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Tipping

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by intoddwetrust, Oct 12, 2013.

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  1. intoddwetrust

    intoddwetrust Newbie

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    Hello All,
    My wife and I are staying at the Wynn Encore this week and I was hoping someone could help me out with tipping etiquette. This is our first time in Las Vegas. I like to tip generously, but in some cases, I'm not sure what the standard protocol is.

    As far as The Bell Hop, Spa Services, Taxi Drivers, House Cleaning and things I might not even be aware of; what would be appropriate? Also, we are dining at a few places where I'd like to have a table with a certain view. What would you suggest I should do as far as tipping the hostess, in these instances.

    This board has been most helpful. Thanks to all who participate.
     
  2. casinoboy

    casinoboy Low-Roller

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    its the same as you tip in other places for hotel workers,taxi drivers, valets, waitresses. tip cabbies who are good but dont tip cabbies who long haul you which is common in vegas and illegal. for the hostess to get you a better table i would first just ask and tip no more then $20 if you want to. i dont use spas.

    the only diffrence in vegas is you can also tip dealers in the casinos if you want. if your dealer is nice and making your game fun you can put out a small chip in front of your bet as a bet for the dealer. if you win he also wins double the tip. if you loose he also looses. so you are in it together. i put out a $5 chip once in a while as a bet for the dealer. some people tip dealers a lot more, most people tip less or nothing. just do whatever you feel comfortable doing and have fun. :beer:
     
  3. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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  4. BreakEven

    BreakEven High-Roller

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    You should sticky that somewhere. :thumbsup: I went looking around (since I know this is a common topic), but couldn't find it. Maybe I didn't look in the right forum?
     
  5. Odelay77

    Odelay77 Low-Roller

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    This is a really well written guide, Sonya. One might think that a lot of this is common sense, but there are a lot of people out there who simply don't *get* how tipping works.
     
  6. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    Sonya has it covered. It's important and often beneficial to tip the housekeeper. She does the most work for the least pay of just about anybody, and unlike food servers, many guests do not tip her at all.

    After a mandatory toke for my first BJ, I tip dealers to the degree that they enhance my experience by being pleasant, efficient, and (occasionally) helpful. Winners obviously tip better than losers.

    On the other side of the coin, if I ever receive a hand pay, I intend to stiff those leeches.
     
  7. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Regarding the hand pay... I won $2,000 a few weeks back on a bar-top VP machine. I gave the girl who came and took my info and left and came back with the money a $20 and felt a bit dumb doing it, as she had nothing to do with the whole experience other than she paid me... I also gave the bartender $50, but he has served me many times (I always play the same machine when in town) and he was always telling me "I'm due". I thought that was appropriate, but during my last trip was talking to another bartender who I know at the same place and asked him, "what's proper tipping protocol when hitting a royal at the bar?" He told me that, "standard is $100 per $1000 and you can go up or down from there as to whether or not the bartender was attentive or did little more than come by once in awhile."

    Well... of course, consider the source, but that's pretty stiff for me. The bartender I tipped is GREAT and always rootin' me on, but I wasn't gonna give him $200+. He'd also been there plenty and I mean plenty of times and watched me lose $200-$600 in a session and sure he's ALWAYS provided great service and conversation, but I felt a $50 was adequate. I always tip $2 a drink, I tip the maid $5/day and the valet $5 in AND $5 out and in the restaurants usually tip 20% and higher depending on quality of service... but the whole hand-pay "thing" was new to me and I may have been on the light-side as far as the casino folks would be concerned, but I felt OK about it.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2013
  8. johnvic

    johnvic VIP Whale

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    That seems absurd to tip $100 on a $1000 win. I could see $50 and he should offer you any shot or drink you want.

    I got tipped $100 for a VP win. I sat down next to a guy in Bellagio and the guy won a royal. He said I was his good luck and stuffed a $100 bill in my VP machine. He tipped the bartender $8 on a $32 shot and then he left. The bartender was bitching about it, "That got guy did nothing and gets $100".
     
  9. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    I'm certainly not the authority on all things hand-pay...but $20 is what I would have given her. I think ~1% is pretty standard.

    I also think you did right by the bartender. $100 on a $1000 royal just sounds ridiculous, IMO. Like you said, you've lost plenty of times and I'm sure that didn't make you tip less.


    To the OP: I think Sonya's article does a good job of explaining things. Though at a 5 star place like Encore you might want to add a few bucks.

    For me (at Encore):

    $5/bag to bellman who brings bags to the room (and another $5 if he gets me ice) and maybe a fiver for the guy who takes my bags and gives me my ticket.

    $5-10/day for housekeeping (left on the bed each day when I leave the room).

    15-20% of fare for cabbie. More for short trips. Less for rudeness or trying to get me to take a route I don't want to take.

    I'm not a spa guy, but I think ~20% is probably fairly standard. Just make sure that gratuity hasn't already been included.

    Restaurants are pretty universal. But I'd up it a bit at the fancier places as there are usually several people taking care of you.

    Throw the occasional $5 bet down for friendly/helpful dealers (if you're a High Roller, bump that number up to avoid looking cheap).
     
  10. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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  11. luvstp

    luvstp High-Roller

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    What thecarve said plus a few things:
    On a $1000 jackpot, there is no need to tip a dime as the machine should just add up the credits. I typically tip 1% of my jackpots....e.g. $40 on a $4000 royal. There was this one time where I hit a $10,100 jackpot (my first ever 5 figure hit on video poker) and I tipped $200. Reason being that it was $100 for the slot attendant and then one of the Wynn slot attendants that I know well came over and congratulated me too, so I gave her a $100 bill also. Yeah, I was much too happy and since we were leaving within minutes, I knew I couldn't give any back.

    I will usually tip $10 to the folks that deliver my bags.

    I tip $5 for a bottle of water and glass of cabernet to the cocktail waitresses each time. This often results in a continuous supply of wine and water for which I have paid a heavy price the next day.....
     
  12. johnvic

    johnvic VIP Whale

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    GN says that they include the gratuity in the bill for a massage. So my assumption is that there is no need to tip on top of that.
     
  13. Dean Martin

    Dean Martin VIP Whale

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    Carve pretty much hit it on the head. I tell my wife, you have to tip your way into Vegas and tip your way out. Here's what we do:


    $10 each way to the limo driver (Presidential RT is $100+/- so that's 20%) more if we ask him to stop anywhere
    $5 to the bellman that takes our bags (3 bags) when we drive up
    $5 to the bellman that brings the bags to the room
    20% on all meals, drinks and any spa as long as the service is very good
    $5-10/day for the maid staff
    $5 each to the bell guys on the way out
    $10 more to the limo driver on the way to the airport
    $5 to the guys at curbside check-in

    We still do $1 each for drinks and probably could/should up that, although if we're playing together I'll sometimes give $3-5, especially if it's the first drink and we're going to want her back in 15-20.

    If I get a hand pay, I'm in the camp that the suits doing the W2 don't get a tip. That could be rude of me but I have never seen where they do anything at all...you've got your players club card in they could just as easily do it all electronically and mail you your W2 and let you get a TITO. I'm all about tipping, especially in Vegas but I really don't get that one...:rolleyes2:
     
  14. casinoboy

    casinoboy Low-Roller

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    if i heard a barteder or dealer or handpay person saying 10% of my jackpot is the right tip i wouldnt tip them anything just for saying that. i know dealers in tunica that live in nice houses and drive expensive cars, and that is from dealing cards in tunica. in vegas they make a lot more so i dont like to hear them saying people should tip 10% of their winnings. :grrr:
     
  15. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Once again... a few weeks later, I asked another bartender I know what he thought the standard protocol for a bar-top hand pay would be and he was simply answering my question.
     
  16. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    It's about what they did to deserve the gratuity, which is monetary thanks for a service.

    If a bartender roots you on over a period of time, and is attentive, and you play there a lot, then s/he has earned a nice extra tip. $50 sounds reasonable.

    If somebody shows up for the first time in your life just after you won, to hell with 'em.
     
  17. Nittany1

    Nittany1 VIP Whale

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    Sonya, I just read your tipping article for the first time and agree with most of it.
    I tend to tip a little heavier than most people but your article excludes the Doorman.
    He is the guy that unloads your luggage from the cab/car, tags it,gives you the ticket, and takes your luggage to storage.
    They expect and deserve the same gratuity as the Bellman bringing it to your room.In most hotels they are different people.
    The Doorman position is a somewhat coveted job as they often earn more in gratuities annually than Bellmen in the same hotel.

    So my normal routine is:
    Limo Driver....limo comped by hotel $20-$30

    Doorman when It's just me with 1 piece of luggage then $5
    If my wife is along and we have 4 pieces and 2 are heavy closer to $20

    Bellman gets same as Doorman

    Cocktail waitress $2-$5 per drink. Always $5 when they bring 2

    Housekeeping $10-$20 day in a suite and $5 in a regular room

    Dining 20%-24% on all checks

    Pool Cabana..20% of the F+B check or more if the check is small

    Bartenders.....If I'm not playing VP and just buying drinks and charging them I usually tip 20%
    At a VP bar when playing I usually throw a$5 out with my first drink to help them pay attention and then $2+ per drink after that.
    The bartender that suggested $100 per thousand to Carve is not being honest!!
    That is simply not normal protocol.1%-2% is normal.


    Check in desk...If I'm looking for an upgrade then it's the $20-$50 trick.
    If it is just hand me my key and take my credit card then zero.

    VIP check in...same as above except if the perform a concierge function like making a reservation or helping me with something additional. Then it's $10-$20

    Anyone paying me with a W2G $20

    Sportsbook with winning tickets $0
    Casino cage cashing chips $0

    Casino Host...I know this has been debated but when my host goes over and above what he has to do I usually send him a gift card.
    The amount varies.
    I probably forgot someone but that about covers it.
     
  18. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

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    This is what I tip:
    1. Valet: $2/3 when picking up the car.
    2. Front Desk: $10-20 if they help me out with upgrades or F&B credit.
    3. Restaurant: 10-15%.
    4. Buffet: $3 for each person at the table.
    5. CWs: $1 for water, $2 for mixed drinks/beer.
    6. Housekeeping: $2/3 each day, maybe more if I get a large suite.
    7. Slot attendant during handpays: $20, regardless of what I win. I don't pay the "witness" because they just stand there.
     
  19. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    A percentage is often applied to food as more more means more money means more work, etc.

    I agree with the flat rate. No idea why folks apply a percentage. It is just part of their job and really takes very little work no matter what the amount. On the other hand, if they will cover a percentage of my losses, then great. Even after getting a handpay, I am often still in the hole. Why should I dig deeper to give them some money?
     
  20. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    I never got a handpay yet but I agree and will do exactly that if and when the handpay comes.

    The majority of us will still be in the hole, whether trip-wise or life-time.
     
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