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Real time gaming casino. Who in Las Vegas are you supposed to tip, and how much? Not thinking about tipping in advance can create an uncomfortable situation or lead to poor service. Tipping is the lifeblood of the Las Vegas service industry, many relying on it for the bulk of their salaries.
We want to help you avoid that disapproving glance and take care of those who take care of us! It’s important to plan ahead for tipping activity so it doesn’t take you by surprise and so you have the correct knowledge and currency denominations to tip in Las Vegas with confidence.
When you’re tipping a blackjack dealer, or any other casino game dealer, it’s customary to tip using casino chips rather than cash. You can tip a blackjack dealer in one of two ways. One easy way to tip the dealer is just to push a chip toward the dealer and say, “This is for you.” But it’s more fun to place a bet for the dealer.
The Las Vegas Tipping Guide. Here are some guidelines as to who to tip and how much. Hairdressers and Barbers: Tip 15% to 20% per visit based on the quality of service provided. Bellmen/ Skycaps: The standard tip is $1.00 per bag or suitcase. Tipping $3 -$5 total is fine if you have a lot of luggage.
For tipping, I usually tip twice the tax amount which is 18% in LV if I recall correctly or 20% of the bill without tax if the service is good. 15-20% is the norm and that includes cocktails/bar. Personally I don't tip when I grab a tea or any meal where I pay at the counter before I get my meal.
Our Las Vegas tipping guide below outlines acceptable tipping amounts. Feel free to go bigger to make someone’s day, or more importantly, to accumulate good karma. Quick hit game.
See Also:Las Vegas packing list items that are commonly overlooked.
Below is our rundown of tipping guidelines for various services provided in Vegas.
Cab/Lyft/Uber Drivers: Your first interaction when you get into town, the driver that will take you to the action on the Strip or downtown. It’s appropriate to tip around 15% – 20%.
Shuttles (Free or Paid): Typically, dropping a few singles into the tip jar when exiting the bus at your destination is sufficient.
Hotel Housekeeping: Many Vegas travelers skip this tip. After all, you won’t even make eye contact before the maid has to clean up following your weekend of debauchery. Housekeeping staff deal with a lot of disgusting situations. Make their day and leave something, anything, behind. We recommend a few dollars a day or more… depending on what you put them through.
Restaurant Servers: A tip based on service received. I recommend starting at 20% of the final bill and going up from there if you had an exceptional experience. If all or part of your meal was comped or a coupon was used, don’t be cheap, tip on what the full amount would have been.
You are also not obligated to tip when ordering “fast food” even if there is a tip jar present. If a great experience is had, any money thrown into the jar is appreciated by the team.
Buffets: Due to the self-service nature of buffets, you can scale your tip back and leave a few bucks a person.
Cocktail Waitress: Free drinks while gambling is one of the best aspects of Las Vegas. Make sure the drinks keep coming by tipping your server $1 per drink, alcoholic or non. If I know I’ll be at a table for a while and am getting great service, I’ll slip in a few $2, $3, or $5 tips every few drinks as a thank you and to keep motivation levels high.
Bellmen: I always get to the Hotel before check-in and store my bags at the bell desk until my room is ready. It’s appropriate to tip a $1-$2 per bag upon pickup unless of course, they go above and beyond, you can always adjust upward. The same tipping structure is applicable for the delivery of bags to your room.
Hotel Front Desk: There is no need to tip front desk personnel unless you receive an unprecedented level of service or an upgraded accommodation that was not expected. Some Vegas travelers will use the $20 trick, sliding the front desk worker $20 upfront, in an attempt to obtain an upgrade. More on how to execute the $20 trick in Vegas and if it is worth trying here.
Slot Attendants: The dream scenario, you hit a jackpot in Las Vegas! Congrats! Now your slot attendant is counting your hand pay and you are having a mini panic attack deciding how much to tip. You don’t want to overdo it, but also don’t want to be stingy. We recommend tipping in the .5%-1% range ($10 to $20 on a $2,000 win) but it’s common for folks to tip slightly more (up to 2%) depending on the level of service and player intoxication :).
Valet: I don’t drive a car in Vegas, because I am pretty consistently inebriated. For those of you that use Valet service, consider $3-$5 an acceptable tip per interaction. Some choose to split the tip between drop off and pick up or they choose to fork it over at pickup.
Tour Guides: Whether you are going for a tour to visit the haunted sites around Las Vegas or taking a full day trip out to Bryce Canyon or the Hoover Dam, we recommend tipping your tour guide between $5-$20. The tip amount can be determined by the cost and time commitment of the excursion and the experience provided by the guide. Many don’t tip at all, you can’t go wrong if you choose to.
Casino Dealers: Please keep in mind that Las Vegas casino dealers rely on tips to make a living. Without tipping, they would make minimum wage in most cases. While playing table games, I like to tip as I play, throwing the dealer $5 – $10 dollars after a big hand or nice run of hands. Generally, I don’t wait until the end of my session because, if I’m down, I’m less likely to be generous. Reward the dealers that give you a GREAT experience and scale your tipping back when service or their attitude doesn’t meet your expectations. Trust us, tipping for great service as you play will improve your enjoyment of the game.
Street Performers: You are not obligated to tip a Las Vegas street performer anything. Although they work for tips, they are not able to set a price for their services. If you do choose to pose for a souvenir photo, tipping a few dollars up to $5 at most is appropriate. Oftentimes, you will be aggressively pressured to pay more, up to $20 per person. Don’t be shamed into giving more than you feel comfortable. More on that, and other Vegas scams here.
Panhandlers: We recommend not “tipping” or giving money to the homeless individuals lining the strip with “Need Money for Weed” or related signs. Instead, direct a donation to a local charity supporting that population.
Night Club Staff: It’s not my scene. I wouldn’t even know what I would do in a night club. Like, what are you supposed to do with your hands? I’d look like one of those wacky inflatable arm guys you see at car dealerships. I’d rather just throw dice all night. You’re on your own here, but I’m sure plenty of tipping is involved.
The key is to be prepared for tipping situations in Las Vegas before you hit the strip. One of the most common mistakes travelers make is feeling pressured to tip too much. Kung fu rooster. Go to Las Vegas armed with the knowledge, and correct bill denominations, needed to tip appropriately for the service you receive so you, and they are happy.
Guide To Tipping In Vegas
Your final lesson in Vegas tipping. Hand the tip to the recipient’s hand. Don’t be like the creepy guy that used to slide a tip into my back pocket as I bagged his groceries. That is now frowned upon. Unless you’re at a strip club.
Tipping In Vegas
Now you know who and how much to tip in Las Vegas – Have a great trip!
Proper Tipping In Vegas
See Also:A complete list of free things to do in Vegas!