The Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Southern Nevada, Inc. Is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that those who are emotionally traumatized in emergency situations receive the assistance they need. TIP works closely with local emergency response agencies who request well-trained citizen volunteers to emergency scenes to provide emotional and practical support to family members. Taxes are additional to whatever is shown as a price on the menu and also in stores for goods. For tipping, I usually tip twice the tax amount which is 18% in LV if I recall correctly or 20% of the bill without tax if the service is good. 15-20% is the norm and that includes cocktails/bar. Tipping is an important part of the economy in Las Vegas. Some tipping guidelines: Casinos- If you get lucky while playing the Slot Machines or Video Poker machines, it is a good idea to tip the people who hand you the money. Give a couple of bucks to the change person (especially if he or she pointed you to the winning machine) and to the change cashier.
Tipping in Las Vegas – how, who and how much to tip in Las Vegas
Las vegas StripBelow is what I tip, I am not saying that this is generous (I am mean) but its what I generally tip and only once has anyone acted in a way where they thought that I had not tipped enough. My tips are based on a mid range casino like MGM, Luxor or Monte Carlo if you are at a top hotel like Wynn, Mirage or Bellagio adjust up slightly and a cheaper property like Excalibur or Circus Circus slightly less.
Bell Boy – I generally tip $2 per bag when it arrives in the room I don’t generally tip the person who gets my stuff out of the trunk as the tips are pooled so they should be covered. I would do the same for the Bell boy who delivers my bags back to my car or taxi when I leave. Sometimes you can wait ages for your bags or for a Bell boy to come to your room I still tip as the Bell Boy is generally doing his best but in busy times there are just not enough of them employed by the hotel.
Check in clerk – I always tip the check in clerk before my room is assigned, if I want an upgrade using the $20 trick, even if its just for a view of the Vegas Strip then I tip at least $20 (see here). If I just want to make sure I don’t have the room by the kitchen extractor fan or with a stunning view of the third level of the parking lot maybe $10.
The Maid – the poor maid often gets forgotten about because you don’t see her, I always leave at least $3 per day for the maid, usually on the pillow or under a spent bottle of toiletries.
Dealers – I am slightly funny about this I rarely tip a dealer directly but if I am doing well I put small side bets for the dealer every now and again, when I leave the table if I am up I will usually tip the dealer about 5% up to about $50. I have had many dealers in Las Vegas who I have found either moody or boring in this case regardless of what I win I will not tip.
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Cocktail Waitresses –In Las Vegas all drinks are free whilst you are playing if they are served to you by a cocktail waitress but you need to tip.If I am just passing and don’t expect to stay I tip $1 – $2 per drink if I am going to be there for a while I tip $5 per drink for the first one then usually $1 per drink after that. See here for more detail.
Barman – I tip $2 – $5 per round up to 5 drinks I think that this is probably on the stingy side but that is what I tip. In London you dont usually tip a barman but this is expected in Las Vegas.
Valet Parking – There is no charge for valet parking in Las Vegas (except at the Four Seasons) so tip the guy, but only when you collect your car usually tip $2 if I want it quickly and ask and I get it quickly thi.s can become $5 – $10
Guy that calls the cab, outside most hotels there is a guy who calls the cab and opens the door for you, most people tip him $1 I don’t I am happy an capable of calling a cab myself just not allowed to.
Cab Driver – This depends if it’s a very short trip under say $6 I give the change to $10, this is to compensate the cabbie for the time he has spent waiting and the fact he could have got a better fare. $6-$10 generally the change and a couple of dollars $10 upwards the change + 20%. If the cab driver is moody or if he takes me what I think is a long route he won’t get tipped he wont like it but he wont get tipped. I am on vacation I am paying for a service and part of that service is his attitude.
Tipping Etiquette
Las Vegas is pretty much the service industry capital of the world. Everybody works in service in one way or another. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you're going to be taken care of in Vegas, even with a modest tipping strategy. Everyone from cabbies to dealers to cocktail waitresses to maids to slot attendants to valets to doormen generally don't make much in the way of 'salary.' They rely on you. The good news is that most of them have additional perquisites to offer you when you do fork up some gratuity. Plus, it feels good to tip and not be an asshole.
Take a look at the tipping guide below for some basics on tipping in Las Vegas -- and also how tips can translate into a far better overall experience!
Las Vegas Tipping Guide
10-15% is customary for taxi drivers. If the driver appears to know Las Vegas well, I always tend to strike up a conversation about new things in town and get a local's perspective on restaurants and bars. I will always tip more for good conversationalists and safe drivers. If I feel I'm being long-hauled, I'll call out the driver. If the explanation is less than satisfactory, I won't tip above 10%. Also know that if you're asking the cabbie to take you to a strip club, you should negotiate your rate prior to getting in the car. Cab drivers (and limo drivers, for that matter) receive compensation for dropping off men at strip clubs. If there are no limos available to you at the time, ask a valet to find you a cab that will take you there for free. It will generally work. Then again, if you're at a major hotel or casino, the valet will find you a limo very quickly, and usually for free. Tip the driver $10 for the trip and if the valet arranged the setup, give him a $5-$10 tip as well.
First off, it's good to know the valets. The valets who know what they are doing can make your Vegas stay much more enjoyable. Whether it's hooking you up with a great recommendation for a club, bar, or restaurant, or getting you a great deal on a limousine, it's important to take care of them. If you're in a cab line, and the valet opens your doors and helps with your luggage, give them at least $2-$5, depending on how much they helped. If you have a more strenuous request of the valet, tip him $10-$20. For instance, say you have a group of 6 and want to take a limo from the Mirage to the Golden Nugget. Don't call a limo service. Go down to your valet, hand him a $20 and say that you want a cheap deal on a limo for one quick trip downtown. He'll generally be able to call a buddy (not a service), so the driver can keep the trip off the books. It's also a great deal for the driver. He gets to do a quick trip for a good tip that will not have fees taken out of it from the service (as long as you have cash). Valets can also get you free limo service to any strip club in town (but be sure to tip the driver and the valet). Pro tip: Ask the valet for not only a free trip, but complimentary entry or drink vouchers at a strip club. Most of them know drivers with hookups. And the driver himself can get as much as $20 per person dropped off at a strip club. It's a great deal for him to get you there, too.
Desk Clerks, like Valets, can also be your best friend in Vegas. I wrote about the $20 trick here, so I won't rehash that narrative, but suffice it to say, the $20 'tip' is well worth the try. In other instances, though, tipping a desk clerk is appropriate. For instance, if you go down and ask for a late checkout and the clerk says 11:00 is the best she can do. You can put a $10 bill down and ask for 1:00. It has worked for me before, and worst case scenario they say no and you keep your bill. You should also tip them for any administrative thing you ask for -- e.g., new towels, business office requests, stamps, directions, recommendations, etc. $5 is a very good tip for any such services, especially if they were helpful.
Cocktail waitresses don't make much in the way of salary, but they do make a pretty good living in the bigger casinos. Assuming you are partaking in complimentary drinks, a $1 tip per drink is pretty customary. Pro Tip: If you want to drink and keep drinking, give her a $10 or $20 bill up front and ask her to just bring you whatever drink you're having every time she goes to the bar. She'll remember you with a large upfront tip. This is also a good tip for those people that don't like to be distracted while gambling (fairly common at the Craps or Baccarat tables). Don't be the guy that doesn't tip the waitress. It's a free drink for crying out loud.
This is a hard one to judge, but no matter whether I'm winning or losing, I try to tip out at least $5 per hour. If I'm winning a modest amount, that number will rise. If I'm winning big, that number will rise even more. I generally do a good mix of putting down a 'bet for the crew' and just throwing the dealer a toke without a bet. That way I know they're taking some home. Bets for the crew are always encouraged by the crew because one bet for the crew usually ends up with multiple bets for the crew from other players. Examples include putting a side bet down next to your bet in blackjack for one hand, or putting a small wager next to your main wager on the pass line in craps. Hardway bets in craps are also very common. When throwing in a bet for the dealer, just announce '____ bet for the crew' and they'll place it. If you want to bet one for you and one for the crew, in craps it's called a 'two-way' bet (e.g., two-way hard six would be a bet for you and the crew). Most casinos pool tips in some fashion. One exception is in the poker room, where most poker dealers keep their own tokes (though this varies as well). I always tip at least a $1 per winning hand in poker, and for big pots, this number will rise up to $5. Just remember to take care of the dealers and they'll take care of you. Plus, karma.
Las Vegas Tips And Advice
I mean 'doormen' in the context of a club or show. These are the guys in a show that will seat you at your table or seats. Tipping them $10-$20 will ensure that you get better seats closer to the action. If you're at a ticketed show with assigned seats, it's not worth the tip unless you ask for an opportunity to be upgraded. If the show is not sold out, sometimes you can get great seat upgrades for the cost of a tip. In the club, it is vitally important to take care of the doorman because he could be the difference between you and your crew sitting in the back where nobody can see you or in the front next to the dance floor. If you're in a group of 5, give the guy a $50 and he'll take care of you. $10 per person in a club that's going to require each of you to spend $300-$500 on bottle service is worth the extra expense. The doormen in a strip club can be a little more hazy. If you're going to the VIP section, you might be 'required' to tip the doorman. It's not worth arguing over it. The key, though, is to avoid being swindled into tipping several doormen. They may just start coming out of the woodwork with each room you enter.
It is pretty customary to tip out $1-2 per bag. If they bring it to the room, I'll give them $5-$10 total, depending on how much work was involved.
I generally leave $3-$5 per day on the pillow or nightstand. Make it very obvious that you are leaving the tip for the maid (can even leave a note). Otherwise, she may just think the money is laying out on your desk from the night before. They will generally error on the side of not taking money they aren't sure is gratuity, so make it obvious. Plus, they have to clean up after your Vegas night. They deserve a little tip.
Slot attendants should be tipped on hand payouts. I'm not a big slots player, but I'm told that 1/2% to 1% of total payout is fairly standard. If you win $1000, tipping $10 feels about right. Getting a hand payout is a pain in the ass, but it's still a service, so take care of the slot attendant, even though in my experience, most of them seem angry at the world.
Tipping In Las Vegas
Tipping at buffets is tricky. You hear 10-15%, but I don't understand that at all. I'm all for tipping, but at the buffet, I won't tip more than $2 per person at the table. If the waitress did very little, I may even do $1 per person at the table. In my experience, I think this is actually more standard than 15%.
Maid Tipping Las Vegas
Las Vegas Tipping At Hotels
The general rule is pretty simple in Vegas. Whether it is a great street entertainer, a bartender, a tour guide, a waitress, the maître d', or sommelier, take care of them and they will take care of you. The town operates on the green dollar, and most everybody knows a little bit about the service industry. Many people in Vegas have a lot to offer you that will make your stay much more enjoyable. All it takes is a little tip.