Today's Sentinel (here we go again)

[Daybreak]

I really hope this is the case Julie and we misunderstood, it may well have been, we were all very stressed.
Anyway on a positive note 10 weeks today we'll be at the airport waiting to fly over again
[clap][clap]

Dawn

[goingsenile]

This is my first post on this forum after 'lurking in the shadows' for a few months. It's such a great source of information and so friendly! Now it's confession time. I am that British tourist! I had never written to / emailed a newspaper before, however the constant moaning and criticism really annoyed me. The meaning of 'gratuity' seems to have been lost. From Websters Dictionary - 'something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service'. If it is mandatory and at a certain percentage then surely it is a tax. Anyway, I'll get down off my high horse as I realise I'm preaching to the converted here!

Ten weeks till my next Florida holiday!

[cherylzw]

That is one thing you have to watch with when you pay your bill at restraunts in Florida and also, Las Vegas.

Some restraunts automatically add the tip and some don't. I have double tipped a couple times. I didn't realize they added it to the check (too busy talking and didn't look over the bill [:I]) and then I also left tip on the table.

Now I make sure I check that the tip has not been added.

[orlandodaze]

HI Shy and Retiring, Nice to have you with us, and enjoy your Florida holiday.

[villavirgin]

We were in Orlando just a week ago (oh when can we go back please?), and found that many of the restaurants now insert with your bill a helpful little guide "for our foreign guests" on what is acceptable tipping.

Most places advised 15% to 20%, some 18% to 20%, and one said that 20% to 25% was the "usual" tip for good service.

I'll happily leave between 10% and 20% depending on service, most places the food is so good and plentiful that even after the tip we've eaten really well for relatively low cost.

With a large party I always speak to the server before we order and make sure they remove the automatic gratuity which most places add for parties of 8 or more - but hide in the small print at the foot of menus. If they won't take it off, we leave.

If tips are what make the difference between getting by and a living wage for the serving staff it's only fair to tip them. We can't really argue with the US labor (sic) practices.

What do you do if you feel your server hasn't earned a tip though?

On one memorable occassion, not in Orlando but Smith and Wollensky's in New York, we left no tip. Resulted in a what I guess was a stand up row with our waiter, who had been so rude and patronising throughout the meal we felt he deserved absolutely zilch, and told him so.

VV

[florida4sun]

She probably offered it back as the tip was included in the bill, I have had thois happen a few times. She would lose her job if she offered back as she did not think it was enough.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Daybreak
We actually had a very bad experience last year regarding tipping and i must admit even now it's quite hard to talk about it
We were over to close on our villa and surprise surprise the minute we landed our realator told us he had been trying to contact us but we had been our way over as the mortgage company had now decided at the 11th hour that they needed more documentation
We spent nearly all day trying to get the info they needed but had to wait another day to see if we had been succesful, so didn't even know if we could go ahead and close
Our furniture company then informed us that the living room furniture we had ordered 11mths prior hadn't been ordered[msnsad]
To say we were all down that night is an understatement
Anyway we all went out for a meal and the table next to us gave a very large tip, we know this as the waitress made a big deal of it
We paid our bill gave what we thought was a fair tip, the service had been good, but the waitress approached us and said she felt she should give it back
We assumed she didn't think it was enough and i must admit feeling tearful
It was just the perfect ending to a perfect day, not!!
The upside was we did close, although a few days late, and we did manage to get furniture but the episode has left us all very confused and if i admit it quite mad on reflection

Dawn
[/quote]

[george]

We had the same experience at Smith an Wollensky's in New York. The waiter insisted that I didn't need a jacket potato with my steak and wouldn't let me order it! We eventually complained and got one meal free - we didn't leave a tip also !
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:
On one memorable occassion, not in Orlando but Smith and Wollensky's in New York, we left no tip. Resulted in a what I guess was a stand up row with our waiter, who had been so rude and patronising throughout the meal we felt he deserved absolutely zilch, and told him so.

VV
[/quote]

[Andrena]

I must admit that I just loath the embarassment of tipping. I know it is the norm in the US and we do leave a tip, but I just hate it. I feel that it is demeaning to staff to have to rely on tips for their wages. It just saves the owner having to pay a decent wage. I think it is in New Zealand that they are not allowed to accept tips. I am sure that I read that somewhere recently. I think that is a good idea.
We were in a taxi in London a couple of years ago and the driver didn't even get out of his cab to help load the cases in or out and my husband just gave him the exact amount. He said 'Hey all the Scots guys usually tip' my husband just said 'Well this is one who isn't such a mug as to tip a lazy so and so like you'. His face was a picture, I just fell about laughing.

Andrena