I appreciate the input re: tipping after a jackpot. In general, I agree with Barry Glazer's points.
I'm usually a fairly generous tipper for services I receive.
Tipping for drinks: I always keep something liquid near me while playing bartops, and always tip a minimum of $1 per drink - sometimes a little more if the bartender is particularly attentive or helpful. When I've hit jackpots, the system automatically sends a call for a hand pay person, and the bartender has no role in the process. Even if s/he had to call the hand pay person, I'd see that role as inconsequential, and not warranting a tip resulting from the jackpot. I may (and sometimes have) leave a little larger tip when I leave the machine if I'm feeling particularly good about the jackpot, but it honestly doesn't even occur to me to tip the bartender for a jackpot hand pay, since no extra service was received.
Hand pay people: I just got back from Reno and had a bit of experience with that. When I hit a royal on a $ machine, I tipped the hand pay people $30. I think $20 would be enough but I had hit four deuces three times prior. SOME (not all) machines at the Atlantis (including the Sports Bar machines) require a hand pay for $1,000 jackpots. While hand pay is necessary for jackpots over $1200 in order to complete and "serve" a W-2G, I can see no reason for requiring a hand pay on a quad deuce $1000 hit - other than to create an artificial opportunity for tips for the hand pay people. I therefore did not give the hand pay people tips for any of the hand pays on deuces. I felt guilty, but I think it's wrong to reinforce this kind of artificial opportunity for tips.
Bob in San Antonio