Las Vegas Tipping Guide

One of the more confusing (and for some, frustrating or rage-inducing) aspects of a Vegas trip for first-time visitors—especially those from outside the US—is the expectations and processes around tipping.

I get it.

“Tipping has gone crazy!”

“I shouldn’t have to pay their salaries.”

“What did they do to deserve it?!?”

Blah blah.

We deal with realities here at Strip Stumble, and tipping is part of the cost of going out to dinner, getting a drink, taking a ride, and more. Accept it, plan for it, and don’t let it negatively impact your trip.

I put tipping into the same category as resort fees. It’s simply another way of getting to your total cost. There’s no value in getting spun up about it, worrying about it, or trying to change the system by taking it out on your waitress.

For all you economists out there: if tips went away, do you actually think anything would be cheaper?

You can, of course, tip based on the quality of service—but always be reasonable in your expectations. Go in assuming you will tip well for excellent service. Look for reasons to tip more than you expected rather than nitpicking reasons to penalize the staff.

Before I break down the different tipping scenarios, one general point: be sure to have cash—and specifically small bills—readily available in Vegas. Good thing I wrote a blog about that already.

When you pay for food or drinks with a credit card, you’ll be prompted for a tip either on screen or with a tip line on the receipt. However, there are situations—like while you’re gambling or dealing with bell staff—where you’ll be expected to tip without purchasing anything & will need cash.

It is a violation of Strip Stumble Statute #22 to ask for change while tipping.

Transportation

“Welcome to Las Vegas!” You’re off the plane and ready to get your Stumble started. Hopefully, you already have a plan to get to your hotel transportation-wise based on our super helpful infographic and blog.

Making a stop

Taxi, ride-share, and limo drivers will often offer to take you to specific places for alcohol or dispensaries if you ask. The meter will run, and you’ll be charged while you’re in the store.

If you go where the driver suggested, they’re likely getting a kickback from the store. Regardless, that stop saves you time and money and deserves a few extra bucks.

Luggage assistance

Most drivers will offer to help with a bag or two, which is assumed in the tip. If you have large or heavy items, a little more is justified.

Taxi flat rate from airport

Going from the airport to Strip there is flat rate taxi pricing so you can anticipate your tip in advance. There is a map in the blog covering all options to get from airport to the Strip where you can see price to your specific hotel.

If your taxi driver tries to charge you more than the flat rate to your Strip hotel (does not apply to Downtown) speak up politely that you are aware of the flat rates. If the problem persists, take note of the taxi company and number & file a complaint with the taxi authority as soon as possible.

Payment

• You can pay and tip your taxi driver in cash or by card at the end of your trip. There’s an extra $3 fee if you use a card.

• Ride shares allow tipping via the app as usual.

  
  

• If you take a Zook, there is no one to tip.

More Notes

• If you take a taxi from a hotel during your stay, there’s often a valet calling up the taxi and opening the door for you. I suggest tipping at least $1–$2.

  
  

• Be sure to tip your driver even if the casino sent the car for you.

At Your Hotel

Tipping at a Las Vegas hotel isn’t significantly different from any other hotel in the US.

Be sure to tip housekeeping every time they clean your room so the crew who actually cleans gets the tip.

Personally, I’ve never tipped at check-in. I don’t try for upgrades, and I’ve avoided check-in desks by using kiosks for years. For those unfamiliar, there’s a Vegas “$20 Trick” that involves tipping the check-in clerk $20 in hopes of a free upgrade—but that was 20 years ago.

Just book the room you want, use online check in and get to your room.

Some people prefer to tip for holding bags and at the valet both at drop-off and pick-up. The idea is that tipping upfront helps ensure your stuff is taken care of. I don't have a strong opinion on this, but generally I just tip at retrieval.

Food & Drink

Tipping for meals and drinks in Vegas also isn’t much different from going out anywhere else in the United States.

Sit-down meals

For a waiter- or waitress-served meal, 15% of the pre-tax total is considered the minimum tip. From there, you can be more generous based on service, mood, gambling karma, etc.

If your service is poor, we suggest still tipping the minimum and speaking with a manager. Very often, service issues aren’t your server’s fault, and withholding a tip may punish them for someone else’s mistake.

Counter service

There’s so much variety in counter service in Vegas that it’s tough to give a firm range.

If you’re just grabbing a coffee or fast food, feel free to tip $1—or not. It’s not required. Despite appearances, there’s always a way to select $0 or “No Tip.”

If the worker was especially nice, if you placed a large or complex order, or if you just feel like it, tip a couple bucks.

Buffets

Buffets are another tricky one due to the wide range of service levels.

At most buffets, servers bring drinks to your table and clear dirty dishes. If all they do is bring you a soda and clear a couple plates, $5 per person works.

If you’re drinking bottomless mimosas like Vegas Valuations and they’re bringing over a carafe every 15 minutes, a more generous tip is appropriate.

Drinks at a bar

Nothing unique here. If you walk up to a bar or sit for a bit, it’s customary to tip a couple bucks or more.

Drinking While Gambling

This is the most unique part for most visitors with many folks looking forward to their "free drinks" while in the casinos. Many are told, "just tip a $1 a drink and ask for top shelf booze!" based on advice they got from their Aunt who last visited Las Vegas in 1982.

Don’t gamble just to get a drink.

Instead of focusing on the cheapest way to get a drink, first decide whether you actually want to gamble. If you need to find your preferred game, or are looking for the best table odds, Vegas Advantage covers that better than anyone.

Cocktail service in casinos is generally very good, but it’s not a bar where someone is there to serve you instantly. Avoid being the person who sits down and starts waving at a waitress from across the floor because you are just trying to get a drink.

Sit down, put your money in, start gambling, and keep an eye out for a waitress.

Be Polite & Practical

Waitresses will usually walk around asking, “Drinks? Cocktails?” When they approach your table or area, just be a normal person. There is something that inspires a small segment of the population to be complete jerks to cocktail waitresses if they don’t get a drink within 45 seconds of sitting down.

Here’s what not to say:

“About time, sweet cheeks! I already gambled away my $20 for the day! I’m gonna need two doubles in a to-go cup quick and slip me your number when you come back.”

Instead, try:

“Hi, sure—can I get an IPA? Thanks!”

Keep your order simple. Beer, coffee, or a common two- or three-ingredient mixed drink: vodka tonic, piña colada, screwdriver.

Avoid complex drinks or anything you wouldn’t enjoy made with well liquor. At higher-end casinos or in high-limit rooms, you may get top-shelf booze and properly prepared cocktails. In most casinos, expect a quickly mixed drink with basic brands.

You can always specify a brand preference—“Tanqueray and tonic with lime, please”—and you’ll be told if it’s available.

Cash or Chips

Make sure you have tip money ready before sitting down. At slot machines, you’ll tip in cash. At table games, you can tip with chips or cash.

If you’re playing table games, you can usually tip with $1 or $5 chips. Dealers can quickly make change for a $5 or larger chip if needed.

The exception is roulette, where you play with table-specific chips that vary in value based on your buy-in. While you can tip with these, I recommend against it. It creates extra work for the waitress, can cause confusion, and increases the chance of mix-ups.

Just use cash or standard chips at roulette.

Suggested Amounts

$3 per drink

This is my suggested standard tip for alcoholic drinks while gambling—the new $1. I will usually tip $2 for a drink most places, and here I am getting the drink for free from a pretty waitress. An extra buck for the vibes and gambling karma is well worth it, and you are still getting a drink for $3.

Scenarios for $1–$2 per drink

For non-alcoholic drinks, or if you are just getting a water the waitress already has on her tray, you can tip less. Keep in mind the waitress is often doing the same work for a coffee or soda as a mixed drink, but your value is not the same, so I get it. I will often grab a beer and a water and tip $5 for both.

$4–$5 per drink

Tipping $5 on your first round helps build a good relationship with the waitress and is a solid per-round tip if you choose. I often tip $5 at video poker bars if it’s a good craft beer or I plan to stick around.

Sometimes I tip $5 simply because it’s the bill or chip I have handy—and remember, it’s illegal to ask for change on a tip.

Offerings to the Gambling Gods

Aside from your drinks while gambling, you should tip your dealers if sitting down at a table. This one is a bit tricky, as you have a few options. The important part is to remember to tip a bit somehow, even if you lose.

Tip as a Bet

At table games, you can place a bet for the dealer as a tip, and if it wins, they collect the winnings. For example, at roulette you can bet $1 on a number for the dealer, and if it hits, they will get a $35 tip.

These bets are usually placed to the side of your bet at a table game or by using a different colored chip in roulette. A lower minimum bet is also typically allowed for a dealer bet. For example, you might be playing a $15 3 Card Poker table but be allowed to bet $5 for the dealer.

Tip as You Win

This is the easiest way to tip while at a table, and my preferred method, since it assumes some winning is involved. I never do any serious math here—just toss the dealer a percentage of my chips after a good winning hand or spin.

At roulette, I play single numbers, which pays 35 to 1. When that hits, I will usually tip a chip per one that I bet. So, for example, a $1 chip would win $35, and I would tip $1; a $5 chip would win $175, and I would tip $5. If I hit a couple numbers in short order, the dealer will get a few more chips per win.

At regular table games, I tip on decent wins or a good run—i.e., not every 2:1 win is going to get a tip.

Tip After Being a Loser

Let’s assume you didn’t bet for the dealers and didn’t win enough to tip as you play. No one would expect a tip if you lose $100 on black in one spin at roulette or try blackjack for two hands, but I like to still tip if I have sat down and played for a bit and had a good time at the table.

I usually purposefully wrap up gambling with a couple chips left over and toss them to the dealer with a thank you as I leave the table. As an example, I might buy into a game with $200, lose consistently and quickly, and have $30 left. Instead of betting all $30, I will bet $25 in case I lose. If I do lose, the $5 becomes the dealer’s tip.

Tipping on a Jackpot

Let’s hope you are thankful you read this far and have to worry about tipping on a jackpot win or a hand pay. Wins over $2,000 at a slot or video poker machine will trigger a hand pay, and anything labeled as a jackpot at a table kicks off a whole process.

The amount to tip here is hotly debated, but I will go with a 2%–3% rule. A few examples:

• $2,000 win: $40–$60

• $10,000 win: $200–$300

• $250,000 win: $5,000–$7,500

• $1M win: $20,000–$30,000

Dealers rely on tips for a solid portion of their income, and a nice tip on a jackpot can go a long way in a shared pool. If you do win a serious jackpot, you will have the option to take home a check. Be sure to ask for the amount you want to tip, plus some more gambling money, in cash outside of the check amount.

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Tipping Guide.pdf

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