vpFREE2 Forums

Top Ten Casino Annoyances...

#1

3.2. Re: Top Ten Casino Annoyances...
Posted by: "Louis Mogol" LouMogol@webtv.net loumogol2001
Date: Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:23 am ((PDT))

$1 tip for a diet coke is obviously excessive. If the cost was $2, then even a
20% tip would be 40 cents. I think a .50 tip would be about right.

If a cocktail waitress served only 50 drinks per hour, and got $50, THEN SHE
WOULD earn $2,000 per 40 hour week (in addition to her salary). This comes out
to over $100,000 per year. How many firemen or teachers earn this kind of money?
I'm convinced that casino tipping etiquette rules are written by casino
employees.

I know this is all a matter of personal preference, but in my opinion...

There's a difference between ordering a $1 or $2 drink at a soda fountain and having someone serve it to you, and ordering a drink from someone who has to walk back to the bar, and then carry it out to you wherever you are in the casino (with the hope that you haven't decided to move or leave in the time it takes to get back) -- having something brought to you in the middle of the casino should be rewarded by the value to you of not having to go somewhere to get a drink yourself (ignoring that if you went yourself, you'd probably also need to pay for it). To me, that's worth $1.

Personally, I don't even carry change anymore, so $1 is always my minimum tip for most anything.

I know the cocktail waitresses often carry a large tray of drinks, but I would be amazed if any of them can serve 50 customers per hour -- if they can do that, they deserve the high income, because they are at the top of their field. And don't forget the large number of patrons who don't understand tipping at all and therefore don't tip at all (many of them have posted on this list), probably because they've never spent a day working in a service job that pays less than minimum wage and depends on tips, and even if they have, probably have not relied on such a job to pay their rent and feed their family.

Note: none of this means that teachers are adequately paid; they are not. Firemen are more difficult to judge -- on the one hand, they spend a lot of their time waiting for something to happen, and on the other hand, when something does happen, the service they then provide is so valuable that it's almost meaningless to assign a figure to it.

On the other hand, any VP players that are making $10-20 per hour - or more - for what in fact is a pretty straightforward "skill" are probably overpaid. Unless, of course, you recall (and I certainly do!!!) the amount of capital they need to "invest" in order to be able to exercise that skill, and the risk involved in that investment; then, that too becomes reasonable compensation for what they do.

--BG

···

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#2

There's a difference between ordering a $1 or $2 drink at a soda fountain and having someone serve it to you, and ordering a drink from someone who has to walk back to the bar, and then carry it out to you wherever you are in the casino (with the hope that you haven't decided to move or leave in the time it takes to get back) -- having something brought to you in the middle of the casino should be rewarded by the value to you of not having to go somewhere to get a drink yourself (ignoring that if you went yourself, you'd probably also need to pay for it). To me, that's worth $1.

Does that mean that when you order a drink at a bar, you don't tip?

Personally, I don't even carry change anymore, so $1 is always my minimum tip for most anything.

I know the cocktail waitresses often carry a large tray of drinks, but I would be amazed if any of them can serve 50 customers per hour -- if they can do that, they deserve the high income, because they are at the top of their field. And don't forget the large number of patrons who don't understand tipping at all and therefore don't tip at all (many of them have posted on this list), probably because they've never spent a day working in a service job that pays less than minimum wage and depends on tips, and even if they have, probably have not relied on such a job to pay their rent and feed their family.

There are billions of people who need money more than anyone who has a
job in the United States. My impression is that the non-tippers
aren't that much of a problem. I don't watch very carefully, but
almost everyone I see order a drink tips at least $1. I think the
bottom line of my aversion to tipping is that I associate it with
corruption. Just as a politician who buys votes to get elected does,
tippers are trying to buy special service which is extraneous to the
business agreement they've made. They've caused what is represented
as optional to be regarded as obligatory, which motivates casino
employees to betray their employers by providing better service to
tippers than to non-tippers. If cocktail waitresses will starve
without tips, maybe casinos should pay them more, charge for drinks,
and discourage, if not ban, tipping. If cocktail waitresses are
actually independent contractors, they shouldn't be represented as
employees of the casino. It's the duplicity that I object to.

Note: none of this means that teachers are adequately paid; they are not. Firemen are more difficult to judge -- on the one hand, they spend a lot of their time waiting for something to happen, and on the other hand, when something does happen, the service they then provide is so valuable that it's almost meaningless to assign a figure to it.

I believe that people who risk their lives for others for either
idealistic motives or because they are legally required to do so, such
as soldiers and firefighters, should get paid as if they were purely
mercenary. It's generally felt that society owes such people. Why
not pay the debt?

On the other hand, any VP players that are making $10-20 per hour - or more - for what in fact is a pretty straightforward "skill" are probably overpaid. Unless, of course, you recall (and I certainly do!!!) the amount of capital they need to "invest" in order to be able to exercise that skill, and the risk involved in that investment; then, that too becomes reasonable compensation for what they do.

--BG

================

For what and by whom should a professional gambler be compensated?

#3

I apologize for posting something like this before on a different thread. And you guys will tell me to use an iPod or earplugs. I'm just hoping that casino management will consider my complaint, because they monitor this board. If enough folks agree with me, maybe something will change.

Why don't casinos shut off the canned background music when live bands play within earshot of players in the casino?

I would really enjoy hearing live music while I play video poker, but it is painful to hear two different songs in two different keys being played simultaneously.

Vegas offers some wonderful live music for free in places you would not expect. I would think that casinos would want me out on the floor playing, rather than fleeing from this horrifying cacophony.

#4

Barry said, "And don't forget the large number of patrons who
don't understand tipping at all and therefore don't tip at all
(many of them have posted on this list)...."

I could not find any posts in this group from anyone who claims
that they do not tip cocktail waitresses (let alone "many" posts).

···

On 6/28/09, Barry Glazer <b.glazer@att.net> wrote:

I know this is all a matter of personal preference, but in my opinion...

There's a difference between ordering a $1 or $2 drink at a soda fountain
and having someone serve it to you, and ordering a drink from someone who
has to walk back to the bar, and then carry it out to you wherever you are
in the casino (with the hope that you haven't decided to move or leave in
the time it takes to get back) -- having something brought to you in the
middle of the casino should be rewarded by the value to you of not having to
go somewhere to get a drink yourself (ignoring that if you went yourself,
you'd probably also need to pay for it). To me, that's worth $1.

Personally, I don't even carry change anymore, so $1 is always my minimum
tip for most anything.

I know the cocktail waitresses often carry a large tray of drinks, but I
would be amazed if any of them can serve 50 customers per hour -- if they
can do that, they deserve the high income, because they are at the top of
their field. And don't forget the large number of patrons who don't
understand tipping at all and therefore don't tip at all (many of them have
posted on this list), probably because they've never spent a day working in
a service job that pays less than minimum wage and depends on tips, and even
if they have, probably have not relied on such a job to pay their rent and
feed their family.

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