Question of the Day - 02 December 2018

I tip based on quality of service. No service, no tip. Simple.

We always tip based on service and are generous at buffets.  Heck, we tip if you stand in line at the BBQ where the food is served to you.  The tip is left at the table for the busboy that cleaned the table before we arrived.

The servers at the buffets are not the highest paid people so we always make a decent tip.  Most of them work hard, are very pleasant and ready to please.  Same with valets, room service personnel, etc.  

I tip $1 at buffets every time.  Since there is virtually zero service (except bussing the table and possibly bringing drinks) there really is nothing to tip for.

Note that I tip generously at full service restaurants, generally 20% of the total bill (not backing out taxes).  Mainly this is because I generally eat alone and feel that therefore the servers aren't getting the size of tip they would get from a full table, so want to show they are appreciated.

Admittedly, I rarely eat at buffets anymore since they have become so expensive.  Since I generally get one plate of food (no reason to be greedy) I just don't think they are worth it, since most full service restaurants offer better food at similar prices.

We always tip well at buffets. The workers aren't well paid and often aren't tipped at all. An extra dollar or two means more to their bottom line than to ours. This got me thinking, though. How does the tip-sharing actually work? Do the busboys and servers collect all tips into one pool and then split at the end of the shift? Is it "finders keepers"? 

To the guy that says he tips 1 dollar....SMH. 

I tip at buffets based on service and the situation, a big group needs more service than just me. And honestly if I plan on coming back soon I'm a little more generous.  The drink issue isn't really a factor.

Morning, Toni. We answered your question in the 5/15/18 QoD:

https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/question/buffet-tipping/

I always tip at buffets and full service 
  
Percent varies by cost of buffet. At lower cost buffets , Like a $10-12 I go to 20 - 25%.  $3 is nothing compared to the price of my Vegas trip. Low price buffet doesn't mean that the servers work any less hard.  

At a $40 buffet, I go to to about $6 for average service. 15% for getting served drinks and having the table cleared seem about right. If I get great service, like the drinks are kept fresh, wait staff comes by often,etc. I can go quite a bit higher.

If the service is bad, which has only happened a few times, i give $1.  Didn't want them I think I forgot to tip, just want to tell them that I wasn't happy with the service.  

My rule of thumb is:
If the server is refilling my drink and cleaning my empty plates in a timely fashion , then yes, I will tip 20% as I would normally at a restaurant. Chances are, you're going to gamble a lot more than that in the casino, and if you happen to have a deal where your buffet was free, why not spread some love to folks if they're giving you good service.. But, if I'm fetching my own drinks, and my dishes are piling up, I still leave 10%

Having worked plenty of tough jobs in my youth for very little pay, I have great respect for those people working these low paid service jobs. I always leave $5 as my standard buffet tip, more if I’m hosting a party larger than just my wife and me. 

I almost always tip $5 at buffets. I usually only do breakfast buffets and tend to go to the same one(Main Street Station).

We always tip at Buffets - we only do breakfast / brunch and it's usually $2 a head. Exceptionally if it's a Champagne Brunch and we're kept well topped up we may tip $5 each.

I am tight, but I have also served tables.  I compare what a five costs me on a vacation trip meal at a buffet (not much) to what it means to the server (a WHOLE lot - I have been there).  If I can brighten someone's day with a fiver, why not.  NOW, if the server is rude and surely, not so much.  But if they show even a little warmth, yep I tip.  Besides, most gamblers wager, win and lose FAR more than a five spot!  Just a comparison.   It won't hurt us to pony up for the workers.

I agree tipping a bit more in Vegas is my usual too. Buffets are high turnover and constant, so a few extra dollars is deserving and is just ensuring some good karma for me in a town based on luck. :D

Unless service has been abysmal (like few tables are occupied and service is still slow and/or anytime the server is unpleasant and/or I'm being hustled to move along), I tip reasonably at buffets--$3-$4 if I'm alone, more for more diners. If it's a champagne brunch, I tip $1/round extra, in addition to the tip on the table. I admit I have a soft spot for older servers, and will add more if the server has been especially attentive. My feeling is: What's a few extra dollars when you know they're going to a real person? Then factor in: What do those few dollars mean when you get to the casino floor? Aren't they gone in a matter of seconds? Better they go to somebody who's working for them.

A buck is not a good toke.
I have a pocket full of TWO'S when I'm in Vegas.I get them at my bank.I keep them in a separate pocket for a quick draw!