Tips at a buffet?

It's been interesting to read the replies to this. Thank you.

I generally tip 10-15% of the regular price, as opposed to 15-25% at a regular restaurant. It's less because (a) the ambience is, overall, more generic (I know, not the fault of my server, but it is what it is), and (b) the server does less. This averages out to $1-3 for the buffets I like to frequent.

I'm surprised at the vitriol generated by a $1 tip. My slightly cranky views on the subject:

1) It's a freakin' $6 buffet. How the devil much am I supposed to tip on that? $2 or more seems awfully profligate for bacon & eggs and its surrounding services.
2) My impression is that a fair number of people don't tip ANYTHING at a buffet. And in my first year of school I learned that 1 > 0. That's still true, yes?
3) I consider myself fairly low-maintenance. Not too many plates, not too much leftover food, rarely imbibe multiple drinks (soft drink -> water; that's it).
4) Most hotel-casinos have better restaurants.

P.S. I've never had self-serve drinks at a LV buffet. I think I'd enjoy it a lot. I'll have to try to not let it affect my thinking if I happen to see it.

Wow, I feel like Uncle Scrooge, I only tip $1 at a buffet per person, regardless of price. $2 per person if they are super nice or do something extra.

Normally restaurants tips range from 10% (awful service) to 25% (amazing service).

Quote

---

Originally posted by: fremont4ever<
1) It's a freakin' $6 buffet. How the devil much am I supposed to tip on that? $2 or more seems awfully profligate for bacon & eggs and its surrounding services.

You are not tipping for the food/ You already paid for the food.
-you're tipping for removal of plates, a clean table and drinks; a pot of coffee.

...Really?!?
$2.00 seems awfully profligate? What can you buy for an extra dollar these days? Next time : Be a sport.
You eat twice a day, three, tops- be a george

I generally tip $5- $7, never less unless the wait staff is really rude or I never see them again after they seat me. I figure they are running around more clearing plates than the typical wait staff. Plus it may help make up for the cheapskate who leaves NOTHING!

As for the housekeeper, $2 - $5 daily.

We just got back from Vegas, and we ate at a lot of the 4.99 and 5.99 buffets, and then got BOGO with MRB coupons. I usually left at least a five, which is 100% of what we paid, or 50% of the price without coupon. I did notice that most other tables, even at more expensive buffets like the Rio, only had a dollar or two left on them. I guess I figured, when I can lose $5 in a machine in less than ten minutes, or on one hand of blackjack, it is not too much to leave for a tip.

bump

I leave the server the keys to a Honda or a Toyota. If the service is really good, I get them a BMW. Of course for the high end buffets, I give them a Bentley.

Seriously, being in the gratuity business (Limo driver) while I appreciate tips, it is a personal matter and it is not mandatory. There is no set amount and you should tip on the way you feel about the service. If all you get is your beverage and you never see the server again as your dishes pile up (this has happened to us), tip appropriately. If they are always there when you need them and are very personable, again, tip appropriately.

Specifically, I usually leave $5 for good service for the two of us. On your other question, I usually leave $10 per night to the housekeeper since this is the person that is cleaning your bathroom! I make sure that I leave it each morning since the housekeeper that you get the day of checkout may not be the same one that cleaned your room the other days.

Larry from Las Vegas, NV

I don't follow your logic here. I'm not worried about her cleaning the bathroom during my stay nearly as much as the job she did on it before I arrived. I can survive a day or two of not having my bathroom cleaned to perfection mid-stay. I do tip every day I have the room cleaned, but I often skip a day by leaving the Do Not Disturb sign out. I can police my own mess.

Here's a very simple test of the quality of your buffet server. Order a cherry coke. If they say they only have regular coke, then pooh on them. If they make you a cherry coke, now you're talking...

Another determining factor to us is the length of time we occupy a table. If we go with friends and/or a larger group and are leisurely chatting and taking our time, I figure we're slowing down their earn rate and will tip more. Of course, this is still primarily predicated on how good the overall service was/is.

In some cases, they have people bussing tables and if they're busting their hump to make sure your water glass is topped off and empty plates are removed expediently, I've tipped them separately.

In some cases where our designated server is MIA and another server pitches in, I tip them separately and give the designated server a very nominal tip.

I think in some cases it pays to tip up front. Take a champagne brunch where you don't want to have Mr. Scrooge as your waiter....I want a situation where I have the option to say "no thanks, no more for me" rather than trying to play "Where's Waldo" with the waiter.

It's still a service industry. Good service warrants a better tip than mediocre service. Poor service equals no tip but I have to say that I can't recall the last time this happened. Genuinely friendly staff gets a better tip from me than someone who's just mailing it in.

Dan