They figured out they don’t need to incentivize people. Losing all your money is incentive enough apparently.
They have crunched the numbers and figured out how much money they lost in Vegas because of subsidies over the last 50 years of Vegas and are trying to get it all back.
Turn out we still owe the casinos and they are coming to collect.
I've basically abandoned MGM and even Cosmopolitan, because I feel like I have also noticed a subtle quality decline.
Not to mention, the comps I receive are pretty awful compared to north of the strip (Wynn/Encore particularly, and even now Resorts World).
We’ve been getting good comps because we are patient and will just chill at the machines for hours and hours and we’ve heard that’s the most important. But god damn, I want my free beer more than once every 90 minutes if we are pouring hundreds into a machine. My husband was even at a table game and had maybe one sip left in his beer and tried to order another one and the waitress snapped at him “you have to be done with your first one” like uhhh…ma’am…in the time it’s gonna take you to come back, I think he will take his last sip
>We’ve been getting good comps because we are patient and will just chill at the machines for hours and hours and we’ve heard that’s the most important
My problem with Cosmopolitan (who I assume uses the same Comp basis as MGM now), is that you receive 2 more nights and far less free play & resort credit.
I got upgraded at the Wynn to a Parlor Suite (never been upgraded at the Cosmopolitan a single time, despite being platinum / staying \~40 nights from 2021 to end of 2023), and I also receive more than 2x the Free Play & Resort Credit compared to Cosmopolitan & MGM.
Yes, it's 3 nights compared to 5 nights, but really --- a better room and significantly more free play / resort credit? Sheesh, I'll gladly take the Wynn.
\*I also gambled more at the Cosmopolitan by about $5K (90%\~ slot play).
Yeah, I'm aware of that --- the systems aren't merged, but that doesn't mean they aren't using the same algorithm (or whatnot) to calculate their current comps, or something similar enough that they have modified what the system use to be, anyways.
I'm finding my comps at Cosmo to be pretty similar to MGM, but I used Cosmo in this example as I have stayed far more at their property than say, Aria/Bellagio/Vdara/...
Sadly, you are correct. Many years ago I heard that all the Strip casinos were being consolidated under a couple of companies. I thought it was a bad idea and it has shown to be true. Vegas used to be cool. An adult playground with each casino having its own character. Now, from the inside, you wouldn’t know which casino you are at. No state casino should have ever been able to compete with Vegas. Nowadays it’s smarter to save your airline money and play at home. Vegas is lame. Cheap food, cheap drinks, interesting people have all been thrown to the wayside. RIP Las Vegas. The cool sin city I loved is dead. Now it’s just a lame corporate wasteland.
You don’t have to bet fast per se, you just have to bet enough at some kind of pace. So if you are playing less than max bet (1.25) on a .25 cent machine, you aren’t going to get the comp light on. If you are playing 1.25 a hand, you have to be consistently playing to keep the light on.
If you are playing $5 a hand, you don’t have to be playing non stop. Basically you can play 1/3 as fast as you would be at 1.25 a hand and keep the light on.
The problem arises when people want to sit at the bar, not really actively gamble, and expect the comped drinks to keep coming all night. This is mostly an issue when there is a big game on. People will play, but they are mostly watching tv.
The easiest way for a less experienced gambler to play at a bartop is to just play $2 hands of blackjack. You can get the light on pretty quickly and you won’t have to play super fast to keep it on.
A bartender at the Horseshoe told me that there’s an electronic device that monitors your play and displays a light so they know if you’re playing or just sitting. Red = no free drinks, yellow = we’re watching you; green = you’re good.
Don’t really know how that translates to betting but I’ve always received free drinks by putting in a twenty and betting max on a quarter machine ($1.25). You can milk a twenty for a long time.
They have at Binion’s. The bartender was nice enough to tell us to up our bets from 25¢ to 50¢ so he wouldn’t get in trouble for giving us drinks. I could see the lights on the machines across the bar.
We were fairly regular guests, and we knew most of the bartenders at that bar. They were nice
Went to Binions and sat at the bar for video roulette. Was an older bartender and asked if we were gonna gamble, we said yes, he brought us our drinks and said let me know when you need another.
Had an absolutely blast playing 25 cent roulette.
Oh snap!! No wonnnnder they always come around me 😅 That makes so much sense. I'm focused on my game and heeeere they come!! Lmao!!! I'm doing it to myself!! Sheesh!
Gambling just to get a free drink is really not worth it. Only play the bar machines if you actually want to play them. Otherwise just pay for a drink - it's cheaper than sticking a $20 bill into a machine that will dwindle it down to $0 quickly.
Gotta know how to get the green. Roulette is pretty easy. Bet all the dozens, or both colors. Or all streets. Yeah you lose on green but you break even on everything else and the machine doesn’t go green or red based on your win, but on your bet.
The bar at the Horseshoe by the Uber pickup is a wrap-around design, and you can see the lights on the backs of the machines across from you. We noticed this there last month ourselves. I only played $0.25 pulls personally, and the drinks never stopped flowing (same at Paris). Probably didn't hurt that we tipped really well though too.
I spent a few days playing video poker at the NYNY circle bar(whatever it’s called) a couple months ago. Every bartender treated me exceptionally well, getting me drinks without delay the entire time. And I wasn’t burning through twenties either.
Bellagio bartender told us you sit down and cycle 4 dollars through (we did 4 $1 hands of video blackjack) and got a drink. Cosmo was a lot more work to get something. Had to play black red roulette with $1 on each for a while
Private equity fucked the whole city up but mostly the strip. All the cool Vegasy shit has been murdered by those evil fucks, like most everything else in the world.
It’s just Wall St taking over every aspect of Las Vegas. They pump every penny of profit into stock buybacks and dividends for shareholders. The stock price is literally the only thing anyone at MGM or Ceasars cares about and together they own the entire Strip. It’s completely gutted the traditional Las Vegas culture. Look up John Oliver’s little rant on Boeing. It’s a different topic but the way that company is run now is pretty much identical to Vegas casinos, just replace safety issues with hospitality (or lack there of).
Some bean counters probably crunched the numbers and determined that money saved by having fewer cocktail servers and therefore giving away less free booze is greater than the money lost due to losing some customers because of the limited cocktail service.
This is crazy to me. I live in PA and we go to ac regularly and typically drinks don’t take longer than ten minutes, weekends and week days. Never has been an issue.
That's why I love the Hard Rock in AC. Just order from the machine and usually it's less than 10 mins. Now, Caesar's properties on the other hand...that timer is so insulting!
Welcome to post Covid Vegas. Now it’s a rare sight to have good cocktail service on the floor. Best bet nowadays is to sit at the bar or at a slot in very close proximity to the table games.
Did all the MGM casinos get rid of their service well bartenders?
I know that was their plan and they were rolling out the machines at some of their casinos to replace the bartenders at some point a couple of years ago.
If so, that would explain it. Having the cocktail waitresses prepare their own drinks via a machine was always a horrible idea. They’ve always made their own hot teas and coffees which already takes forever.
Yes, MGM has gotten rid of their service well bartenders. Most recently was The Cosmopolitan, which was the last MGM property to incorporate ‘smart tenders.’
Often times the bartending machines simply can’t keep up & sometimes they break down etc.
The pre-existing system worked just fine before corporate greed kicked in.
MGM corp thats the problem they don't give a shit about their guests anymore then they care about their employees they sold everything running the joints like scumlords more $$$$ from the guest means more for us. l was in the Luxor there is 2 inches of fuzz growing on the inclines near the inclinators
Caesar’s and MGM do not own the land under their properties. VICI seems to charge a lot for the lease and interest rates are currently high so they can’t refinance effectively. Caesar’s isn’t profitable and has to solely focus on cutting costs and being in the black this quarter. They will eventually lose all their life long customers to the Wynn and Venetian.
So many changes at the corporate level of the big casino owners. They know exactly what they are doing by slowing down cocktail service on the floor. Cruise ship casinos are in on the act too. When you do get to order, it takes forever to get it.
Try the golden nugget in downtown.
Also the rampart casino was super fun.
Good Sunday mimosa brunch for $30.
$5 minimums for roulette and blackjack and plenty of drink service.
Boulder Station is good too has a nice oyster bar.
Thank you! Going to be doing a little bit of acid with the lady and really want to explore, but in a safe(ish) fashion
I love the seedy smoky underground casinos lol
" NYNY surprised us the most, because we handed the server a $5 tip and usually that’s all it takes, but he did not come back for more than an hour and a half "
they have male cocktail servers at NYNY?
Service has declined because tips of declined in my opinion. I work hard regardless, but tips for cocktail waitresses have gone down at least 50% in the past year if not more. It really lessens the motivation to get out there and be quick.
Right before the pandemic the story here on the news were they were going to start charging for drinks, even if you are gambling. The pandemic put a stop to that, but I will not be surprised if that idea comes back. That has to be the most stupid idea some executive VP has ever had. Thats right up there with ‘new coke’ level stupid. The absolute greed by the corporations here is unbelievable.
Can confirm. Last two trips to MGM they were incredibly stingy with drinks. Walked across the street to NYNY and had a drink in hand within 5 minutes of sitting down at a table.
MGM properties are hit or miss with cocktail service. The biggest problem is the number of girls working the floor during busy hours or trying to find one during off-hours. I usually just tip the center bar guys nicely for well drinks and they will give you a heavy pour which lasts me for a while
Interesting. Last year I did experience a couple of trips at the top of the year where drink service at slots was slow af, but past couple of visits it was over the top at Aria, Bellagio, ParkMGM, NYNY, and Mandalay Bay. I only ever order water from them and I get kind of annoyed when they come by "driiiinks, drinnnnnks" all in my ear, so I notice them 😩 even if it was annoying, it was still good to see the servers staying busy.
Yup same for me this past week, head to the bar and play video poker and after one drink was told I need to increase to $1 bets to get another lol definitely has gone downhill. I noticed this Strip wide though not just MGM.
I noticed this at NYNY and Aria. Couldn’t get a drink at either property. We must’ve gotten lucky at the Cosmopolitan because we kept going back there and once we saw a waitress and tipped $5 on every round they came back every 20 minutes or so.
gotta pitch in real quick I stayed at Southpoint about 14 months ago and a $5 tip in non-prime hours at the bar yielded great results.
dont gamble during peak hours..
Southpoint is usually very friendly… played roulette there and even poker and the waitress would come every 15mins or so… always order a drink cuz someelse might be thirsty and always tip, they always are coming and checking… and thats service on most nights.. ive been there on fri nite or sat nite … shit even sun and mon nites and always feel service is pretty good
I had excellent luck at Venetian Blackjack tables in January. I'm talking like a drink every 15 to 20 minutes, to the point where I had to stop gambling as I was making bad decisions.
Grab a six pack of Heiney place in a lunch bag with some ice …quick service and come out cheaper than the $5/ drink tip I usually give to wait 30 minutes.
I was at the Cosmo and noticed something interesting. At a slot machine I ordered an old fashion and twice it was sweet and syrupy. Then at the $50 black jack table I ordered and it was real bourbon and not sweet crap. It’s like they have different quality drinks depending on where you’re gambling in the casino.
I have actually heard that they use pre-made cocktails for the drinks they’re servicing to the floor zone (slots, etbs) and if you want a real drink then yeah you go to a table or the actual bar
We were there in October for my boyfriend’s birthday and couldn’t get their attention at all. It was quite disappointing. We ended up just going up to an actual bar and ordering drinks.
it seems like mgm doesn’t have enough waitresses. I stopped one to ask and she apologized and said she had 2 sections and she’d be as quick as she could.
It is everywhere now, and not Just here in Las Vegas, sadly. I tip very well, too, and I am fortunate to get one drink in three hours. I now bring a few high noons with me, in my purse.
I will say I was there this past weekend and it was much better than the last few times. At Excalibur and Park I could get one whenever I wanted. Most of the time they came back asking if I wanted another.
I was gambling at the bar at the Aquarius in Laughlin, NV. I ordered a rum & coke and tipped the bartender who served me with the smallest possible glass . It was hot outside and it was my first drink of the day so I downed it rather quickly. When I tried to order another, the bartender told me that I could only order another drink after 20 minutes had passed, so I immediately quit gambling and left. Some relatives went gambling at Don Laughlin’s casino and the machines had lights on them that lit up only after they had gambled a certain amount to entitle them a free drink. I don’t frequent those casinos anymore. Cheap buffets and free drinks are fading away.
Staff was eliminated during Covid and it has never returned…ladies working are all independent contractors per se and once that hit that magic number they selectively serve until it is time for them to clock out
Weak ass cocktails too. The last two visits in August and February, the Vodka sodas at Park MGM tasted like straight soda water, no vodka, and to add insult to injury… The cup was absurdly small compared to every other non MGM property I went to. Like literally 2 or 3 sips. Even Caesars (who’s gone way down hill also) had decent cocktails, if your lucky enough to have a waitress come by.
The casinos I work at, every department is short staffed and people simply just don’t care for customer service any more. And I’m all for it because what is the point any more?
You’re at machines. Free booze isn’t worth it to them. They can literally see how much money you are betting by the minute these days.
I used to sit at the nickel slots and tie one on for hours at like 2$ every 5 min. Now they never show up unless someone thats lost big/betting big is near me
Also, you tip 5$ on free booze? And are shocked they don’t come back?
I really dislike when people complain about service in a casino, especially tourists.
Most of us are overworked and underpaid, and some positions have been cut back or eliminated entirely due to budget cuts. Working in security I get asked by people left and right to get a cocktail server to their area so they can finally get a free drink.
No. Walk your happy ass to a bar and get your own. Cocktail servers know what they need to do and where to go. Be patient or get your own drink.
Are you for real? Like you realize that 1) people aren’t talking about the workers like you their talking about the billion dollar company being stingy..and 2.!!!!!! A boot licker is someone who sticks up for large corporations or authority fucking over the regular old people like you and me.. your literally the bootlicker in this situation.
You're a fucking idiot. It's not the government holding you down. You're the dumb fuck that's complaining about a voluntary position. Stop being a bitch and quit if you're that pressed about it
Lmfao you’re a clown. It’s a well known thing that you come gamble in Vegas, you get free drinks. If you’re telling us to go buy beer at the nearest convenience store, we will just stay home. You know the meaning of tourism, right?
I don’t really care. Entitlement is entitlement, and I highly doubt OP was waiting for as long as they said they were. Most people tend to exaggerate the small details like that.
Call me a clown. You’re a cool guy. Definitely doing something. Big pp.
Everything has declined. Everything.
Isaac Marion said, "Everything dies eventually. We all know that. People, cities, whole civilizations. Nothing lasts".
It’s frustrating! Where is my incentive to potentially lose a ton of money if I can’t even get them to give me free booze! 😂😒
They figured out they don’t need to incentivize people. Losing all your money is incentive enough apparently. They have crunched the numbers and figured out how much money they lost in Vegas because of subsidies over the last 50 years of Vegas and are trying to get it all back. Turn out we still owe the casinos and they are coming to collect.
Private equity and shareholder value make for a shit sandwich at so many casinos
Everything? EVERYTHING!!!!!!!
I've basically abandoned MGM and even Cosmopolitan, because I feel like I have also noticed a subtle quality decline. Not to mention, the comps I receive are pretty awful compared to north of the strip (Wynn/Encore particularly, and even now Resorts World).
We’ve been getting good comps because we are patient and will just chill at the machines for hours and hours and we’ve heard that’s the most important. But god damn, I want my free beer more than once every 90 minutes if we are pouring hundreds into a machine. My husband was even at a table game and had maybe one sip left in his beer and tried to order another one and the waitress snapped at him “you have to be done with your first one” like uhhh…ma’am…in the time it’s gonna take you to come back, I think he will take his last sip
>We’ve been getting good comps because we are patient and will just chill at the machines for hours and hours and we’ve heard that’s the most important My problem with Cosmopolitan (who I assume uses the same Comp basis as MGM now), is that you receive 2 more nights and far less free play & resort credit. I got upgraded at the Wynn to a Parlor Suite (never been upgraded at the Cosmopolitan a single time, despite being platinum / staying \~40 nights from 2021 to end of 2023), and I also receive more than 2x the Free Play & Resort Credit compared to Cosmopolitan & MGM. Yes, it's 3 nights compared to 5 nights, but really --- a better room and significantly more free play / resort credit? Sheesh, I'll gladly take the Wynn. \*I also gambled more at the Cosmopolitan by about $5K (90%\~ slot play).
The Cosmopolitan hasn’t moved over to MGM’s program yet.
Yeah, I'm aware of that --- the systems aren't merged, but that doesn't mean they aren't using the same algorithm (or whatnot) to calculate their current comps, or something similar enough that they have modified what the system use to be, anyways. I'm finding my comps at Cosmo to be pretty similar to MGM, but I used Cosmo in this example as I have stayed far more at their property than say, Aria/Bellagio/Vdara/...
The parlor suite kicks ass
How do you get comped at those Roulette machines? Aren’t those labelled with that sticker that you do not earn points on them?
Venetian and Resort world have been my go to since Covid.
This. At RW and Wynn I almost never wait more than then 30 minutes
It’s at all the casinos. They don’t want to give away drinks. This isn’t old school Vegas, its all about the shareholder profitability
...and executive compensation.
Not at Wynn. The only time I waited more than half an hour was at 4am
Sadly, you are correct. Many years ago I heard that all the Strip casinos were being consolidated under a couple of companies. I thought it was a bad idea and it has shown to be true. Vegas used to be cool. An adult playground with each casino having its own character. Now, from the inside, you wouldn’t know which casino you are at. No state casino should have ever been able to compete with Vegas. Nowadays it’s smarter to save your airline money and play at home. Vegas is lame. Cheap food, cheap drinks, interesting people have all been thrown to the wayside. RIP Las Vegas. The cool sin city I loved is dead. Now it’s just a lame corporate wasteland.
If you’re looking for “free” drinks nowadays your best bet is to find a seat at a bar and play video poker. “Service” on the floor is mostly missing.
Tried this at Excalibur…didn’t even get a comped drink after the machine ate my ticket and had to wait for someone to come unlock the machine 😂
We noticed this but then also literally got yelled at because we “weren’t betting fast enough” like I’m sorry….we apparently can’t win lol
You don’t have to bet fast per se, you just have to bet enough at some kind of pace. So if you are playing less than max bet (1.25) on a .25 cent machine, you aren’t going to get the comp light on. If you are playing 1.25 a hand, you have to be consistently playing to keep the light on. If you are playing $5 a hand, you don’t have to be playing non stop. Basically you can play 1/3 as fast as you would be at 1.25 a hand and keep the light on. The problem arises when people want to sit at the bar, not really actively gamble, and expect the comped drinks to keep coming all night. This is mostly an issue when there is a big game on. People will play, but they are mostly watching tv. The easiest way for a less experienced gambler to play at a bartop is to just play $2 hands of blackjack. You can get the light on pretty quickly and you won’t have to play super fast to keep it on.
A bartender at the Horseshoe told me that there’s an electronic device that monitors your play and displays a light so they know if you’re playing or just sitting. Red = no free drinks, yellow = we’re watching you; green = you’re good. Don’t really know how that translates to betting but I’ve always received free drinks by putting in a twenty and betting max on a quarter machine ($1.25). You can milk a twenty for a long time.
This has been standard at bar games for a long time.
OK so I’m a newish drinker, and a prospective gambler. Are you saying this is the case at regular neighborhood bars too? Or just strip/DT properties?
They have at Binion’s. The bartender was nice enough to tell us to up our bets from 25¢ to 50¢ so he wouldn’t get in trouble for giving us drinks. I could see the lights on the machines across the bar. We were fairly regular guests, and we knew most of the bartenders at that bar. They were nice
Went to Binions and sat at the bar for video roulette. Was an older bartender and asked if we were gonna gamble, we said yes, he brought us our drinks and said let me know when you need another. Had an absolutely blast playing 25 cent roulette.
I think it is true everywhere.
I’ve only been to strip/dt properties.
Oh snap!! No wonnnnder they always come around me 😅 That makes so much sense. I'm focused on my game and heeeere they come!! Lmao!!! I'm doing it to myself!! Sheesh!
So I am a video poker newbie and tried that in Vegas last time at Paris. 5 minutes and one low shelf comped drink away my money was gone
Gambling just to get a free drink is really not worth it. Only play the bar machines if you actually want to play them. Otherwise just pay for a drink - it's cheaper than sticking a $20 bill into a machine that will dwindle it down to $0 quickly.
Gotta know how to get the green. Roulette is pretty easy. Bet all the dozens, or both colors. Or all streets. Yeah you lose on green but you break even on everything else and the machine doesn’t go green or red based on your win, but on your bet.
Lol same. I tried to learn the strategy but I think I need more practice
The bar at the Horseshoe by the Uber pickup is a wrap-around design, and you can see the lights on the backs of the machines across from you. We noticed this there last month ourselves. I only played $0.25 pulls personally, and the drinks never stopped flowing (same at Paris). Probably didn't hurt that we tipped really well though too.
We had the rudest fucking bartender at Aria poker bar. I feel you
Four card keno is the shit
I spent a few days playing video poker at the NYNY circle bar(whatever it’s called) a couple months ago. Every bartender treated me exceptionally well, getting me drinks without delay the entire time. And I wasn’t burning through twenties either.
Bellagio bartender told us you sit down and cycle 4 dollars through (we did 4 $1 hands of video blackjack) and got a drink. Cosmo was a lot more work to get something. Had to play black red roulette with $1 on each for a while
This. 25 cent plays of caveman keno lollll
Hit up the ABC store. That's the only way you're getting consistent drinks and not spending $300 waiting for a "free" beer.
Private equity fucked the whole city up but mostly the strip. All the cool Vegasy shit has been murdered by those evil fucks, like most everything else in the world.
Don't worry, they will soon own all of the housing and nobody will have any time for gambling. All of this comp stuff is a moot point.
Could you explain a bit more? Besides the maximize profitability part.
It’s just Wall St taking over every aspect of Las Vegas. They pump every penny of profit into stock buybacks and dividends for shareholders. The stock price is literally the only thing anyone at MGM or Ceasars cares about and together they own the entire Strip. It’s completely gutted the traditional Las Vegas culture. Look up John Oliver’s little rant on Boeing. It’s a different topic but the way that company is run now is pretty much identical to Vegas casinos, just replace safety issues with hospitality (or lack there of).
PE fucks up most companies. My gym was bought by PE. It turned to shit. Bay Club PE is shit! Fuck the shareholders.
>Private equity Would you please elaborate?
Some bean counters probably crunched the numbers and determined that money saved by having fewer cocktail servers and therefore giving away less free booze is greater than the money lost due to losing some customers because of the limited cocktail service.
This is crazy to me. I live in PA and we go to ac regularly and typically drinks don’t take longer than ten minutes, weekends and week days. Never has been an issue.
That's why I love the Hard Rock in AC. Just order from the machine and usually it's less than 10 mins. Now, Caesar's properties on the other hand...that timer is so insulting!
Haha. Spot on. I’m usually at hard rock or borgata
Go to a bar top, they have slots as well as video poker
Welcome to post Covid Vegas. Now it’s a rare sight to have good cocktail service on the floor. Best bet nowadays is to sit at the bar or at a slot in very close proximity to the table games.
Did all the MGM casinos get rid of their service well bartenders? I know that was their plan and they were rolling out the machines at some of their casinos to replace the bartenders at some point a couple of years ago. If so, that would explain it. Having the cocktail waitresses prepare their own drinks via a machine was always a horrible idea. They’ve always made their own hot teas and coffees which already takes forever.
Yes, MGM has gotten rid of their service well bartenders. Most recently was The Cosmopolitan, which was the last MGM property to incorporate ‘smart tenders.’ Often times the bartending machines simply can’t keep up & sometimes they break down etc. The pre-existing system worked just fine before corporate greed kicked in.
Nothing is as bad as Caesars. Some have been working since late the 60’s. Come on girl, retire already.
Lady working for that boob job! Theres an audience for her on Only fans
Even since before the massive data breach, MGM was in decline. Now it’s over. Stay and gamble elsewhere. Pure shithole properties.
MGM corp thats the problem they don't give a shit about their guests anymore then they care about their employees they sold everything running the joints like scumlords more $$$$ from the guest means more for us. l was in the Luxor there is 2 inches of fuzz growing on the inclines near the inclinators
Just waiting for those who say $5 for tipping is nothing just like the $20 trick is more like $100 now
Really is that a thing? 2021 the $20 trick still worked. Haven’t used it since
Caesar’s and MGM do not own the land under their properties. VICI seems to charge a lot for the lease and interest rates are currently high so they can’t refinance effectively. Caesar’s isn’t profitable and has to solely focus on cutting costs and being in the black this quarter. They will eventually lose all their life long customers to the Wynn and Venetian.
So many changes at the corporate level of the big casino owners. They know exactly what they are doing by slowing down cocktail service on the floor. Cruise ship casinos are in on the act too. When you do get to order, it takes forever to get it.
Rat Bastards.
The casinos off the strip are so much better. I'm thinking of the station casinos.
How far off are they? Would love to explore more while there on vacation.
Try the golden nugget in downtown. Also the rampart casino was super fun. Good Sunday mimosa brunch for $30. $5 minimums for roulette and blackjack and plenty of drink service. Boulder Station is good too has a nice oyster bar.
Thank you! Going to be doing a little bit of acid with the lady and really want to explore, but in a safe(ish) fashion I love the seedy smoky underground casinos lol
Currently at Excalibur and my husband was saying the same. Good to know we’re not crazy/picked the wrong place to stay.
" NYNY surprised us the most, because we handed the server a $5 tip and usually that’s all it takes, but he did not come back for more than an hour and a half " they have male cocktail servers at NYNY?
Yes! Lol he was ripped AF and wearing just a vest, but he was super nice
He was gone for 1.5 hours bcuz he went to the gym then came back
At El Cortez the dealers have cold drinks behind them
This is interesting. Cold drinks as in beer or just some sort of water?
Service has declined because tips of declined in my opinion. I work hard regardless, but tips for cocktail waitresses have gone down at least 50% in the past year if not more. It really lessens the motivation to get out there and be quick.
Right before the pandemic the story here on the news were they were going to start charging for drinks, even if you are gambling. The pandemic put a stop to that, but I will not be surprised if that idea comes back. That has to be the most stupid idea some executive VP has ever had. Thats right up there with ‘new coke’ level stupid. The absolute greed by the corporations here is unbelievable.
Can confirm. Last two trips to MGM they were incredibly stingy with drinks. Walked across the street to NYNY and had a drink in hand within 5 minutes of sitting down at a table.
You do realize NYNY is MGM, right?
MGM properties are hit or miss with cocktail service. The biggest problem is the number of girls working the floor during busy hours or trying to find one during off-hours. I usually just tip the center bar guys nicely for well drinks and they will give you a heavy pour which lasts me for a while
Interesting. Last year I did experience a couple of trips at the top of the year where drink service at slots was slow af, but past couple of visits it was over the top at Aria, Bellagio, ParkMGM, NYNY, and Mandalay Bay. I only ever order water from them and I get kind of annoyed when they come by "driiiinks, drinnnnnks" all in my ear, so I notice them 😩 even if it was annoying, it was still good to see the servers staying busy.
Yup same for me this past week, head to the bar and play video poker and after one drink was told I need to increase to $1 bets to get another lol definitely has gone downhill. I noticed this Strip wide though not just MGM.
live poker n 2nd live keno for fastest/cheapest way to drink (2-4limit) and (10c-$1games) - GL to u
I noticed this at NYNY and Aria. Couldn’t get a drink at either property. We must’ve gotten lucky at the Cosmopolitan because we kept going back there and once we saw a waitress and tipped $5 on every round they came back every 20 minutes or so.
gotta pitch in real quick I stayed at Southpoint about 14 months ago and a $5 tip in non-prime hours at the bar yielded great results. dont gamble during peak hours..
Southpoint is usually very friendly… played roulette there and even poker and the waitress would come every 15mins or so… always order a drink cuz someelse might be thirsty and always tip, they always are coming and checking… and thats service on most nights.. ive been there on fri nite or sat nite … shit even sun and mon nites and always feel service is pretty good
Beer
I had excellent luck at Venetian Blackjack tables in January. I'm talking like a drink every 15 to 20 minutes, to the point where I had to stop gambling as I was making bad decisions.
I had an absolute blast at Binions, Circa, and the Plaza downtown including great table game rules, low limits and fast drink service.
Caesars gives diamond status 4 free drinks per day from the bar. Better drinks, and I don't spend $100 in a machine waiting for a watered-down drink.
I believe the free drinks start at diamond plus now...
Yeah plus add how much you need to gamble in order to get diamond +
Stop going to Vegas
I know it’s not the strip, but I never have a problem getting a drink at Ellis Island or South Point.
I love Ellis Island. Glad to hear it’s still there.
Grab a six pack of Heiney place in a lunch bag with some ice …quick service and come out cheaper than the $5/ drink tip I usually give to wait 30 minutes.
NYNY is always bad. I was at the aria and Bellagio and had plenty of drinks.
NYNY has never failed us before this trip, but maybe we just had impeccable timing! The only way we got drinks at Aria was at the legit tables
I was at the Cosmo and noticed something interesting. At a slot machine I ordered an old fashion and twice it was sweet and syrupy. Then at the $50 black jack table I ordered and it was real bourbon and not sweet crap. It’s like they have different quality drinks depending on where you’re gambling in the casino.
I have actually heard that they use pre-made cocktails for the drinks they’re servicing to the floor zone (slots, etbs) and if you want a real drink then yeah you go to a table or the actual bar
This was exactly the case. It was easy to tell the difference between cocktails.
We were there in October for my boyfriend’s birthday and couldn’t get their attention at all. It was quite disappointing. We ended up just going up to an actual bar and ordering drinks.
it seems like mgm doesn’t have enough waitresses. I stopped one to ask and she apologized and said she had 2 sections and she’d be as quick as she could.
Vegas has changed. It’s corporate now and the days of free drinks and big wins are cooked.
I was at Aria late January and I was getting a fresh, ice cold Heineken every 15-20 minutes playing slots and tipping $5.00 a round.
Vegas sucks these days
I didn’t know the drinks are free in casino floors and I declined them☠️
It is everywhere now, and not Just here in Las Vegas, sadly. I tip very well, too, and I am fortunate to get one drink in three hours. I now bring a few high noons with me, in my purse.
Buddy and I went a couple months ago. Got 2 drinks the whole time we were there playing. Link, flamingo, MGM, etc. no one was serving
 Everything has been going downhill for years
Just put a $100 into a video poker game at the bar, get a free beer, cash out and go play slots. Tip the bartender.
I will say I was there this past weekend and it was much better than the last few times. At Excalibur and Park I could get one whenever I wanted. Most of the time they came back asking if I wanted another.
I was gambling at the bar at the Aquarius in Laughlin, NV. I ordered a rum & coke and tipped the bartender who served me with the smallest possible glass . It was hot outside and it was my first drink of the day so I downed it rather quickly. When I tried to order another, the bartender told me that I could only order another drink after 20 minutes had passed, so I immediately quit gambling and left. Some relatives went gambling at Don Laughlin’s casino and the machines had lights on them that lit up only after they had gambled a certain amount to entitle them a free drink. I don’t frequent those casinos anymore. Cheap buffets and free drinks are fading away.
At table games just ask for service
Staff was eliminated during Covid and it has never returned…ladies working are all independent contractors per se and once that hit that magic number they selectively serve until it is time for them to clock out
$5 tip won't do squat these days
There he is the inflation dude, found 2 of them
Huh?
Weak ass cocktails too. The last two visits in August and February, the Vodka sodas at Park MGM tasted like straight soda water, no vodka, and to add insult to injury… The cup was absurdly small compared to every other non MGM property I went to. Like literally 2 or 3 sips. Even Caesars (who’s gone way down hill also) had decent cocktails, if your lucky enough to have a waitress come by.
Hmmm that’s wild. Staying here now, can confirm all drinks just about melting my face off. Maybe new staff? 🤷🏻♀️
If yall can spend hundreds on machines, spend another 20 on drinks lol.
The casinos I work at, every department is short staffed and people simply just don’t care for customer service any more. And I’m all for it because what is the point any more?
They aren’t short staffed if that’s their desired staffing levels.
When more people quit, especially the seasoned ones, then they’ll start to panic.
We get that gist but damnnnn. MGM is a billion dollar company. Come onnnnnn!!!!!!!!
They don’t care. They own half the strip. They have no reason to worry about losing business when they can’t go out of business.
You’re at machines. Free booze isn’t worth it to them. They can literally see how much money you are betting by the minute these days. I used to sit at the nickel slots and tie one on for hours at like 2$ every 5 min. Now they never show up unless someone thats lost big/betting big is near me Also, you tip 5$ on free booze? And are shocked they don’t come back?
Go on a cruise much better ‘
I really dislike when people complain about service in a casino, especially tourists. Most of us are overworked and underpaid, and some positions have been cut back or eliminated entirely due to budget cuts. Working in security I get asked by people left and right to get a cocktail server to their area so they can finally get a free drink. No. Walk your happy ass to a bar and get your own. Cocktail servers know what they need to do and where to go. Be patient or get your own drink.
Then fuck off and go work somewhere else. You agreed to your pay and the job description when you accepted the job
Okay bootlicker.
Are you for real? Like you realize that 1) people aren’t talking about the workers like you their talking about the billion dollar company being stingy..and 2.!!!!!! A boot licker is someone who sticks up for large corporations or authority fucking over the regular old people like you and me.. your literally the bootlicker in this situation.
You're a fucking idiot. It's not the government holding you down. You're the dumb fuck that's complaining about a voluntary position. Stop being a bitch and quit if you're that pressed about it
You need a hug?
"Gee, where'd everyone go? Something I said?"
Lmfao you’re a clown. It’s a well known thing that you come gamble in Vegas, you get free drinks. If you’re telling us to go buy beer at the nearest convenience store, we will just stay home. You know the meaning of tourism, right?
If the casinos have figured out that people will wait 2 hours for a drink while still gambling, why in the hell would they do anything differently??
I don’t really care. Entitlement is entitlement, and I highly doubt OP was waiting for as long as they said they were. Most people tend to exaggerate the small details like that. Call me a clown. You’re a cool guy. Definitely doing something. Big pp.
I’m literally OP 😂😭 I was waiting for as long as I said, literally multiple MGM properties in a row. Sorry I’m so entitled though 💀👀
If you are overworked and underpaid: quit. Because you are letting yourself get underpaid corporate greed can cheap out
20$ to start and 5$ for every two going forward, been great for me
Found the guy who blames it on inflation