Change in Aria bartop drink comp policy?

Haven't seen this mentioned elsewhere, so I'll post here as well as in my upcoming trip report.

Aria has new rules regarding comping drinks at bartops in the casino:
1) Must have an mLife card in the machine.
2) Must start with at least $20.
3) Must play maxbet at all times.
4) One drink every 30 minutes.

#1-3 are pretty standard for bartops, but #4 is pretty annoying for everyone. It is strictly enforced based on the timestamp on the receipt. Players don't like it because they're there to drink. Bartenders don't like it because they have to play bad cop.

The bartenders I spoke with said it came down in the form of a memo from casino management, not food & beverage management. Being a memo it is grounds for dismissal if it is not adhered to. The bartenders are not optimistic it'll change because it is unlikely the complaints will get back to casino management. No word yet if this will spread to the other MGM properties.

 

balliagio is the same must put 20$ in tha machine but its been like for a while

im sure they will way around the one drink rule is if you tip right

 

My last trip i confirmed this policy with a host at another mgm hotel after encountering it at aria. It started march 1. It is a campuswide directive, however each casino is deciding to follow or not. It is odd that they can choose to follow or not. The aria sports bartenders are hating life now as they make no money. And there is no wiggle room for aria as of yet. I voiced my complaint. When i was there the aria sports bar was empty as can be.

 

Funny rules. Soon Aria and Bellagio will have 6/5 BJ, IMO.

It seems casinos are tightening up.

 

Wow... That 30 minute deal wouldn't work for me. I can throw 'em down pretty good while trying' to get a nice groove goin'. In fact, the Hard Rock bartenders ALWAYS put me into the "big boy" cup, instead of those standard little glasses. I generally put a couple hundred in to get things started, but since I've graduated to the $1 level and play DDB VP, it's not usually too long before I'm reloading the machine. I do see an awful lot of patrons coming up to the bar, putting in a few bucks and act like they're playing till the bartender comes over and brings them their drink then they cash out and leave. I can see what they're trying to prevent.

 

I can see this as an early step towards gearing drink comps directly to the reward card especially if direct order from the machine becomes prevalent. High levels will have unlimited drinks still still but lower level players will see a message like "earn 100 more points for a complimentary drink" when they insert their players card.

 

funny u say thst i was just at aria and the 15$ bj tables where all csm

 

I have no problem with them expecting the person to actually play who wants a free drink. Putting a buck, or a five in the machine and playing one hand does not constitute actually playing. Neither does putting in a 20 and pretending to play while waiting for your free drink, but at least at that point you are risking enough to pay for the drink.

If you ARE actually playing, a drink every 30 mins seems unnecessarily stingy.

 

I agree completely. In fact I think it is inevitable and not just at bartops.

One drink every 30 minutes is slow for me and I'm not a big drinker. Considering the main point of playing at bartops is for the good drink service this just eliminates that idea since you can get drinks faster than that at the regular machines.

 

well I guess one more expensive habit is easily wiped from my list of degenerate tendencies....thanks MGM!

 

This will definitely curb my need to go to Aria next trip. Aria is nice, but I don't go just for the atmosphere.

 

Yikes! And I don't even drink...and that's sad.

 

Especially if you are playing *max* bet!

Your $20 doesn't even last 30 minutes.

 

most places want max bet for free drinks

 

Perhaps they can institute a resort fee at the bar, say $24.99 plus tax, which includes a free well drink, free television viewing, a free 8 oz water, a free seat for one full hour and the ability to print your boarding pass at the concierge.

Thankfully, you can leave Paradise Nevada and head to Las Vegas Nevada for Full Pay Video Poker, scratch off tickets for quads +, and great comped beer.

[YOUTUBE]UGuSd8lmZ0k[/YOUTUBE]

 

I was at the Aria City bar on Wednesday and they didn't enforce the 1 drink per 30 min rule - I was ordering every 15-20 mins. A few tips go a long way, grease the wheel with $5 starting tip and all rules go out the window.

 

Maybe they are testing the waters. I believe Vegas is a market of boundaries.
These guys running each avenue of the business are under the pressure to improve revenue while under their tenure.

A 30 minute wait period per drink though is a policy that could put MGM on the shit list pretty quick. Rationing alcohol to active players is downgrading a major perk to the Vegas market. Eventually the nickel and dime policy is going to bite these bean counters in the ass.

As nice as Aria is, it is by no means a unique and top brand in Vegas market.
It seems pretty stupid to me, since they could just as easily adjust the pay tables on certain bartops which would offset the cost.

Instead they will drive players to the floor. I'm not a heavy drinker when I gamble, but this is a policy that is annoying enough to make me walk from a property.

 

damn what is next, even though i dont play VP i am sure free drinks at slots will be less and less also

 

Who cares - everywhere else the drinks are free + tip.

Don't tell me the casino pays more for the beer they serve at the VP bars.

 

Thanks for the warning, for we were going to stop in one night at the Aria and play a $25 VP session at the Sports bar. With BP, and not aggressive speed play, we can usually make it last 30 - 60 minutes. If we make it one hour, time is capped and we move on to the next play.

A 2 drink limit is a deal breaker. We usually play for 3 drinks, plus one extra carry away drink for the next session location (for sometimes CW service can be slow, or non existent on the floor).