Casino Etiquette: Tipping Casino Employees
Tipping is a practice that encourages good service from service employees, and also a way for you to show appreciation. Most casino employees work hard at tips since they normally pull a paycheck at (or even below) minimum wage. The incentive is always there for them to do a good job so you’ll reward them.
Straight up – we believe in tipping. We realize tipping is controversial with people who don’t like to tip. They feel the casino should compensate for the paycheck or the casinos take enough money already. Well, that’s fine, but the fact of the matter is this: the business model in place depends on tips, whether or not any one person agrees, so if you want a good casino experience, you should tip. The casino is a pure “people business” - if people do not have a good time, they will not come back. The casino’s know this, hence the reliance on tips as an incentive.
Refusing to tip a few people isn’t going to make any radical changes, but what if everyone refused to tip? One, there would be less incentive for people to excel on a one-to-one basis, thus giving you a bland experience. Two, casinos would have to cut back on extras to compensate for employee’s paychecks. Your favorite low profit game might disappear, comps would become scarce, and prices for services like buffets, rooms, and drinks would be raised. Trust us, tips work.
Look at it this way: Do you want a dealer mindlessly dealing cards to you in a monotone voice at the cost of a dollar or two? Of course not! You want someone to joke with you, talk about fun things to do in the area, help you out with game specifics if needed, or just make the experience a tiny bit better. So go ahead and toss a chip.
Dealers aren’t the only people who make casinos fun. The cute girl dressed in feathers deserves a dollar tip for bringing you a drink. Slot attendants don’t get that many tips but a two percent tip from a big win is a nice gesture. Bellhops should get a few dollars for lugging your heavy luggage. Give that shuttle driver a dollar for every four people. Two dollars is a small price to pay for someone parking your car somewhere safe. Good service deserves at least a fifteen percent tip at the casino’s restaurant.
The business model of tips makes the casino experience better, and should definitely be viewed as that. Tip the casino employees well, and they’ll make you feel like a high roller every time.
