Hi Mitzi! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Did Santa also bring you Disney Gift Cards? I hear he only gives those to the boys and girls who were on their absolute best behavior all year.
Yes! You can absolutely use a
Disney Gift Card to not only pay for your meal, but to also leave a gratuity. Your server might have to charge the gratuity to the card as a second transaction, and they might need to physically swipe the card to charge the amount you leave, but it's no problem. You can even pay for your meal with your dining plan entitlements, and use a gift card to leave the tip!
While I don't have a comprehensive list of every
dining location, shop, kiosk, or
Enchanting Extra experience that will accept a Disney Gift Card for payment, I have yet to be turned away or been asked to use a different form of payment anywhere I've been while at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Pro Tip: If you're a guest staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, you can also charge anything from souvenirs to meals to so much more to the card attached to your
MagicBand, and then pay off that balance with your Disney Gift Cards. Just stop by the front desk of your Resort Hotel every few days to pay down your balance before those charges officially hit your credit card. I personally love this option because it's one less thing to carry. (Or potentially lose!)
I hope this helped, Mitzi, and we'll see you real soon!
~Kristen