Tipping

[ellell]

How much should one tip while sitting at the video bar for the free drinks? Sometime, I sit at the bar for hours waiting for DH. I play low amounts, chat and enjoy the free drinks. Should I tip more according to the amount of time I spend at the bar? What about the times, I am really playing and not drinking at all, should I still be giving tips? Ell

[oej719]

What is a DH?

[rascal]

The drinks are free, the service ain't. $1 per drink is the standard. Less is cheap, more gets you tagged as a tourist. I only drink bottled water or coffee, so I rationalize it out that I would spend at least $1 for a bottle of water or a cup of coffee elsewhere.

[cddenver]

The drinks are free, the service ain't. $1 per drink is the standard. Less is cheap, more gets you tagged as a tourist. I only drink bottled water or coffee, so I rationalize it out that I would spend at least $1 for a bottle of water or a cup of coffee elsewhere.
 
Same here.  $1 for my coffee or soda.  Long hours, poor pay, lots of walking for those waitresses.

[rascal]

Actually, in  a busy casino the pay can be pretty good. I knew one gal who was making $60+ per hour, and I knew another who worked in Henderson who could pull in $500 or more per shift on busy weekends. Course, she had a great shift -- 5 p.m. - 1 a.m. The graveyard shift --- wee hours of the morning --- really sucks. The servers really hate it when people short them or stiff them. Worse is when someone orders something from the far corner of the casino and when the server returns with the drink the player is gone. Middle-aged players seem to tip best, from what I am told. Seniors and the the 20-somethings apparently are tight. I guess Laughlin must be terrible for servers -- seems like it has just about become senior heaven. And certain times of the week in Atlantic City all you see are seniors.

[bigboy]

The thing that has always fascinated me is that whenever I've participated in an invitational slot/v.p. tournament, the bartenders get stiffed by at least half of the crowd. People seem to think it's all literally free during the tournament. 

[ellell]

DH is a dear husband.Thanks for the "tips". It sounds like I am doing the right thing. I
give $1-2 on the free drinks, soda or water.  I got a suggestion of leaving
a $5-10 at the end of my play time. I'll try that next time.

I waited tables while in school and we servers hated when a party would
sit a table all night and still give the 15% on their dinner. It kept
us from turning the table over and making $$$. I'm getting the vibe the
bar staff does not like me sitting to long and tipping the $1-2 per
drink. Maybe the extra tip at the end will make the bar staff happier.

Thanks again.