I was reading trip reports on another board and had to paste this comment from a guy who stays downtown at the plaza all the time. I know Lee stays here quite often. Was this bartender out of line or is this normal?


*Speaking of Main Street Station, we enjoy the Brew Pub, but have decided not to gamble there. Does not feel like a good gambling environment for gambling. Odds on bonus at Pai Gow are terrible! Finally closed the deal for us when we went to the bar, it is a big beautiful bar and not one person was sitting at it. Put a twenty in and started playing video poker, ask for a beer and was told I had to pay because I was only playing 3 credits at a time. Well, there is no progressive and whether I play 3 or 5 credits, they are going to get my 60-100 bucks in about 3 beers. Well, I cashed out and went to the Vegas Club and gave them my....ended up being about $200. Just does not seem like good business to me???

Clarification: Sorry for any confusion. What I was trying to say is I know Lee stays at Main Street Station not that Lee stays at the Plaza.

In the last few years some major casinos have experimented with limiting drink comps in one way or another. It is usually not popular.

A lot of local bars are not aftraid to put up big signs that specify full play for drink comps. A lot of bars sneak in 10 coin VP games too. So yes, comps for VP is generally full coin as an industry standard.

It almost seems like Boyd has gone a long way to become inconvenient for me lately. It wouldn't surprise me if their policy was full coin in and strickly enforced.

I would like to think that it would be bartenders discretion. They know how fast you play. Only the bartendeer can see if you are playing 5 coins at one hand every five minutes or if you are playing 3 coins in rapid succession. They also see the tips.

The bars at MSS might not be progressive. They do have the scratch card for quads. I would guess that requires Players Card in and full coin. They did have the Treasure Chests but I think they are gone from the bar too.

I don't know why the person wanted to play $200 into a machine at 3 coins. It's not the smartest play for someone that wants to be picky about how the casino operates. And for someone that stays at the Plaza all the time, I suspect there might be a level of frugal that exceeds the average player. There might be a few holes in the story.

I've never run into this problem. I suspect Boyd could easily defend itself under "standard practices" if they wanted to.

I see it this way!

I'll sit at a machine with the intent of spending $20 to $40 within the first half hour regardless of how many "coins" I play.

I start small and work my way up using my valued "progression method".

So sometimes I am betting the minimum and sometimes I am betting the max.

And when I play this way, I fully expect the house to pay for at least one drink for every $10 I "risk" no matter how much I "risk" at any one time.

I''ve been playing a long time, and I've only had one bartender refuse to comp a beer; in which case - I never played at that casino again - or at least at that bar again!

If the casino is too tight to comp a beer or two, then you got to figure that the machines are probably tighter. And I hate to be treated as an "intruder" when I'm gambling at a machine that doesn't give me favorable odds.

rukiding,
First of all I knew what you ment! lol
Sorry, I've been away from the BB on vacation, so my reply is a little tardy.

First let me say, The policy as I know it is, $10 in the machine, and you must be playing, to get a comped drink. Now, let me tell ya, I see a lot of fleas in MSS and California and Fremont. They pour a fair drink, and as long as your playing will serve. However, if your short coining, from the start, I've seen them ask full pay before they will comp. A common "trick" is put in $20, play short play untill served, then cash out and walk. With machines being ticket in/ticket out, it's much easier to do this now.

Now that all being said, (and not that I'm bragging, I'm sure plenty of people can do this) I have walked up to the bar and just asked for a drink, without any play, and been served. I know most of the tenders, and I tip well. They in turn also know I am a player, not some flea trying to scam them.
I've also seeen them explain to new-be's how the free drink thing works.

Along with poor customer relations, from a mathematical point of view this is a bad plan for the casino. While 3 coin versus 5 reduces the input rate by 40%, not being able to get the royal premium more than doubles the house edge.

Eric

I don't know how it might be out on the strip..but there are a few downtown that will work it just as lee has stated! I have a hunch that it is common all over since the tito bit? There is always some a** that wants to get a free drink (or whatever) just so they can feel cheap? They will do this on the slots also...move around until they are in the cw's line and then wait for their drink without even playing but every so often...Cheap ass's!!! Tips..HA..!!

not sure if this is the right spot for this,so i will use his last post.i hope it is not his last post but from another board. richard ralph nolan (irishmick)died june 12 at age 74.i can only hope there are two irishmicks.anyone ever meet him at a meet?

That's him. Thanks for the heads up.

I don't think I ever met him but can't say for sure.

Perhaps most talk vegas members read just about every new post (like me) - but in case some don't, should this get its own post - perhaps in after hours?

I'd put it there, but I didn;t see the original info.

Dag - or one of the moderators - what do you think?

I'm sorry to hear the news, read his comments here and other boards.

since life is a gamble.

Good idea Kes. I had an idea but there are still some loose ends. Feel free to start a new topic if you like, and I can follow up on my idea later.

Kes,

I think a post in After Hours would be quite appropriate. Does anyone have any additional info to make the post?

Actually I do now. I'll put it together and post...