Drink prices - any way of knowing without having to ask like a cheapskate?

try 42 dollars for growler refill at the Public House, wow..by the way, 8 bucks growler refill at Ellis Island, MSS, and 14 bucks at Banger Brew downtown,(with a 2 for 1 Tuesdays).

 

That's not what the OP said. Everybody else seems to get it and can come up with constructive feedback. No need to ridicule the question ;-)

I can totally relate to the OP. I am also shy to ask about complimentary upgrades for example. Rationally I know I can just ask and should not care about what people think (I think the OP knows this too). But when it comes to it, I already cringe by the idea of asking the price for a specific drink and then when it's too expensive imo, then having to ask the price for another drink and then when that is also too expensive, say I don't want anything and leave? Of course I am entitled to do so, but it doesn't make me feel good, so I will try to avoid a situation like that.

Ones I made the mistake of ordering a round of drinks for 6 people (at a VMB event! lol) at Carnaval Court without knowing the prices. I had $100 on me and that was just enough to pay for the drinks plus tip. Oops! I felt robbed and really ignorant. Sure won't let that ever happen again. So I am very happy with this thread and the feedback. Keep it coming! All tips are welcome, haha.

 

I almost never "pay" for drinks in Vegas (unless you count feeding $20 into a bar top VP machine), but when I go out in Atlanta, I always ask if they have any specials or what the el-cheapo beer (or whatever) costs. Rather than appearing cheap, I think it shows you have a brain! Would you buy anything else without knowing the cost?

 

I always ask for specials as well. It at least gives me a barometer check. Servers will also respond visibly to this question - positive or negative - and you know what kind of service you are in for at that point.

 

Not knowing what drinks cost can be an issue everywhere. Wehn DH and I dine out, the cost of the drinks can vary from $6-$12 from the same drink in roughly the same quality restaurant. I hate paying double figures for the drink even though we may be paying a lot for dinner....just my quirk

 

A few years ago my dad sat down at the bar at a restaurant at the Venetian (don't remember which one but I'm sure he does). He asked the bartender to recommend a glass of Chianti, expecting a good glass in the $20 range. Two glasses later he gets the bill for $120. He was shocked, to say the least.

Ever since then, I just ask before purchasing and not caring a lick if I look like a cheapskate. It's my money and I can spend it how I like.

 

Easy. Instead of asking like a cheapskate, ask like a rich person. Tip your hat and say, "Good day sir/madam. How much is a Pabst Blue Ribbon draft" in an upper crust accent.

The risk, of course, is that you may be charged in shillings.

There is no need to be embarassed. Unless you are someone famous, the bartender won't recognize you five minutes after you leave. And even if he/she did: Vegas is a city of gamblers, where everyone is looking for some kind of a finagle and wants to get something without working for it. (Otherwise they would get money by working at a job like normal people.) Everyone is out to get some angle on the house, because everyone thinks the house is trying to get an angle on them, and knowing what things cost is part of that drill.

I was in vegas last week and had a vaguely related conversation with a friend of mine. He knows I'm a frequent coupon user and he really didn't want me to use coupons because he thought it was embarassing, and also because Groupons nearly put a business owner friend of his out of business by bringing in non-repeat customers and causing arguments about the value of the groupon. I told him it is a Wednesday in the middle of July, it is 115 degrees outside (46 celsius), and thus it is the slowest time of the year for the tourism industry in Vegas. Meanwhile the restaurants are staffed but staff are not getting much in the way of tips. For these reasons, I use coupons without apology. I am confident that I am not displacing a full-price customer by getting some kind of a deal, so I have no problem sleeping well at night.

However my friend actually embarassed me by not tipping generously. Because in Vegas, the quickest way to look like a cheapskate is not to tip generously. Again, it's all part of the implicit finagle, which in this case involves minor collusion between customer and customer-facing employee. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

 

I find this post refreshing! I am startled by how many ppl just shove their credit card in the bill and pay no attention to how much they just spent. I very rates buy a non comped drink in LV. But if I do I have asked or looked at the drink menu beforehand.
I got burned at the wayfarer on Fremont street once, asked for an old fashioned $15, and didn't like that they were using a cheap bourbon, Evan Williams (not bad stuff, just not what I want in a $15 cocktail). I made a comment, and she said "oh you can get any bourbon" as if I could sub no problem. Bill time came $15 + $9 for the Buffalo trace = $24 cocktail downtown!
Lesson learned, I don't give a shit what ppl think of me, I will be retiring 10 years before them!

 

How much, of what your drink, is really a function of price?
Is it a question of quality (e.g. top-shelf vs. house) or is it really the money?

 

There's always an outlier.

 

What do you expect from the well? Call it or settle for it but don't get pissed about it. That's why HH don't work for me as I don't drink well drinks.

 

Agreed, tell me about your specials.

 

That "if this is too expensive for you, you don't belong here" attitude would make sense in the Mirage of 20 years ago. For the Mirage of 2016 that is sort directionless and is seen as a mid range hotel, that attitude is ridiculous. I expect people to be polite and smile when they are ripping me off.

 

That is a great point, it isn't a high end property any longer. With the tip it was $40 for two drinks and in the middle of the afternoon. It wasn't like we were in a high end night club at a high end property. Add the high food/drink prices to the $300/night for the room, $33/day resort fee, $10 /day parking fee and I didn't feel I was getting my moneys worth on the strip. Going to try off strip for a while and see if the drinks and other costs are more to my liking.

 

I think downtown would be more to your liking.

 

I understand that fancy places charge fancy prices, but I've never got my head around paying e.g $8 for a beer with my lunch in e.g. Venetian when I can eat lunch then wander next door and have a $1 beer in Casino Royale. I have never, and will never (unless I become wealthy) rest easy knowing that I have spent $18-20 on a couple of beers. For that reason I have no shame in asking how much a drink is if they don't display the prices (it's legal requirement to display the prices in an area accessible by the public in UK pubs)

 

There's a difference between fancy place/fancy price, and fancy beer/fancy price. Far as I recall, that $1 beer in Casino Royale is going to be something like a Bud Light, and I don't want that. I'm willing to pay more to get the options I prefer.

That said - I still don't want to be overcharged for it. For instance, I find the beer prices in the Pub at Monte Carlo ridiculously high (esp for the service & knowledge we've received there). I'm used to $5-6 for a pint of craft beer in NC (regular options, med abv, nothing too "special"). When I find it for $4.50, I'm happy. When I have to pay $7, it makes me miss my favorite pubs more. I refuse to pay $9 here in NC. When I travel other places, I have to try a lot of beer to get a feel for the average local price

 

It's Michelob in Casino Royale. Not the best drop I grant you, but does taste the same as $8 Michelob. Think I'm spoiled, local pub here has real ales for under £3 a pint (UK pints) so always feel short changed at $8 fur a U.S. pint.

 

I would have left a penny tip. And would have watched her eyes REAALY ROLL..............Bad customer service ( and tha encompasses an attitude gets and DESERVES a penny..Those in the restaurant and bar and "service " industries know what that means..

 

Same here in the Netherlands, it's legal requirement.

Actually this thread helps me a lot to change my insight and attitude. It's good to hear different views from different people. Thanks for bringing this up, Johnny!

So now I'm mentally prepared better, this will be my strategy in the future: When the server comes to the table for my order, I will just simply say I don't know yet and like to see the menu. If the menu doesn't show any prices, I will ask for a menu with prices. If there isn't any, I will thank them and leave. Depending the attitude of the server, I will have some sharp remarks prepared in case they're rude. I kinda hope they will be now lol.