Steakhouse- MDR tips question

[cruiseonthebrain]

We always pre-pay gratuities and usually add a bit more in person. On an upcoming cruise we plan to eat in the Steakhouse almost every night- it may end up being every night. We plan to tip in the Steakhouse. But what happens to the MDR tips if you never eat there?

[klfrodo]

The MDR tips stay where they are. I keep them there anyway.

 

You might see your MDR waiters at breakfast or lunch working the Lido buffett clearing tables and such.

[Tapi]

Tips will be disbursed the same way, whether you eat at the MDR every night or not at all. Remember that waiters are still required to be at the MDR, ready to serve you whether you show up or not. And as others mentioned, the same staff that serves you at the MDR will most likely be serving you in different capacities at other venues throughout the week. I'm sure they'll appreciate being recognized for that service. [emoji846]

 

My opinion is to leave all auto tips as they are. That way you don't short change anybody. If you few that the service at the steakhouse is exceptional and you wish to recognize their work, you can always add an extra tip at the end of every meal.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Tapi

[SadieN]

Leave them on.

As klfrodo said the waitstaff works all over the ship. Waiters also work breakfast, brunch, tea time, etc. Just saw a video on John Heald's FB page with waiters rolling utensils. There were two of our waiters from previous cruises rolling those things

 

 

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[cruiseonthebrain]

Oh- I planned on leaving the tips where they were. I was just wondering- well- where they were.

[Cuizer2]

The MDR tips stay where they are. I keep them there anyway.

 

You might see your MDR waiters at breakfast or lunch working the Lido buffett clearing tables and such.

 

If they don't eat in the MDR, how would they know what their waiters/waitresses look like?

[PekingeseLady]

Remember the tip is included in the 35 dollar each fee for the Steakhouse. ;)

[Tripper10]

We always pre-pay gratuities and usually add a bit more in person. On an upcoming cruise we plan to eat in the Steakhouse almost every night- it may end up being every night. We plan to tip in the Steakhouse. But what happens to the MDR tips if you never eat there?

 

If you don't eat in the MDR at all you can remove that portion of the gratuities if you please. The tip is included in the specialty restaurants fee but some people choose to add extra.

[mrpayroll]

If they don't eat in the MDR, how would they know what their waiters/waitresses look like?

 

Very good question......

[HamSammie]

If you don't eat in the MDR at all you can remove that portion of the gratuities if you please. The tip is included in the specialty restaurants fee but some people choose to add extra.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the tip is "included" in the steakhouse because the portion of the gratuity for dining room would go to the steakhouse waiters for that meal.

[Tapi]

If you don't eat in the MDR at all you can remove that portion of the gratuities if you please.

 

 

Exactly how do you remove that portion of the gratuities? Do you go to guest services and tell them to remove a percentage of the auto tips and specify that the amount removed is specifically withheld from the wait staff but only for the duration of dinner at the MDR, but to ensure that tips are disbursed for the rest of their time?

 

IMHO, auto tips were created for a reason. To ensure that everybody gets a fair share of the tips and to make it easy for guests to tip. This whole "tip removal, adjusting, cash vs charge, etc" is not only a waste of time, but it's also a pity. I can think of SO many other ways to spend my time on a cruise vacation than wasting it at guest services for this. Hey, but to each his own. [emoji6]

[cruiseonthebrain]

If they don't eat in the MDR, how would they know what their waiters/waitresses look like?

 

I was wondering the exact same thing- especially since we are signed up for ATD:-)

[Cloud9Family]

If they don't eat in the MDR, how would they know what their waiters/waitresses look like?

 

I'm just guessing, but they probably mean... if you were to eat it the mdr, you would see that your server also works during the day in other capacities; breakfast, brunch, clearing tables on Lido, etc. So, while you might not be benefitting from their service at night, by eating in the Steakhouse, you are benefitting from it during the day.

Therefore, they still deserve their tip.

[Cloud9Family]

I was wondering the exact same thing- especially since we are signed up for ATD:-)

 

I'm not sure how this works exactly. If you have set dining your tips go to your assigned server. I think you still have an assigned server for anytime that they try to seat you in their area if there is space when you show up. You usually will end up with different servers. It could be that removing auto tips from anytime would take tips away from someone that didn't wait on you. (Speaking generally. ..not saying you're saying that)

Or do they pool all the anytime tips and split it up equally between all the anytime servers.

I sincerely wonder how it works. I work for tips so it intrigues me.

[tea4ular]

Two things come to mind...

 

The daily gratuity is so low already - $12 p/p distributed among dozens of workers in front and behind the scenes - would it really make a financial difference to YOU if you removed a portion of them?

 

The other...in the scheme of things, an extra dollar or two goes an amazingly long way for the recipient and really makes no dent for the giver.

 

Remember - there are people behind those tips we are giving (or removing), some you see and some you don't. But believe me when I tell you NONE of them are getting wealthy on your tips.

 

:)

[SadieN]

Two things come to mind...

 

 

 

The daily gratuity is so low already - $12 p/p distributed among dozens of workers in front and behind the scenes - would it really make a financial difference to YOU if you removed a portion of them?

 

 

 

The other...in the scheme of things, an extra dollar or two goes an amazingly long way for the recipient and really makes no dent for the giver.

 

 

 

Remember - there are people behind those tips we are giving (or removing), some you see and some you don't. But believe me when I tell you NONE of them are getting wealthy on your tips.

 

 

 

:)

 

 

Not getting wealthy but helping a lot at home. Cost of living is very different in their countries than in the US. We know crew who've bought houses (no mortgages available in those countries) and set up businesses back home. Others who have put their siblings through school. Their sacrifice is others gain. Their working far away is not much different than how it was for immigrants to the US several generations ago.

 

 

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[Je Souhaite]

We always pre-pay gratuities and usually add a bit more in person. On an upcoming cruise we plan to eat in the Steakhouse almost every night- it may end up being every night. We plan to tip in the Steakhouse. But what happens to the MDR tips if you never eat there?

 

Don't let anyone guilt you into eating in one restaurant, and tipping in two. If you are not in the MDR, and they are not working for you, no, you don't tip them.

 

I would suggest though, if you plan on not eating any meals in the MDR, to let the MD know to release your table, so it can be occupied by someone else.

 

just because they took the good food out of the MDR, and put it somewhere else does NOT mean you have to tip where they moved it from. Even waiters on land realize they don't get tips from unoccupied tables. But their load is lighter.