Giving away comps

In the "Teddy's gripe" thread someone mentioned something about getting someone else's comps for a cash loan and it made me think of all the times I've given away my comps, not for money, but as a gift. Sometimes it makes me feel good to have done it, but not always, as witnessed by the next two little stories:

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My husband always got our dinners comped at the blackjack table so I had tons of points on my player's card from slots that I never used. One day in December I was sitting at a machine and an older couple next to me asked me about the restaurants. I told them the buffet was very good and reasonably priced but that they should ask for a comp for it with their points. They said it was their first trip to Mississippi, that they lived in Michigan, and that they had just gotten in a couple of hours before so I said, "Follow me."

I guess I was just in a Christmas-y mood. We walked over to the guest services desk and I got 2 buffets with my card and handed them the ticket and said, "Enjoy your dinner."

We saw them later in the restaurant and I pointed them out to my husband. They noticed me and came over and thanked me again and that one incident just made the trip for me. I never even asked them their names.

* * *
My husband and I would both get direct mail coupons for hotel rooms so one day he invited a golfing buddy and his wife to join us for an overnight trip to Tunica. We checked in for both rooms and met up with them later and gave them their keys. They were very happy and thanked us when they saw what a nice room they had.

Later on that night we got hungry and my husband got 4 dinners comped for the steakhouse. The food was great but the conversation was a little one-sided. The wife kept hawking this line of clothing she had just gotten a job selling on commission and she kept trying to get me to place an order for them and it was becoming a little boring to listen to. When the check came we said it was taken care of and assumed they would leave the tip, which is the way it usually works with most people.

Well, this couple turned out to be not like most people. They just sat there and never made a move for their wallets even tho they had just told us how much they were ahead for the day. After an embarrassing long time waiting for them to do something about the tip my husband finally took care of it and we went back to the gaming floor. I made sure to stay as far away from the wife as possible.

On the way home we talked about how cheap these people were and my husband said he didn't realize the man was like that when he invited them because he wasn't like that at the golf course, and he apologized for making me have to suffer thru the wife's never-ending sales pitch like that.

A few weeks later the wife called, saying what a great time they had and when were we going to go again and give them another free room. I lied and told her that my brother-in-law was coming to town and we needed the room for him. The man asked my husband again once at the golf course and my husband gave him a B.S. story too and they finally stopped asking.

Thanks for the stories. I love giving away comps. I sometimes buy the meal of the person behind me if I'm at the deli or something and have extra comp. I've given out countless comp meals to homeless people. I should have given away the Donny & Marie tickets, but I am a greedy mofo :)

Eons ago I used to always give away a meal comp as I left Circus Circus. It was never hard to find some young couple particularly one that looked like it was their first time in Vegas. I would take my coupon, get it stamped for the free buffet after my mornings play then leave the casino for the airport and as I left the casino I'd hand someone the already validated buffet coupon.

Its easy to give or receive free rooms though sometimes its hard to keep straight what name to give to the switchboard operator. I've also used up "extra" nights when someone with comped rooms has flown home but not checked out. I take the rest of their stay and use the Express Checkout thus avoiding any host or alert desk clerk.

I have been on the "receiving" end of Free Comps a
few times, so I will return the favor when I have an
opportunity.

A complete stranger gave me an extra show ticket
once, and it was something that I really wanted to
see.

Initially they wouldn't accept anything for it. But I
insisted and gave them some money for a nice (but
not extravagant) meal.

Took a bus down to Caesars and a guy from South Africa was asking me a bunch of questions about Blackjack, Roulette, & places to eat in the casino. He was pretty much a tourist and would have easily been taken advantage of by the Atlantic City hustlers.

So I warned him to "watch out and be careful with his money", to which he told me "he only had traveler's cheques" but wanted to get a bite to eat. I pondered how he was going to eat and he started asking where he could go to cash the t-cheques?

I said, the meal's on me. Used some comps to get him a sandwich and a soda. He then felt compelled to follow me around for a while watching me play BJ and slots, which I didn't mind because I was winning! But after a while, I kind of wanted to do my own things and not spend half the day as a tour guide. So I started dropping hints for him to scram, but he didn't pick up on it.

He wanted to start playing himself, and started asking the pit boss where he could cash his cheques. Pit boss told em to try a check cashing place by the bus station and that was the last I saw of him.

Nice enough guy, but I think mistake someone being generous for taking you under their wing.

Quote: BedWetterBetter

He wanted to start playing himself, and started asking the pit boss where he could cash his cheques. Pit boss told em to try a check cashing place by the bus station and that was the last I saw of him.

Im surprised the cashiers cage dont cash them like in Vegas.

Quote: Croupier

Im surprised the cashiers cage dont cash them like in Vegas.

I think Cash Advance does it, for a fee though. But I'm fairly certain the cashier cage doesn't do it for someone with No house account, Casino credit or player's card history with the place.

I guess the Pit Boss knew the fees would be lower at the local Check Cashing place and did him a favor.

I've only used mine on friends. I was going to Vegas, and a couple of my friends wanted to go, but couldn't afford it. So I told them if they paid their airfare, I'd cover the room. I used points to pay for the room (it was a weekend, no freebie), and surprised them with paying for a dinner buffett, and a couple shows.

I hadn't thought about giving away comped dinners or buffets if I wasn't going to use them. Definitely something I'll keep in the back of my mind.