
Disney dining has come a long way over the past few decades. With critically acclaimed restaurants, flavorful food festivals, and quick-service snacks that will make your mouth water, you certainly can’t go hungry. And let’s not forget the memorable experiences that Disney creates with character dining, experiential theming, and that top-tier cast member service.
So, if you’re budgeting for a Disney World vacation, you are likely figuring out how much to set aside for meals and snacks along the way. But the actual food is just one part of your mealtime expenses. You’ll have to plan for paying taxes and gratuities, too. But how much is restaurant tax in Disney? And is gratuity automatically added to your bill? How does all of this factor in if you purchase a Disney Dining Plan?
Believe it or not, these questions can get a little confusing. But don’t stress — we’ll break down restaurant taxes and gratuities in Disney World and explain what the Dining Plan covers so that you can budget accordingly.
Restaurant Tax in Disney: How Much Should You Expect to Pay?
The majority of Disney World restaurants and quick-service establishments charge a 6.5 percent tax, which will appear on your bill at the end of the meal. But there are some locations where that number jumps up to 7.5 percent.
The reason for the different restaurant tax rates is due to the fact that Disney World is spread out over two different Florida Counties — Orange county and Osceola county.
To break it down, Florida charges a 6 percent state sales tax on most items. While certain food items like groceries are tax-free in Florida, the state does charge the sales tax on restaurant and prepared foods. In addition to that state-wide tax, certain counties add an additional tax on these items, which typically ranges between 0.5 percent and 1.5 percent.
All of the Disney theme parks and most of the resort hotels are located in Orange County, where the total restaurant tax rate is 6.5 percent. So, if you’re eating a character breakfast in the Magic Kingdom, enjoying family-style table service at Ohana, or snacking your way around Epcot’s festival booths, you’ll be paying 6.5 percent.
Where this really differs is at Disney’s All Star Resorts — All Star Sports, All Star Movies, and All Star Music — which are located in Osceola county. Here, you can expect to pay 7.5% at all on-site restaurants. This includes the World Premiere Food Court and Silver Screen Spirits Pool Bar at All Star Movies and the End Zone Food Court and Grandstand Spirits Pool Bar at All Star Sports. The gift store merchandise tax and hotel occupancy tax is also higher at these two resorts compared to other resorts on Disney property.
It’s worth noting that ESPN Wide World of Sports and the popular Margaritaville Resort are both also located in Osceola county. So, if you plan to visit either of these locations during your Disney World trip, you’ll be subject to that 7.5 percent restaurant tax.
Is Tax Included in Prices at Snack Stands in Disney World?
This same tax rate structure applies to all snack stands and quick-service locations across Disney World. But some of the prices for items may look different depending on whether the cart or restaurant displays prices with or without tax included.
Most snack locations in Disney World will display prices for, say, a Mickey Bar, with sales tax included. So, when you walk up to the sign and see the price on the display menu, that is what you’ll pay. You won’t be charged extra tax on top of the display price.
But at some other locations the price of a Mickey Bar may be displayed without the tax included. In that case, you can expect to pay more than the displayed price due to the tax.
Most of the time the menus and signs at these locations will clearly state whether or not tax is included in the price — even if it’s in small print.
Gratuities and Tipping at Disney World Restaurants
Paying gratuities for meals and drinks is customary at Disney World restaurants, bars, and lounges. The standard tipping rate is between 15 and 20 percent, which is common in most parts of the United States.
It’s important to note that Disney World restaurants will add an automatic 18 percent gratuity to your restaurant bill if you are eating with a group of six or more. You are welcome to leave an additional tip on top of the 18 percent, but it is not necessary or expected.
Because of this automatic gratuity for larger parties, it’s important to check your bill to see if gratuity has already been added. If you don’t double check and just tip on top of the total, you might find yourself tipping close to 40 percent and not even knowing it!
These high gratuity percentages may come as a surprise for travelers coming from other countries where tipping isn’t customary. But the service at Disney World dining locations is usually of the highest quality and you can show your appreciation with a tip. So, if you are traveling from outside of the U.S., plan for tipping and gratuities as part of your budget.
Does the Disney Dining Plan Include Tax and Gratuities?
If you’re familiar with the Disney Dining Plan, you know it’s a convenient way to prepay for your meals and snacks in Disney World. There are two options: one that includes Table-Service restaurants and another that is strictly for Quick-Service locations.
But is restaurant tax included in the Disney Dining Plan or do you have to pay extra every time you sit down to eat? Luckily, tax is included in the price of the Dining Plan options. So, once you pay for the Dining Plan, you don’t have to worry about the 6.5 percent or 7.5 percent tax at the end of sit-down or quick-service meals.
Keep in mind that the Disney Dining Plan does not account for gratuities and diners are expected to tip at table-service restaurants. The only exceptions to this are when you book and prepay for Cinderella’s Royal Table or the certain dinner shows such as the Hoop De Doo Musical Revue.
While the Disney Dining Plan is not cheap and it may not make financial sense for everyone, it does provide a better idea of what you’ll spend on food and eating out before you arrive for your Disney Vacation. That can provide peace of mind for the budget planners out there.
Summing It All Up
Phew, that’s a lot of information for a rather simple question. But, to sum it all up, you can expect to pay 6.5 percent tax in most Disney World restaurants with the exception of meals at Disney’s All Star Resorts. Tax is included in the prices of Disney Dining Plan packages, but guests are expected to pay for gratuities out of pocket.
We hope this information will help you budget accordingly and plan for the most magical memories in some of Disney’s best restaurants.