Poll : 14 January - 27 January 2015

Analysis

Many thanks to everyone who took part -- what a mammoth result! We received myriad emails and can only reproduce a small sample of them here, but we hope what follows gives some food for thought and useful guidance with regard to current tipping levels, plus you'll find some interesting perspectives and a couple of other questions posed by fellow readers:

• "Tip the valet $1.00 in and out. Always tip the person who cleans the room each and every day that we stay, $5.00 each day. Do not tip at the end of the stay as the person who cleans may not be the same each day and don't know if they share tips or not. MOST IMPORTANT---always tip the person who cleans your toilet!!! With roller bags, I don't use the bellman. When I do use a bell man (which is not often) I have a problem with tipping one man carrying my bags to check in upon arrival and another who takes the bags from front desk to the room. Seems to be 2 jobs where only one is needed."
  
  
• "Maid service: Every day (there may be a different maid each day) at least $3.00 (a little more if we won). Bartender/cocktail waitress: Depending on how many drinks are bought, at least a few dollars; only $1 for a bottle of water if we're playing penny slots. Restaurant waiter/waitress: At least 15%, a little more (up to 20%) if great service and food. Shuttle driver: A couple of dollars. We don't use valet services, coming or going; don't visit strip clubs for viewing entertainment or lap dances; don't win enough to merit hand pays. No taxis for us; we rent a car. No tips at McDonald's, In 'n Out Burgers, other fast food chains (although I'm sure the employees could use the tips). We don't eat at restaurants which have maitre' ds. All in all, we are tip-phobic. We can open our own doors; schlep our own luggage and store it in our rented car until check-in; seat ourselves at a diner/restaurant; self-park."
  
  
• "We were taught to tip the bingo workers when you win."
  
  
• "Tips: MAID- $3-4 depending on quality of work, $4-5 when I want sheets changed. I tip per day since your maid may not be the same every day. VALET- $2-3 at pickup. BARTENDER- $1 for beer, $2 for mixed drink. COCKTAIL WAITRESS- The trick to getting served quickly and often is to tip fairly well. I usually tip $5 a drink; you’d be surprised how grateful they are, how quickly they come back and how easy it is to strike up a conversation. RESTAURANT- 15-20% or a lot more if she’s really hot. BUFFET- I don’t take into account the cost, just a flat $4 - $8 depending on quality of service, how much they do and how often they fill my drink. CASINO ATTENDANT- Depends on amount of jackpot. ROOM SERVICE- $4 - $8ish depending on meal, sandwich/hamburger $3-4 bucks. STRIPPER- Varies greatly depending on hotness, STAGE – few bucks. LAP - $10 - ?!?!? SHUTTLE- $2-4 and I always grab my own bags. STREET PERFORMER- About $2 if me or someone I’m with takes a picture with them, same for other performers."
  
  
• "Kinda wish you had a “DON’T USE” check box, that way we could differentiate between; “I use but don’t tip” and “I don’t tip because I don’t use”. I think it would be interesting to see what services if any don’t get tips as often as others. When I started going to Vegas, I used to cringe at the idea of how many different people I interacted with who had their palms out seeking tips. But I soon realized how much I depended on them for the overall enjoyment of my experience. Las Vegas is a service-oriented city and the satisfaction of your stay relies heavily on the service you get, so I accepted this as a part of my trip as much as you need to accept you’re not going to strike it rich, so only take as much money as you can afford to spend and tip the people that work so hard to serve you. No I’m not a server or affiliated with any service industry."
  
  
• "Tips: Maid $3 daily; Bell man $1 per bag (usually 4 rounded up to $5) at car & again at room; Valet on collection $3 or $4 depending on if he helps wife (she uses walker) get in; Bartender $2 a drink, Cocktail waitress $1 water, $2 scotch on rocks; Restaurant 20%, more if server engaging and attentive; Buffet server $4 (2 people); Table game, min. bet at end of play, 1% on large-win hands; Slot hand pay 1%; Shuttle bus to/from airport car rental, air port pick-up to outside rental $5; Room service tip is on the bill, I add $5 no matter what the bill is; Cloakroom $2 a coat."
  
  
• "Timeshare housekeeper 1 bdrm $15-$20 per week. I would probably tip in most categories, but I have yet to experience some, e.g., Jackpot Win." [Ed: Aw! Hopefully your time will come!]
  
  
• "My wife and I just spent two weeks in Vegas and realized that the tips almost cost as much as the trip itself. We tip bellmen $1/bag, coming and going. Valet is tipped $2 on drop off and same on return. Housekeeping gets $5 a day and bartenders or slot waitresses get $1 a drink. Hand pay we give $10 or $20 and our hand pays have only been in the $2,000 range. We took our host a jar of cherry salsa made in MI. I'd really like some ideas on how much to tip a host because I'm at a loss on that one. (I read somewhere that you were not supposed to give them money.) Taxi, anywhere from $2 to $5 dollars. Almost forgot buffet personal, $3 left on table and $1 for the person making my omelet. Looking forward to seeing the results on this poll."
  
  [Ed: You're correct on not gifting cash to a host - many are forbidden to accept. Cherry salsa sounds interesting!]
  
  
• "I always tip in casinos because I love to be there and I value the people who help me. I play video poker mostly -- a triple play dollar machine. I figure if I'm playing $15 a hand then I should tip $5 per drink. If I play a single-line dollar machine at the bar, I tip $1 to $5 depending on service. I tip $5 per day to housekeeping and I leave it on the bed with a thank-you note. I tip $3 when I drop off at valet and $2 to $5 when I pick up depending on service. I tip bellmen $3 total or $2 per bag, whichever is more. I tip slot attendants $50 to $200 depending on the payout. (They share with a lot of folks and they often come to say thanks). I tip servers at least 20% and I use the full value of a comped meal. Buffet servers usually $10. I typically get very good service. They remember when you tip well."
  
  
• "$2 per day for housekeeping and $5 at end of stay (usually 4 days); $1 per drink at BJ tables, goes higher if frequency is good; $2X number of people at table at buffet, plus $1 for omelet chef; $2-$5 for bartender, depending on type of drink and how many; 20% for waitress; $1 per bag for bell hop; Cab drivers vary, all depends on how safe we felt during ride and how 'chatty' they are (we have learned a lot from cab drivers) but $3-$4 for shorter ride and have given up to $10 for good cabby; Limo drivers -- same criteria as cabs (safety, information, "welcome to Vegas feeling") usually 5$ per head. Have given $50 tip for taking us to get champagne and a drive down the Strip for the 'Vegas virgins' (on ride from the airport to downtown). My QUESTION to all the others on here is: How much to tip the sommelier for a bottle of wine????"