Tipping for an Upgrade

Hi all,

I've raised this topic to mirror one that I came across on Flyertalk but would like to get the opinions of the trusty V-Flyer lot about it! In short, it's apparently more than possible to snag an upgrade to a much nicer room / suite in a lot of the Vegas casinos if you slip the check-in agent a note of varying denomination when you hand over your credit card. The method appears to be, subject to minor variations:

1. Place a bill under the card you're paying with, the value clearly showing.

2. Ask the check-in guy/lady "do you have any upgrades to a available?"

3. If they sort it for free, both card and note are passed over. If they give you a price for an upgrade or say "no", only the card goes over.

Now, has anyone on this board tried it or known anyone who has? Such a "trick" seems alien to me as a Brit, but the chat over at Flyertalk sees this as par for the course in Vegas where everything is tip-led, perhaps more than anywhere else in America.

So, views, opinions, anyone?

Darryl

[Decker]

The previously expressed opinion of a Vegas pit boss/V-Flyer legend is that such behaviour would, if discovered, lead to the sacking of the employee in question.

Really? The FT thread seems to imply that not only is it a frequent event, but that the desk clerks concerned barely raise an eyebrow. Hmmm...

[HighFlyer]

Can you say bribe?

Seriously, i'd be embarrassed to do such a thing. Where's the FT thread? I'd do the above, minus the bill! Just smile sweetly

Thanks,
Sarah

[RichardMannion]

Obviously it goes without saying to not try this at check-in for your flight.... well unless it's the full amount to do the revenue upgrade (and even then it would need to be done at the ticket sales desk and not the check-in desk).

Thanks,
Richard

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=419338

Read that thread; and then tell me you won't try it next time you're in Vegas!

[Scrooge]

Go ahead and try it,who know's it may work,it may not.

I will tell you the poicy at our hotels is this.

It is considered theft, the clerk is taking revenue from the hotel and putting it in their pocket, at all hotel here you steal you get fired, end of story.

Also most of the clerks earn a bonus if they up sell a guest from a regular room to a suite, depending on which property and which suite these bonuses can range from $10 - $100 so make sure your "tip" is enough.

Also just asking nicely will sometimes get you upgraded.

BTW..no longer pit boss..now shift manager..go promoted..again [:p]

Another thread here, on Fatwallet -

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/message ... did=529706

[Scrooge]

Which also has a very interesting link in it link.Sod it, give it a go, if the clerk is stupid enough to risk their job for$20 what the hell.

BTW..no longer pit boss..now shift manager..go promoted..again

congrats on the promotion[^]

[Scrooge]

Thank you JP

Don't be put off by the claptrap of oooh the employee may get sacked, or it's unethical.

Simple as this, Vegas revolves around tipping, bungs or to give them the Vegas name TOKES.

The so called "$20 trick" is performed morning noon and night 365 days a year. LVTalk website has pages and pages of thread talking about this subject. The generally opinion is this.

Most of the time the toke will work on getting you either upgraded or at least a high floor with a premium view.
I slid $20 to the girl at Aladdin last year, and jumped two grades of room to a Resort room with Bellagio view. I was on a special of just $49 a night anyway.

Try it, but be discreet. You never know you could even try $50 and get a luxury suite!

However on the downside, if Vegas is full, large conventions, NASCAR or Rodeo in town, then you haven't really a chance using this said "trick"

Also I'm suprised at a Pit Bosses reaction like that. Toking a receptionist for an upgrade is absoloutely nothing to do with the Casino floor in anyway shape or form.

Try it, the worse scenario is they say sorry, no!

[preiffer]

Originally posted by Matty
Don't be put off by the claptrap of oooh the employee may get sacked, or it's unethical.
...Also I'm suprised at a Pit Bosses reaction like that. Toking a receptionist for an upgrade is absoloutely nothing to do with the Casino floor in anyway shape or form.

Have to say Matty, I'm happier with Dave's "credentials", as I know his background and can vouch/verify/confirm his knowledge in terms of how those monsters of Casinos work. (Hotel as WELL as Casino floor).

Without knowing what background you're basing your experience on, it's a little hard to do the same with your viewpoint at present...

[Scrooge]

There is a difference between a tip/toke and a bribe.

A tip/toke is money that is given AFTER a job is performed.What is being talked about here is a bribe.

You could say im splitting hairs but oh well.

I tried to offer a balanced view if you read my replies saying both the employee shouldn't be doing it abnd also go for it.

As to the claptrap...yeah it is a well known fact that I will NOT have an employee arrested for stealing.

Just to point out again, I am not a pit boss, I am the casino shift manager, you would be amazed at how much I do have to work with the front desk, there are days I seem to spend half my night sitting in the back room working through comp rooms and upgrades which all btw have to be then reviewed and if there is a question about them I have to be able to justify each and every one of them.

As I siad give it a go who knows.

Thanks for your cander and honesty dave.. I think it's therefore important not to be disappointed if the 'trick' doesn't work..

Anyways.. I'll be in LV in a few weeks time as part of a huge conference - the big hotels are already saying they're full on the online reservations!

Whether it's immoral, in bad taste, illegal, a tip, a bribe or a gratuity for great service is a matter of huge debate and you can find thousands of comments and arguements (bothways) on http://www.lasvegastalk.com/modules.php?name=Forums

My comments were not to flame or to undermine Dave's comments or feelings on the subject [:I]. It's just that so many people are trying this method to try for an upgrade, why not be one of them. Unfortunately it's a fact of life that people want what's best for themselves and if the employee wishes to take a risk by upgrading for a quick $20, then that's thier problem not the person trying it.
They have the option to say no and quite often do, but I'm not going to have in my mind "oooh they may get sacked doing this". I, amongst many others would not consider this as "Stealing".

As I said, why not try it. It may get you something upgraded or just a better view and I will guarantee it WON'T work all the time. However you aren't going to know if you don't try it.

If you are going to try this, then you have to go and do it with conviction. Ask politely and make sure they notice the Licence, folded $20 and Credit Card. If you feel out of place or "on the moral fence" about it, then don't do it. Sometimes a smile will work.

Dave, I apologise if I seemed harsh on you, no offence was meant.[B)]

[:?] I can see a clear marketing opportunity here for a solution vendor to sell in something that sweeps original booking / actual room allocation / revenue received / staff doing booking to spot this behaviour on a daily basis.

Paul

[Decker]

Any standard BI tool should do that.

Originally posted by Decker
Any standard BI tool should do that.

You hit upon the foundation of my thought. Perhaps I should be putting together a business case for my management. It would, of course, include several weeks of on site Discovery sessions.

Paul

[Decker]

Well of course if you're to design the cube in any meaningful manner... you'd NEED to be there for a few weeks at least

Originally posted by pjh
[:?] I can see a clear marketing opportunity here for a solution vendor to sell in something that sweeps original booking / actual room allocation / revenue received / staff doing booking to spot this behaviour on a daily basis.

Paul

Your comments sound like you have undergone Corporate Brainwashing. Trying to stop mere mortals on Holiday trying to gain that little something extra through a thoroughly explored loophole. But people like you want to finish it off for good, for what purpose....so the fat cats get fatter???

Normally these sort of comments come from people that have everything paid for on bumped up expense accounts. Never having to dip in to thier own pockets. Chill out fella, you might get a free upgrade to a suite oneday, but there again if you develope some "jobsworth" software, you won't because it will show on the computer [V]

[Decker]

Matty

Just when I thought you'd redeemed yourself for apologising to Dave.

It's not a "loop hole". The employees do not have the right to give away their employer's profits. It is illegal. Full stop.

Now you as an individual can choose to take advantage of some other person's preparedness to break the law. I suspect few would judge you for it. So don't judge people who feel differently than you - especially in a public forum such as V-Flyer.

[RichardMannion]

Obviously I am off the Xmas Card list then for helping VS with the MpM loophole with people retrospectively claiming miles and TP's then....

Thanks,
Richard

An additional thread about this thread on LVT -

http://www.lasvegastalk.com/modules.php ... ic&t=32953

[Decker]

I'm guessing that some people also buy "cheap DVD players" at the local pub. After all it wasn't their house that was burgled so who loses? And anyway the insurance pays. Or it may just be that some can't understand the difference between a tip (for service delivered) versus a bribe (to procure a service you haven't paid for).

Anyway in the same way that I wouldn't judge anyone for buying stuff that fell off the back of a lorry I wouldn't judge them for attempting to bribe a check in clerk. But I would expect them to be a little less disingenuous about what they're doing. Perhaps one day they'll be employers themselves...