk so I don't have to eat off the dining cart, bring extra condiments, etc.) and I've also had people that just shoved the cart in the room. My personal rule is that if they really go above and beyond I will tip the difference to make it a 20% tip. So if the hotel automatically adds 15% I will tip 5% more. Some hotels do a delivery charge that does NOT go to the room server the same way pizza places charge a delivery fee that doesn't go to the driver. If that is all they charge, you need to tip (you tip based on the cost of the food only).
At a sit down dinner I typically tip 20-25% regardless of the quality of service. The promptness of everything is dependent on so many variables outside the server's control that I'm not going to critique it and downgrade him/her if things aren't speedy. Besides, waiting tables is a thankless, difficult, and low-paying job for which tips aren't a "bonus" but rather a factored in part of the income. Same is true housekeeping. I always leave 'em $.
It's tricky for me with takeout. It's one of the few times I wish I'd pay in cash so as to avoid that awkward thing where you sign the bill and have to decide on a tip amount ... for what?, I wonder. Yeah you walked in the back and grabbed my bag of food and brought it here, but does that really merit the standard tip? I think not. Compared to a server who makes multiple trips to my table over the course of an hour, you did virtually nothing. I still haven't figured that one out.
And I'll tell you one that got me highly annoyed: Jersey Mike's. After your 'sandwich technician' or what have you spends all of 3-5 minutes assembling your sandwiches and rings you up, there's a 15%, 18%, 20% tip calculator at checkout, one of which they presume you're going to select. Uh, no. Eating at Jersey Mike's is overpriced enough to begin with, I'm not tacking on an additional chunk for your 3 minutes of service. I've never felt more like someone had their hand out than right then and I haven't been back since.
Just to be clear, housekeeping, while a thankless and low paying job, is not the same as a wait person. A housekeeper is getting at least minimum wage, while a wait person is getting something like $2.01 an hour (maybe that number is a little higher these days).
Keep in mind that any "service charge" added to a restaurant or room service bill is technically optional. Even if it's added on because you have 6 or 8 people or more in your party, you can adjust it up or down as you see fit.
Powers &8^]
As an American who moved overseas 8 years ago, I am frustrated by the tipping culture when I am back in the US. There is no tipping - at all - where I live (New Zealand). Everyone gets a fair wage and 4 weeks vacation (if full time). And tax is included in the prices! The system here makes it easy and efficient when dining out or buying services. I also feel that the interaction I have with waiters/waitresses/service providers is more genuine. There's no worry that if they aren't nice enough, they may not earn enough money at the end of the day.
The thing is, Disney has the power to make that change. Sure, they are *allowed* to pay waitresses a lower wage. (And if the author of the article had done a little research, he would have easily discovered that the practice of paying waitstaff lower wages began during Prohibition). But they don't have to pay the lower wage. Instead, Disney could set an excellent example by paying waitstaff fair wages and covering the cost with small increases in food prices.
As for all of the other tips mentioned in the article - why? The workers mentioned are all paid at least minimum wage. At what point will Americans push back on companies and stop accepting responsibility for paying their employees fair wages? It is the employer's responsibility. If Disney wants to be known as a fair company who is environmentally friendly, family-friendly etc, they can make a change here. Imagine the impact!
In the meantime, my husband and I mainly stick to counter service eateries when in the World. And no one touches our bags. We certainly do not get the over-priced spa services in WDW either.
everyone... everyone.... jinbo is always right