Tipping at buffets

[JennyAnne]

I tried searching for this topic because I'm sure it's already been addressed, but I couldn't find anything. Just wondering how people tip at a buffet where you are serving yourselves? I've been to buffets around here where more than one person was clearing my dishes and didn't know how to go about tipping for this. Don't want to slight anyone!

[SuzyQ]

Good Question, JennyAnne!

This is especially relevant for Disney since there are so many. Here is my general rule of thumb:

If you are serving yourself (such as at Bomas or Beach Club) I tip 10% if I had good service (i.e., they brought drinks and took dishes). With the going rate of a dinner being $25, $2.50 a person is not a bad tip.

If it is at a restaurant where it is all-you-can-eat, but is served to you, I tip the usual 18-20% (for good service). This goes for places like 'Ohanas and Liberty Tree Tavern.

Some may dissagree, but coming from a veteran server, I think that it is fair.

~Suzy

[Joe]

I agree with you 100% Suzy, and even with your amounts.

[BetsyAnn]

I will add to my baseline of 10% for buffet if the server does a great job. I tip big for good serice and tip low for bad service!

[cshore]

Maybe I am way off base here, but I actually think the servers at the buffets work as hard or harder to provide good service. Although they don't actually pace the meal, or bring the different courses, they do work very hard to keep the table free of dishes, and with several people eating buffet at one table this can be an awful lot of work They really have to be attentive. At Boma our server (and I noted most servers) went about their work without hardly being noticed. Our table was always cleared and tidied each time we returned to the buffet to try something different. We would return to filled water and ice tea glasses, the silverware replaced and fresh napkins if needed. Also at Ohanas, the service was impeccable. We experienced superior service at LTT also. I think these Disney buffets/allyou care to eat restaraunts are exceptional and I tip the same as at the traditional sit down restaraunts. Tipping is a personal matter also. To me a lot of factors enter into it. No matter where I am, if you are a server that keeps my coffee cup filled, you will get an very good tip! Smile and make me feel like I am your only customer, and you will be extremely well rewarded for your efforts.

I have to share this story though. At a restaraunt at the Atlanta airport, my waitress was slow, inattentive, and not friendly. I had to ask for more coffee, and to top it off it was apparent that the food had been under warming lights for a while. I left a 10% tip. On the way out of the restaraunt she tapped me on the shoulder and said "there is something wrong with the tip". She was holding out the money and her meaning was obvious. I simply said,"you know you're right" and took back the money and left. I still can't get those darts out of my back!!

[FLSharon]

I have to share this story though. At a restaraunt at the Atlanta airport, my waitress was slow, inattentive, and not friendly. I had to ask for more coffee, and to top it off it was apparent that the food had been under warming lights for a while. I left a 10% tip. On the way out of the restaraunt she tapped me on the shoulder and said "there is something wrong with the tip". She was holding out the money and her meaning was obvious. I simply said,"you know you're right" and took back the money and left. I still can't get those darts out of my back!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Good for you!!!!

[FLSharon]

If I have a good server at a buffet, I generally tip the same. It does seem to me that there is more work involved.

[ddoll]

OMG.....that is TOO funny!!!

[JennyAnne]

I have to share this story though. At a restaraunt at the Atlanta airport, my waitress was slow, inattentive, and not friendly. I had to ask for more coffee, and to top it off it was apparent that the food had been under warming lights for a while. I left a 10% tip. On the way out of the restaraunt she tapped me on the shoulder and said "there is something wrong with the tip". She was holding out the money and her meaning was obvious. I simply said,"you know you're right" and took back the money and left. I still can't get those darts out of my back!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
I love it Chris!

Thanks to all of you! I will make a note of your responses in my Disney notebook! :D

[Tagrel]

Those numbers sound right to me Suzy. We use that as a baseline and go up/down from there. Its 100% up to the server as to how 'up' or 'down' it goes! :)

CShore - THAT is a great story, and the server ended up with EXACTLY the tip they deserved! Having waited tables in the past, I've known several of these types of servers. They give horrible service, and spend most of their energy complaining about bad tippers. :roll:

A story of my own... My trainer was the best waitress in the restaurant. She always had a full section from all the people requesting her. I asked her how she was always so upbeat and happy and GREAT with the customers. She responded that when they enter the door, SHE sees them as big dollar signs! :shock: :rofl: While this wasn't really her nature (she was just a super sweet individual), it was very true. ANYONE that lives off tips needs to realize how important THEIR attitude and behavior is toward getting a tip. And I have NO problem leaving little or nothing to those servers that don't 'get' this.

[BetsyAnn]

Love that story cshore! :lol:

I, too, waited tables - My story is very simple. One night in a three hour shifted I pulled down some big tips (it was the 70's - so not huge by today's standard), the owner made a big deal out of it, and challenged all the staff to beat my amount. We all started working harder than before and the tips rolled in, the joint was packed most nights and we were all very happy! So, the wait staff makes a huge difference to a bussiness!

[DisneyBUff]

I too waited tables ohh about 8 yrs ago.
I di make good tips but i always tried to be the friendlyist and make sure there were drinksd also filled adn the food was what they ordered and it came out asap. the other thing to remember is if it is a big table (lots of people) then it is doubley hard..

We base our tips on service and attitude. if they see us or the kids as a problem the nwe tip low. if they are good with the kids and we get drinks filled reg. and they check back and all then we tip goood..

[Barb D]

A restaurant that really knows service is Emerils at Universal in Florida. We had a person assigned to our table (And maybe a couple tables around us) And his job was to be sure all drinks were never more than a few sips empty and then he even tidied up our table with a little scraper to be sure we didnt have to have crumbs to look at. It was one of the best service restaurants I have ever been too. We had no problem leaving a very nice tip there.

[Sheryl]

Having been a waitress before, I tend to tip at least 20%. Cshore, I am so glad you took that tip back. I cannot imagine anyone having the nerve to say that to a customer. Maybe its the way I was raised, but we were taught that no matter what your job is, you put your best effort into it. Unfortunately, today not many feel the same.

Sheryl :minnie:

[Rosebud]

I'm with Suzy on this one. Also, a former waitress in more than one kind of environment - buffet type and serve the meal type. Definitely more work when not a buffet. That also does depend on the restaurant and what they expect their waitresses to do, some expect way more than others. At my first job in a coffee shop I was also doing much of the cooking during non peak times.

However, I believe Disney pays both regular waiters and buffet waiters the same rate of pay. I'm guessing that because if you are a CM they automatically add the tip to your bill pre-discount and it is 15% no matter where you eat. That doesn't change my tipping attitude though. When I eat with a CM at a buffet (serve myself) I don't add extra to the 15%, when I eat at a full service or 'Ohanna type place I add money to the 15%. If I'm not eating with a CM it is 10% for serve myself and more for full service.

--------
My friend's sister used to ask her customers what the problem was if they left her a bad tip. But actually she was an excellent waitress working in a nicer restaurant (not real ritzy but nicer). She always asked in a nice way - something along the lines of "what were the problems and she was just asking so she could improve her service in the future". Basically she was apologizing for giving them poor service. Many times people just were ignorant of the fact that they weren't leaving an appropriate tip amount and gave her more. Of course there were also those people that are just cheap and shouldn't go out to eat because they don't believe in tipping - or I guess they should move to Europe where the tip is included in the bill.

OK, now I have to come up with a tip story of my own. There was this rather annoying couple that came in to the Friendly's I worked at. They would mumble an order at you. When you asked for clarification they would continue to mumble. Then when you brought the order out, of course it was always wrong which at that point they stopped mumbling and quite clearly stated what they really wanted, and they alway only left a quarter for a tip. I guess they figured by not being clear they could blame it on the waitress and not have to tip good. Of course the older waitresses would try to get out of serving them. When I did get stuck with them, I wouldn't even bother trying to figure out what they actually wanted because I knew it would never be right and frankly I could spend more time on the people that knew how to tip. Then there was this other guy that as long as you brought him a Fribble size glass of water he gave you a huge tip. I tried to get him as often as possible.

[SuzyQ]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

All of your stories are SO funny! It is interesting how there are so many different situations one can be in when being a server. Here are my little stories:

In Seattle: Well, no stories here except that around here, most people are really good tippers as long as the service is good.

At 'Ohanas: Disney taught all of us that our priority was that the guest leaves happy - no matter what. One time, my assistant accidently spilled a glass of water on one of my guests. I mentioned it to my manager and she had me take the woman downstairs to the clothing shop for her to pick out a new shirt - "on the Mouse". The lady was so excited and it felt great to do that for her!

In New York: I worked at a very fine dining establishment where there were two waiters per section (similar to Barb D's experience). However, the main difference at our restaurant (and many famous people ate here) was that the customer is not always right - the chef is! This one lady sent back her entree and told be to show the chef (she said that her veal tasted like turky and for him to do something about it). When I did, the chef raised his voice at me and said (in his Austrian accent) "you bring it back to her and tell her it's veal!" So I brought it back and of course she didn't want it. I went to grab a menu so that she could order something else (seamed like a reasonable thing to do) and my partner (who had been a waiter there for over 20 years) said "what are you doing?" I told him that I was going to grab a menu so that she could order something else and he said "No! If she does not want her meal, she does not need to eat!" I couldn't believe it and I was stunned, but just did what he told me since he was my superior. Well, funny thing, she tipped us over 20%! (and ya know what, I found out later that the strips of "veal" that she sent back really were turkey!!)

So many stories, so little time! I think that's great that there are some who will tip 15-20% for a buffet. I'm sure that servers really appreciate it. Knowing the way Disney restaurants opperate, the servers are great and keep up with things well (they all have assistants as well to help with water and picking up plates), but I must say that the true buffet restaurants don't work them as hard as a non-buffet. The buffets are the most popular ones for CM to work for that reason. I don't mind 10% since the turn-around is a lot faster in a buffet than a service restaurant, so the server gets a lot more sales. So, it basically evens out. ;)

~Suzy

[Snickerdoodlesmommy]

I think the worst thing that happens to a server is when 1 person at the table leaves a decent tip, walks away, and another person that was at the same table reaches over and takes part of the tip!!!!
I have seen this happen, and I just want to get up, and walk over and slap them silly! (tip grabber not the server! LOL)

LindaC :sun:

[Rosebud]

I think the worst thing that happens to a server is when 1 person at the table leaves a decent tip, walks away, and another person that was at the same table reaches over and takes part of the tip!!!!


Isn't that usually happening between a husband and wife? I've never actually seen that happen, but have heard about it. In our family it was usually my mom ADDING to the tip after my father walked away. If she had walked away first he probably would have tried to take some of the tip back, although once she got one of those handy dandy pocket tip calculators I don't think he was so bad (read stingy).

You know now that I think of it, my mom was probably a waitress too at one time so maybe that is why she was the better tipper. I've always heard the story that they met when they worked together at a restaurant, but never really stopped to think what she did there. I think that was probably before my father actually went to school to become a chef, but I would guess he was probably involved in preparation and that is what got him interested in cooking.

[Snickerdoodlesmommy]

I always feel bad when I see it happen. Yes it is generally a husband and wife. Once though, it was a bunch of women that had gone out for lunch. Everyone must have chipped in and then 1 came back and grabbed some of the tip! The waitress saw it happen, but I don't know what was said/done about it.

LindaC :sun:

[FLSharon]

I think the worst thing that happens to a server is when 1 person at the table leaves a decent tip, walks away, and another person that was at the same table reaches over and takes part of the tip!!!!
ILindaC :sun:

That's disgusting.. I'd probably have my big mouth running if I saw that! LOl.. I'm usually leaving the table after everyone to leave more$$ if my friends have been cheap. One time I was pretty sure this guy "friend" stiffed our server.. as the three of us were walking to the car i went back into the restaurant and found the guy who was hte server to find out. And i was right so i gave him some $$. Some people are just pathetic. And the "friend" could very well afford it. No more meals out wiht that couple.