The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

ferf1223

March

Baz wrote: »

Not a bad takehome pay for a fairly basic skilled job.

See, I don't believe that - not at all...I couldn't do it - not for any money, not well, anyway...I actually think that it's a very difficult and complicated job in a lot of ways - especially when done well...not to mention being on your feet all day. I agree that with tips good waitstaff can take home quite a nice amount each month - but the better they are, the better chance of getting the good jobs and the increased potential for tips...so they have quite good motivation to do a good job on all counts.

I think one of my favorite waitress examples is Toby Keith's - OK, yes, they're all remarkably pretty girls in tight t-shirts and short shorts/skirts - so not just anyone can get a job there...but those girls MOVE...they're practically always in motion - so quick and efficient...very impressive to me - I just kept watching them buzz around and was just astounded (then again, I don't do fine dining so my impressions differ from those who do).

And no, they don't know how much any individual customer will tip - but they perform at a certain level in the knowledge that most customers will tip accordingly I think.

Personally, if they're nice, refill my soft drink when or before it's empty (this is the key thing for me) and don't spit in my food I'll leave 20%. Double the tax in Vegas is 14.5% so that's pretty much in stoneman's suggested range (tax rates vary from area to area though).

stoneman

May

Baz wrote: »

It depends where you eat I guess but theres really something that grates when you are presented with a $200 bill and you are then have to tip the waiter another $40! I generally just double the tax, I've read that is a good guide and the taxi driver gave me a crash course in tipping the first time we went and suggested that to.

With around 150 covers a night in many places it doesn't take much to realise that their take home pay is far far from minimum wage. If they have 20 waiters sharing the tips that's $300 per night if everyone tips 20% and spends $200. Not a bad takehome pay for a fairly basic skilled job.

I've also tipped considerable less than 20% before for various reasons and the look of gratitude on the waiters face was still quite amazing. So I'm obviously not doing it that wrong.

20% is just on the high side IMO, especially for taxis, 10% is enough for them and waiters, 15% is fine or double the tax or there abouts.

Depends how flush you are. It's not like they know how much you are going to tip, you get the same service whatever you pay. As long as they don't come running after you once you have left.

Totally agree with you about $40 for a $200 bill, but then again I have never had a $200 bill. Our normal bills are about $30-$70 so 20% on that is pretty reasonable. I certainly would not leave $3 on a $30 bill, and before you ask, we have eaten at some really good places for $30-$40, Trevi, Grand Lux, Spago, P.F. Changs.
Also they get taxed on "expected tips" by the IRS, so if you stiff a waiter or leave a stingy tip, he/she would actually lose money by serving you.
My main point is that you are getting food at half what you would pay over here, far better service, free refills, and until recently a lot of dollars for your £, so what's a few extra dollars gonna hurt.
Now maids are another thing. People see these poor little Mexican girls running around tiding up the rooms, well do you know that basic wage for this job in MGM properties is $11-$14 an hour, a lot more than a cocktail waitress or a waiter.

middy60

23rd sept
get up about 9,wife says she dosnt fancy the buffet again so grab a coffee at danish from starbuck and go back to the room which has already been cleaned before we check out so we wash and change and check out and grab a cab, gotta say at this point we have 4 suitcases and a rucksack and off to the palazzo,after our road trip we thought wed treat ourselves to a bit of luxury and wow what a place( weeve stopped at mgm twice,luxor,stratsophere and circus circus),must say we like the mgm even the size but your still miles from anywhere and this place is in a great location,we get in line and were in it for 2 mins and try the $20 trick but the gut says why dont you hang onto this till were finished and asks what sort of room we want(only booked a standard room)so told him a strip view and he comes back with that will be $45 a night more in a standard room,but we have a fortuna for $90 a night more so we agree to pay that and have the fortuna we got room 25-808,antway the rooms not ready but takes our cellphone number and promises to call when it's ready,so we have wonder down the strip wife likes to play video roulette but can find only rapid roulette and its $5 she says its too much(she plays in our local casino and its only 10p ago)so we wonder down to bellagio and try the cafe in there she has a burger nd i have the bbq pork sandwich which was nice think it came to $35,we wonder back to the palazzo no call bout the room so we go to check in and its ready so we go up and wow what a room and a view,the view of ti and pirate show,fashion show mall and trump tower and the pools i count 7 pools i think(i have some pics i can post of the room if anyone wants to see it)we jusr sit and look at the view for a bit then downstairs join the players club and get $10 free play didnt win anythig with that and decide to get an ice cream at esspermente or somethig like that 2 cone and i nearly drop through the floor when the cashier says that $15,wonder through to the venetion and find a top gun machine put $10 in win $25 so time to come off back to the palazzo caino it's a bit quitier in there nad find a goldfish machine (these are really fun and very popular)win about another $10 then time to get washed and changed and watch the pirate show from our room,we wonder acroos to the wynn via the goldfish machine and win a bit more goto parasol up and have bottle of champagne,then head back to the palazzo to the gran lux cafe they do great food and big portions at a good price i have the crispy caramel chciken and wife has some pasta and a couple of soda's for $40 then to bed.
last two days to come tomorrow if you want me to finish

fatboy88

Baz wrote: »

It depends where you eat I guess but theres really something that grates when you are presented with a $200 bill and you are then have to tip the waiter another $40! I generally just double the tax, I've read that is a good guide and the taxi driver gave me a crash course in tipping the first time we went and suggested that to.

With around 150 covers a night in many places it doesn't take much to realise that their take home pay is far far from minimum wage. If they have 20 waiters sharing the tips that's $300 per night if everyone tips 20% and spends $200. Not a bad takehome pay for a fairly basic skilled job.

I've also tipped considerable less than 20% before for various reasons and the look of gratitude on the waiters face was still quite amazing. So I'm obviously not doing it that wrong.

20% is just on the high side IMO, especially for taxis, 10% is enough for them and waiters, 15% is fine or double the tax or there abouts.

Depends how flush you are. It's not like they know how much you are going to tip, you get the same service whatever you pay. As long as they don't come running after you once you have left.

thanks alot baz, i think will just have to get used to tipping like that

By the way you couldnt suggest wheres the best place to get good deals on day drips like to the grand canyon and places like that. Keeo hearing about offers for coaches but cant seem to find anything

Baz_2

I do agree with you all about the tipping, it is essential, and yes the waiters over there are very very good compared to the miserable gits over here and often do earn it. However, despite how easy they make it seem, its not structural engineering or financial accounting is it.

All I was saying, is that 20% is quite a handsome tip and to get that from me they will have to do a pretty damn good job of waiting our table, otherwise, its double the tax.

sturll

August

The problem with tipping is that its expected.

Go to the US and tip $40 for a $200 bill and you might as well go and get 'mug' tattooed across your forehead. Do you ever see US citizens tipping that much? No you dont.

The reality is if you eat at somewhere like Dennys then leave $2 on the table. If you go to the Hard Rock cafe and they try ripping you off with the large beer like my waiter did then dont leave anything.
Dont tip the guy who brings your food to your room on room service since no doubt a 15% gratuity has already been added to your bill. And if it was me getting a bill for say $200 id probably leave $10 max.

Its not about being tight, its about not being wasteful.

As for taxi drivers i dont tip them. They skank you $2 for the first 1/8th mile then .80cents every other eighth. Plus extra for extra people etc. Rip off. Im being serious i got a taxi from the Courtyard Marriott in Atlanta to the Amtrak (about 1/2 a mile) four of us and it cost $16. I argued the toss about how hed skanked me and he told me it was all on a meter - no way i was leaving anything else.

At the end of the day lets be realistic, waiters have say 5 or 6 tables at the same time. He brings a few drinks, brings your meal out (as per his job spec) and for his trouble you leave him $40, thats approx £20 for a total of about 5 minutes work. They must have a right laugh at you.

ferf1223

March

sturll wrote: »

The problem with tipping is that its expected.

Go to the US and tip $40 for a $200 bill and you might as well go and get 'mug' tattooed across your forehead. Do you ever see US citizens tipping that much? No you dont.

I'm a US citizen.

If I'm not mistaken, so is stoneman.



Having lived the majority of my life in the US, I can say without question that the average American will tip at least 15% unless something is very wrong with their service.

ferf1223

March

stoneman wrote: »

Now maids are another thing. People see these poor little Mexican girls running around tiding up the rooms, well do you know that basic wage for this job in MGM properties is $11-$14 an hour, a lot more than a cocktail waitress or a waiter.

But maids aren't in the category where tipping is an expected part of their job, so they do get paid a decent wage to start with (as opposed to the waiters and waitresses)...I still tip the maid $3 a day - it's not a lot to me, but I wouldn't want to do her job and to me she doesn't make a lot of money relative to what she has to do day in day out...plus then she leaves me extra hand soaps which I take home to use in our bathroom.

Froggitt

fatboy88 wrote: »

By the way you couldnt suggest wheres the best place to get good deals on day drips like to the grand canyon and places like that. Keeo hearing about offers for coaches but cant seem to find anything

If you want to do it on a budget, ie not flying there, why not hire a car for a day, especially if theres two or more of you.

Or for real moneysaving, check out of your hotel Saturday morning, stay in a GC lodge/hotel Saturday night and check back into your hotel Sunday.

That way, you avoid the doubled or trebled prices of hotelrooms in Vegas on a Saturday night, you get a second lot of Vegas hotel incentives eg free slot play or food credits, you see the GC at dusk/dawn........

ferf1223

March

Froggitt wrote: »

If you want to do it on a budget, ie not flying there, why not hire a car for a day, especially if theres two or more of you.

Or for real moneysaving, check out of your hotel Saturday morning, stay in a GC lodge/hotel Saturday night and check back into your hotel Sunday.

That way, you avoid the doubled or trebled prices of hotelrooms in Vegas on a Saturday night, you get a second lot of Vegas hotel incentives eg free slot play or food credits, you see the GC at dusk/dawn........

I really do think that's a great idea - and I've looked at the directions to the GC for our trip later this month and it's really straight forward so I think that even those who are a bit reluctant to do the drive on their own should consider it.