How Much to Tip in Las Vegas

How Much You Should Tip People In Las Vegas

Many people know that tipping is a standard part of any Las Vegas trip. But questions surface when it comes to deciding how much to tip for each service.

How much should you tip the parking valet? The blackjack dealer? The cocktail waitress? The taxi driver?

Given that there are so many servers in Las Vegas, it's not easy answering all of these questions. But if you follow my guide below, then you'll be much better at tipping the appropriate amount for each Vegas service.

Bear in mind that any advice of this type is quite subjective, so feel free to adjust my suggestions a little up or down based on your thoughts.

Bellman

Whether you're bringing airline luggage or multiple shopping bags to the hotel, chances are that you'll have a bellman take them up to your room. And since the bellman must drag these bags across the resort, they certainly deserve to be tipped for their service.

Generally, you can tip $1 to $2 per bag, but this amount varies based on the weight of the bag or bags. If you packed your suitcase full to avoid paying extra baggage fees at the airport, you should tip $3 to $5.

One other factor that might affect your bellman tip is porterage fees, which are applied when you're with a group. You should check beforehand to see if your group will be charged porterage fees so that you can lower your tip accordingly.

Cocktail Waitress

The most standard comp that you'll receive for playing casino games is free drinks. Of course, these shouldn't be completely free because you need to tip your cocktail waitress frequently.

The standard tip is $1 every time that the waitress brings a drink, whether it is water, coffee or alcohol. If you're really on a budget, you should at least give the cocktail waitress a dollar for every other drink.

When tipping, you can either put a dollar or casino chip on the tray. And be sure to let the waitress hand you the drink so that you don't upset the balance of her tray.

Valet

One of the best services that many Las Vegas resorts offer is free valet parking, which saves you a fortune on meters and expensive parking garages. That being said, it's always nice to pass these savings on to the valet who parks your car.

A nice guideline is to tip $2 when you drop your car off and another $2 when you pick it up. Or you can tip $4 to $5 upon picking up your vehicle.

When you make special requests, like having your car taken to a specific part of the resort, then you should tip $6 to $8 or more. You might also consider a larger tip if the Vegas heat is especially bad because this makes the valet's job that much tougher.

Maids

Maids are one group that often gets stiffed on tips because Vegas visitors don't always come face to face with them. But you should definitely tip your maid when considering that they have to change bed sheets, clean bathrooms, wash windows, replace toiletries and vacuum floors for multiple rooms every day.

If you're a clean guest, $1 to $5 per night will suffice. If you're with a group and / or the room is extra messy after every night, you should consider leaving $5 to $15 for each night.

As for when you leave the tip, you can leave the whole thing at the end of your stay. Just put the money along with a thank you note addressed to the maid on a pillow before you check out.

Taxi Drivers

This is an area where you can get bad service and not even know it. Some taxi drivers like to take advantage of Vegas newbies by making the trip longer than it needs to be, called long hauling.

Here's an example:

You take a taxi from McCarran International Airport to the middle of the Vegas Strip and your drive goes through the I - 215 airport tunnel. This is the long way to go, and you're getting ripped off.

You'll find plenty of other examples, but the key is to stay conscious and aware during the cab ride to ensure that no long hauling is taking place.

If you feel like you've been taken to your destination the fastest way possible, tip your driver 20% of the fare. If you instead feel ripped off, only pay your fare and report them to the Nevada Taxi Authority.

Limo Driver

Limousine rides are a common comp when you purchase bottle service at a nightclub. The limo ride is technically free, but you should still tip the driver.

Considering that limos are a classier experience, you should tip $10 to $20 for an average ride. Assuming it's a longer ride and you have friends to contribute to the tip, $20 to $40 is a fair amount.

Casino Dealer

Regardless of whether you're having a great or terrible night at the table, it's customary to tip table game dealers. The standard tip is $5 an hour, but this can vary based on a number of factors.

First off, look at how many players are at your table and what they're tipping. If you have seven players at your blackjack table and they're each giving $5 an hour, that's $35 an hour.

This is too much when you also include Nevada's minimum wage of $8.25, so you might drop your tips to $5 every two hours in this case.

Another aspect to consider is if you're having a really hot night at the tables. Nothing is compelling you to tip big in these cases, but it's still nice if you give an extra $10 or $20 at the end of the night when you've won several hundred dollars or more.

One more thing to consider is the class of casino that you're in. The average Bellagio dealer will get more in tips than an Alamo truck stop dealer, so you might tip the latter $10 an hour instead of $5.

Conclusion

Tipping in Las Vegas is a personal matter that can vary from individual to individual. It will also vary based on the type of service that you're getting.

But as long as you're receiving decent service, then you should tip the minimum amounts recommended above.