Las Vegas Tipping Guide

Tipping is a big deal in Vegas. Las Vegas is a very service oriented city and is known for having great service. We expect it. �There are people offering services at every turn and, in return for good service, there's usually a tip involved. Everyone treats tipping differently, but here's a quick guide to get you prepared for tipping on your next vacation.

Bellmen: $1 per bag
Cigarette Girls: $1 per smoke
Cocktail Waitresses: $1 per drink
Dealers: There isn't a general rule to tip dealers. Periodically placing a bet equal to yours for the dealer while you're winning will suffice. If you're playing a "carnival" game like 3 Card Poker and hit a jackpot, you may choose to throw a chip or two back to the dealer each time.
Front Desk Attendants: If you're looking for a complimentary upgrade, $20 is a good place to start. Check out thetwentydollartrick.com�to learn more.
Hosts: Generally, tipping hosts is done by gift as most won't accept cash. If you know your host well, pick something that you know they'll enjoy, i.e. a specific type of wine or chocolates.
Maids: $2-$5 per day
Photo Ops: If you're taking a picture with a Transformer or Buzz Lightyear, the people in costume are going to expect a tip of at least $5.
Room Service: 15%-20%, if not included on the bill. If it's on the bill, a few extra bucks is nice for good service.
Slot Attendants: There's no typical tip here for when you win a jackpot, but something is expected. The amount will be different depending on the jackpot, but somewhere between 5-10% is usually considered a very good tip.
Taxi Drivers: Love 'em or hate 'em, taxi drivers are providing a service. 15% should be sufficient if they're not long hauling you.
Ticket Writers: These are the guys at the sportsbook that take and pay you on bets. Tipping philosophy seems split 50/50 when it comes to tipping on normal bets. If you win a huge bet, you'll probably want to thank them with a small percentage of the winnings.
Valet: $2 when dropping off and $2 when picking up.
Waiters/Waitresses: 15%-20% depending on the quality of service you receive.

This writer always gets singles when he cashes out at a casino to ensure that everyone providing good service gets a thank you. All of the tip amounts above are just guidelines so you know what your service providers are expecting. These aren't hard and fast rules because we know that tipping is a personal choice.

Comments (13)

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I usually tip $2-5 on the way out of valet but nothing on the way in. I've never had a problem but I imagine the person taking the vehicle isn't necessarily the person bringing it back. Something for e to think about...

Think they pool their tips by shift.

But dont forget to tip your Concierge! We work for y'all too!

I never tip the valet when dropping off because I know they make it up when delivering,but I've always felt guilty. Maybe I'll start giving a dollar on drop off.

Hosts: Always a good idea to get to know them just well enough to find out what they like. Sometimes a gift box from your home state is welcome and thoughtful. (Think Wisconsin and cheese).

If the host likes cigars, buy a few nice ones for them. (Tip: Do it in Las Vegas, otherwise the cigars will dry out and go bad between the time you buy them the time you give them to him). PS Even if the host does not like cigars, he knows clients who do.

Otherwise, absolutely... play it safe. Wine or a pen set or some other kind of rudimentary "executive" give is great.

Slot Attendants: A $5-10 (not percent) is PLENTY on anything up to $1000. They did not deal you the cards or help you play. The exception is if you are a regular video poker player at a bar (in a casino you visit often, or a local Las Vegas bar). THEN... 5-10% is kind of the norm. It will also insure that you are never short of of a drink for the next few months.

Valets: You are so correct... Tip when dropping off AND when retrieving. Especially if you are going to be using the same valet for a few days (for visitors), or you use it regularly (for locals). The do have a choice of how far away to park your car... or whose car to fetch first.

Good stuff!

Next time you folks do one of these you should include massage therapists on the list (like waiters/waitresses you should include a 15-20 percent tip). Most people don't realize that spa employees only receive a small percentage of the service fee and rely on tips for much of their total income.

Really? I hit for $10,365 at Monte Carlo a few months ago. Some guy showed up after almost 10 minutes to take my info. No way would I ever consider giving him $500-$1,000 just for taking my ID. I had 3 $20's in my pocket and he got that! $60.00 for 5 mins of paperwork.

That seems a bit low. I usually do $2/bag with a $5 minimum. And with valet, I usually do $5 on the way out. For maids, $5, and if I have a suite $5 plus whatever change I have accumulated during my trip on check-out.

15-20% seems a little heavy when they have just ripped you off for a bottle of wine why don't the restraunters just pay them a decent wage out of the wine mark up

Bellmen: I usually tip $10 when they drop the bags off in the room, so I'm way over for one or two bags...but I mention that I'll be expecting 'FastPass' if the taxi queue is heading back into the lobby.

Cigarette Girl: N/A as I'll have brought Duty Free with me.

Cocktail Waitresses: I usually tip $1 to $2, based on the cost of the drinks at the bar (you might get a '$1 Bud' at Casino Royale, but you won't at Encore).

Dealers: I prefer to tip after I've had a good win or leave the table - whenever I play a dealer bet I lose the next hand or 7 out!

Maids: $2 to $5 per day.

Room Service: Even if a tip's included in the bill I normally give $5.

Valet: $2 to $3 on leaving. Though, I've sometimes bought my way in for $10 when the 'Valet Full' sign is out.

No big surprise but I've found tipping the cocktail waitress at the slots $4-5 on the first drink and $1 on each drink after keeps them coming pretty quickly.

I use that same tactic when I'm in the mood to booze. That's also a good tactic at any of the video poker bars.

I've always wondered if you are tipping relevant to the cost price, or just for the service? I remember when I visited MGM a few years back and I was tipping $3 for a vodka coke, but the attitude on the waitress was terrible. Was that because I was under-tipping her? Vodka coke is a labour intensive drink to make? Or was she just having a bad day?

I really really hate being typically British (tipping in Britain thankfully is to represent good service and is never expected) BUT having just come back from Vegas I had a couple of problems with warming to tipping in certain situations.

Maids- I only ever tip a maid on our last day, if they've done a good job- and by good, I mean that even a satisfactory job means that the room needs to look good. "Good" for me means going above and beyond. We just stayed in the trump and the maids were sloppy- every day there things left in a mess. It hadn't occurred to me until reading this that our maid might have been protesting at the lack of tips... Needless to say with 10 nights' terrible quality servicing, I didn't tip.

Taxis- fine. I always tip well wherever in the world I am.

Valets- at the trump, there is no option to self park, so it's valet only, which is apparently included in the $28 daily resort fee. I can't say I even thought a tip was necessary until reading this! In this situation where I have to use the valet, is tipping still expected?

Waiters- when I was a kiddie, the standard tip was 10% across America. It rose to 15% and now 20% is not unreasonable. Now- with inflation taking care of the prices going up, I don't really get why the percentage has to go up too? It also seems bizarre that waiters in three restaurants can bring the same bottle of wine over, yet because some restaurants hike the prices, I have to tip more?!

Bar staff- I always tip well here too- although being honest it's only because I know that if you don't tip, you don't get served. If you do, you get double shots!

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