The reference card
- Cocktail waitress: $2–5 per round (free drinks included)
- Table dealer: $5–10 per session, or a split of any win
- Valet: $2–5 at pickup
- Housekeeping: $3–5 per night, cash on the pillow
- Restaurant: 18–20% standard, 15% for buffet runners
- Barista/slot attendant varies — small change fine
Cash-light reality
Most service staff still prefer cash; the ticketless world of restaurants adds tips to cards, but floor-level Vegas runs on small bills. Withdraw $60–100 in ones and fives at trip start — it covers a surprising share of the friction of a Vegas visit.
Three mistakes
- Tipping the front desk for a paid upgrade — comps come from the casino, tips don't set prices
- Skipping the maid service because "we barely used the room" — standard rate applies
- Assuming auto-gratuity: some group bills add 20%, most don't