“Tax, gratuity and service charges” Globalist Benefit
Jan 15, 2020, 3:13 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Hyatt LIFETIME Globalist
Posts: 661
Matt - you do have to own up to the fact that you have started lots of new threads since spending your way to glob
boy, you took the words out of my mouth!
boy, you took the words out of my mouth!
Last edited by Maui4me1; Jan 15, 2020 at 3:19 pm
Jan 15, 2020, 4:38 pm
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,854
Matt - you do have to own up to the fact that you have started lots of new threads since spending your way to glob...
All that aside here's my take:
In some hotels depending on the country there is a charge that is to offset living wage standards, sometimes they call these service charges but more frequently something else...for the life of me I can't remember
In those cases then the gratuity is separate as the living wage surcharge is just the restaurant passing legal wage requirement costs onto the consumer.
In that case if you provided a tip above that I would say would be entitled to the service charge AND gratuity being reimbursed.
All that aside here's my take:
In some hotels depending on the country there is a charge that is to offset living wage standards, sometimes they call these service charges but more frequently something else...for the life of me I can't remember
In those cases then the gratuity is separate as the living wage surcharge is just the restaurant passing legal wage requirement costs onto the consumer.
In that case if you provided a tip above that I would say would be entitled to the service charge AND gratuity being reimbursed.
I believe a service charge is part of their wage (or to subsidize it) rather than an actual tip paid to the server. Whereas a tip is gratuity for good service. The property was in the US.
Jan 15, 2020, 6:48 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: QF WP, AA EXP
Posts: 3,520
"Globalist Included" is all you need to write on the tip line, if there is one. Let them work it out, most servers I have talked to say they get a standard 15-20% for globalists automatically. This way it takes away the issue of dealing with the front desk at checkout, or a manager who doesn't know policy. Never had an issue since I stared doing this years ago.
Jan 15, 2020, 7:29 pm
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,854
"Globalist Included" is all you need to write on the tip line, if there is one. Let them work it out, most servers I have talked to say they get a standard 15-20% for globalists automatically. This way it takes away the issue of dealing with the front desk at checkout, or a manager who doesn't know policy. Never had an issue since I stared doing this years ago.
Jan 15, 2020, 7:57 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
This is exactly the sort of thing that your concierge can take care of.
Call, give the dates of the stay, say that you were charged for gratuity at breakfast when it's supposed to be included. They will see that your gratuity is reasonable (not some crazy amount) and it will get taken care of.
Call, give the dates of the stay, say that you were charged for gratuity at breakfast when it's supposed to be included. They will see that your gratuity is reasonable (not some crazy amount) and it will get taken care of.
Jan 16, 2020, 7:44 am
#36
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 22
I had the same issues last year as well. In my case, the hotel breakfast didn’t have a service charge line item, only my discretionary gratuity. Sure maybe the tip is just $5 but that’s $5 that per the terms, seems like it should be covered. It was charged to the room and I was billed for it. Talked over Twitter and got it refunded, but this is definitely a smart benefit that has issues in application.
Jan 16, 2020, 8:15 am
#37
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My understanding is that some hotels automatically give their servers the standard 15-20% (perhaps using the same rate they change for banquet meals) and interpret any tip you add to the bill as a purely discretionary amount on top of the 15-20% or whatever. Hence you pay it, the same as if you had given cash.
Jan 16, 2020, 9:39 am
#38
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: FRA, SIN
Programs: LH, WoH, Bonvoy, ALL, SH-L
Posts: 232
My understanding is that some hotels automatically give their servers the standard 15-20% (perhaps using the same rate they change for banquet meals) and interpret any tip you add to the bill as a purely discretionary amount on top of the 15-20% or whatever. Hence you pay it, the same as if you had given cash.
Jan 16, 2020, 11:23 am
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,854
I had the same issues last year as well. In my case, the hotel breakfast didn’t have a service charge line item, only my discretionary gratuity. Sure maybe the tip is just $5 but that’s $5 that per the terms, seems like it should be covered. It was charged to the room and I was billed for it. Talked over Twitter and got it refunded, but this is definitely a smart benefit that has issues in application.
Typically when restaurants have one they have signs posted or someone will let you know. It’s charged to everyone, not just Globs so I’d think it’d be beneficial for signage to be up that way people aren’t wondering why they have a “service charge”.
Jan 16, 2020, 6:20 pm
#42
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Manhattan NV
Programs: Hilton LTD, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LTTE, AA LTP, Avis PC, National EE, Seabourn DE
Posts: 3,030
"Globalist Included" is all you need to write on the tip line, if there is one. Let them work it out, most servers I have talked to say they get a standard 15-20% for globalists automatically. This way it takes away the issue of dealing with the front desk at checkout, or a manager who doesn't know policy. Never had an issue since I stared doing this years ago.
Jan 16, 2020, 8:14 pm
#43
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: Marriott AmBE ; AA EXP; Amtrak Select Executive; Hertz PC
Posts: 151
can we just kill this thread already? if you say the Hyatt Concierge has confirmed it with the pictures you attached then they should have reimbursed you. Case closed. You win. GG
Jan 16, 2020, 8:55 pm
#44
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,770
This is relevant to the discussions here.
HR Denver Tech Center charged me for breakfast gratuities and front desk insisted that Globalist breakfast benefit did not include gratuities.
FD agent even argued that his manager told another Globalist earlier in the week that breakfast gratuities are not included. Breakfast bill did not have service charge, so tips cannot be mistaken for gratuities on top of service charge that's being debated here. The debate went back and forth for a good while. FD agent finally took off the gratuities when I told him I would not file a complaint with Hyatt Corporate, otherwise I would.
I have only seen 18% Globalist gratuities included on breakfast bills at a number of US properties, only Asian hotels have 15% service charge on breakfast bills.
HR Denver Tech Center charged me for breakfast gratuities and front desk insisted that Globalist breakfast benefit did not include gratuities.
FD agent even argued that his manager told another Globalist earlier in the week that breakfast gratuities are not included. Breakfast bill did not have service charge, so tips cannot be mistaken for gratuities on top of service charge that's being debated here. The debate went back and forth for a good while. FD agent finally took off the gratuities when I told him I would not file a complaint with Hyatt Corporate, otherwise I would.
I have only seen 18% Globalist gratuities included on breakfast bills at a number of US properties, only Asian hotels have 15% service charge on breakfast bills.
Last edited by CIT85; Jan 16, 2020 at 8:59 pm Reason: OP answered the question before I finished due to slow server.
Jan 16, 2020, 9:07 pm
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,854
This is relevant to the discussions here.
HR Denver Tech Center charged me for breakfast gratuities and front desk insisted that Globalist breakfast benefit did not include gratuities.
FD agent even argued that his manager told another Globalist earlier in the week that breakfast gratuities are not included. Breakfast bill did not have service charge, so tips cannot be mistaken for gratuities on top of service charge that's being debated here. The debate went back and forth for a good while. FD agent finally took off the gratuities when I told him I would not file a complaint with Hyatt Corporate, otherwise I would.
I have only seen 18% Globalist gratuities included on breakfast bills at a number of US properties, only Asian hotels have 15% service charge on breakfast bills.
HR Denver Tech Center charged me for breakfast gratuities and front desk insisted that Globalist breakfast benefit did not include gratuities.
FD agent even argued that his manager told another Globalist earlier in the week that breakfast gratuities are not included. Breakfast bill did not have service charge, so tips cannot be mistaken for gratuities on top of service charge that's being debated here. The debate went back and forth for a good while. FD agent finally took off the gratuities when I told him I would not file a complaint with Hyatt Corporate, otherwise I would.
I have only seen 18% Globalist gratuities included on breakfast bills at a number of US properties, only Asian hotels have 15% service charge on breakfast bills.
The Property was Hyatt Centric Magnificent Mile in Chicago.