How much do waiters/waitresses at WDW make?

[PinballFamily]

I'm the OP and I was not trying to "pry" into someone else's money affairs. My dd (I know, she's only 12) was talking about going into the college program at WDW someday and I had heard the wages were low. We were wondering if being a waitress there would help her earn more money for school.
So, before you get argumentative, you should ask why the person wants to know an answer to a question.

OP - FWIW, the College Program internship positions are all (currently) the UNTIPPED ones. Counter service food service, hospitality, merchandising, character/attendant, etc. Even the open spots for the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique make it clear that they are the hostess ones (or assistant stylist), and specify "untipped" here.

Good for your DD for thinking ahead! My DD just had her interview yesterday for next fall's CP - and has every finger and toe crossed that she gets in! Most of the available positions within the CP do seem to pay minimum wage (barely!) - and then you do have to pay Disney rent for your dorm/apt room. In short, no one is going to get rich (or even ahead!) doing this program, but it does seem like lots of fun for college kids in one of the happiest places on earth.

If you (or she!) want more info - check out the College Board section of the DIS. Since it is interview time, the threads are buzzing with info right now about the program specifics.

 

[Shmily1]

Pinball, good luck to your DD!!

OP, your DD is doing great! I certainly didn't think you were prying and I would like to know too. Working at WDW is my dream job and all the information I can get is totally helpful for a time when I can use it.

 

[seven dwarfs]

I asked our waitress working at Garden Grill how the pay was when we were there in September. She informed me she worked at Garden Grill just as extra here and there. She worked at the character breakfast in Mk for grand gatherings for her normal job. She did not disclose how much she made (I didn't feel I had the right to ask but hoped she would let us know-lol) but informed us that is was a lot and she could not make that kind of money anywhere else. She said she loved her job and would never leave Disney. She was very nice and did a great job.

 

[jezebella]

Some of the servers that work at the busy signature restaurants (Cali Grill) have been there for 20 years and make around $100K a year....

 

[disnutt]

Some of the servers that work at the busy signature restaurants (Cali Grill) have been there for 20 years and make around $100K a year....

Time for a career change for me!

 

[Disney1976]

I have a co-worker who waited tables at Disney years ago. He said that from what he was told, the best money was made at the "signature" restaurants and top-level character dining experiences (CRT), where a good server working full-time could make $80,000 a year.
At that time, he was told there was a 5 year waiting list to get one of those positions.

Regarding tips, as a pp mentioned, people are all over the map. Some overtipped, some didn't tip at all.

 

[disneybridetobe]

I worked my way through college as a waitress and can tell you that people tip all over the map. Some tip 20%, most tip 15%, some tip 10% and others don't tip at all. Where I worked we had 4-5 tables. Lunch shift was typically 11-4 (or 5) and dinner was 5-10. On a typical Friday night, Saturday or Sunday (busiest days) I would make $40-$60 on a lunch shift and $75-$100 on a dinner shift. During the week it would be more like $25-$40 on a lunch shift (most were just there for the "lunch hour" and the rest of the time it was slow) and $40-$60 on a dinner shift (again, slow nights on Mon-Wed). Also, we were required to be there an hour before the restaurant opened for lunch to make salads, set up, etc. which is an hour of no tips. Dinner staff were there an hour after for clean up, refill ketchup, etc. which is another hour without tips. You can make good money, but its really hard work.

I was going to post my waitressing experiences, but you already did it for me!

I always wondered how it worked with Disney servers and their tips, since it seemed like we were paying much more for meals (= more tips) than we do at home. At first glance, you'd think they were rolling in the dough, but I think there's more to it than that.

 

[disneybridetobe]

Some of the servers that work at the busy signature restaurants (Cali Grill) have been there for 20 years and make around $100K a year....

Now *that* I believe.

 

[Traveliz]

I'm the OP and I was not trying to "pry" into someone else's money affairs. My dd (I know, she's only 12) was talking about going into the college program at WDW someday and I had heard the wages were low. We were wondering if being a waitress there would help her earn more money for school.
So, before you get argumentative, you should ask why the person wants to know an answer to a question.

The College Program does not offer waitressing as one of the roles so unless it changes that would not be an opportunity for her. Pretty much all of the CP roles are minimum wage and not tipped.

Liz

 

[TooBoyz4us]

Still on the tipping subject, how much is the tip supposed to be now?
I have to admit that I generally still use the 15%, and then add a little extra.Mainly because 15% is easy to figure up in your head, where as 18% requires some figuring.

 

[PatriciaH]

Some of the servers that work at the busy signature restaurants (Cali Grill) have been there for 20 years and make around $100K a year....

California Grill opened in 1995 but maybe they worked at Top of the World before that

 

[jezebella]

California Grill opened in 1995 but maybe they worked at Top of the World before that

Lol...you know what I meant...that location, top of the Contemporary..

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'm the OP and I was not trying to "pry" into someone else's money affairs. My dd (I know, she's only 12) was talking about going into the college program at WDW someday and I had heard the wages were low.

I SINCERELY apologize. It has been my experience on these forums that questions about Disney servers and their earnings are generally intended because the original poster is looking for justification not to tip, or not to tip in the 'standard' range.

I am truly sorry for misreading your intention.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Still on the tipping subject, how much is the tip supposed to be now?
I have to admit that I generally still use the 15%, and then add a little extra.Mainly because 15% is easy to figure up in your head, where as 18% requires some figuring.

Disney empathizes with you, and has taken steps to make calculating the gratuity as easy as possible for the Guest

If there are six or more people in your party (even if enough of those are infants that only five people are actually ordering food), even if you are seated at separate tables, as long as both tables have the same server, Disney assesses an automatic gratuity (aka service charge) or 18%. The cash register calculates it and adds it to your check before the check is presented to you.

If there are five or fewer people in your party, Disney still makes the effort to make your dining experience as carefree as possible. On your check, there will be calculations showing what 18% of the check is, and what 20% is - so you can, IF YOU CHOOSE, just tip one of those amounts.

Or, since you ordinarily tip 15% and obviously don't need any help calculating 15% (and you're right, it's easy), you are free to tip the percentage YOU choose. Disney's just trying to help

 

[TooBoyz4us]

If there are five or fewer people in your party, Disney still makes the effort to make your dining experience as carefree as possible. On your check, there will be calculations showing what 18% of the check is, and what 20% is - so you can, IF YOU CHOOSE, just tip one of those amounts.

Or, since you ordinarily tip 15% and obviously don't need any help calculating 15% (and you're right, it's easy), you are free to tip the percentage YOU choose. Disney's just trying to help

WOW!!!
Tip amounts right on the checks huh?
Things have really changed since we've been to Disney last!
On our last visit to the world, we were a party of four on the deluxe dining plan, and back then gratuity was included.

Okay, so what happens if you are on the dining plan now? Are the suggested tip amounts still on the receipt that they bring you to sign?

 

[DOOM1001]

Most major restaurants servers have to tip out about a third of their tips to food runners,bartenders,bussers and so on.So on a busy saturday shift they might sell $800+,receive $135 in tips and end up tipping out $45 to other employees.The server earned $90+ but as others said it is very hard work!!!Also in the years that I worked at one of those major chain restaurants making $3 something an hour you realize that depending on how you claim your tips influences how much of that $3 something you actually get on your paycheck.I remember some servers who wouldn't claim much at all getting $100+ checks for 2 weeks,I would work part time and claim the full amount of my tips and receive like $40+ for 2 weeks and then there were some servers who worked full time and all the busiest shifts and claim all of their tips who were getting paychecks for $0.They were probably making $500+ a week in tips but their paycheck was literally nothing!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Tip amounts right on the checks huh?

SUGGESTED tip amounts, for your (the Guest's, in general) convenience. But really, it IS just a suggestion. Partly it's to make your vacation as thought-free as possible, and frankly it's partly because a number of Disney Guests are from countries where tipping isn't customary.

And, yes, the same suggestion is provided no matter how the Guest is paying for the meal.

 

[Shmily1]

I like having the tip amounts on the checks. I'm on vacation and really don't care to be doing the math, so thanks to WDW for making it easy on my vacationing brain!!

With me being server when we were dating, DH has said many times that he's way more aware of what a server makes and how hard they work for the money so he usually tips pretty large. I do because I've walked in those shoes!!

 

[firsttimer2007]

We just got back from Disney and LOVED having the tips on the ticket. We just had to sign. It was great. except the time we had really, really bad service we tipped 20% because she put it on the ticket and we just wanted out of there. We will NEVER go back though.

As far as Cali grill goes. That is the best rest. ever. Those servers deserve every penny of 20% and more.

 

[musiksmith]

My DH works at CG as a server and no one there makes $100k a year! He is part time and we live comfortably but it is no where near that. Some full time servers at the high end and very popular restaurants can make 75k-80k, but not more then that.