FREE drinks (+tip)

Going to Las Vegas in about a week. I will be doing some gambling and would like to do a lot of drinking

Can I play low amounts on slots and expect to get free drinks at any casino?

I've been told play and order a drink and make sure to tip and the waitress will continue to return?

What about if you're not gambling?

 

You will be comped drinks playing slots regardless of denomination. The frequency and quality does vary. Tip well and you will be served well. Usually.

You have to gamble, they don't give our drinks for those just spectating, although if you are with someone playing heavy, they may offer you a drink as well. But as a rule you should be gambling.

 

I agree with what Ron posted and if I'm playing at the bar, I tip a buck a drink. If I'm at the crap tables and the waitress brings my favorite wine in a real glass, not plastic, I'll tip two. But otherwise if playing slots and the service is reasonably quick, I think a buck is fine.
Others on the board will say they start out with a $10 tip and never go thirsty. I just think it depends on the time of day, the CW working etc. YMMV.

 

If I am just playing for a short period of time I will just tip a buck, if I plan on being there for a while I'll start out with a bigger tip of 10 bucks or so.

I've watched friends gamble before when I'm done my budget for the day and have received the odd drink but now I just go buy a box of beer from the beer store and drink that. I had a few friends try and make fun of me when I first started that until they weren't gambling anymore and needed a beer. Then I was the one laughing

 

The simple fact is that it depends on the specific cocktail waitress. I've seen people get served just sitting in front of a machine not gambling. It's not like most waitresses are going to stop and look at what you're doing. On my last trip, my brother was standing behind me at a slot machine, clearly just watching, and the CW offered to bring him a drink (I was tipping her $5 a drink, so I'm sure that had something to do with it.)

Her frequency of hitting your spot depends on where you are and how big her station is, along with how many people are playing and drinking in that area. On a busy night, you may never get cocktail service. On a slow day you might see her ever 10 minutes. It's in her best interest to serve drinks as fast as she can (more drinks, more tips) but she likely doesn't care who she serves them to. She may hit one section 3 times and never hit another bank of machines, but as long as her tray is full, she's getting paid.

So I think there are a few guidelines:
1. The busier it is, the more you should consider tipping larger if you want consistent service. You know, kind of like in any bar in America.

2. Sitting in a group of people where everyone is tipping will likely increase your service. You don't have to be the big tipper if you're sitting next to the big tipper -- she's not going to offer drinks to the guy tipping $10 and ignore the guy right next to him who is tipping $1. She might ignore the guy tipping $1 two banks over, playing by himself.

3. If drinks are important to you, consider selecting machines that are clearly on the route of the cocktail waitress. If she walks by you more often, more chances to ask for drinks.

4. If you're way out in a corner somewhere, consider a big tip on the first round to ensure she comes back.

 

OK, Mike from reading your past posts, sounds like you are doing well, but there is just no way in hell I'm tipping a CW $5 each time for a drink. To each his own.

I tip a buck a drink at the bar and if one of my brothers walks up to talk, the bartender will usually comp them also, without them gambling.

Now granted, some of this is having a history with the bartenders and I'll usually double my $1 tip if they give him a freebie.

In the end, there is no standard and it is what every you feel comfortable doing. I have another relative who tips .25 for every beer. He plays only nickels on the floor and never has a problem with slow CW service.

 

If you are at a low denomination slot

Penny or Nickel, don't expect very good service. If you are in the High Limit room, expect very good service. If you are at the bar playing a bartop, expect very good service.

You can tip with that casinos chips or US dollars. I am sure you could tip with a foreign currency but don't expect very good service after that.

Don't tip at the Wynn with a Venetian chip. What I am saying here, don't tip with chips from another casino. The CW won't be able to convert those chips into cash unless they walk/drive over to that casino.

Once is forgivable, but more than once is evil eye stare. I am pretty sure I have done that in some of my stupors I usually get in while in Vegas.

 

Just back from Vegas - not offered as many drinks

We only play penny slots. Service continued to be good in the margaritaville casino at Flamingo and the blonde waitresses were cute. We stayed at Excalibur and couldn't get a drink there. There was a waitress walking around at 8 AM but we didn't want one that early. One evening we sat at machines at NYNY right by the Times Square Bar for nearly 45 minutes before we were offered a drink. On a Saturday morning we ordered drinks at the Fremont and the waitress never brought them.

 

100% agree, to each his own. And if you know the people involved (ie you're a regular), it definitely helps your service. And I agree, $5 is a lot to tip for a drink, especially if you're drinking beer. But if you're on the floor of Aria playing slots on a busy Saturday night and getting drinks is important to you, $5 might be the way to go. Or at least $2. So like I said, it depends on when and where you're playing. You'll get a feel for how often the waitress is coming around.

Sitting at a bar where you're right there with the guy pouring the drinks, $1 is surely fine. I don't tip $5 when I'm playing bartops unless I'm asking him to pour me something he shouldn't be pouring (high end scotch, most likely.)

There are tons of times when $1 is going to get it done. And if that's the case and it's working, go for it. In my case that I mentioned above, I had red chips left in my pocket and it was convenient. And the CW took very good care of me, including finding me even after I moved machines.

The reason I posted what I did was because the OP made it clear that getting drinks was important. Not trying to get into another tipping debate. I simply shared some things I think that would make that easier for him to achieve what he was trying to achieve. What I should have mentioned was 'sitting at the bar,' since that's one way to ensure pretty good service most of the time.

 

Why would they give you free drinks to not gamble?

Yes you can get free drinks while gambling but keep in mind that there are not a line f people waiting to give you free booze when you arrive.

there will be a waitress roaming around. You catch her eye and order your drink.

She brings it back and you tip her.

You can sit in many spots in a casino and never see one.

She has to cover a lot of floor space and a lot of customers. She has a small tray that holds maybe 15-20 drinks or so.

You need to get a piece of that tray for yourself. If you tip $1 like they did when Elvis was performing in Vegas and I am across the casino tipping $5, who do you think she will remember?

 

Density. The cocktail waitress can get two tips instead of one without taking a step. The extra drink doesn't cost her anything, and it keeps everyone happy. I see it all of the time, and when I'm standing behind a buddy at a table or at a machine I often get asked if I want a drink.

 

If you really want to get drinks, spend some time walking the slot floor to find out the areas that the cocktail waitresses seem to frequent. Then, find a slot machine in that area and start playing.

 

Definitely good advice. The floor really is never 100% covered.

If I really want drinks for cheap I'll just go to the bar and play VP or blackjack for one quarter per hand. Some of the newer bartop machines have video slots too though. I have only been asked to play more than one credit once (at Aria). I will tip between $1 and $2 per drink. If you're going to be there awhile, I definitely recommend starting off with a higher tip to get their attention, especially away from the bartops.

 

during my first trip to vegas in feb, i was very surprised at how solid the cocktail service was at the Rio, especially while i was playing craps. as soon as i got a spot, the order taker would arrive to take my order and the waitress was there within 3 minutes. i was tipping 2 bucks for crown and coke and i was asked if i wanted another before i was halfway done. it seems the table games get much faster and better service, and that seemed to apply at all the places i went on the strip. i didn't play too many slots, but the service still seemed to be pretty consistent when i was watching my friend play. and they didn't offer me anything when they saw i wasn't playing - they basically acted like i was invisible.

 

A quarter?!? Makes me think that person has never gotten good service in his life. My grandma still thinks a dollar goes a long way so I guess I could see that but that is in my mind more rude then appreciated. I like to tip bigger on the first 5 then tip 1-2 there on out. Another simple thing a smile and a genuine acknowledgement of her will make her actually look forward to returning your drink.

 

Like others have suggested, tipping your waitress goes a long way. Last time I was just sitting around playing at the wheel of fortune machine and noticed the CW only got a tip from me. She gave 3 other people drinks and they didnt tip.

Guess who she always kept coming back to refill drinks for? Carry extra singles and 5s with you. With the loss of coin operated machines, it really hurts the CWs tips and they generally only take care of the tippers.

 

No need to play heavy...

Although being a woman may help...if I've been having bad luck, I like to sit out a while. If DH is playing a table game, I have stood behind him & I have ALWAYS been offered a drink as well. (and we play $5-10 table games)

Now I'm not sure if that would work for a guy hanging near the table where his buddy is playing...suppose the assumption is that guys are gonna hang out & drink/gamble no matter what. BUT a wife can convince her husband to leave the table--a drink may be enough to keep the guy in a bit longer!

Slot/VP service is so spotty, I usually belly up to the VP bar for drinks(although sometimes those turn into "$20" drinks!). I ALWAYS tip $1-2/drink & have never had anything but great service whether I am playing poker, VP or table games.

 

Bingo. Even though I am (apparently) a low tipper, I always try to make an effort to turn to the CW, hand her the tip, and acknowledge her with a, "thank you, ma'am." Seems to work out well.

 

People often say they tip big early to get better (more frequent) service. Generally, this is NOT true.

I know a few CW's, and they have a route they follow and they do not alter their route unless your tip is outrageously good. They don't just wander around serving the big tippers.

Now, if you don't tip at all, I would expect them to skip you (not hear you) next time around.

FWIW- I tip $1 per drink, seems pretty standard.

 

Same here.

We didn't tip $1.00 in the Elvis area. In the 1980's we would give a quarter a drink and the servers would have a cup full of quarters...not dollars.