We get a lot of questions about tipping, including the one we get asked most about jackpot tipping, which we shared Brian’s guidance previously. Here are a few other examples we’ve received recently:
Do you tip at the window when you get a cash advance or cash in tickets?
Patti
And
Does one tip the slot tech who fixes your machine?
Glenn C.
And
You’ve talked about how much to tip and who benefits but I couldn’t find WHO to tip? For example two people always come for a hand pay. I only tip the one who counts out the money… but I always wonder if I should be tipping the other person too?? Do they split it?
Pat
Let’s work backwards, as we did recently post about the question of pooled tipping, and therefore who to tip. For situations where you want to make sure both employees are taken care of, the easiest thing to do is to confirm if their tips are pooled. If so, the team benefits from it. If not, it may make sense to split the tip between them.
The slot techs who fix the machines are also often the people who pay out the handpays because it requires resetting the machine. So you could tip them, and they may get the full benefit from it or they may not. But it’s a service industry and so it’s really a personal decision what you wish to do.
And the same ultimately goes for the cashier. We don’t know too many people who do tip unless it’s complex or time consuming, or the service was above average, but they often do have tip boxes near their stations so it’s not out of bounds for them to be tipped if you choose to do so.
We try not to be absolute about tipping because it is such a personal thing, and while we share our guidance, we really encourage players to do what is comfortable to them. Just like you would decide what to tip after a dinner or a cab ride, how you tip in a casino is ultimately your call.
It’s a service business, and some casinos do it better than others, as do some employees, so if you think it’s worth recognizing them for that please do! But tips aren’t obligated, just appreciated, as the saying goes.
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