Analysis
While, according to their respective websites, the Luxor "boasts the friendliest casino staff anywhere on the Strip" and Palazzo has "the city’s friendliest dealers," according to these poll results it seems it’s Harrah’s that indeed has the right to claim that you’ll "find the friendliest dealers in Las Vegas when you play a live game like blackjack, craps, or baccarat." The dealers here were the runaway leaders from the moment the poll was launched, even leading us to look into the possibility of ballot-stuffing (we did and there was none). Guess they just have really friendly dealers. That’s on the main casino floor; according to the Harrah's website, the new Toby Keith Gaming Pit features "feisty dealers with attitude." Yikes.
Since fourth-place finisher the IP introduced its "Dealertainers" back in 2003 ("friendly in a creepy sort of way!" as one respondent described the troupe of celebrity-impersonating dealers who will periodically break from the game to burst into song), other casinos have experimented with bikini-clad dealers, Pussycat Doll dealers, and Playboy-bunny dealers, not to mention those feisty Toby Keith ladies. Or, as with the current poker-room experiment at Excalibur, they've ditched the whole concept of live dealers and gone "robo-style."
It seems gimmicks are no substitute for a good attitude and a genuine smile, however, hence no big surprise to see Wynn, which prides itself on customer service, in the #2 spot. What did surprise us a little was that Encore came so low in the rankings, although of course it’s a very new venue and a much pricier proposition than, say, the likes of Bill's or the Flamingo. The reason we were surprised is that we happen to know, through a friend of ours who was hired as a blackjack dealer there, that Encore is actively pursuing a policy of choosing dealers who are friendly and outgoing and who’ll take the time to get to know and and have fun with the players at their table, even at the expense of dealing less hands per hour. So, if anyone does happen to venture over there to play, let us know if you notice the difference…
