Why are Las Vegas cabbies so weird about tips?

[El Diablo]

shaniac,

"but there is no way I'm going to take 4 dances from a girl and tip her $10."

When I was younger, I used to go to strip clubs a fair amount. You tipped the girls on stage, but if you got lap dances, what you paid for the lap dance basically WAS the tip. The concept of paying for a lap dance and then tipping on top of that didn't even exist (in Houston, Atlanta, SF).

In Vegas recently (last couple of years), I've had girls ask for a tip, even after spending $100 for three dances or $200 with them for 30 minutes or whatever the VIP room deal is. Not sure if this is a recent phenomenon or a Vegas phenomenon. I generally just give them a $20 because I just want to have fun and don't care to argue.

The exception to the rule for me is when I'm hanging out w/ a cool stripper who is only charging me for a fraction of the dances she's giving. Then I tip them nicely. Oftentimes a girl will stick around for 5 or 6 songs when she only owes you 3. My last trip I had a girl do the 30 minutes for $200 and then said she didn't want to go out on the floor and would like to just stay and give me dances for free for the hour+ remaining on her shift as long as I'd give her a backrub. I gave her a $100 tip.

How much would you generally tip if you got 3 $20 lap dances from a girl? How much would you generally tip if you spent an hour with the girl in the VIP room and gave her $400? My default answer is zero in both of those cases.

[suzzer99]

That does seem pretty idiotic in a place like Santa Cruz that should have no problem getting decent tips.

[otter]

$40 seems excessive unless he cooked you dinner along the way. $35 seems fair

[otter]

Nh sir!

[mhcmarty]

"I also bet $5/hand for the dealer anytime I'm winning."

Do the pit dealers perfer their tips as bets or as a $$ tip as you leave the table?

I mostly play craps when playing in the pit and generally tip as bets when playing and then throw the dealers any singles or fives I get back after being "colored up".

I generally tip $5.00 an hour, more when winning

[KurtSF]

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Apparently for some of you that live in Freewayville, having someone "drive you around" is a novel experience, but for those of us that live in major urban centers it's literally an everyday activity.


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Again, if pinching pennies is that big of a deal to you, I would suggest that you purchase a used car.

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You don't live in a city, do you?

[El Diablo]

PITTM,

Sounds like it's a regular joint. In your spot, I'd just tip a few extra bucks to 20% when I eat in.

[El Diablo]

m,

"Do the pit dealers perfer their tips as bets or as a $$ tip as you leave the table?"

Almost every dealer prefers tips as bets - chance for double the tip!

I also toss them some small chips when I color up, little to none if I lose, lots if I win a lot.

[Piece of Cake]

I'll chime in.

I do apply the minimum tip (as Microbob discussed previously) for cabs and pizzas. And in the case of pizzas, I apply a max. The theory is bringing five pizzas to your door is essentially as much work as bringing one. At worst I round up plus $2.

For cabs, there is a fixed cost as well. Picking you up and letting you out. A cabbie who does 20 5 mile trips imo should earn more than a cabbie who does 5 20 mile trips because, most likely the 20 5 mile trips takes longer because of the time spent doing non-fare-accumulating activities (i.e. time associated with the waiting for and picking you up). That is, I don't feel I'm tipping so much for the ride, that's what the fare is for, I feel I'm tipping for them picking me up.

I will definitely add if my experience has been enhanced. If for instance I have questions and he's funny, polite, and informative.

For perspective, I'm a 20% restaurant tipper, and have gone above and below accordingly.

I tip $1 per pot, but nothing if we don't see a flop. $2 if I suckout or the pot's large. Unless I'm drunk and tipping gets out of hand.

I'll throw one or two at a particular fast or funny dealer when they get up, or if they handled some tricky situation well at the table.

I think I should revisit this since I don't necessarily feel their tip should be dependent on my luck as much as it should depend on how well they deal/handle the table. The alternative would be to not tip at all and then throw a few + or - when they get up. I don't know how I feel about that either though.

[The Bandit Fish]

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I got some talk las week at 3:30 am about driving m out tot eh house we are renting. Because its 10 minutes from the strip he asked me if I knew how to take care of cabbies for going all the way out there.

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This is when cabby gets no tip. Tipping should be based upon performance or in the case of a cabby if they're friendly, talkative and not annoying then I'll give them a good tip. The idea of tipping being mandatory is stupid.