Tipping – the only thread you’ll ever need to read on the topic.

[rljslo]

I have contacted several of the hosts listed on this site to assist me with getting on the guest list and in some cases, reserving table/bottle service at various clubs.

My question - when I finally meet them and they let us in to the club - what is the appropriate/fair amount to tip them? FYI: Not sure if it matters but we are a party of 2.

Thanks for all the help - this website has been invaluable for someone who is making there first trip to Vegas.
Rick

[RickyRekon]

the general consensus between everybody on these forms is about 100 dollars per bottle. some go a little more some less depends on how good your host is and if you are trying to get a prime table location

[MangoPort]

Keep in mind the "Host to Customer" ratio on these boards is also pretty high, so the reality is probably a little under the consensus on this board (i.e. a forum for waiters would have the appropriate tip a little higher than statistical average).

I would start lower and gradually increase your tips as you get to know and rely on a host, especially since you have to tip upfront and service varies a *lot*.

[AnthonyHyde]

Keep in mind the "Host to Customer" ratio on these boards is also pretty high, so the reality is probably a little under the consensus on this board (i.e. a forum for waiters would have the appropriate tip a little higher than statistical average).

I would start lower and gradually increase your tips as you get to know and rely on a host, especially since you have to tip upfront and service varies a *lot*.

Sorry, but i have to disagree all the way around. CLIENT to host ratio is pretty high. I can barely count on my 2 hands an ACTIVE number of host who post here, and for the most part only represent about 5 clubs.

As for the consensus... "you should plan for $75 on the low end and a $1,000 or more on the high end." - Jack Colton

Yes, you tip upfront. Think about it... there are 2 things in your way of having the night of your life at a Las Vegas nightclub... a little velvet rope, and a VIP host who controls that rope as well as where you will be sitting. From the moment that rope opens to the time your host walks over to the podium to get your slip is the time where all of the decisions are made on where you're going to be sitting... now wouldn't you want that host to walk over to that podium a happy person? If your host walks over to the podium with nothing in hand(or something worked out before you get to the club), the guy thats running the room (who you want to make happy the most) isn't going to care whether or not your table is a garbage can, flipped over, and a table cloth put on it next to the bathroom. Make your host happy. Its a small price to pay for the epic night you're about to have.

Most people think that we make all kinds of killer money. Im sorry to say we dont. I know what most of the hosts salaries around town are, and i can assure you that 80% of them are not over $1000 every 2 weeks...BEFORE TAXES! We work 60-80/week... do the math... its about minimum wage. We rely on tips like most people who work in Vegas.

If for some reason your host cant greet you at the door, and someone else walks your table in, you still should tip. We all split tips. No one keeps their own.

If a host put you on his guest list, he is doing you a favor. You get expedited entry and you're not paying a cover. Drop him or her $20 bucks/person. He just saved you $40 in cover. The least you can do is take care of him.

Sorry for the rant, but the naivety of some people really gets to me sometimes.

Cheers!

[MangoPort]

I don't mind you correcting me. I can only give you a customer's perspective.

I had no idea hosts work 80hrs per week - in general, I've called one up about 2 weeks before, stated what I wanted "Table for 6 at Pure", and they've told me to arrive at 11pm, we tipped them, they walked us in and that was it. Then someone else showed us to our table.

$200 for the guy that got us in, and $200 for the guy that walked us to our table, plus an extra $100 for security. We did not get anything extra that someone that did not give an extra $500 would get. Okay table location (which was fine, it wasn't important to us), and we were then left alone.

I've always assumed that the difference between tipping large and not tipping was insurance in case anything didn't go correctly. (i.e. if you're asked to move, and you've tipped your host well they can come back and fix things). But if they don't / can't fix things, it's not like you can then ask for the tipped money back because now the host isn't actually doing the job we wanted from them.

I don't know how often there is confusion / trouble with bookings, reservations and/or table locations. That's probably where I'm mistaken and why hosts work harder than I originally thought.

[AnthonyHyde]

You went through and independent host. Your the independent hosts client now, not the host at the club. This means that there is no return business, the club host splits the tip with the independent host, and there no obligation to you. Book through a direct club contact and you'll be fine. Be specific when you're booking...
What is my minimum?
Where is my table going to be?
How much is it going to cost me to move to a (dance floor table, cabana, etc.)

[alrvd83]

Keep in mind the "Host to Customer" ratio on these boards is also pretty high, so the reality is probably a little under the consensus on this board (i.e. a forum for waiters would have the appropriate tip a little higher than statistical average).

I would start lower and gradually increase your tips as you get to know and rely on a host, especially since you have to tip upfront and service varies a *lot*.

Sorry, but i have to disagree all the way around. CLIENT to host ratio is pretty high. I can barely count on my 2 hands an ACTIVE number of host who post here, and for the most part only represent about 5 clubs.

As for the consensus... "you should plan for $75 on the low end and a $1,000 or more on the high end." - Jack Colton

Yes, you tip upfront. Think about it... there are 2 things in your way of having the night of your life at a Las Vegas nightclub... a little velvet rope, and a VIP host who controls that rope as well as where you will be sitting. From the moment that rope opens to the time your host walks over to the podium to get your slip is the time where all of the decisions are made on where you're going to be sitting... now wouldn't you want that host to walk over to that podium a happy person? If your host walks over to the podium with nothing in hand(or something worked out before you get to the club), the guy thats running the room (who you want to make happy the most) isn't going to care whether or not your table is a garbage can, flipped over, and a table cloth put on it next to the bathroom. Make your host happy. Its a small price to pay for the epic night you're about to have.

Most people think that we make all kinds of killer money. Im sorry to say we dont. I know what most of the hosts salaries around town are, and i can assure you that 80% of them are not over $1000 every 2 weeks...BEFORE TAXES! We work 60-80/week... do the math... its about minimum wage. We rely on tips like most people who work in Vegas.

If for some reason your host cant greet you at the door, and someone else walks your table in, you still should tip. We all split tips. No one keeps their own.

If a host put you on his guest list, he is doing you a favor. You get expedited entry and you're not paying a cover. Drop him or her $20 bucks/person. He just saved you $40 in cover. The least you can do is take care of him.

Sorry for the rant, but the naivety of some people really gets to me sometimes.

Cheers!

"80% of them are not over $1000 every 2 weeks...BEFORE TAXES! "....what about the sr hosts, or managers?

A VIP host seems like a cool job, so since monetary reasons arent there, what are the benefits that attract people to the profession? Just curious...

[AnthonyHyde]

$1000 in salary i ment. Tho whole point is that we rely mainly on tips. Oddly enough, as you move from Jr, to Sr, your salary goes down at some clubs, you just get a bigger split of the tip pool. Managers negotiate their own packages... ill get back you on that when i get there... give me a year or 2

Our life is giant party. We get paid to have fun. There are monitory advantages, dont get me wrong, but it all comes from tips!

[alrvd83]

$1000 in salary i ment. Tho whole point is that we rely mainly on tips. Oddly enough, as you move from Jr, to Sr, your salary goes down at some clubs, you just get a bigger split of the tip pool. Managers negotiate their own packages... ill get back you on that when i get there... give me a year or 2

Our life is giant party. We get paid to have fun. There are monitory advantages, dont get me wrong, but it all comes from tips!

makes sense...getting paid to party. Not your typical job

[Matt]

I've always gone with about $200-250. I guess if I only got one bottle I'd tip a bit less, and if I was spending several grand I'd tip more, but I think that's a reasonably fair amount. To give you an idea that's usually for 2 or 3 bottles.

[Penelope]

Keep in mind the "Host to Customer" ratio on these boards is also pretty high, so the reality is probably a little under the consensus on this board (i.e. a forum for waiters would have the appropriate tip a little higher than statistical average).

I would start lower and gradually increase your tips as you get to know and rely on a host, especially since you have to tip upfront and service varies a *lot*.

Sorry, but i have to disagree all the way around. CLIENT to host ratio is pretty high. I can barely count on my 2 hands an ACTIVE number of host who post here, and for the most part only represent about 5 clubs.

As for the consensus... "you should plan for $75 on the low end and a $1,000 or more on the high end." - Jack Colton

Yes, you tip upfront. Think about it... there are 2 things in your way of having the night of your life at a Las Vegas nightclub... a little velvet rope, and a VIP host who controls that rope as well as where you will be sitting. From the moment that rope opens to the time your host walks over to the podium to get your slip is the time where all of the decisions are made on where you're going to be sitting... now wouldn't you want that host to walk over to that podium a happy person? If your host walks over to the podium with nothing in hand(or something worked out before you get to the club), the guy thats running the room (who you want to make happy the most) isn't going to care whether or not your table is a garbage can, flipped over, and a table cloth put on it next to the bathroom. Make your host happy. Its a small price to pay for the epic night you're about to have.

Most people think that we make all kinds of killer money. Im sorry to say we dont. I know what most of the hosts salaries around town are, and i can assure you that 80% of them are not over $1000 every 2 weeks...BEFORE TAXES! We work 60-80/week... do the math... its about minimum wage. We rely on tips like most people who work in Vegas.

If for some reason your host cant greet you at the door, and someone else walks your table in, you still should tip. We all split tips. No one keeps their own.

If a host put you on his guest list, he is doing you a favor. You get expedited entry and you're not paying a cover. Drop him or her $20 bucks/person. He just saved you $40 in cover. The least you can do is take care of him.

Sorry for the rant, but the naivety of some people really gets to me sometimes.

Cheers!

If you're getting $75-$1000 in tips per group above that minimum wage, it does sound like you're making killer money for very little work.

[AnthonyHyde]

The tips are split between all of the hosts, security, and managers = 80+ people

Little work! HAHA! Did you not read where i said we work 80 hour work weeks. Its more like a 24/7 job.

Here is my typical work day....
I wake up at 11
Meeting and office hours from 12-2
Street promoting as well as attending events to network from 2-5
Home to change into a suit 5-6
Hotel visits, meeting with clients from 6-8
Arrive at the nightclub at 8
Work all night on your feet from 9-3am or 4am
If your clients want to go to afterhours 4am-?
REPEAT 5 days/week

As for my days off, im required to attend outings for work, as well as keep up on my emails, *message boards* social networking, etc

In this time i still need to find time to eat, sleep, shit, and workout.

Welcome to the boards... ill excuse your ignorance.

[michiev]

If for some reason your host cant greet you at the door, and someone else walks your table in, you still should tip. We all split tips. No one keeps their own.

Thanks for that, I had that question on my mind (what to do/how much to tip if the host who set everything up for us isn't actually there). Good to know.

[DeX]

the tips are split between all of the hosts, security, and managers = 80+ people

little work! Haha! Did you not read where i said we work 80 hour work weeks. Its more like a 24/7 job.

Here is my typical work day....
I wake up at 11
meeting and office hours from 12-2
street promoting as well as attending events to network from 2-5
home to change into a suit 5-6
hotel visits, meeting with clients from 6-8
arrive at the nightclub at 8
work all night on your feet from 9-3am or 4am
if your clients want to go to afterhours 4am-?
Repeat 5 days/week

as for my days off, im required to attend outings for work, as well as keep up on my emails, *message boards* social networking, etc

in this time i still need to find time to eat, sleep, shit, and workout.

Welcome to the boards... Ill excuse your ignorance.

handled!

[jayredm]

The tips are split between all of the hosts, security, and managers = 80+ people

Little work! HAHA! Did you not read where i said we work 80 hour work weeks. Its more like a 24/7 job.

Here is my typical work day....
I wake up at 11
Meeting and office hours from 12-2
Street promoting as well as attending events to network from 2-5
Home to change into a suit 5-6
Hotel visits, meeting with clients from 6-8
Arrive at the nightclub at 8
Work all night on your feet from 9-3am or 4am
If your clients want to go to afterhours 4am-?
REPEAT 5 days/week

As for my days off, im required to attend outings for work, as well as keep up on my emails, *message boards* social networking, etc

In this time i still need to find time to eat, sleep, shit, and workout.

Welcome to the boards... ill excuse your ignorance.

owned