vpFREE2 Forums

LVA Question of the Day - 9 MAY 2008

#1

I don't see it the same as you do. I believe that tips are a part of casino employees income not charity.
I do not mind tipping casino employees on hand pays (generally 1%) and beleive that my tips are appreciated.

···

----- Original Message ----
From: Cogno Scienti <cognoscienti@gmail.com>
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 2:57:22 PM
Subject: RE: [vpFREE] LVA Question of the Day - 9 MAY 2008

<<Maybe tipping for no reason is a sign of class, because everyone knows
that the people who are the recipient of the tips are paid very little. It
is generally known that tips are a portion of their wages.>>

I can think of about a billion people more deserving of charity than casino
employees.

Cogno

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

<<I don't see it the same as you do. I believe that tips are a part of
casino employees income not charity.
I do not mind tipping casino employees on hand pays (generally 1%) and
beleive that my tips are appreciated.>>

A lot of people share your viewpoint, and I'm happy they do. The less the
casinos have to spend to pay their workers, the more they can spend on me.
But I think it's nuts to hand over $1000 on a $100,000 royal just because
they appreciate it. And the $20 I would be happy to tip is received with
scorn. So I don't tip.
Cogno

#3

I sure hope you are not a las vegas local, because with an attitude
like yours, we are all in trouble. It is people like you that give the
term "advantage player" a bad name. When you treat the staff in a
casino badly, you are headed for the door.

A lot of people share your viewpoint, and I'm happy they do. The less

the

casinos have to spend to pay their workers, the more they can spend

on me.

But I think it's nuts to hand over $1000 on a $100,000 royal just

because

they appreciate it. And the $20 I would be happy to tip is received

with

···

scorn. So I don't tip.
Cogno

#4

You are way off base with your post, "bdhabm".

Cogno and every one of us can tip as we see fit. It's a private matter
between the customer and the casino employees.

It's our business, it's our money and YOU are not gonna pull some
social conscience b.s. into the discussion.

Our individual tipping habits have NO affect on other's service or
reputation. To say AP's or locals are an identified group by a
collective of wait-staff is ridiculous.

Not that anyone will change their tipping habits based on your weak post.

Care to elaborate the scenario how not tipping is going to get someone
booted out ("headed for the door")? Tip police?

Threads about tipping usually deteriorate rapidly anyways, the only
valuable part is seeing what others do. When folks start making
judgements is when the thread falls apart.

I got railed once for a trip report post which admitted to occasional
Over-tipping! The railer said I was setting the expectation bar too
high for the rest of the players. Sheesh!

~MARK
(who would normally never join a thread like this...)

--- "bdhabm" wrote:

···

I sure hope you are not a las vegas local, because with an attitude
like yours, we are all in trouble. It is people like you that give the
term "advantage player" a bad name. When you treat the staff in a
casino badly, you are headed for the door.
>
> A lot of people share your viewpoint, and I'm happy they do. The less
the
> casinos have to spend to pay their workers, the more they can spend
on me.
> But I think it's nuts to hand over $1000 on a $100,000 royal just
because
> they appreciate it. And the $20 I would be happy to tip is received
with
> scorn. So I don't tip.
> Cogno
>

#5

<<I sure hope you are not a las vegas local, because with an attitude
like yours, we are all in trouble. It is people like you that give the
term "advantage player" a bad name. When you treat the staff in a
casino badly, you are headed for the door.>>

I actually know of one big, losing player who was kicked out for treating
the staff badly. He was a big tipper, but had rage problems and cussed out a
female executive, so they 86ed him.

No big player is ever kicked out for not tipping slot attendants. What you
get kicked out for is winning.

Cogno

#6

"Puh-leez! Not tipping for no reason is by no means
treating casino staff 'badly.' I am not treating a person
'badly' if I don't tip them just because they happen to
be in the area when I hit a jackpot. If that were true,
the casinos would be filled with employees who are
treated 'badly' because you can't tip every employee
in the casino after every jackpot you hit.

Karen's story about tipping a cocktail waitress just because
the waitress brightens that corner of the room is a great
example of tipping FOR a reason (as opposed to tipping
for NO reason).

As I've said before, I am not against tipping at all. But,
I only tip if the employee did something for me. Like, a
craps dealer who reminds me to place my odds bet, for
example. Or, a slot tech who helps be find a particular
machine that I'm looking for. I've even tipped a change
lady when she pointed out that my players card was not
registering on the machine I was playing.

But, tipping someone just because they happened to be
in my area of the casino when I hit a jackpot? Nope.

I'm not putting down anyone who DOES tip for no reason.
If that makes them feel good, then they should do it.
But, I don't think that these people who tip for no reason
have any more 'class' than the people who don not tip for
no reason.

···

On 5/12/08, bdhabm <bdhabm@yahoo.com> wrote:

I sure hope you are not a las vegas local, because with an attitude
like yours, we are all in trouble. It is people like you that give the
term "advantage player" a bad name. When you treat the staff in a
casino badly, you are headed for the door.

On 5/12/08, krallison416@aol.com <krallison416@aol.com> wrote:

Well, no tip of mine has ever been received with scorn. When I Royal,
I do tip the cashiers since no one comes to pay me at my 25 cent
level in most casinos. I did well all week at Rampart and handed the
cocktail waitress $5 last night. She started to make change until I
explained it was all for her, 'just because you brighten this corner of
the
room," which truly she does. I got a really nice thank-you which is my
usual experience all over this city.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#7

This has been beaten to death but I am going to chime in here. I was in Las Vegas 2 weeks ago with a group of friends at The Mirage. A friend of mine hit a Royal on the first night and was paid by a ticket from the machine. I hit the first Royal of my life on the last night of the trip on virtualy the same bank of machines but it was a different game. Instead of being paid with a ticket A lady came over to pay me my $1,000 and I did not tip her.

Does my friend lack class because he didnt tip anybody because he was paid with a ticket? Of course the answer is no. Do I lack class for choosing not to tip somebody who did nothing at all except walk 20 feet and hand me money? Once again the answer is no. I am more then generous to charities and waitresses and cab drivers and anybody else who provides some kind of service to me. When I was losing on every machine I played for 3 days did that employee do anything for me to make my life better or cheer me up? Why should I possibly give them money just because I happened to get lucky and won in the casino they happen to work at?

Sometimes I think people throw around big tips because of how they think it makes them look to everybody else not because they are actually a nice person

Steve
Michigan

#8

I agree, Steve. But, if over-tipping makes someone feel
good about themself, I don't see any harm in it. Don't we
all do things that make us feel better about ourselves?

However, I do have a problem when these same over-
tippers claim that they have 'class' when others do not.
Their tipping for no reason does not make them any
classier than the rest of us.

···

On 5/12/08, steve84 <steve84@flash.net> wrote:

Sometimes I think people throw around big tips because
of how they think it makes them look to everybody else
not because they are actually a nice person

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#9

I could not have said it any better than that!

steve84 wrote:

This has been beaten to death but I am going to chime in here. I was in
Las Vegas 2 weeks ago with a group of friends at The Mirage. A friend
of mine hit a Royal on the first night and was paid by a ticket from the
machine. I hit the first Royal of my life on the last night of the trip
on virtualy the same bank of machines but it was a different game.
Instead of being paid with a ticket A lady came over to pay me my $1,000
and I did not tip her.

Does my friend lack class because he didnt tip anybody because he was
paid with a ticket? Of course the answer is no. Do I lack class for
choosing not to tip somebody who did nothing at all except walk 20 feet
and hand me money? Once again the answer is no. I am more then
generous to charities and waitresses and cab drivers and anybody else
who provides some kind of service to me. When I was losing on every
machine I played for 3 days did that employee do anything for me to make
my life better or cheer me up? Why should I possibly give them money
just because I happened to get lucky and won in the casino they happen
to work at?

Sometimes I think people throw around big tips because of how they think
it makes them look to everybody else not because they are actually a
nice person

#10

MARK:

Our individual tipping habits have NO affect on other's service or
reputation. To say AP's or locals are an identified group by a
collective of wait-staff is ridiculous.

Not necessarily. If most of any group, such as APs, don't tip, then
any member of that group whom casino employees don't know will be
expected to not tip and be treated accordingly. Until individuals'
tipping habits are known, casino employees can only lump them into
what groups they seem to be in, which could be based on all kinds of
factors, such as how they dress, whether they have strategy sheets,
how fast they play, whether they put their legs up in between machines
the way many APs do, etc. Until they're identified as such,
non-tippers get a free ride from the service that casino employees
give them that's based on what the average player tips.

#11

Hello all -
I am a server at the Palms and was present at the first two Megabucks wins there. The first winner (not a local) was served drinks by another server I worked with. This server did receive a $100 tip for the drinks and was grateful. I am also aware of another time that this winner had come back on another trip and did tip the bartender for their drinks (nothing extraordinary).

The second winner was a local at our casino and I personally had known him for over a year. During the excitement of waiting for the win verification, I served him twice without receiving a tip. This occurs with servers on a regular basis. I was okay with that and was really happy for the person. He did come back about two weeks later and gave me $100 tip. I was grateful. After that he really did not come back to play at the Palms very much and I have not seen him in about 2 years. He did say that his own personal family was asking him for a lot of his newly won money, so I can imagine the amount of pressure winners are under from others once their name becomes public.

In these 3 cases, the winner does not wait the entire time up at the floor, they are taken to another room where they can relax and wait. With this third winner, the server had not received a tip as of 4 days ago. This cerrtainly is not indicative that she will never receive one, however she can only wait and see.

I do not know if the slot attendants were given any tip.
Regards,
Marcela

···

----- Original Message -----
  From: Luke Fuller
  To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 4:12 PM
  Subject: Re: [vpFREE] LVA Question of the Day - 9 MAY 2008

  "Puh-leez! Not tipping for no reason is by no means
  treating casino staff 'badly.' I am not treating a person
  'badly' if I don't tip them just because they happen to
  be in the area when I hit a jackpot. If that were true,
  the casinos would be filled with employees who are
  treated 'badly' because you can't tip every employee
  in the casino after every jackpot you hit.

  Karen's story about tipping a cocktail waitress just because
  the waitress brightens that corner of the room is a great
  example of tipping FOR a reason (as opposed to tipping
  for NO reason).

  As I've said before, I am not against tipping at all. But,
  I only tip if the employee did something for me. Like, a
  craps dealer who reminds me to place my odds bet, for
  example. Or, a slot tech who helps be find a particular
  machine that I'm looking for. I've even tipped a change
  lady when she pointed out that my players card was not
  registering on the machine I was playing.

  But, tipping someone just because they happened to be
  in my area of the casino when I hit a jackpot? Nope.

  I'm not putting down anyone who DOES tip for no reason.
  If that makes them feel good, then they should do it.
  But, I don't think that these people who tip for no reason
  have any more 'class' than the people who don not tip for
  no reason.

  On 5/12/08, bdhabm <bdhabm@yahoo.com> wrote:
  >
  > I sure hope you are not a las vegas local, because with an attitude
  > like yours, we are all in trouble. It is people like you that give the
  > term "advantage player" a bad name. When you treat the staff in a
  > casino badly, you are headed for the door.

  On 5/12/08, krallison416@aol.com <krallison416@aol.com> wrote:
  >
  > Well, no tip of mine has ever been received with scorn. When I Royal,
  > I do tip the cashiers since no one comes to pay me at my 25 cent
  > level in most casinos. I did well all week at Rampart and handed the
  > cocktail waitress $5 last night. She started to make change until I
  > explained it was all for her, 'just because you brighten this corner of
  > the
  > room," which truly she does. I got a really nice thank-you which is my
  > usual experience all over this city.

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#12

Megabucks wins there.

<snip rest about past winners and how they tipped the servers>

I have been appalled by servers/slot attendants/etc who comment about
who tips them or doesn't tip them and how much. How much a person
chooses to tip is an individual decision. If tips are supposed to be
mandatory then I think it should be taken automatically or added into
the cost of the item or reduced from a jackpot, and that's that. And
quite frankly, I don't think that information on who tips what should
be shared by a casino employee with the public. When I hear employees
commenting that so-and-so didn't tip them or even that so-and-so left
a huge tip, it makes me not want to tip at all. I actually like the
idea of giving someone an envelope where they can deposit a tip later
and anonymously - at least for jackpots.

As an example with me, I tipped $80 on an $8K jackpot once. Later
that day I heard the employee discussing my tip with another employee
and the other employee commented on how cheap that was and how they
would tip at least $1K there. I am sure the first employee did not
know I was within earshot. But I was, as were other casino patrons.
If an $80 tip isn't appreciated for a few minutes worth of work, then
I am perfectly fine not tipping at all.

But to me, posting how a jackpot winner tips on a public forum such as
this should be grounds for termination, IMO.

Sammy

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Mopar Man" <moparman4@...> wrote:

Hello all -
I am a server at the Palms and was present at the first two

#13

ev_junkie wrote:

But to me, posting how a jackpot winner tips on a public forum such as
this should be grounds for termination, IMO.

Speaking just for myself, I appreciated Marcella's post. It gave
interesting insight into just how mega-winners tip on their wins. In
any case, there was no harm that could be possibly be cited.

- H.

#14

ev_junkie wrote:

But to me, posting how a jackpot winner tips on a public forum such as
this should be grounds for termination, IMO.

Speaking just for myself, I appreciated Marcella's post. It gave
interesting insight into just how mega-winners tip on their wins. In
any case, there was no harm that could be possibly be cited.

- H.

Wasn't it in response to Brian's post saying the Megabucks winners never
tipped anything there? She perhaps was explaining? Sheesh, people, lighten
up!

Scot

···

-----Original Message-----
From: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vpF…@…com]On Behalf Of
Harry Porter
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 1:04 PM
To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: LVA Question of the Day - 9 MAY 2008

#15

But to me, posting how a jackpot winner tips on a public
forum such as
this should be grounds for termination, IMO.

Sammy

···

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought it was a great story on the Megabucks winners. I'm glad he was willing to share it with everyone. I guess if you want to remain anonymous meabe you should hang around a public place like a casino?

JW

#16

It seems that within the industry, the identity of stiffs and georges is
quite a popular topic of private conversation.

I have to say, some of the most fascinating tales I've heard since moving
out here have been about the tipping behavior (or lack thereof) among
certain well-known individuals. The biggest offenders, unsurprisingly, seem
to be professional athletes and the partied-out celebutards who work the
"special guest host" nightclub circuit. Here's the best story I've heard to
date, redacted for privacy.

One former NFL superstar valeted his car with an attendant who was a big
fan. The valet respectfully told the player how much he enjoyed watching
him play and assured him he'd take good care of his car. He even took the
car down the street on his break and had it washed. When the athlete
returned to pick up his car, the valet once again told him what an honor it
was to meet him and that his car was clean and ready. The athlete got into
the car without so much as acknowledging, thanking or even making eye
contact with the valet. The valet felt personally hurt and not just
stiffed, and inquired as to whether the player might have simply forgotten
his gratuity. The player responded, "You got to drive my car. That's your
MFin' tip."

···

On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 1:03 PM, Harry Porter <harry.porter@verizon.net> wrote:

  ev_junkie wrote:
> But to me, posting how a jackpot winner tips on a public forum such as
> this should be grounds for termination, IMO.

Speaking just for myself, I appreciated Marcella's post. It gave
interesting insight into just how mega-winners tip on their wins. In
any case, there was no harm that could be possibly be cited.

Jay Fenster
Open Road Publishing
* * *
Author, Open Road's Best of Las Vegas

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#17

Brian described the person who tipped nothing after
winning the most recent Megabucks jackpot as a
"woman with absolutely no class."

Brian continued, "Worse yet, all three Megabucks
winners at the Palms have not tipped. I am completely
at a loss to understand it."

Maybe, after all of the posts in this thread, Brian is no
longer completely "at a loss" to understand it. Maybe,
he has gained some insight that he did not have before?

···

On 5/14/08, Scot Krause <krauseinvegas@cox.net> wrote:

Wasn't it in response to Brian's post saying the Megabucks
winners never tipped anything there? She perhaps was
explaining? Sheesh, people, lighten up!

Scot

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#18

It seems that within the industry, the identity of stiffs and

georges is

quite a popular topic of private conversation.

I have to say, some of the most fascinating tales I've heard since

moving

out here have been about the tipping behavior (or lack thereof)

among

certain well-known individuals. The biggest offenders,

unsurprisingly, seem

to be professional athletes and the partied-out celebutards who

work the

"special guest host" nightclub circuit. Here's the best story I've

heard to

date, redacted for privacy.

One former NFL superstar valeted his car with an attendant who was

a big

fan. The valet respectfully told the player how much he enjoyed

watching

him play and assured him he'd take good care of his car. He even

took the

car down the street on his break and had it washed. When the

athlete

returned to pick up his car, the valet once again told him what an

honor it

was to meet him and that his car was clean and ready. The athlete

got into

the car without so much as acknowledging, thanking or even making

eye

contact with the valet. The valet felt personally hurt and not just
stiffed, and inquired as to whether the player might have simply

forgotten

his gratuity. The player responded, "You got to drive my car.

That's your

MFin' tip."

> ev_junkie wrote:
> > But to me, posting how a jackpot winner tips on a public forum

such as

> > this should be grounds for termination, IMO.
>
> Speaking just for myself, I appreciated Marcella's post. It gave
> interesting insight into just how mega-winners tip on their wins.

In

> any case, there was no harm that could be possibly be cited.
>
>

Jay Fenster
Open Road Publishing
* * *
Author, Open Road's Best of Las Vegas

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have to agree with the athlete on this one. What would have
happened if the valet had an accident or the car wash had damaged his
vehicle? I for one do not use valet cause I wouldn't want someone
else to drive my car. He had unauthorized use of a patron's vehicle
and should have been terminated for his actions.

GimmeaQuad

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jay Fenster" <gambling@...> wrote:

On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 1:03 PM, Harry Porter <harry.porter@...> > wrote:

#19

You overheard that they expected $1,000 tip on an $8,000 royal? They have to share that with the other employees anyway and it is reporteable income, who is kidding who, were they serious? I think your $80 tip was generous. In the same situation I would probably have given about $50 but who knows, have yet to get an $8,000 royal.

Hello all -
I am a server at the Palms and was present at the first two

Megabucks wins there.

<snip rest about past winners and how they tipped the servers>

I have been appalled by servers/slot attendants/etc who comment about
who tips them or doesn't tip them and how much. How much a person
chooses to tip is an individual decision. If tips are supposed to be
mandatory then I think it should be taken automatically or added into
the cost of the item or reduced from a jackpot, and that's that. And
quite frankly, I don't think that information on who tips what should
be shared by a casino employee with the public. When I hear employees
commenting that so-and-so didn't tip them or even that so-and-so left
a huge tip, it makes me not want to tip at all. I actually like the
idea of giving someone an envelope where they can deposit a tip later
and anonymously - at least for jackpots.

As an example with me, I tipped $80 on an $8K jackpot once. Later
that day I heard the employee discussing my tip with another employee
and the other employee commented on how cheap that was and how they
would tip at least $1K there. I am sure the first employee did not
know I was within earshot. But I was, as were other casino patrons.
If an $80 tip isn't appreciated for a few minutes worth of work, then
I am perfectly fine not tipping at all.

But to me, posting how a jackpot winner tips on a public forum such as
this should be grounds for termination, IMO.

Sammy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

···

ev_junkie <ev_junkie@yahoo.com> wrote: --- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Mopar Man" <moparman4@...> wrote:

#20

Interesting post. If the floor person paid you the Royal he or she is not at minimum wage but if it was a change person, that person is probably at close to minimum wage and tips are part of their income. As to the taxi drivers, assuming they don;t rip you off by taking the airport tunnel, they get a flag drop of $3.30 which keeps going up, never down, and being that th e cost of gas in reality affects less than 1/5 of the fare, I wonder about tipping them very much on the rare time I might use them. Also, are they reporting these tips as income as they should. At least in the casinos everything is on the books as tips are often shared and any employee holding back would be terminated.

stardustrio2001 <denbalog@aol.com> wrote: I could not have said it any better than that!

steve84 wrote:

This has been beaten to death but I am going to chime in here. I was in
Las Vegas 2 weeks ago with a group of friends at The Mirage. A friend
of mine hit a Royal on the first night and was paid by a ticket from the
machine. I hit the first Royal of my life on the last night of the trip
on virtualy the same bank of machines but it was a different game.
Instead of being paid with a ticket A lady came over to pay me my $1,000
and I did not tip her.

Does my friend lack class because he didnt tip anybody because he was
paid with a ticket? Of course the answer is no. Do I lack class for
choosing not to tip somebody who did nothing at all except walk 20 feet
and hand me money? Once again the answer is no. I am more then
generous to charities and waitresses and cab drivers and anybody else
who provides some kind of service to me. When I was losing on every
machine I played for 3 days did that employee do anything for me to make
my life better or cheer me up? Why should I possibly give them money
just because I happened to get lucky and won in the casino they happen
to work at?

Sometimes I think people throw around big tips because of how they think
it makes them look to everybody else not because they are actually a
nice person

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]