Does the casino make more $ by not giving out free drinks?
Are they making more $ this way (saving on alcohol) vs extra profit from buzzed/drunk ploppies playing?
Quote: 100xOddsCaesars stopped giving out free drinks years ago. Now you have to earn a free drink by coin-in or time at the table.
Are they making more $ this way (saving on alcohol) vs extra profit from buzzed/drunk ploppies playing?
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So they still give free drinks to players. And someone may bet more than they planned to to get the free drinks.
That’s not ‘stopping giving out free drinks’. That’s requiring you to actually gamble to get the free drink
My casinos across the border in Canada are not permitted to give free alcoholic drinks. Nor is smoking allowed. I don’t think it affects business much. I prefer ‘no smoking, no free drinks’ to ‘yes smoking, yes free drinks’. I’m going in a bit to Seneca Niagara. I’ll get a few free soft drinks, but not interested in drinking ETOH at noon.
I'm quite certain that I have given the casino more EV inebriated that I would have sober -- I'm sure enough to cover the cost of my drinks, probably a few times over.
But if it overall increases a casino's profits to comp alcohol, then you would expect that in jurisdictions where comping alcohol is illegal, they would sell it at cost, not normal restaurant/bar prices. (Unless, of course the same jurisdictions also regulate pricing, which I don't know.)
Quote: JoemanI have always been curious about this.
I'm quite certain that I have given the casino more EV inebriated that I would have sober -- I'm sure enough to cover the cost of my drinks, probably a few times over.
But if it overall increases a casino's profits to comp alcohol, then you would expect that in jurisdictions where comping alcohol is illegal, they would sell it at cost, not normal restaurant/bar prices. (Unless, of course the same jurisdictions also regulate pricing, which I don't know.)
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I believe some jurisdictions have minimum markup requirements.
If "happy hour" means you get free food with your drinks, rather than discounted (or free) drinks, this may be the case.
Quote: ChumpChangeI keep running into empty soda dispensers on weekends.
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I thought casinos stopped providing soda dispensers after one too many homeless people were coming in, filling their cups, and walking back out.
Quote: ThatDonGuyQuote: ChumpChangeI keep running into empty soda dispensers on weekends.
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I thought casinos stopped providing soda dispensers after one too many homeless people were coming in, filling their cups, and walking back out.
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It is less of a problem when the casino isn't in the middle of a bustling city.
Quote: 100xOddsCaesars stopped giving out free drinks years ago. Now you have to earn a free drink by coin-in or time at the table.
Are they making more $ this way (saving on alcohol) vs extra profit from buzzed/drunk ploppies playing?
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They got tired of giving free drinks to people who aren't playing. That costs money.
It's a common trick to put money into a machine and then just sit there doing nothing, or occasionally bet a very small amount, to get a free drink. Those are trolls, and I'm glad they don't get free stuff.
Hard Rock Atlantic City has drink ordering buttons on all their machines. I used to play their 99.97% offering in the back of the casino near the Boardwalk and order drinks, and the waitresses were in no hurry to get there because they were always getting stiffed by the bums who came in just to drink. Even if you're not a bum they still came over there with the attitude because they expected to get stiffed by anyone who was playing there.
The cost of the bottom-shelf alcohol they serve in those circumstances is not very much and it's not worth having cocktail waitresses doing any policing over it. Just serve the drinks, what he plays he plays. I'd think them more concerned about the effects of those drinks and who it will bring, bums looking for free drinks and scaring off good customers by being bums, and people with an alcohol death wish getting fall-down drunk, getting sick and everything else that comes with getting that drunk going on in their casino.
Quote: 100xOddsCaesars stopped giving out free drinks years ago. Now you have to earn a free drink by coin-in or time at the table.
Are they making more $ this way (saving on alcohol) vs extra profit from buzzed/drunk ploppies playing?
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You would think that they would. What's the cost of a drink? How much more money will they win by loosening people's inhibitions? Difficult to think the latter isn't larger than the former.
12/14/2021
Las Vegas Strip Casinos to Stop Providing Free Drinks to Non-Playing Visitors
Caesars Entertainment's Free Alcohol Policy
Rich Broome, Executive VP of Communications at Caesars Entertainment, said his company wants to reward its loyal customers. Broome said, "We are making a concerted effort to reward our larger-spending customers. This discourages people who are just looking for a free drink." Players will not notice changes on the gaming floors, at least at present. The policy currently applies to specific Caesars Entertainment casinos in Nevada and only in the bar areas of those casinos. Players have to use the gaming machines in the bar space in order to receive free alcoholic beverages. It is a policy that has existed for a long time, in fact. That policy was seldom or never enforced. Now, Caesars bar managers in Las Vegas, Laughlin, Lake Tahoe, and Reno are being instructed to deny free drinks to players who do not gamble on the EGMs.
MGM Resorts International's Free Drinks Technology
MGM Resorts not only has a policy, but it uses technology to enhance and formalize its policies. MGM Grand and TopGolf uses a validation system to assure the people receiving complimentary drinks are actually gambling. Alan Feldman, EVP of MGM Resorts, said the era when casinos were giving free stuff to anyone who would walk in the door is gone. Las Vegas welcomed 43 million tourists last year, so the casino operations are not lacking visitors. Feldman said, "In the 1950s, the industry was trying to incentivize. Now, it's a reward."
Ardent Complimentary Validation System
The technology used by MGM Entertainment is the "Ardent Complimentary Validation System", which was developed by Ardent Progressive Systems and Games. The system has proven to be a useful tool at MGM's casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, like the MGM Grand, Bellagio, and Mandalay Bay. Feldman says the company might expand its use to Atlantic City and Tunica. Meanwhile, Ardent Progressive Systems and Games has sold its validation system to many other casinos in the Las Vegas area, including Las Vegas Sands Corp casinos like the Venetian Las Vegas and the Palazzo Las Vegas. The Westgate Hotel & Casino, formerly known as the Las Vegas Hilton, also uses Ardent. So does the Hard Rock Las Vegas, Hard Rock Lake Tahoe, Golden Nugget, and Treasure Island.
No More Complimentary Drinks
In short, gamblers have to pay to drink now. While the players might win their bets and get free drinks, it is now explicit that the gambler needs to gamble. With three of the four casino giants of the Las Vegas Strip instituting such a policy (Wynn Resorts is the lone holdout), the illusion of free drinks appear to be gone for good. Players should keep in mind the validation systems are used only in select casinos at the moment. Also, they only apply to the bar area of the casino, so people watching the betting action on the gaming floor still receive free drinks.
If you gamble on our casino floor, we will provide you with free alcoholic drinks.
That someone believes you should just be able to walk in the building and get a free Schlitz Light is silly.
If you want to say casinos no longer give out free drinks to non-gamblers, that’s fine.
Quote: SOOPOOI’m disagreeing with the narrative being played out here. I’m saying the casinos DO give out free drinks. I’ll summarize it as follows.
If you gamble on our casino floor, we will provide you with free alcoholic drinks.
That someone believes you should just be able to walk in the building and get a free Schlitz Light is silly.
If you want to say casinos no longer give out free drinks to non-gamblers, that’s fine.
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Yes, that's what I meant.
The only problem for a casino would be if someone knows they can go to X casino and get free drinks vs a casino that charges. That's verry few people and the people that know are probably cheapskates.
99% of people going to casinos are not looking for short term value..
Quote: AxelWolfIf someone is going to drink in a casino they are going to drink regardless of free or not. Why spend the cost of lubricating players if they will pay to lubricant themselves?
The only problem for a casino would be if someone knows they can go to X casino and get free drinks vs a casino that charges. That's verry few people and the people that know are probably cheapskates.
99% of people going to casinos are not looking for short term value..
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I don't think that's so. I like to drink, so I consider the free drinks part of my pay just like cashback or a free panini maker or anything else like that, but I'm not going to pay for those subprime drinks, usually in a plastic cup, as if I'm going to assault someone with a glass if they give me one. Plasticware is acceptable poolside because of the hassle involved if someone breaks glass in or near a pool, but served at a gaming table it's like seeing a hot air dryer in the restroom instead of paper towels. Disrespect.
But at the same time, I'm not going there "to drink," I'm going there to play with an advantage and if I can't drink for free there I'll drink elsewhere. So you could be right, that someone for whom getting drunk on inferior beverages is half the reason why they are going, they might well pay for that.
You've obviously never gone to the Hard Rock Cafe and asked for take out with a dining credit. Wow. You get chased out faster than a card counter at El Cortez. Tipped food and beverage employees in AC have probably the worst attitude you can have with the exception of the Asian restaurants. And don't say oh they have such a hard job. No they're just very entitled to the current tipping culture and have grown accustomed to selectively avoiding the low and non tipping customers. Same with New Orleans. Biloxi you'd think would be similar but actually I've found them to be much nicer. I had a large dining credit once and was in a hurry and got the buffet to go. As I was checking out I said you guys can use the rest if you want. Well I guess they don't get free meals there and about 5 employees came over and grabbed to go boxes and they were very grateful. I just was glad I could stick it to the casino as much as I could. Kudos to Detroit who is the only area I know of that still has soda machines.Quote: AutomaticMonkeyHarrah's Chester has a free soda fountain- still, I think.
Hard Rock Atlantic City has drink ordering buttons on all their machines. I used to play their 99.97% offering in the back of the casino near the Boardwalk and order drinks, and the waitresses were in no hurry to get there because they were always getting stiffed by the bums who came in just to drink. Even if you're not a bum they still came over there with the attitude because they expected to get stiffed by anyone who was playing there.
The cost of the bottom-shelf alcohol they serve in those circumstances is not very much and it's not worth having cocktail waitresses doing any policing over it. Just serve the drinks, what he plays he plays. I'd think them more concerned about the effects of those drinks and who it will bring, bums looking for free drinks and scaring off good customers by being bums, and people with an alcohol death wish getting fall-down drunk, getting sick and everything else that comes with getting that drunk going on in their casino.
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Quote: SandybestdogKudos to Detroit who is the only area I know of that still has soda machines.
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Most of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Northern Indiana. Not sure how much of Michigan counts as Detroit, but Michigan.
I haven't been through Oklahoma recently enough to remember, but it wouldn't startle me a bit.
Quote: SandybestdogYou've obviously never gone to the Hard Rock Cafe and asked for take out with a dining credit. Wow. You get chased out faster than a card counter at El Cortez. Tipped food and beverage employees in AC have probably the worst attitude you can have with the exception of the Asian restaurants. And don't say oh they have such a hard job. No they're just very entitled to the current tipping culture and have grown accustomed to selectively avoiding the low and non tipping customers. Same with New Orleans. Biloxi you'd think would be similar but actually I've found them to be much nicer. I had a large dining credit once and was in a hurry and got the buffet to go. As I was checking out I said you guys can use the rest if you want. Well I guess they don't get free meals there and about 5 employees came over and grabbed to go boxes and they were very grateful. I just was glad I could stick it to the casino as much as I could. Kudos to Detroit who is the only area I know of that still has soda machines.Quote: AutomaticMonkeyHarrah's Chester has a free soda fountain- still, I think.
Hard Rock Atlantic City has drink ordering buttons on all their machines. I used to play their 99.97% offering in the back of the casino near the Boardwalk and order drinks, and the waitresses were in no hurry to get there because they were always getting stiffed by the bums who came in just to drink. Even if you're not a bum they still came over there with the attitude because they expected to get stiffed by anyone who was playing there.
The cost of the bottom-shelf alcohol they serve in those circumstances is not very much and it's not worth having cocktail waitresses doing any policing over it. Just serve the drinks, what he plays he plays. I'd think them more concerned about the effects of those drinks and who it will bring, bums looking for free drinks and scaring off good customers by being bums, and people with an alcohol death wish getting fall-down drunk, getting sick and everything else that comes with getting that drunk going on in their casino.
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Most service employees in Atlantic City have a terrible attitude. In case you didn't deduce this already, it's racism. A white employee at Ocean confided to me that they have to put up with it too, bullying, harassment and blame every day.
One time I was walking north on the Boardwalk towards Ocean and there was this black guy walking behind me regaling me with racial commentary. Now I have some street experience and I know better than to respond to that, but also that if he gets within arms reach of me I'm going to have to do something very bad. Nobody gets close enough to get hit after using those words unless they are already committed to violence. So I just keep walking, a little faster, let time be my ally, once I'm at the Ocean there's security all over the place and no need to do the do. Keep walking, almost there, watch where he is and know where I am... Yes, now I'm at Ocean, everything is OK- but he walks in there too.
After about 15 minutes I'm thinking, maybe I should tell security what happened and that this nut is in their casino. So I look around for a security guard and there he is- the nut, in his security uniform. That was the last thing I expected being there's rarely a good reason for an employee to be entering the building there, but it's usually the things you didn't expect that get you.
Yea haven’t been to those areas in awhile. One place I go to replaced theirs with those multi choice machines with the touch screen. I absolutely despise those. It’s also always out of ice. Restaurants that have those now I don’t go to anymore. It tastes awfull. I’m surprised coke hasn’t done opinion polling on them cause I’m sure they will find that people hate them. Actually since COVID when a lot of drunk machines disappeared my soda consumption has gone to almost nothing. In the casino if I want one I usually just go to the bar and tip $1. That’s usually good enough for me.Quote: Dieter(snip!)
Quote: SandybestdogKudos to Detroit who is the only area I know of that still has soda machines.
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Most of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Northern Indiana. Not sure how much of Michigan counts as Detroit, but Michigan.
I haven't been through Oklahoma recently enough to remember, but it wouldn't startle me a bit.
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Quote: SandybestdogOne place I go to replaced theirs with those multi choice machines with the touch screen. I absolutely despise those. It’s also always out of ice. Restaurants that have those now I don’t go to anymore. It tastes awfull. I’m surprised coke hasn’t done opinion polling on them cause I’m sure they will find that people hate them.
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I actually prefer them, as it is the only way I can get certain flavors, like diet root beer and diet cream soda.
Quote: ThatDonGuyQuote: SandybestdogOne place I go to replaced theirs with those multi choice machines with the touch screen. I absolutely despise those. It’s also always out of ice. Restaurants that have those now I don’t go to anymore. It tastes awfull. I’m surprised coke hasn’t done opinion polling on them cause I’m sure they will find that people hate them.
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I actually prefer them, as it is the only way I can get certain flavors, like diet root beer and diet cream soda.
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... or diet ginger ale with lime flavouring.
I don’t know that there’s a certain type of employee in AC that is the worst. I think young ones are always lazy and just want to close up and the older ones like to only take the high tipping ones. The thing is when I’m on a casino trip I tip a lot more too. Carryout and food court places usually always get something. You almost have to cause you can’t even get any food otherwise.Quote: AutomaticMonkey
Most service employees in Atlantic City have a terrible attitude. In case you didn't deduce this already, it's racism. A white employee at Ocean confided to me that they have to put up with it too, bullying, harassment and blame every day.
One time I was walking north on the Boardwalk towards Ocean and there was this black guy walking behind me regaling me with racial commentary. Now I have some street experience and I know better than to respond to that, but also that if he gets within arms reach of me I'm going to have to do something very bad. Nobody gets close enough to get hit after using those words unless they are already committed to violence. So I just keep walking, a little faster, let time be my ally, once I'm at the Ocean there's security all over the place and no need to do the do. Keep walking, almost there, watch where he is and know where I am... Yes, now I'm at Ocean, everything is OK- but he walks in there too.
After about 15 minutes I'm thinking, maybe I should tell security what happened and that this nut is in their casino. So I look around for a security guard and there he is- the nut, in his security uniform. That was the last thing I expected being there's rarely a good reason for an employee to be entering the building there, but it's usually the things you didn't expect that get you.
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Someone told me that the original designer of Ocean purposely made it without an easily accessible boardwalk location because he specifically didn’t want anyone just walking in from the boardwalk like all the other casinos. Not sure if this is true.
Well maybe I’m wrong on this one but I don’t like them at all. The coke tastes awful. But maybe that was a good thing for me. The iced tea at Panera is good and they have the unlimited drink clubQuote: ThatDonGuyI actually prefer them, as it is the only way I can get certain flavors, like diet root beer and diet cream soda.
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Quote: KevinAAQuote: 100xOddsCaesars stopped giving out free drinks years ago. Now you have to earn a free drink by coin-in or time at the table.
Are they making more $ this way (saving on alcohol) vs extra profit from buzzed/drunk ploppies playing?
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They got tired of giving free drinks to people who aren't playing. That costs money.
It's a common trick to put money into a machine and then just sit there doing nothing, or occasionally bet a very small amount, to get a free drink. Those are trolls, and I'm glad they don't get free stuff.
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My local Casino runs a promotion where you just have to be playing SOMETHING in order to get the promotion. 💡 You can literally play ONE penny and you qualify for the promotion. 😀 One of my Casino friends won $5,000 I'm free play and he was only playing one penny! 😳😀
