What to tip the Chauffeur?

14 comments

• pdxtom

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  14 years ago

  I usually tip the driver $20. Seems to me if you are watching your pennies at Vegas strip joints you really need a new hobby. The guy is pretty much working for tips and using the limo saves you the cover charge, besides you want to get back to your hotel later, right?
• londonguy

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  14 years ago

  I won't be watching the pennies, that's a certainty. I'll be taking at least twice as much as i've ever taken before this time. I just want to make sure I follow standard practice over there. As a guest in your wonderful counry I want to do the right thing.
• samsung1

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  14 years ago

  It also depends on how large of a group you are traveling with. If he goes around to hotels picking up a lot of guests in the same limo with you I would give him $5-$10...but if I was the only one in the limo or it was a small group then maybe $10-20. I remember reading a review on Spearminto Rhino and he said it was a group of 6 and they tipped $50. [view link] "We called and they were there to pick us up in less than 20 minutes. There were 6 of us and tipped the driver $50 which was so much better than paying the cover for all of us. Definitely worth it!! " I have also read that some of the clubs share limos. Once they were going to OG but the limo stopped at a different club first to drop some people off.
• brewerfan

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  14 years ago

  OK, how much was the limo ride itself. I mean, how can a limo be free if a taxi isn't?
• CCRiderm

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  14 years ago

  The clubs pay the taxi drivers a $30 bounty for bringing you to them. If they supply their own limo, they save that $$
• samsung1

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  14 years ago

  The limo ride itself is free and the drivers rely off of tips. The clubs want to avoid the taxis because they don't want to pay the commission/kick backs to the taxis. It is messed up logic in las vegas.
• londonguy

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  14 years ago

  Samsung, are the drivers reliant on tips because their wage is very low? Is there a national minimum wage over there? Maybe being a limo driver has other 'perks' ?
• Clubber

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  14 years ago

  London, Maybe the driver will be female and you can tip her with a lap dance!
• samsung1

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  14 years ago

  londonguy, I don't know how they are paid. There are two types of minimum national wages over here. One is for service workers, which is like $2.50/hour so they rely on tips. The other minimum national wage is like $7/hour and they do not rely on tips. Also check to see if they give free rides back to the hotel room. Here is something I read in a review: "Call the club's limo service to get the pickup, VIP entrance, no cover, and no security check - all you have to pay is the $20 tip to the limo driver - no matter how many people are in your party. And it was the full stretch limo to boot. We actually also had a good conversation with our driver, and we were treated like celebrities at the entrance." [view link]
• georgmicrodong

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  14 years ago

  LG, some occupations in the U.S. are effectively exempt from the minimum wage. Employers who employ some types of tipped workers are allowed to assume that a certain percentage of their income is in tips, and so pay them less. It sucks, but restaurants especially benefit from it, since their margins tend to be somehow anyway.
• Slothrop

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  14 years ago

  At least $5, more like $10 or $20 if the driver is helpful and friendly.
• dustyshoes

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  14 years ago

  London Kudos to you for asking what the norm is in this country, some of our people should be asking what is acceptable in foreign countries instead of assuming that our customs are accepted worldwide.
• londonguy

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  14 years ago

  Great idea Clubber, lol. I'll be in your home state in May with a bit of luck. Thanks dustyshoes. From our perspective it seems strange to have occupations outside the mimimum wage, over here it's the equivalent of $8.70 per hour for 22yrs+. Now I know the wage for service workers I'll be even more generous :-)
• MisterGuy

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  14 years ago

  "Is there a national minimum wage over there?" The current U.S. federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour. Some types of labor are also exempt from this wage, and tipped labor must be paid at a minimum of $2.13/hour, as long as the hourly wage plus tipped income result in a minimum of $7.25/hour. In NV, the minimum wage rises with inflation, and it is currently $8.25/hour. Employers who offer health benefits can pay employees as low $7.25/hour though. [view link]