Victory Burger @ Circa

This is a two parter, first my opinion of the place, followed by a question on tipping.

So downtown today at lunch time to pick up a bit of free play, I headed for Victory Burger at Circa, located on the second floor tucked in the corner. It was my second visit and this place is quickly becoming one of my favorite places. I am a burger and fries guys, not fast food crap, but a decent burger made with decent beef and a good quality fresh roll. In my Atlantic City days there was a place at Taj Mahal, called wait for it... Burger, that I just loved and haven't found anything it's equal until maybe now.

So Victory Burger has a very limited menu. Burgers and waffle fries (my introduction to them), onion rings and beverages. I guess my one complaint and I shouldn't be complaining yet because I haven't tried them, but the Milkshakes have funny breakfast cereal flavors, like Captain Crunch, Coco Puffs, fruit loops (lets skip the gay jokes for now). I mean Coco Puff has to be chocolate right? I'm going to give it a try on my next visit.

Anyway, if you are a burger person, I highly recommend this place. Yeah it is tourist prices, about $22 bucks for a burger, waffle fries and sprite, but when paying with comp dollars we forget about price right?

Ok, so here is the thing with tipping. You order at the counter and they give you a number on a little pole for your table and they bring the order out. So while I was waiting I had some trash I wanted to throw away. But there was no trash cans anywhere in the seating area. So when the order came, I asked the girl, where do I throw my trash when I am done and she said, just leave it at the table and they will clean up. So my question, what is the tipping protocol for that? Someone brought my food and cleaned up after me. Seems like a small tip type situation, but I saw no one else tip while I was there. I was alone and left $2. Thoughts?

I used to get 15% off at Denny's with my AARP card and I'd use that 15% for the tip. Because of COVID-19, the local Denny's has gone out of business.

Tipping with a credit card is new to me but in this age of COVID-19 money, maybe nobody wants infected dollars & change.

COVID-19 vaccine name subject to political hijacking so we can't even name it here.

Really?!? You guys hijacked the thread beginning with the second post? That is just flat out rude, but I guess it is what it is.

The summer before last, I ordered a lunch at an eatery located in a Boston public park. The food was upscale and I expected the city pricing. The process was no different than any fast food chain. Stand in line, place your order and pay, wait for your number to be called and pick up the food. The food was delicious and I ate it at an outside table in the beautiful park. When I ran my credit card during ordering, options to tip 15%, 20%, or 25% were presented. I did not tip. I don’t think a tip was warranted any more than at any other venue operating in a fast food format. No exceptional service was rendered, just wrote order taking. The “associate’s” body language distinctly conveyed disapproval of my decision not to tip. I have not returned there.

Kewlj, you did receive some personal service in having your order brought out and the table cleared. I think the $2 tip was nice but not necessary. About the right amount in my opinion, if you do tip.

KJ, sorry your thread was hijacked. I love a good burger and fries so will check this place out next time I’m in Vegas. If you’re ever in NYC let me know. I can recommend a few good hole in the wall burger joints.

On the tipping, yes I do think it’s appropriate in that circumstance.

Quote: ChumpChange

Because of COVID-19, the local Denny's has gone out of business...

Hijacking. Let's keep it at your last sentence from April -- seven days.

As to the topic at hand, that's how they serve the food at the Smash Burger on Lake Mead & Buffalo, except I think it's expected to throw your own trash away, which I do. I don't tip there. I never thought about why not before, until now. I still had to wait in line and seat myself. That somebody brought my food out is nice, but I don't think enough to warrant crossing the tipping line between fast food and the obligated tipping of a restaurant. Furthermore, I am pretty sure there is a tip jar at the counter. I typically tip whatever my change is.

At the risk of hijacking *ahem*, this "rounding up" tipping policy results in an uncomfortable situation when the change is a few pennies. For example, your total is $6.97. I look like a cheap bastard tipping only three cents, but would it be worse if I kept the three cents? I think so. I'm not going to tip 14.3% for fast food.

Getting back to this place at the Circa, I wouldn't tip. Sometimes you have to just go on feel, and it doesn't feel like a situation where tipping is an obligation.

Quote: Wizard

... a situation where tipping is an obligation.

Tipping is never an obligation as far as I'm concerned. I won't tip for bad service. Now if management presents a service charge in lieu of tipping, that is an obligation. That said, I tip between 15% and 20% for full restaurant service when it is good.

Quote: BleedingChipsSlowly

Tipping is never an obligation as far as I'm concerned. I won't tip for bad service. Now if management presents a service charge in lieu of tipping, that is an obligation. That said, I tip between 15% and 20% for full restaurant service when it is good.

I am with you as I do not tip at all on bad service. The caveat is that I will always tell the server that the service was poor and that is the reason that I am not tipping.

Are drink refills available? If so, does the person clearing the tables get them for you? If not, then they are a busboy and I wouldn't tip them.
Captain Crunch milkshakes are the human equilvant of ambrosia. Food for the Gods. KGB at Harrah's had them down pat. I miss that place.