TO TIP OR NOT TO TIP?

Tips for Tipping in Las Vegas

If you are coming to Las Vegas to look for a home or property to purchase, you’ll probably also want to give yourself some time to enjoy the entertainments that Las Vegas has to offer. Las Vegas is known for big spending…and big tipping!  So, it’s no wonder that so many visitors to Las Vegas – as well as its residents -- are confused about what is the appropriate tip to extend in exchange for various services. Following is a list of tips about tipping compiled by http://www.vegasresource.com/ .

First, the definition of tips is: TIPS=To Insure Prompt Service!!!

In general, no service or bad service, reduce the tip. If you receive excellent service, be generous. It'll make both of you feel good!Bellman:  When checking in -- if you have luggage delivered to your hotel room, the customary tip is $1 per piece of luggage with a minimum of $3. After 5 pieces (or $5), add $1 for every two pieces. Don’t worry about tipping for small hand-held cosmetic cases, men’s briefcases, and kids’ plush toys, but large athletic equipment bags or golf club bags are counted as 1-½ pieces. When checking out to return home, call down to the front desk to request a "Bellman" and let them know how many pieces of luggage you have.  The same tipping procedure as above is to be followed.

Bingo Hall:  When you win, a tip is given to the person bringing you the money:

Nothing for a win of $1 to $49
$3 for a win of $50 to $200
$5 for a win of $201 to $500,
$10 for a win of $501 to $1,000,
$20 for a win of $1,001 to $1,500
$30 for a win of $1,501 to $2,000
$35 for a win of $2,001 to $2,500
$40 for a win of $2,501 to $4,000Buffet:  Provide a $1.00 tip per person for the waiter/waitress.  Feel free to increase that amount at the more expensive buffets in Las Vegas, but only if the service has been excellent. Car Rental: According to VegasResource.com, place $10 on the registration desk counter when renting a car and ask for a free upgrade. Its readers have advised that it has worked at Alamo ($10) and Hertz ($20).

Casino Cashiers Cage:  Never tip.

Casino Hosts and Hostesses:   At the end of your trip, if the casino host has been very generous or helpful, a boxed gift of ties for men and stick pins, scarves or candles for women are appropriate. It should always be handed to the person. Never leave it around. NOTE: never give cash or chips. It could be considered a bribe.

Casino Change Persons:  Tip $1 or $2 if they hold your machine when:

(a) you go to the restroom or
(b) make a phone call
If you have asked an employee which machine is liable to pay off, and it does pay off; tip $5.00 if the payoff is up to $200 and a little more for a larger payoff. Never tip in any other situation.

Cocktail Servers:  Servers are assigned specific work areas. In the larger Las Vegas casinos, they get sections of the pit or sections of slot machines. In smaller ones, they might do one side of the pit and a section of slots. Even if they are assigned to a section of slots only, they make it to the $1 slots a lot more than to the nickel slots in their area. BUT, if you are playing nickels, tip $1if you want her to be back more often.  Tip $1 at any table game, $1 at any 25-cent or higher amount slot or video poker machine, 50-cents at nickel slots.

Comped Meals or Couponed Meals:   Casinos often provide discounts to guests on meals in their restaurants. Even though the meal is a bargain, you are still getting full restaurant service. If the service was satisfactory, tip based on the value of what the meal would normally cost instead of what they are charging you, consider tipping 15-20% on the actual value of the meal combined with the quality of the service.

Concierge:  In Las Vegas, the minimum tip is $1, but it depends on the nature of your request. $10 is not unusual for getting impossible show tickets or impossible restaurant reservations.

Dealers of Table Games:  Table game dealers make most of their money from tips. If you are playing at a table and the dealer is being friendly and trying to make sure you have a good time it's customary to tip them.  Most dealers pool their tips with other dealers on the same shift. You can tip them directly or make a bet for them along with yours by placing the chip for the tip directly in front of your bet.  VegasResource.com suggests to bet for them whatever the minimum bet is at the table you are playing about ONCE an hour. Dealers like winning too! When tipping dealers at blackjack, baccarat, roulette or craps, you can make a bet for them without considering table minimums. If the table minimum is $5, you can still place a $1 dealer tip-bet.

Elevator Operator:  No tipping.

Hotel Maids:  Tip the maid a dollar a day. Put it over her little "name card" in the room, EACH MORNING, before you leave. Don't leave any other money in plain sight. Many maids will "assume" it's a tip for them.

Hotel Registration Staff:  VegasResource.com recommends when checking in, place a $20 on the hotel registration desk counter and ask for a special room location (view of the Strip) or even an upgrade. Readers have reported that it works at the following Las Vegas hotels: Bally's ($20), Rio ($10), Flamingo ($20), Mandalay Bay ($20), Mirage ($20), Paris Las Vegas ($20), Bellagio ($50) and Imperial Palace ($20). It did not work at the Luxor and Stratosphere hotels. It depends on the clerk you get. Most hotel registration clerks, upon receiving a tip, will call housekeeping and find out which rooms are being cleaned at that very moment and will get you checked into that room and then have you wait a few minutes in the lobby until it is ready.
Ask for a room as high up as possible and overlooking The Strip. A $20 bill casually slid forward on the counter at the same time as making a request for a special room or even a free upgrade often works.  To avoid embarrassing the desk clerk if a lot of people are around (bosses, etc), stick the folded $20 in-between your driver's license and your credit card while handing it to them. The conversation would go like this:
YOU: Are there any free upgrades available tonight? ($20 bill should be at least half way to the check-in clerk and flat on the counter before you get to the end of your question) WORST REPLY: No. YOU (leaving the $20 there): No problem. Can I get a room very high up and with a Strip view? WORST REPLY: No.
At this point, take back the $20 and repeat the same process tomorrow but with a different check-in clerk. Of course, a $100 bill will get you a great room even if the Hotel is completely full and sold out!!!

It is important to remember that there are only four denominations that can be used tactfully…a single $10, $20, $50 or $100 bill. Come prepared (Note: If you are getting a casino rate for your room, in most hotels, the only person that could upgrade you is a casino host. Note that they also can be "tipped" for an upgrade.

Keno Runner: Tip 1-2% in all cases when you win, with a minimum $1. Tip nothing when you lose.

Limo Drivers:  Tip 20% of the charge from the limousine company. Some companies add it to the invoice, so be careful and don't tip twice. A $10 tip would be appropriate for a limo ride that has been comped by the hotel from the Airport to the Strip. The same tip to be offered on the way back home, with a $15 tip to and from Downtown Las Vegas.

Nightclubs:  $20 to the bouncer guarding the "velvet rope" at the entry to the nightclub of your choice.

Poker Room dealers:  It is customary to tip the poker room dealer every time you win a serious pot. Follow what the other players are doing at the table.

Poker Room seating: Tip only if you request a special table or ask to be seated right away and they do it. $5 minimum. Keep the $5 out in front of you while asking.

Pool attendants:  If they have helped you find an empty chair or brought towels, then tip $1 for two people or $2 for three to four people.Porter/Bellman:  Takes your luggage from the car to the lobby area while you are checking in. $1 for first two pieces of luggage. Three pieces to four pieces $2. Five to six pieces $3, etc. When you are checking out of the Hotel to go home, use same tipping procedure as above.  If it is the same person who takes the luggage all the way from your car to your room, tip $1 per piece of luggage with a minimum $3. After 5 pieces (or $5), add $1 for every two pieces. Small hand-held ladies cosmetic cases, men’s briefcases and kids plush toys do not count. Large athletic equipment bags or golf club bags are counted as 1½. 

Preacher at your wedding: $50
 
Rental car shuttle driver: Tip only if he's friendly and helps with the bags, tip $2. 

Room service:  $2 per person ordering food. How long room service took to deliver your order and if the food is hot are most important when considering the amount of the tip. Do not tip the customary 15-20%, as you would in a restaurant. Room service menus often say that gratuity is automatically added on. Read the menu or ask! Don't tip twice.

Shoe shine: Minimum $1 for shoes and $2 for boots.

Shows with unassigned seating:   Depends how close to the stage you want to sit and if you want a table or a booth. The first rate shows sitting in first 10 rows: tip $20. Second rate shows sitting in first 10 rows: tip $10. Bump the above amounts up by $10 if you are two couples. Third rate shows: No tip and you can sit wherever you want!

Shows with pre-assigned seating (ushers):  Tip nothing. However, it has been reported that at the Rio a better seat was obtained for $20.

Slot Jackpots: Hand-paid on slot or video poker machines: 1-2% in all cases. Professional video poker players should note that their small advantage does not leave room for too much of a tip. The main complaint is that it takes too long to collect a hand-paid jackpot, reduce the tip in this case, and tell them how long you waited! If you hit a very large jackpot and have your picture taken, tip the photographer $10.

A suggested schedule is:

$5 for a hand-paid jackpot from $200 to $500,
$10 from $501 to $1,000,
$20 from $1,001 to $1,500
$30 from $1,501 to $2,000
$35 from $2,001 to $2,500
$40 from $2,501 to $4,000

It is important to spread the amount around to the various employees that will hover around with their hands out and only show up for payoffs. For example, if you want to tip $20 and four employees show up, then give $5 to each one.

Spas:  15-20% after you finish receiving your treatment. At the front desk when you are paying your bill, just before leaving, there are little envelopes for tipping. You put the cash inside the little envelope and return to the employee who served you. Or you can add the tip to your bill, if you are paying by credit card, much like in a restaurant. Note: If you are having trouble getting an appointment just visit, in person, never by telephone, the girl in the front, who is booking appointments. Put $10 on the table, mumble something about your flight leaving, and
ask if she can do anything for you.

Taxes on tips:  Taxes on tips are deducted by the casino from an employee's paycheck IF the employee has elected to sign the agreement with the IRS known as the Tip Reporting Alternative Commitment, or TRAC Agreement for short. The majority of dealers, cocktail servers and restaurant wait-persons in Las Vegas have signed TRAC agreements because it virtually guarantees that the IRS will not audit them on the question of their tip income. Instead, a specific percentage of tips is presumed under the agreement, and taxes are withheld on that basis. Taxicab Drivers: 15-20% depending on his demeanor. You might add a dollar a bag if the driver handles your bags, loading or unloading. Minimum tip is $1. Tip LESS if a taxi driver tries
to divert you from where you are going or tries to talk you into taking the tunnel.

Ticket reservationists located in most Hotel Lobbies:  Tip nothing.

Tour guides or tour helicopter pilots:  $5 per couple but more if you asked questions during the tour.

Valet for the car: [1] $5 right away, if he lets you park when there is a sign "VALET PARKING FULL", AND $1 more when you pick up the car. When "Valet Parking is Full" the $5 will make Valet Parking "Un-full", quickly, Just tell him you are visiting your brother in the hotel when you slide him the $5. [2] $2 if he keeps the car in front of the Hotel when you say "I am just running in and out". Tip before and after - $2 when entering and another $1 when leaving.
[3] $1 tip for regular service when picking up your car; tip nothing when you come in and give them your car. Only tip the dollar when leaving. [4] When you want to retrieve your car and the valet area is full of other people trying to pick up their car (usually after a show or boxing match or special event) and you are in a hurry, just wrap $5 around your valet receipt when you are giving it in to retrieve your car. Make sure you tell them that you'll ALSO take care of them
when they deliver the car. That'll cost you another buck. But for $6 total, you'll save a half
hour or longer wait!

Venetian gondolier driver: Tip $5 per couple at the end of the ride OR $10 before the ride if you want to ask him to serenade you with an Italian love song like: Arrivederci Roma, Volare, In Napoli, Take Me In Your Arms, Oh Marie, There's No Tomorrow (O Sole Mio) or That's Amore. 

Waiters and waitresses in restaurants:  15-20%. ALWAYS reduce the tip when service is bad! The universal signal for terrible/horrible service is a tip of 1-cent. If you leave a tip of less than 15%, you should write a small note explaining why. Use the back of an empty Keno ticket that is on your table. Don't get into a verbal hassle.

Of course, at the end of your home-buying exploration, tipping your Realtor is a no-no.  Your Realtor will receive their compensation in the commission paid by the seller of the home that your purchase in Las Vegas.