Tipping at Palo Question

[Fawn]

One question I've never been able to get an answer on--we are Platinum, so we get one Palo dinner comped on each cruise. We always tip extra (and you can tip either by charging to your KTTW card or leaving cash), but does the server still get their money from DCL since DCL comped us?

You know what, that made me realize they didn't comp our Palo dinner this last cruise! I know they have before, but didn't even think about it this time. Darn...that's a hunk of change for 3 people...disappointing! And yes, I tipped our waiter above that, also, for both brunch and dinner.

Not like Disney to slip up like that...

 

[Borgar]

We just got back from a four night on the Dream. Our server at Palo said the service charge went to the restaurant, and we could tip whatever we felt was appropriate for the service.. i ended up adding on about $17 (for 2 people). Given what I read here, that seems right on the mark, since added to the $8 gratuity that was included, that's $25.. seems right around the 20% level for a meal like that.

$ 20 per person seems a little steep to me. The meal was good, but not $100 per person good. Just my $0.02.

 

[ChipandDaleFan16]

Hi everyone - just curious to see if this is the right tipping etiquette. If I eat at Palo one night, should I deduct tips that day from the main dining staff since I didn't eat there?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi everyone - just curious to see if this is the right tipping etiquette. If I eat at Palo one night, should I deduct tips that day from the main dining staff since I didn't eat there?

No. The tips you give your dinner servers covers all meals onboard. The servers in the dining rooms at dinnertime also serve in the buffet and quick serve locations for breakfast and lunch (and snacks).

Really, $8.00 a day (server, asst server, and head server tips) for 3 meals a day isn't that pricey.

 

[dizlover21]

This thread was started 3 years ago now the price is $25 at palo and I had never known the gratuity was included, and im about to leave on my 7th disney cruise. I looked on the website just now and did not see anything saying it is included. Has the policy changed or am i missing it on the website? Last year I think i tipped our server $60 at palo for the 2 of us.

 

[dizlover21]

Accoridng to this link it is "at your discretion" so I dont think they give the servers a tip anymore. Even though it is $25 per person

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/planning-center/my-cruise-plans/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Accoridng to this link it is "at your discretion" so I dont think they give the servers a tip anymore. Even though it is $25 per person

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/planning-center/my-cruise-plans/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/

Tipping at Palo has pretty much always been "at your discretion". It was never specified anywhere what was given to servers as a tip out of the upcharge. Just several of us were able to get what we felt was a straight answer from our favorite Palo servers that there was a small portion (under $5) from the upcharge that actually went to the server. I believe the small "cut" is still given, but many of us do tip additionally.

 

[toolmanjan]

I don't think any part of the $20 or $25 was ever the servers tip. We always tip based on what we would have spent on land for the quality of service and meal at Palo's.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We are Platinum and just went to palo on the Magic. Got our free dinners, tipped our excellent waitress $30 using out room card. We are on the turner classic movie cruise which chartered the magic for five days. Gratuities were prepaid and included in cruise fare unlike regular Disney cruises. This gives no opportunities to change tips for dining room servers which is good. This cruise is sbout 95% adult and many people skip the dining room because of activities scheduled during the evening. I'm sure the dining room servers would hardly make any money at all if the tips weren't already included. We ate in dining rooms every night except for Palo night. Our table sits 8 people. Usually there is only one other couple that shows up for dinner. Even on a regular cruise, if we skip the dining room to go to Palo or Remy, it wouldn't occur to me to deduct anything from the dining room server. We usually add more.

 

[2disneycruzrs]

We did same as PP - $30 for our excellent server.

 

[Fladis32]

We tip as if we were dining in a comparable restaurant. If we feel like our meal would be $200 in a regular restaurant, we tip $40 to $50. At Remy we tipped much more, maybe $100. We would never take a tip away from our MDR servers. We appreciate great service and always tip more than the suggested tipping guidelines.

 

[Racer X]

Tipping at Palo has pretty much always been "at your discretion". It was never specified anywhere what was given to servers as a tip out of the upcharge. Just several of us were able to get what we felt was a straight answer from our favorite Palo servers that there was a small portion (under $5) from the upcharge that actually went to the server. I believe the small "cut" is still given, but many of us do tip additionally.

Hi - what have you tipped in the past then? Have you ever done a brunch? is $10/pp reasonable? Thanks.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi - what have you tipped in the past then? Have you ever done a brunch? is $10/pp reasonable? Thanks.

I prefer the brunch to dinner. Our tip is roughly in the $10/each range. Sometimes it's more, occasionally, less. Depends on the service we get. As it should.

 

[Bear3412]

Hi - what have you tipped in the past then? Have you ever done a brunch? is $10/pp reasonable? Thanks.

It's reasonable to us, for 2 at brunch.

The first time they spend more time with you explaining everything.
IRRC we tip 25 the first time, then 20 the next visit.
Also the second visit was much more crowed and slower service.

HTH

 

[ppony]

We tip as if we were dining in a comparable restaurant. If we feel like our meal would be $200 in a regular restaurant, we tip $40 to $50. At Remy we tipped much more, maybe $100. We would never take a tip away from our MDR servers. We appreciate great service and always tip more than the suggested tipping guidelines.

This is how we do it as well. It's not based on the actual bill in my mind, but what it would be comparably. For waiting on us like they do, they sure as heck deserve more than a few bucks! Again, IMO.

 

[ppony]

We tip as if we were dining in a comparable restaurant. If we feel like our meal would be $200 in a regular restaurant, we tip $40 to $50. At Remy we tipped much more, maybe $100. We would never take a tip away from our MDR servers. We appreciate great service and always tip more than the suggested tipping guidelines.

This is how we do it as well. It's not based on the actual bill in my mind, but what it would be comparably. For waiting on us like they do, they sure as heck deserve more than a few bucks! Again, IMO.

 

[Racer X]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are Platinum and just went to palo on the Magic. Got our free dinners, tipped our excellent waitress $30 using out room card. We are on the turner classic movie cruise which chartered the magic for five days. Gratuities were prepaid and included in cruise fare unlike regular Disney cruises. This gives no opportunities to change tips for dining room servers which is good. This cruise is sbout 95% adult and many people skip the dining room because of activities scheduled during the evening. I'm sure the dining room servers would hardly make any money at all if the tips weren't already included. We ate in dining rooms every night except for Palo night. Our table sits 8 people. Usually there is only one other couple that shows up for dinner. Even on a regular cruise, if we skip the dining room to go to Palo or Remy, it wouldn't occur to me to deduct anything from the dining room server. We usually add more.

We did same as PP - $30 for our excellent server.

We tip as if we were dining in a comparable restaurant. If we feel like our meal would be $200 in a regular restaurant, we tip $40 to $50. At Remy we tipped much more, maybe $100. We would never take a tip away from our MDR servers. We appreciate great service and always tip more than the suggested tipping guidelines.

I agree with these the service is always excellent I would tip $30 to $50, for us, and I have never had bad service there the few or one imply they reduce for bad service.

 

[KingRichard]

Why doesn't everyone tip there regular servers $30-50 per meal?

They work just as hard!

They must remember and recommend a lot more meals!

For most of us they wait on our children and entertain them!

Why do they only get $1 per meal per person?

Some think that is to much if they skip a sit down service!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Why doesn't everyone tip there regular servers $30-50 per meal?

They work just as hard!

They must remember and recommend a lot more meals!

For most of us they wait on our children and entertain them!

Why do they only get $1 per meal per person?

Some think that is to much if they skip a sit down service!

Palo is a far more personal, and made to order meal, yes MDR servers work hard I do increase their tips as well but they are both different.