On Thanksgiving my wife, son and I went to a Brazilian steakhouse. It was one of those all-you-can-eat settings where the waiters bring meat on skewers, carving it onto the plate.
This is a heavy duty model and the service was top notch. Staff checked in regularly to see how we were doing and the owner visited our table twice.
I was slightly annoyed though when our bill arrived and it came with a 20% gratuity already included. Usually, when a restaurant has an automatic gratuity added, it mentions it on the menu or on a card on the table.
A local chain we go to not only has a card on the table that adds an 18% gratuity to every check, but also explains where the money goes. This is full transparency and I have never eaten at one of that chain’s restaurants where my waiter did not also ask me if I had seen and understood the policy.
On Thanksgiving, this was only a slight annoyance, as I had planned to tip 20% anyway. I think it should have been mentioned as I could have easily missed the charge and double tipped, but they probably added the charge due to other customers not tipping, considering it’s not traditional waiter service.
In Las Vegas, however, resort casinos have become a minefield of hidden fees and surcharges. A Las Vegas Strip visitor recently went viral on social media for charges at an MGM Resorts International hotel that seem a little excessive.
In most cases, the words gratuity and tip are interchangeable. This usually also applies to service charges, although these are sometimes explained.
A hotel’s room service might charge a $10 service fee for all orders and will usually tell you if that money will go to the person delivering the food. Sometimes the menu may state that some (or all) of this charge goes to the person who packed the food.
In this case, an additional tip for the delivery person might be reasonable.
The Cosmopolitan on the Las Vegas Strip recently hit a customer with three separate mandatory fees.
The visitor posted his receipt on social media and Las Vegas Locally shared it on their Facebook page.
“This Cosmopolitan room service bill with automatic gratuity, 22% tip and $10 service charge is going viral on the ‘Slightly Annoying’ subreddit,” it said.
The person ordered OD French Toast RMS ($20), scratch pancakes with milk ($19), and an American breakfast ($40). That came to $79 in food charges, although the bill shows a subtotal of $89, which included a $10 charge for something called a “traditional room service upgrade.”
Additionally, the receipt showed a $16.02 gratuity charge, a $10 service charge and a 22% tip of $19.58. Sales tax was also listed at $7.45. All this came to $142.05.
So this customer has been charged four separate fees that are probably all for the same thing.
The Reddit responses were not kind to Las Vegas or the hotel.
“Yes. This is just greed detailed,” wrote 10InchesofSnow.
Some were more outraged than others.
“Not just greed. This would be a reason for me to dispute the payment and cancel my order. It’s disgusting and deceptive. If a company did this to me, it would definitely be the last time I use their services,” TerribleIdea27 posted.
Others were more amazed by the hubris.
“It’s really wild. Gratuity plus a service charge plus an added tip option feels like they’re hoping people won’t notice every line. I would have asked the server or manager what each charge actually covers,” said CleanPart3605.
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American breakfast was $40.Shutterstock
As a top tier member of the Caesars loyalty program, I’m lucky enough to have resort fees waived and in most cases even get free parking. Unless you have a certain level of special status, however, resort fees are non-negotiable.
Hotels, however, must inform customers of these charges when making the reservation.
“Consumers have a right to know upfront the total cost of their hotel stays,” former Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a news release. “So-called ‘trickle-down’ fees, sometimes described as ‘convenience’ or ‘service’ fees, are anything but convenient, and companies that hide them are doing American consumers a great disservice.”
Travelers United, a non-profit organization representing travelers, has taken a stand against resort fees of any kind.
“These fees are usually called resort fees, but since it is a fee that exists so that the hotel can lie about the advertised price, a resort fee has nothing to do with a hotel as an actual resort. At many hotels, these fees are called a city tax, an amenities fee, a destination fee, a destination amenities fee, a safety fee, or a common resort fee on his website.
Consumer Reports has been fighting these charges since 2018.
“Hotel resort fee, amenity fee, amenity fee. These extra fees go by many names, but more and more consumers are finding one form or another added to their hotel bills. And all too often, consumers only realize they’re being charged a resort fee when they check out,” the magazine shared on its website.
These are just a few of the fees and tax variations you might pay when visiting the Las Vegas Strip.
Mandatory “Resort Fees” for hotel rooms: Many hotels on the Strip add a nightly fee to the displayed room rate. Source: Las Vegas Jaunt
Large amounts of resort tax: For premium hotels on the Strip (eg, Bellagio, ARIA Resort & Casino, etc.), resort fees are now often around $55 per night (before taxes). Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Parking fees (self or valet parking): Even if you are staying or visiting a hotel/casino, expect separate parking fees. For many properties, self parking costs $20/day for hotel guests (a bit more for non-guests) and valet often costs $40/day. Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Weekend or peak and event parking supplement: Parking charges tend to be higher at weekends or during busy periods (weekend self-parking rates for visitors often higher than weekday rates). Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Early check-in fees: Some hotels charge extra if you want to check in before the normal time. For example, it appears that a resort charges fees $60 for early check-in. Source: Covers.com
Mandatory “amenity package” charges regardless of usage: Resort fees often “cover” amenities such as internet, fitness center/pool access, phone calls, boarding pass printing, bottled water, etc. Even if you don’t use them, you still pay. Source: Las Vegas Jaunt
Low maintenance or service charges and tipping pressure: Some “amenities” that may once have been free (housekeeping, printing, pool towels, etc.) are now part of the tax package, and tip or service charges may still be expected. Source: Las Vegas Direct
Service charges/surcharges at restaurants or for delivery: on-site dining (especially poolside or delivered to sunbeds) may incur additional charges (for example, a lunch reported to be $29 ended up being $45). Source: The Sun
These fees could keep visitors away from Las Vegas.
“Las Vegas, once celebrated for its affordability, is now facing a decline in tourism, largely due to rising costs and controversial resort fees. As prices rise, more visitors are expressing frustration, with nearly 90 percent of respondents to a recent survey labeling the city as ‘too expensive,'” Travel Tour World reported.
That could explain the city’s recent drop in visitors.
“This shift in perception is becoming a major barrier to attracting new tourists, threatening the city’s reputation as a budget-friendly destination. Despite high satisfaction among those still visiting, industry experts warn these concerns could have long-lasting effects on Las Vegas’ appeal,” he added.
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This story was originally published by TheStreet on November 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add TheStreet as a favorite source by clicking here.
