How Much Should the Tip Be at the Sterling Champagne Brunch?

My dream of eating at Bally's Sterling Brunch will come true when I visit Las Vegas in April. What is the proper amount to tip? Surely, the normal one or two dollar tip per person is inadequate.

The Sterling Champagne Brunch is served on Sundays only at Bally’s and you'll pay $100+ per person after tax.

This brunch has been legendary for more than 30 years (with a little time off while Bally's Steakhouse was transformed into BLT Steak, where the brunch is now served). One of the few complaints we hear is that the room is so dark, at some tables it's hard to see your food.

Otherwise, the Sterling is known, first and foremost, for the big Gruyere popovers you're greeted with, the all-you-can-drink Veuve Cliquot Champagne, and the endless Alaskan king crab legs. The buffet itself is stocked with lamb, lobster tail, prime rib, sushi, fresh-shucked oysters, and a custom omelet station, among many other choices.

In addition to the self-serve line, an array of items can be ordered from and are served by your waitperson, such as lobster bisque, Caesar salad, eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, and the signature chopped-vegetable salad.

Also, the Champagne service is nothing if not attentive.

So yes, the “one- or two-dollar tip per person” would, we suspect, feel a little chintzy on a $200-plus brunch bill for two.

Let’s see: If you splash out with your max toke at $2 per person, that would be a 2% tip at one of the most expensive and upscale Sunday brunches in the entire United States of America.

Also, we’re sure at least a few readers would take exception to your premise that a “one- or two-dollar tip per person” is normal. We’ve run polls and QoDs on tipping at buffets and the consensus these days is more along the lines of $5 per person, maybe a little less if you serve yourself drinks or more if the service is exceptional.

Even at $5 per person, you’re now at a 5% tip.

No matter where you fall on the stiff-to-George scale, tipping, of course, is highly personal. We admit that our leanings are heavily on the George side. So though we can’t recommend what kind of toke you should leave, we can tell you what we would: $20-$25 per person. We’re now up to 25% of the bill, but we can assure you based on past experience, we’d be feeling no pain and all pleasure and gratitude from an abundance of fancy food and champagne and impeccable service.

But that’s just us. Let’s get a round of opinions. What say you, QoDers? How much?

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Comments

woodman22 Mar-31-2019

Sterling Brunch Tip

$20.00 Max

kinosh Mar-31-2019

Buffet

If it's buffet-style where you serve yourself, 10%.

Dave Mar-31-2019

15%

I think 15% for a buffet is about right. 20-25% for regular restaurant. 

Of course I think $100 for a meal is crazy. For a buffet, I’m in the $30 max group. And even then is seems high.

Bill Mar-31-2019

Tip

It sounds fabulous! Not having been there, I was thinking I'd start at 15% and evaluate from there. From what you describe, that level of attentiveness would deserve more.

Ken Orgera Mar-31-2019

sterling

I had a discount, this some about 5 or more years ago. I tipped $20 for 2 people.  Served ourselves except for champagne.

Kevin Lewis Mar-31-2019

It depends

First of all, when you serve yourself, there's less reason to tip. I think 10% is enough in such cases.
However, I remember visiting the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars many years ago and being very disappointed, given the theme, that there was no vomitorium. There isn't one at Bally's, and if there was, the Sterling Brunch experience would be enhanced--you could eat more--and I would tip more generously. Something to suggest to management.

Charles Mar-31-2019

My opinion

Even a buffet has more going on than just serving.  I'm not sure but in my experience the server tips the cooks etc.  There are a lot of people that have to work together to set up and keep a buffet replenished.  We always tip at least $50 at the Sterling Brunch and never regret it.  Absolutely the best food and exemplary service.  Even though this a buffet it far outshines any other buffet in Las Vegas.

Jerry Patey Mar-31-2019

SterlingBrunch

With food of this caliber minimum of 20 dollars. Don’t forget the all you can eat American sturgeon caviar. The fresh berries are great to cleanse palate   The caviar bar at Bellagio is a joke

Deke Castleman Mar-31-2019

Comment from another page

I read this on tipping at Sterling Brunch. Guy suggested talk to management about a vomitorium. Don’t know if you are joking or just crazy. Name suggest you vomit in order to eat more. Perhaps I am naive and missed something here. Perhaps you should consider the Golden Carrol really kinda insulting for Sterling Brunch.

Deke Castleman Mar-31-2019

vomitoria

It's a myth that vomitoria (plural of vomitorium in Latin) were places where the ancient Romans practiced bulimia. Yes, it comes from the same root, vomere, which means "to spew forth," but the word vomitorium refers to a passage below or behind a tier of seats in an amphitheater or a stadium that provided ingress and egress for the large crowds that attended events there.

Kevin Lewis Mar-31-2019

To clarify...

We don't really know much of the colloquial usages of ancient Latin--that stuff was rarely written down, and in any event, fewer than 1% of all ancient texts survive. So a verb meaning "to spew" could have easily been applied to both vomiting and Colosseum exits. There's no proof either way, obviously.
The popular conception of the practice of the vomitorium was a feature of a novel by Aldous Huxley, among other writers. He was guessing, of course, but we do know that Roman feasts were decadent "bacchanalia" that went on for hours--the practice is plausible, and modern pundits who say "that was a myth" actually have no evidence to go on either way--we don't know enough about ancient Rome to say.
Returning to the present, I can't see how you could actually stuff $100 worth of food in your face before you got too full. But Vegas is all about overspending and excess...

full_monte_carlo Mar-31-2019

Buffet Tips

We generally tip 10% at buffets, im my opinion they lose 5% because I am serving myself, If they are responsible for bring my drinks and no refills are offered or plates not cleared... I tip less.

Roy Furukawa Mar-31-2019

Variables

I think it depends on how much you use the server. I agree 10% is average for buffet service, but if you’re selecting more of the items that come from the kitchen or you had great service, 15% would be good. $20 seems really on the ‘George’ side of the scale, but if I’m winning like a pig at the time Ii tend to share my good fortune with the employees.

gaattc2001 Apr-01-2019

If you can afford $100 plus for a buffet....

you can afford $25 plus for a tip. Wouldn't want to look like a piker.
Welcome to the new Las Vegas. Entertainment capitol of the world...plus tax and fee.

George Apr-01-2019

Buffet Tip

25% for a buffet by a member of the  LVA staff ? Must be a den of whales over there.

Question of the Day - 31 March 2019

Comments