Edited: Friday, January 22, 2016
We are back with another great question from the DFB Inbox! And we figured if one of you asked, then many of you probably wonder the same thing. 🙂
Today, our reader asks:
My family and I are planning to dine at many Disney table service restaurants on our next visit. We are a party of six, but there’s an infant who won’t be eating in our group. Will gratuity be automatically added to our bill?
As many of you know, Disney automatically adds a gratuity of 18% for parties of 6 or more when you dine at a table service location. (This also includes buffet-style restaurants.) But what happens if you have an infant or toddler who won’t be eating?
Dining with a Toddler at ‘Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast? Know Before You Go!
According to several calls to WDW-DINE, the headcount of “six or more” technically refers to guests who are over the age of three; but based on the comments we received below, we called a few more times. We were told that the policy states “six or more” and that it is left up the restaurant’s discretion whether or not they will charge. We were told that restaurants will rarely charge the gratuity if the sixth person is under the age of 3, but as you can see from the comments, it DOES happen. Thanks to our commenters for sharing their experiences!
Not counting toward the total number for gratuity is consistent with other areas at Disney. For instance, infants and toddlers are admitted to the Parks when they’re under the age of three for free. And the under-three set can share off of your plate at buffets and all-you-care-to-enjoy restaurants for free as well.
Share Some Mickey Waffles with the Little One You Love
Keep in mind, however, that if you’re using the Tables in Wonderland discount card, gratuity is automatically added to the bill, regardless of the size of your party. Also, if you are in a situation where the gratuity is added automatically, you can always increase the amount if you’d like.
Now we’d love to hear from you! Do you agree with the automatic gratuity assessment? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts!
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We were just at Chef Mickey’s for breakfast 2 weeks ago and had 4 adults and 2 infants under age 2. We were charged gratuity as the reservation was for a party of 6 in their system. Our final bill was 4 adult meals, tax and gratuity.
I recently vacationed with a two year old. With her, our table was a party of six. At each of the buffets at which we ate, we received a bill where a line item appeared as child under three 0.00, and we were charge the automatic 18% gratuity. She did count as the six person.
A few years ago I went with my daughters, my oldest daughter’s husband, an aunt and my 2 barely 2 year old grandson. It was 5 without my grandson. He didn’t eat anything and we didn’t order him anything because my daughter had already fed him but we were automatically charged the 18% gratuity because my son in law was leaving a 15% tip and when the waitress returned she told him he would have to leave more or it would be charged to the room! We all were a little shocked at this! It was at the Coral Reef Restaurant.
Interesting question! We never thought about it…
I was just there for the 2016 marathon. We had four adults, a toddler (under 3) and an infant. The gratuity was added at every restaurant.
Interesting because the last two trips our child was 10 months and 1 year old and he was counted as our 6th adding the automatic gratuity each time.
Ashley, Zara, Rhonda, Rose, and Brian — I would definitely question this if it happens again. WDW Dining specifically confirmed that an infant would not count toward figuring the automatic gratuity during our first call. However, a second call to WDW Dine yielded a softened response that the only official policy is auto gratuity of 18% for 6 or more. The CM went on to say that normally, restaurants haven’t charged the auto gratuity in this situation, and that it’s left to the discretion of the restaurant. We placed both of our calls to confirm this very recently.
I would have said something to the cast member when I saw the bill.
I was always told and have continually experienced in the past that regardless of ages or who eats or does not, if you reserve for a party of 6 (6 chairs will be filled, even if one is under 3) the 18% gratuity applies. I think your info is wrong!
Amy — Thanks for sharing your experience. It may be that restaurants are left to their own discretion on this issue.
I don’t particularly agree with the added gratuity at buffets. Lots of time the buffet dinners are more expensive than table service and you might have a server bring two rounds of drinks and collect a tip on $150+ bill. I have many friends in the service industry and realize they rely on tips. However, they usually work for them too!
We’ve been charged the automatic six person gratuity at Biergarten, Cape May, ‘Ohana, and Kona with one or two infants in our party.
It depends on whether or not the infant eats at the restaurant. If food or drink of any sort is ordered for the infant they would definitely count as a sixth. If food from an ordered plate is shared with the infant they would count as a sixth. The question is did the server in any way serve the infant, if not most restaurants will not add gratuity.
Went in the fall of 2014 and our 4 month old counted as the 6th person. We were hit with the 18% charge at every table service restaraunt we went to (7 total). He was either sleeping or taken back to the room with an adult before the dinner ended every time. The last reservation we had was for 5 at the recommendation of a cast member, and they still changed it in the system when we checked in to automatically charge us as 6.
We were charged at coral reef when are 6th person was an 18 month old who didn’t eat anything. We complained and the manager finally removed it but advised us it was disney policy and if we didn’t like it we shouldn’t eat in a big group. Worst and rudest disney experience I have ever had.
Based on the comments and my own personal experiences, I believe you received bad information from the Disney cast member. Automatic gratuity applies if there are 6 souls at the table, no matter how old or if they eat. If there are 6 people there, you will be charged 18% gratuity. We’ve traveled as a family of 6 for almost 3 years now and been to Disney 7 times during that time period. Our youngest will be 3 on April 1. He was 4 months old at his first visit to a Disney restaurant. We have always been charged the automatic 18% gratuity. They don’t charge us for a meal for him, even if he eats off the buffet. The cost of the meal is the same, so adding 18% really doesn’t matter to us. We would normally tip 20% so this policy saves us money (we chose not to add additional tip if a mandatory tip is put on a bill). We have eaten at Beaches & Cream, Chef Mickey’s, Grand Floridian Café, Akershus, Crystal Palace, 50s Prime Time, Hollywood & Vine, Via Napoli, Tusker House, Whispering Canyon, Be Our Guest, Kona Café, …. geez – we eat a lot!
I guess I don’t see this as being a huge deal. The gratuity will obviously only be charged for the amount ordered (whether 4-5 adults). All patrons at a table service restaurant should be tipping anyway.