Tipping in Vegas. Still a bit confused on a few?

Question

So I like to think of myself as a pretty decent tipper. 17% regular restaurants, 20% better. Usually about $2/drink my bartender.

But in Vegas I know the anty is upped so...

Q?

Bartender in a club (bigger one like LAX, Tryst & prive) How much? Esp if they are 'hooking you up' I was thinking along lines of $5 first round then what? $1/drink or? Leave $20 or so end of night?

*Note to keep in mind* This isn't a large group or even guys. It's just for my friend and self and we are two rather good looking girls so...I'm sure drinks will be purchased for us as well. Esp. @ the one club guy I know is a bottle host and his wife is a bartender. He made mention she could 'hook us up' drink wise so....Depending on how good, not sure how much tip to leave her.

Another Q? with much debate is the maid/housekeeping. I've heard from $2/day to $5. And do I leave it daily or @ end of stay? Daily does make more sense as you may not have same maid each day... But again how much? Staying @ MGM so it's a nicer place.

Think I've got all the others covered:

$2/person Buffet

$1-2/bag Bellman

$2/drink Cocktail waitress -$5 first round

Not planning on doing much gambling and no valet so... But how 'bout guy who hails taxi for you? I've given few bucks but? Custom how much?

Answer 1

Its very hard all thsi tipping when coming from the UK as this is not part of our culture but this should tell you all you need to know http://vegasuncovered.wordpress.com/2008...

Answer 2

Sounds like you got is down pretty good. Housekeeping is better daily because you get a different person each day and leave the amount to equal the amount of work. If you have a messy room then the higher amount. If it is just a straighten up then the lower amount. If you leave it at the end of the stay, it might be a person who is doing your room just that day and not the others. They do not share in a pool at most places. Plus several housekeeping supervisors have been caught and dismissed for checking the room first and taking the tip that you left for the person actually cleaning the room.

For hailing a cab. Well most now adays here the cabs are lined up at the hotel just waiting for a fare. A buck for them to open the door for you is enough.  

Answer 3

Housekeeping-----stayed in  Ballys recently and housekeeping now leave you a little envelope to leave your daily tip in .Just pop a couple of dollars a day in toiletries  

Answer 4

As a local, we give the cocktail $1 or the bartender, but then we don't go to the overpriced "clubs."

At the buffet we tip $1 each for breakfast and lunch, $2 for dinner

At a restaurant we tip 15% unless exception or we are a repeat customer of that server

When staying at a hotel, we tip $1 per person per at the end of the stay if the room is clean, etc.

And yes the bags are $2 a big, $1 a small, but we always carry our own

The guy who hails the cab, like the valet, give him $2

Tipping is not an exact science in Vegas, just part of the expected culture.  However, we do NOT tip at a fast food restaurant even if there is a tip jar.

Answer 5

BARTENDER

I think you are pretty accurate in the bartender tipping, but I wouldn't leave a $20 at the end of the night unless you are running up a tab.  If you do open a tab, you could just take your total at the end of the night and add 20%, but that's risky since the bartender doesn't know from one drink to the next what kind of tip they are going to be getting.  If you are paying for each drink individually, $5 for the first round is good just so they know you are going to take care of them, and then $1-$2 per drink after that depending on how much they hooked you up.  For your friend's wife, I would say give her the $5 and then definitely $2 a drink after that.

HOUSEKEEPING

I thought it would be better to tip every day also, but apparently they prefer you to tip $2-$3 per day at the end of your stay.  We usually just leave it on the dresser when we leave.  I guess there is one main housekeeper that takes care of our room because we get a welcome card with her name on it when we first arrive in the room.  I don't think it really matters what hotel you stay at for the tipping standards, they are all pretty much the same.

As far as the people who hail the taxi, I would say to tip them around the same as you would tip a valet.  The standard for that is $1-$2, if everybody who needed a taxi tipped that guy $2, he would make out pretty good at the end of the night.  This website says the same, "Doorman hailing taxi $1-2"

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story....

Enjoy your trip, I'll be there on Monday!