[tinkerbelle24]

Originally Posted by sue299

I would write to the restaurant, attention Manager. I had very poor service/rude waitress at Red Lobster once. I wrote to the restaurant and received a very nice letter with a $25 gift card. The letter told me to bring this letter on my next visit and they will make sure I have an enjoyable dinner. I took the letter, but did NOT show it prior to my meal. This meal was actually a very enjoyable dinner, great server. I asked for the manager upon leaving and showed her the letter. She said she wished I would have showed it to her before dinner and I told her I didn't want special treatment, just fair treatment and was very pleased this time.

By the way the "horrible server" we had the first time - and I left the restaurant very upset, did NOT enjoy the evening at all, I did not tip anything. I also agree to tip fairly. I usually do the 18% - use the tip calculator on my cell phone to figure it out, sometimes more, but I will NOT tip anything for service that upsets me. I think too many times the servers expect to get the tip. This is not right.

Ya know. I think Im going to do that because even though it was a gift card I paid with I worked very hard for that GC. At work they often have contest for collectors who can collect the most in a day so I did earn that card just as if it was cash from my paycheck. Thanks for the advise!

[alilmagical32]

Originally Posted by M5ward

. My problem is with servers or bartenders who give cash back on a credit card to someone who doesn't want to use the ATM machine. -

If a Disney server gets caught doing this they will be terminated. Its a big no-no!

[sue299]

Originally Posted by tinkerbelle24

Ya know. I think Im going to do that because even though it was a gift card I paid with I worked very hard for that GC. At work they often have contest for collectors who can collect the most in a day so I did earn that card just as if it was cash from my paycheck. Thanks for the advise!

I don't care if you did pay for the meal with a gift card, you're right, it is the same as cash. You did not enjoy the meal as you should have.

I also order water at all my meals, because I drink water for my meals, even at home. Rarely, if I am really thirsty, I will order iced tea, but I don't like soda with my meals. It makes me full too fast.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by WishUponAStar

To be honest, my confusion is more with WDW buffets! I've had WAY more than a handful of experiences where we saw our server ONCE, just to take our drink order. Never came back for refills, never came back to ask if we needed anything, we had to FIND a different server or ask around for ours. Then, suddenly they reappear at check time! How in the WORLD does that justify a good tip, or ANY at all?

What is everyone's typical WDW Buffet tipping policy?

give yourself a tip for serving yourself, do you tip counter service??

[Soundgod]

Originally Posted by jimbo

give yourself a tip for serving yourself, do you tip counter service??

Don't get me started on the "ever present tip jar"!

[Mickeybug]

Originally Posted by WishUponAStar

To be honest, my confusion is more with WDW buffets! I've had WAY more than a handful of experiences where we saw our server ONCE, just to take our drink order. Never came back for refills, never came back to ask if we needed anything, we had to FIND a different server or ask around for ours. Then, suddenly they reappear at check time! How in the WORLD does that justify a good tip, or ANY at all?

What is everyone's typical WDW Buffet tipping policy?

Yes, i'd still tip but not mandatory 18% of a bill where we served ourselves 90% of our meal . Buffets should be justifiable a dollar a head and a dollar per table. I've worked Buffs and TS. You're given twice as many tables at Buffs due to less work and your turnover is 1/2 the time of TS so tips balance unless your TS is a really high end place.

And NO I don't tip counter service, they are paid a regular wage. I do however "donate" a few pennies if that's my change to the Leave a Penny-Need a Penny box.

[jenbarnwell]

Originally Posted by M5ward

Most places add a percentage of food gross and beverage gross to the server's paycheck. This is money that they don't see but is included on their W-2 at the end of the year and which they are taxed on; this means that there estimated tips are taxed during the course of the year so that they are not stuck owing money to IRS.
As for the deduction for credit card tips...I think you'll find that it is mostly high end places that do this. My problem is with servers or bartenders who give cash back on a credit card to someone who doesn't want to use the ATM machine. -

Just wanted to let you know I have worked at many restaurants and I have never had a food gross or beverage gross added to my paycheck, I wish I would have. AND I do not work at a high end place, just a simple diner and I have to pay 10% on credit card tips because that is how much my boss pays to use the machine.

[jenbarnwell]

Tinkerbelle ~ I can't believe how rude your server was at Olive Garden, you should have definitely complained and I would definitely write a letter, you and your family should have no way been treated like that by anyone. My dh and I are a very young couple with three kids and we went to Olive Garden once and the waitress I guess just assumed we wouldn't tip her well, she was so rude, I complained at the end of the meal and it was comped to us and I didn't tip. The only time I never tipped.

There is a big difference between a server who is trying their best to make your meal pleasant and one who is downright rude.