When gambling, I'm occasionally offered a comp meal at a restaurant that's in the hotel, but I don't think it's owned by the hotel. How does that work? Does the hotel pay the restaurant for my meal? Do they get a reduced rate?
Everyone knows a "comp" stands for "complimentary," meaning "free" -- items and services given out by casinos to encourage players to gamble. But as this question amply demonstrates, "comp" also stands for "complicated."
When it comes to four-walled or leased restaurants (located within the casino property, but not directly owned/operated by the casino company itself), the deal on player comps varies and sometimes widely. In the end, though, yes, a host at the Venetian can comp you to Bazaar Meat or All'Antico Vinaio at the Via Via Food Hall and not to worry, the Venetian isn't paying retail.
How much less than retail is where it can get complicated, especially in the accounting.
In general, it's easier to get a comp to a restaurant that the casino company owns than it is to a four-walled restaurant and the comp will usually be more generous. A host is much happier to comp you to a buffet or cafe than to a four-walled restaurant. Still, they're both soft comps, meaning they don't involve hard costs for the casino. A $500 comp to Bazaar Meat doesn't cost the Venetian or Jose Andres anywhere near $500, given the big markup on high-end food and beverage.
As for how the deal works, there might be several varieties.
Most commonly, the casino and restaurant agree on how many comped meals the casino can offer to players. Similarly, the casino might reimburse the restaurant for the cost of the comps, either in full or partially. The restaurant might also receive some compensation, both blue sky and monetary, through increased patronage from players who visit for the first time specifically to redeem their comps. In other words, comps can provide some value in terms of promotion and exposure for the restaurant. Players who redeem their comps at a restaurant might be more likely to return on their own dime if they have a memorable experience.
In addition, our penny-pinching friends and penny-counting advantage players tend to be averse to spending more than the value of the comp. (We like to tell the story about going to the Bacchanal Buffet with Jean and Brad Scott. The buffet at the time was $49.99 and the comp for three was for $150. When Jean was done with the transaction, she said, "I hate wasting three cents of a comp.") High rollers, by contrast, might not be so strict; say they have a comp for $1,000 at a restaurant and wind up spending $1,300; saving 70% on a great meal, most won't mind coming out of pocket for the other 30%. Which accrues to the restaurant's bottom line.
Suffice it to say that comps make the casino world go round and soft comps, in particular, always appear to be worth more, and sometimes much more, than the face value on the comp ticket, whether it's a four-walled or casino-owned restaurant.
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Kevin Rough
Jan-14-2026
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