New tipping options rolling out in July! This will be on every payment terminal after paying.
News Tipping Coming to United Parks Properties
- Thread starter bgw enthusiasts
- Start date
From what we've heard the employees tips go into a pool for all employees. And said employees will be making $2.55 an hour with tips.
That is *in addition to* their existing wage. So, they would make whatever their current rate is PLUS an additional [rate based on those tips that day] per hour.
So, in BGW’s case, F&B makes $15/hour. They would get that PLUS that $2.55/hour, for a total of $17.55/hour. Subject to change on a day by day basis, as that value is going to change based on the total tip pool.
I hope this isn’t true. Rather than raising wages to make them competitive, this would mean the chain intends to supplement below market pay by guilting guests into tipping for services that traditionally don’t receive tips. Other than table service restaurants and tours, I can’t think of any position in a PRKS park where most people would normally expect to leave a tip.
So does this mean basically only F&B, and merchandise receive tips? They're the only services guests pay for anything.
I also hope this is not true.
I also hope this is not true.
No shot they're actually going to start paying staff less with the theoretical introduction of tipping. That's inconceivably monstrous, even for United Parks. And to be clear, if they do such a thing, there should be HELL to pay.
If you're an employee who has been contacted about this change, please get in touch with me privately via a message here on the forum or through any of the BGWFans social media accounts. There's, potentially, a MASSIVE story here.
Oh, and lastly, obviously, fuck this noise. Never tip for counter service food at a fucking theme park. Don't enable this disgusting behavior. Make PRKS pay a competitive wage or let their parks burn.
If you're an employee who has been contacted about this change, please get in touch with me privately via a message here on the forum or through any of the BGWFans social media accounts. There's, potentially, a MASSIVE story here.
Oh, and lastly, obviously, fuck this noise. Never tip for counter service food at a fucking theme park. Don't enable this disgusting behavior. Make PRKS pay a competitive wage or let their parks burn.
I need to push this again. SWO is doing this program, and this is exactly how it is being done. It’s my understanding that this is chain wide implementation.
Tips don’t make a lot of sense at a theme park, let alone Seaworld parks, but I think you all are overreacting.
Do we have any documentation to say that? It hasn't been implemented yet, right?
Tipping is for full service waiting.
We have on good accord this is not he said she said and would like this article to be moved back to NEWS forum. This is happening in July and there are documents to which we have already seen and there is nothing that can be done to stop it.
Also no we do not have a photo(yet) of said documents, per the contract document we have seen it would get alot of people in serious trouble if we say who our sources are currently and not worth losing reliable sources currently. And you are right this is a huge story, news worthy.
Not the worse place I would have been asked to tip at lately including a cigar store, McDonalds, Noodles and Co, and interestingly enough - buying a car.
Honestly tipping culture has gotten out of hand. I’ve gone to places where tips are auto populates at 20-25-30 percent, places where it’s calculated on the post tax amount, and some now don’t even have a $0 option.
Honestly tipping culture has gotten out of hand. I’ve gone to places where tips are auto populates at 20-25-30 percent, places where it’s calculated on the post tax amount, and some now don’t even have a $0 option.
This sadly is a sign of the times. Tipping has popped up almost every place and it honestly feels a little nit picky to be attacking United Parks for it when it's becoming such a thing in the culture. Here is a story from almost a year ago on the cultural changes https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...BKAB6BAgGEAI&usg=AOvVaw3eM3xRP4C5iy7YQ2Sa0QJf Again it feels kinda weird to beat up on the chain for moving in a direction that the general culture is moving in.
As long as there’s a no tip option I’m fine. I don’t ever feel like tipping is a necessity even in places I normally (always) tip.
To me it’s no different than places who ask you to round up for a charitable cause. They’ve already donated. They just want you to replace what they’ve spent. Why should I be obliged to help you recoup money you are getting a tax break on that’s too insignificant for me to write off?
Anyways. Yea this is just so in our culture. It was refreshing being in Italy and not have every single screen say things like that. Heck even got to ask one waiter and he said he went through a 6 month course to be a waiter and gets paid the equivalent of $25/hr!
It was interesting to hear his experience since he has served in America too, and he said he prefers European style for the level of restaurant where he was. It was 10 tables, just him, set service times of 6, 8:30, 10:45; there was generally 3-4 anti pastas, 3-4 pasta; 3-4 mains:l, 2-3 desserts. All the food went in at once, came out at once. Said it was so organized. Vs over here the training was more about the POS and seat numbers, everyone is so over the place, and how much you made was the luck of the draw of who you got sat with. He thinks it’s why the restaurant experience is so much better in Europe than America.
If you have sources that need protection, you can always contact an Admin privately. Once we have seen the specific evidence, we can publicly vouch for your claims without naming and jeopardizing the people you have spoken to.
Because of the kind of reporting that people come to this site to read, it is critical that we not call unsubstantiated claims “News” without evidence. So, until one of us sees documentation or credible sourcing, it must remain a rumor. Moreover, rumors cannot be supported as “news” until there is verifiable, publicly-published evidence or an official announcement from the park.
Just because other organizations have started doing it, doesn’t make it reasonable or right. Yes, this trend of keeping salaries low by relying on customers to make up the difference is spreading. In fact, I have read several articles talking about how this is problem and dissecting the pros and cons of the tipping culture in general.
We are a theme park forum. People come here to discuss what is happening are parks, not rail against the changes at their local, drive-through. So, I’m not sure why we wouldn’t discuss a new policy that is out of step with the industry and a deviates from decades of precedent.
In the specific case of BGW and PRKS, it also fits squarely within the context of their ongoing refusal or inability to pay a competitive wage, as well as their apparent focus on maximizing profits in the near term at the expense of the overall guest experience.
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I can’t speak for @horsesboy but I’m not saying that it’s reasonable or right.
I would put myself in the spot of the tipping culture is so ubiquitous and widespread that I’m not shocked that it’s happened.
This is no different than the surcharge—it's just surcharge, part 2.
Tons of non-theme-parks already had random surcharges. It hadn't happened in amusement parks yet, they're a super shitty addition, and it sets a horrendous precedent for the industry. I detest the surcharge and people should still be ripping the park to shreds over said surcharge.
This is the same exact thing. Tipping hasn't happened at amusement parks yet, they're a super shitty addition, and it sets a horrendous precedent for the industry.
"Oh, but you don't have to tip," I hear you say. You're right, you don't. Rather than being a 5% surcharge implemented through force, it's now a variable percentage surcharge implemented through guilt and social pressure.
All this is is another method of trying to extract more juice from the already squeezed orange that is the PRKS parks. Squeezing the guests and employees for more and more until they eventually pop—all the whie extracting huge revenues for themselves—the private equity specialty.
Do not let them guilt and bully you into justifying or subsidizing more profits for the corporation. They don't deserve it.
Tons of non-theme-parks already had random surcharges. It hadn't happened in amusement parks yet, they're a super shitty addition, and it sets a horrendous precedent for the industry. I detest the surcharge and people should still be ripping the park to shreds over said surcharge.
This is the same exact thing. Tipping hasn't happened at amusement parks yet, they're a super shitty addition, and it sets a horrendous precedent for the industry.
"Oh, but you don't have to tip," I hear you say. You're right, you don't. Rather than being a 5% surcharge implemented through force, it's now a variable percentage surcharge implemented through guilt and social pressure.
All this is is another method of trying to extract more juice from the already squeezed orange that is the PRKS parks. Squeezing the guests and employees for more and more until they eventually pop—all the whie extracting huge revenues for themselves—the private equity specialty.
Do not let them guilt and bully you into justifying or subsidizing more profits for the corporation. They don't deserve it.
This is absolutely ridiculous, I understand tipping a bartender, but I can't tell you one time I was happy with anyone's "service" at BGW or water country. I have major problems with tipping at point of sale and it's often a guilt thing when I do. Tipping before the service feels like you are hoping you WILL get better service than rewarding the service. This along with the surcharge is making me even less likely to return to the parks outside of Free/discounted military tickets.
I can vouch that it was already implemented at some of the front of the park F&B locations at SeaWorld Orlando when I visited for the Pin Event on June 8. I had coffee at Coaster Coffee Co and purchased some sweets at Sweet Sailin' and the new POS was up and running. I asked both ambassadors if they actually received the tips it prompted me for and they had no clue. Both stated it had not be discussed with them. and they both said they basically found out it asked for a tip the day they started using the new POS. I, for one, will not be tipping for anything other than full service dining.
Sooooo
Their base prices are already exorbitant. Then add the mandatory surcharge. Then tips?
With the excessive prices, they charge for food and merchandise at the park they should be able to pay their employees a good wage from that.
When is enough enough and people quit supporting this kind of behavior. Sure they can do it, but is it a good way to treat the customers and gain a favorable opinion toward the business?
Their base prices are already exorbitant. Then add the mandatory surcharge. Then tips?
With the excessive prices, they charge for food and merchandise at the park they should be able to pay their employees a good wage from that.
When is enough enough and people quit supporting this kind of behavior. Sure they can do it, but is it a good way to treat the customers and gain a favorable opinion toward the business?