Disney Dinning Plan Your Thoughts?

[Len90]

We always tip 20% if not more. These folks do live off of their tips and not the small hourly wage they receive. In actuality, most don't receive a paycheck at all, most of the $3.25 per hour wage is eaten up in taxes the government takes out of their paycheck. The gov't knows how much to take out based on their sales, and their sales are calculated mostly on their credit card sales and tips. Then they ususally have to "tip-out" a certain percentage of their tips to the bussers, the hostesses and sometimes the food runner. So when someone only gives them a 10% tip for example, it is probably costing them money to wait on the table. I was a restaurant manager for 18 years before I got out of that awful business! My husband manages a large restaurant for a major chain, so I guess we are sensitive to the plight of the servers!

$3.25 is a generous wage since it's $2.13 in NJ. Those servers most likely will not see checks due to taxes, health care, and possibly a pension. If anything some of them may even see a pay stub showing they owe money. I know for a fact Disney servers are the ones that get hurt from the dining plan. A lot of people really do assume the tip is included in the cost. Another thing that I forgot to mention in my previous post was the reason for Disney adding on the suggested tip percentages. It is due to both this and the fact that some foreigners are unfamiliar with American customs and tipping.

[Sleepy90]

$3.25 is a generous wage since it's $2.13 in NJ. Those servers most likely will not see checks due to taxes, health care, and possibly a pension. If anything some of them may even see a pay stub showing they owe money. I know for a fact Disney servers are the ones that get hurt from the dining plan. A lot of people really do assume the tip is included in the cost. Another thing that I forgot to mention in my previous post was the reason for Disney adding on the suggested tip percentages. It is due to both this and the fact that some foreigners are unfamiliar with American customs and tipping.

British people are not used to tipping in restaurants but then we do not get the service that you get in America. Joe and I always tip between 18% to 20% and higher if we feel the service is particularly good, I even tip at home if I have received good service and all our servers are on minimum wage which is now £5.92 an hour, converted that is about $9.
They say copper wire was invented by two Scottish men fighting over a penny, don't you believe it the Scots are much more generous than their English counterparts.

[jacobcary1]

Not to interupt on the conversation. If your minimum wage is $9 an hour then you already have us beat in the US by $2.50 an hour. It is why our economy is going down hill fast.

[Sleepy90]

Not to interupt on the conversation. If your minimum wage is $9 an hour then you already have us beat in the US by $2.50 an hour. It is why our economy is going down hill fast.

Now you have my interest I did not think you guys had a minimum wage, if what you are saying is correct then anyone paying less than $7.50 is doing so illegally how does that work?

[Amy]

Not to interupt on the conversation. If your minimum wage is $9 an hour then you already have us beat in the US by $2.50 an hour. It is why our economy is going down hill fast.

Now you have my interest I did not think you guys had a minimum wage, if what you are saying is correct then anyone paying less than $7.50 is doing so illegally how does that work?

There are certain exceptions to the minimum wage rules, wait staff wages being one of them. Here is just a short excerpt from the government page regarding that

Employers of tipped employees (i.e., those who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips) may consider such tips as part of their wages, but employers must pay a direct wage of at least $2.13 per hour if they claim a tip credit

[jacobcary1]

Here where I am at the minimum wage is $6.25 per hour. There are a lot of companies that pay just that.

[Sleepy90]

To quote MmeLeota "Holy crap on a stick" you mean every state has its own minimum wage, does that not get confusing.

[Wizzard419]

Why would it? I think every buisness over 50 people has a sign in the break room/on property somewhere with all the labor laws including the present min wage. It's not like I would need to learn Nevada's min wage unless I wanted to go there open a company and hire people.

[Amy]

To quote MmeLeota "Holy crap on a stick" you mean every state has its own minimum wage, does that not get confusing.

Why would it? I think every buisness over 50 people has a sign in the break room/on property somewhere with all the labor laws including the present min wage. It's not like I would need to learn Nevada's min wage unless I wanted to go there open a company and hire people.

He is correct Sleepy. The companies are required to have the information posted somewhere that the employees can see it. You could also easily find out the minimum wage laws on line. It does seem silly that things aren't more standardized, but then again, each state has their own tax laws as well.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how Disney could improve their Dining Plan?

[Wizzard419]

Ban it from nicer establishments.

[Amy]

Ban it from nicer establishments.

And this would be an improvement in your opinion because....?

[Soarin08]

Ban it from nicer establishments.

How about... no? The DDP is the only way some of us CAN eat at nicer places.

[Wizzard419]

Ban it from nicer establishments.

And this would be an improvement in your opinion because....?

So then it cuts down on DDP people who book up the reservations months in advance and remove spontaneity from dining options.

[Len90]

Ban it from nicer establishments.

That would never happen and would not be a smart move at all if Disney did it. I would say that factoring the tip back into the meal and making the dining plan suit your needs would be the best options. I would definitely like the plan if they could let you make your own plan in advance so you can do it how you want and not be forced to stick to their plan... IE you get to choose the number of snack, quick serve, and sit down credits.

[mindflipper]

I would definitely like the plan if they could let you make your own plan in advance so you can do it how you want and not be forced to stick to their plan... IE you get to choose the number of snack, quick serve, and sit down credits.

You make it sound like the weight watchers point plan - you get the points and decide how want to consume them. I can't see why that would not work as well towards the DDP.