Signing the breakfast tab
 

I've enjoyed a lot of nice restaurant breakfasts as a Diamond, but I'm still never certain what to do with the tab at the end. Very occasionally, I'll get a property that asks for a room number as we're seated, notes breakfast is complimentary, and just never brings one. This is appreciated but rare. For the rest of the time, how do you typically fill out the tip and total lines? Leave blank? Write "incl" and "comp"? Tip 20%, as I would if paying cash? Tip 15%, which I believe is the amount included by HGP? Something else?

I've done most of the above at some point, and never really had an issue with receiving the breakfast benefit -- typically the charges show up on my folio no matter what I do, and are removed at checkout, usually without asking. My question pertains more to "style" -- how to maximize the chances that [a] the benefit applies without overage / awkward conversation (a concern if I tip a particular amount), [b] the waitstaff doesn't feel stiffed (a concern if I leave blank), and [c] I don't look like a jerk (a concern with "incl/comp"). Most of the time I am not given a particular $ amount limit for breakfast by the property, so don't have that as a guide either. What do you do?

I leave the same tip I would leave if I was covering the tip (which is the case with Diamond breakfast over at HHonors) which is 20% (or more if its an inexpensive meal as I always will tip a bare minimum of $4-5 unless they have done something to really annoy me). What you think is appropriate is up to you. Leaving nothing is bad.

If a check is presented, I just fill in my name and room number and sign it. I leave the tip and total lines blank. I've never had an issue with someone filling in the blanks ... at least, I've never seen anything on the folio, and I'm sure it would be easily resolved if someone did try to play some games.

I really appreciate the properties that do recognize the breakfast, including tip, is included.

Not good advice - you're likely leaving 0 tip for your wait staff.

I'm not sure why people are so cheap in general on the tipping for comped hyatt breakfast... tip what you normally would, and you know what - if a 1 dollar or so line item appears on your folio - the waitstaff needs it probably more than you.

Re: "why people are so cheap" -- the Diamond breakfast benefit is always inclusive of service.

Re: somebody else "needs [$1] more than you do" -- not really for any of us to judge. A Diamond may be a doctoral student attending an academic conference, and reimbursed for the hotel stay, but otherwise earning a stipend that is very likely less than a full-time waiter's annual income.

Because tip is included, not all stays are in the US, and what's more.... who are you to judge.

At decent properties you won't see a bill anyway.

Or just because some people are embarrassingly cheap... which is their privilege of course. Sad but their privilege.

I've been told that servers get a standard tip for Diamond breakfasts and other comped F&B in the 18-20% range. This is sufficient unless the service has been extraordinarily good IMO.

I have a very hard time believing anyone who has the wherewithal to travel to the extent a Diamond does is that hard up for cash that an extra $1 is going to break them. A person that fits the description you gave is not going to be a Diamond and hence no free breakfast benefit to begin with.

^

Fully agree - me too, I always fill out the bill and add tip, as usual.

The problem can be solved by leaving a cash tip at he table if you desire.

Cheers,

Doc

This is not true, based on conversations with 3 or 4 F&B managers in properties across the US. As was noted earlier in this thread, servers get a standard % tip for comped breakfasts, although I've seen it as low as 15%.

I think this is a fair question b/c while Hyatt T&C say that the Diamond breakfast includes gratuity, it's never explained how that works. Is it automatic regardless what the guest does? Or does the guest need to affirmatively indicate a tip?

Personally I'm usually in the "leaves cash tip" category though sometimes I'll just add it to the tab. At certain properties this will then be added to the bill at check-out, notwithstanding that the Diamond breakfast supposedly includes gratuity.

Having talked with waitstaff at several properties - this datapoint is highly dependent upon the property. Again, people need to stop being so fricking chintzy and tip their waitstaff.

I for one can choke back a dollar or two... and I'd suggest anyone else who's too poor to afford to tip an extra dollar on their bill should post up on here, and we can pass around a hat to help. Its a free breakfast... yeesh.

Its crap like this that makes FT so fricking annoying at times... trying to eek a nickel out of every single thing they do.