Our trip to Vegas, which was cancelled 2-1/2 years ago by the pandemic, is on again. We’ll be there in November. While the wife has made trips to the mainland and Thailand, this will be my first time outside of Hawaii since moving back to the US six years ago and my first time off this island in four years. I wish to know the current state of affairs re: tipping.
I am not interested in opinions as to whether tipping is right or wrong, just what tipping is like these days. Naturally I tip at restaurants here in Hawaii, and cab drivers. But what to tip the guy who takes your bags up to the room? And what is an acceptable tip to leave on your pillow for the cleaning staff? My last time on the mainland was in 2005, and a couple bucks on the pillow was deemed sufficient, maybe a fiver on the day you check out.
And how about tipping you blackjack dealer if you win? Cocktail waitresses plying you with free drinks?
This is very instructive! Now I’ll be prepared if I ever go to a casino (doubtful). IMO establishments where staff relies on tips for a significant portion of their income should make that clear to customers from the jump. Restaurants are up-front about tipping these days, even offering suggested amounts. But while just about everyone goes to restaurants, not everyone goes to casinos or nail salons or whatever.
I have had my nails done twice in my life, once for my wedding (paid for by someone else) and once on my own dime. I was a little taken aback at the price of the service and it just didn’t occur to me that I was expected to tip on top of that. (Before you ask–I do get haircuts and do give tips there, but this felt like a special, expensive occasion.)
I didn’t have any cash on me and couldn’t tip even when it became evident I should (they didn’t offer the option to add it to my tab and didn’t have an ATM), and the GLARES I got when I went to leave were quite something.
I don’t think it’s on the customer to be aware of something like that if it’s not written anywhere. It should be on the price list or brochure or something so one can be prepared. I apologized profusely but still felt like a heel.
From my observation, a considerable number of people don’t tip the dealer in casinos. It’s so common that no one has to feel like a jerk if they don’t do it. Maybe the rare exception is when you’re won a whole lot of money and you walk away with a huge pile of chips and fail to give anything to the dealer.
Recommendations from various sources these days suggest $2-$5 a day for cleaning/room makeover staff. For semi-arbitrary reasons, we don’t tip for a single night in a room, but certainly for an extended stay.
I came across an interesting change in the past few months as my air travel has picked back up. You know the airport stores where you can get snacks, magazines, drinks, telephone chargers, ear pods, etc.? At the checkout where you put your credit card into pay, had an option to add a tip on your final bill. It showed 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%. over the four buttons at the top of the keypad. Seriously? When did check out clerk become a tippable job?
I tip most on Day 1, then less . Of course, depends on how pricey the hotel is. Nice ones = $5, then a buck or two. Tipping nice gets you some extra amenities, like extra mints, towels folded like swans, or when you see the maid- you can ask for extra little bottles of stuff.
I place a bet for for the dealer, etc. Whatever kind of chip you are betting- say “nickles” , bet that much on some bet you want to win. Say “for you” “for the dealer”. Only when ahead and winning. Only time I tipped when I lost is if I had like a chip too small for a minimum bet and threw that their way as I was leaving, like a buck chip on a $5 table. This is for craps, but the same goes for other tables…
A chip for the “girl”, usually $1, but more if you are on a winning streak or she is extra nice. If you are winning at a $5 table, then $5 of course, but only for good service.
If you are going to a old school vegas show, tip the guy at the entrance who takes your ticket, and the guy taking you to your table. Don’t be cheap. Dress nice. By doing this at a Coaster/Platter/Drifters* show they put us next to the stage (3 seats back), One of the Coasters came off the stage and sang a song to my date, gave her a silk handkerchief, and an autographed CD. I think it was a $10 tip and a $20 or something like that. She said it was the most special time she ever had.
** Not the originals of course, but not cover bands either- the successors to the original singers in the same groups, some of the sons, etc, I think one OG.*
Tipping Cashiers? Nope, unless it is change in a jar.
I always see that advice but I feel if every single person staying at a hotel tipped $2-5 a day suddenly a room service maid would become an INCREDIBLY lucrative job considering they clean dozens of rooms a day.
Most people do not tip the maids. I have had several tell me how much they appreciate it.
I also do not think they clean dozens of rooms a day each. Most of them will be part time workers because the hotels don’t want to pay bennies, so I’d guess they do maybe 10-12 rooms a day.
We’ve been going to St Martin/Sint Maarten for two weeks every year since I met my gf and she’d been going for many years before that. We know the maids and staff where we stay. They are friends.
They do little extras, like picking flowers and arranging a little bouquet for the room. My gf keeps a vacation notebook with names and details. If we are leaving to go somewhere at the same time a shift change is happening we will offer a ride so a maid can skip the bus. A few times we’ve gotten “hot tips”, like a new restaurant only locals know about. One of the maids knows I love soursop and will leave one for me (they are hard to find).
Thanks for the advice. We’ve booked a couple of shows already – the Blue Man Group and Absinthe – and will keep that in mind. (There’s a fellow Hawaii resident who will be playing in Vegas while we’re there, but all the good seats have already been taken, so we decided to pass on that. A musician by the name of Carlos Santana. You may have heard of him. He has a big house on the island of Kauai.)
