Tipping??

[DizOz]

I have to agree tipping in the US can become a bit of a chore.

I recently returned from 5 days in the states on business. During that time i calculated I tipped in excess of $400.

I generally work on the rule of
Bell hops etc $1-$2 a bag
Restaurants 15%-20% depends on service
Taxi/Car Service 15%

I had a business partner who was tight with his money and would literally fight off bell hop and door men from his bags. A few times almost coming to blows to save a few bucks. Me, I consider it their job and the only way they are going to make a decent dollar is through tips.

One good thing it helps with the maths skills calulcating those percentages. A little harder after a night out and a few red wines.

 

[shushh]

Discopper, I think everyone here is sensitive enough to the nature of respecting the culture and customs of the countries that we visit and will tip even if we don't like it or agree with it. The discussion of how much to tip is helpful becuase honestly, as Willow25 has pointed out, different American friends have suggested different things. Your input has certainly been appreciated (by me at least!). My parents tried to do the "right thing" and tipped a taxi driver 15% only to be chased down and abused. And so now they overtip because of fear. The question I guess is then what is truely the accepted standard.

 

[queenie82]

I have to agree tipping in the US can become a bit of a chore.

I recently returned from 5 days in the states on business. During that time i calculated I tipped in excess of $400.

I generally work on the rule of
Bell hops etc $1-$2 a bag
Restaurants 15%-20% depends on service
Taxi/Car Service 15%

I had a business partner who was tight with his money and would literally fight off bell hop and door men from his bags. A few times almost coming to blows to save a few bucks. Me, I consider it their job and the only way they are going to make a decent dollar is through tips.

One good thing it helps with the maths skills calulcating those percentages. A little harder after a night out and a few red wines.

I think your comment about you business partner is rude.

If he can carry his own bags he should not be hassled by someone.
The bellhop's actions if he attempted to force himself upon your business partner should have been reprimanded.

A bellhop's job is to help those who REQUEST assistance. Not force people to have their bags carried by someone else.

I have had my carry on luggage dropped by bellhops so there is no way I will TRUST them with my luggage. I am not an invalid so I should NOT be hassled for wanting to do this

 

[DVCAustralia]

Originally posted by Discopper

I'm not sure how you're coming up with that equaling 50%. If you're on the
dining plan, and eat a meal that costs $100.00, an 18% tip would be $18.00.

If you're calculating it as to overall cost of the dining plan, I just checked online. To add two nights in November 2010, you will pay $146.00 extra. If you eat two, $100.00 meals, your total tip for both meals would be $36.00... certainly not 50%.

Briefly, if you have a 'bill' for a TS meal at a restaurant of US$55.00 before tax an 18% tip of this 'bill' would be US$10.00. If the cost of TS meals on the dining plan equate to about US$20.00 (even less with free dining) tipping US$10.00 would be 50% of the actual cost you paid.

For example, the deluxe dining plan is US$71.99 per night and gives you three TS meals including "appetizer", two snacks and the refillable mug. The consensus on these boards seems to be that a snack should be US$3.50 or above so using this I take US$6.99 off for the two snacks and get US$65.00. Assigning US$5.00 for the mug (actual cost US$12.99 + tax) takes you down to US$60.00. So each TS meal purchased as part of this dining plan is US$20.00. 18% of US$20.00 is US$3.60, 50% of US$20.00 is US$10.00. So if you tip 18% of the 'bill' for a meal that is US$55.00 or more before tax then you are paying "50% or more of the actual cost as a 'tip'".
Getting a 'bill' for US$55.00 before tax using a TS credit at many WDW restaurants is not hard, a couple of examples being: -
Tutto Italia dinner (many combinations)
Coral Reef dinner with Shrimp and Lobster Cake ($11.49), Grilled New York Strip Steak ($30.99), Dessert ($7.99) = $50.47 + Drink.
Le Cellier dinner with Duck Three-Ways ($12.99), Veal T-Bone ($36.99), Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake ($7.99) = $57.97 + Drink.
Obviously breakdown of the dining plan can be done in many different ways depending on the circumstances, but this is one way of doing it.
The numerous free dining promotions, in which the guest does not even pay this much for the dining plan when it is extracted from the package price, means getting to "50% or more of the actual cost" is even more likely for them.

 

[DisCopper]

[edited]



Thank you for the supportive introduction to your post.
In regard to the above points waiters and waitresses may have a lower 'base' pay than the minimum wage, but as I said that is their choice. However even if they received no pay from Disney, which is not the case, they would only need tips of US$7.25 per hour to receive the minimum wage. Thus if they were to receive tips of 18% they would only need to serve an average of US$40 in meals per hour, often one meal per person or one and a half to two buffets, to get the minimum wage. Further any tables of six or more must pay the tip so this is about six hours of minimum pay in one table at a restaurant. Clearly they are generally well ahead of the minimum wage even adding in their actual pay from Disney and taking out any sharing of tips with the manager etc. Given this I do not understand your point aboout the minimum wage, many other Disney workers are stuck on the minimum wage and have no such upside and yet they provide service to the guest.
By the way I do not consider myself rude at all, if anything taking part in this discussion has solidified my approach to tipping.

Well, let me first clarify that I do not consider your behavior on the boards rude at all. Taking part in discussions is fun and we learn about others through it. If you took what I said about rudeness to mean that you were being rude on the boards, I apologize. Not what I meant at all.

Also let me again say that I don't entirely disagree with you on the concept of tipping. If we could get rid of it entirely, I'd be very happy!

I don't work at Disney, so I'm not entirely sure about this, but I know that many Disney cast members have no choice about where they work. They get what they're assigned. With the poor economy, people often don't have any other choice. I have a friend who wanted to work at Disney. She ended up picking up trash at EPCOT.... she could have put her college degree in the bin with it. But she had to work, so there she stayed. Disney didn't care what she wanted to do.

I'd be interested to hear the opinions of wait staff from Disney... how much the average tip is, etc... I can tell you though that just under 30% of our income goes to taxes. For wait staff, that includes tips. There are ways to get away with not claiming the money, but I'll be Disney keeps a close eye on this sort of thing.

What I do know is that tipping is an accepted part of American culture. Wrong or right, it's here. When I traveled to Japan, I didn't tip because I was told it was considered rude. I was also told that it was considered rude to talk on your cell phone on the train and while walking. I'm not someone who spends a whole train trip talking on the phone, but it would seem to be an appropriate time to make a quiet, polite call. But I didn't. A friend in Japan told me that if I did, I'd likely be confronted and told to stop because it's rude. So...... I did what the Japanese did and kept the phone stowed away.

So ultimately, what I'm saying is that if you travel to Disney, and don't tip, you'll be considered rude by the wait staff. I also wouldn't recommend that you return to the same restaurant any time during your trip. I would HOPE that no one is going to spit in your food, or anything equally disgusting... but you can bet your life that the service you receive is going to be far worse than the first visit.

 

[Willow25]

My parents tried to do the "right thing" and tipped a taxi driver 15% only to be chased down and abused. And so now they overtip because of fear. The question I guess is then what is truely the accepted standard.

Shush that is terrible, your poor parents. I really feel bad for the Aussie's who come to the states and experience this. Most of us americans know that while customary it is still at the customers discretion. I have found that most australian's want to do the "right thing" while traveling to another country but we have really made tipping too ambiguous for people to get their heads around.

I come from a middle class family in the states and I would absolutely agree that Discopper's post accurately describes the norm in the states of tipping. Some will do more or less but his post is what most would deem appropriate.

 

[queenie82]

I was also told that it was considered rude to talk on your cell phone on the train and while walking. I'm not someone who spends a whole train trip talking on the phone, but it would seem to be an appropriate time to make a quiet, polite call. But I didn't. A friend in Japan told me that if I did, I'd likely be confronted and told to stop because it's rude. So...... I did what the Japanese did and kept the phone stowed away.

I consider it rude to talk on a mobile phone while on a train with the exception of a 10sec call.

 

[kazbar]

DIScopper

It is very nice of you to give your points on this discussion, thank you

However, I would like to say that Australians also pay income taxes (many people pay way in excess of 30%) and we are also a very well travelled people.

It is not unusual for Australians to travel overseas annually and many of us have had the joy of experiencing many different countries and cultures, including yours.

We are, on the most part, respectful of abiding by the customs and cultures of the lands we are visiting but there is nothing wrong with openly discussing those cultures in an attempt to understand them better.

 

[1rocky]

In regards to tipping we will be getting a private car transfer from La airport to La and then to Disneyland. Do we still tip the driver everytime we use the transfer also do we need to tip for day tours. Thanks just a bit confused on when to tip.

 

[aussietravellers]

In regards to tipping we will be getting a private car transfer from La airport to La and then to Disneyland. Do we still tip the driver everytime we use the transfer also do we need to tip for day tours. Thanks just a bit confused on when to tip.

If it were me, then yes, tip the private car transfer. He will probably help you with your bags too so I would definately tip him/her and everytime you use the transfer as it will may be a different driver.

Yes you also do tip the day tour driver. We did a few grayline tours and adjusted the tip depending on the type of tour. The daytour of LA where we had the driver all day getting on and off, him telling us lots of great info we gave a good tip to as he was fantastic and really did a great job. The driver who took us to San Diego Zoo where he just drove us there and drove us straight back, we didn't see him throughout the day as it was just a transfer not a tour as such, we gave a smaller tip.

 

[DizOz]

I think your comment about you business partner is rude.

If he can carry his own bags he should not be hassled by someone.
The bellhop's actions if he attempted to force himself upon your business partner should have been reprimanded.

A bellhop's job is to help those who REQUEST assistance. Not force people to have their bags carried by someone else.

I have had my carry on luggage dropped by bellhops so there is no way I will TRUST them with my luggage. I am not an invalid so I should NOT be hassled for wanting to do this

Queenie

It was half said tongue in cheek. But travelling with someone who treats other people with disdain is a little embarrassing.

If you do not want a bell hop to carry your bags that is fine. But there is a way to and not to relay that message. You do not need to be rude or speak down to them. They are there to make a living. A simple no thank you with a smile is all it takes.

Any way lighten up this is a Disney website.

 

[disneylove69]

Bell hop service is $1-$2 a bag. Restaraunts just double the tax. 20% of the bill would be for excellent service. We don't tip at clothing shops. If you do a walk-up (fast food) type of restaraunt no tip (even if you see a jar). Hair salons $5-$10 depending on the amount of the bill. Taxi drivers a few bucks. Tip are based on the service so if it's really bad leave at least a penny. This lets them know you didn't forget. Some places automatically add a tip if a certain number of people are seated at one table. This will be posted on the menu.