Backstory:
A number of years ago, a vendor named All American Dave (real name Dave Swanson) set up a makeshift restaurant at the Rio. It's located outside near the amazon room exits. He is the only vendor that is there. His business offers meals and healthy drinks, shakes etc. There are breakfast options which I never have ordered from earlier in the day and at night there are usually five dinner options to choose from. Usually a chicken dish, a burger, two types of fish and a vegan dish (almost always a salad).
The prices for the entree's besides the salad are $25. The portions aren't huge. I would equate them to what one might receive ordering a lunch portion at a restaurant. The food is very good. I would honestly say their fish is better than anywhere else on property. All the meals are also very healthy. It is also insanely marked up.
Make no mistake, that is not why I am posting this. I of course realize as the consumer I am making a clear cut choice to pay their price rather than eating unhealthy Rio food or eating snacks.
The 3pm. tourneys do not have a dinner break. There is only a 15 minute break every two hours. Not enough time to walk to the wsop cafeteria, stand in line, order, wait for my food and walk back to my table. I eat before I play but by 9-10pm I always become hungry. I have snacks and such but it still leaves a tremendous void.
For the past 3-4 years I have ordered from All American Dave when I play an afternoon tourney with no dinner break. I don't remember when it changed but roughly 3 or 4 years ago they eliminated dinner breaks for the days later tourney.
Again, I realize I am making a choice to spend my money on his food. I compare it to over priced food one might pay at an amusement park or a ball game. I accept it and feel at least better that I am eating healthy. I usually order a fish, which comes with brown rice and a veggie. I add a few slices of avocado because its a super food
This year I have ordered 4 times from All American Dave. The first time was without incident. The second and 3rd time oddly enough no silverware was included with my meal and I had to tweet/track down an employee to receive silverware.
Dave employs a number of young girls, I'd guess 21- 28, to drop off meals to players at their tables when there order is ready. I usually tip $3 for each order. These girls are often carrying 4-6 bags/deliveries at a time. Myself as a consumer feel that $3 is more than appropriate for the services being rendered.
The second order I placed this summer, I only had two $20 bills. I gave the young lady $40 and asked for change. She told me it would take a bit to get me change, as she stated they do not carry change on them. I didn't think much of it. She came back with my change but handed me (3) $5 bills! Cmon. I didn't want to get into it with the girl and luckily there was a rio cocktail employee near by and I broke a $5 bill down and gave her $3 without incident.
Order number 3 (this past Tuesday) I remembered when I arrived to make sure to have change on me to pay for my order in the event I got hungry, as well as a $3 tip. Uneventful except the missing silverware for the second time. Mistakes happen. I tweeted at Dave and a young lady came within 5 minutes and brought me silverware. I didn't tip a second time.
This evening around 10:45pm I was famished. The blinds were high and I was short but nonetheless decided to order. I tweeted my order (as I have done at least 20-25 times over the last few years) and within 10-15 minutes, my food arrived.
It also should be mentioned that Dave offers meal plans. However I have never used one and I don't know anything regarding the pricing/plans etc.
My salmon arrives and I realized all I had on me was a $20 and a $10. I handed the young lady my money. She asked if I needed change. I replied I did. She then responded in a rude condescending tone that it was going to "take a while. I have a lot of orders to drop off and then I have to go back to Dave's and get change" I asked politely if they ever carried change and she responded again with the same rude demeanor that the girls "do not carry change on them".
It took close to 30 minutes for her to arrive with my change and it was a $5 bill! She for some reason handed it to me wrapped in a receipt from my order. No clue as to why.
The funny thing is I had a $1 bill on me but wanted to tip her $3! I didn't have the energy to go on with this so I just reached into my pocket and pulled out the dollar bill and handed it to her. She responded by telling me, while I WAS IN A HAND, that in the future when I order I can not do so by tweeting and that I must walk outside to place my order. She stated that only those with meal plans can order via twitter.
I politely stated that I had ordered over twitter 4 times this year and every time during the past summers. She raised her voice and said "well you shouldn't been allowed to do it that way. Only meal subscribers can order using twitter"
Again I was in a hand. A big pot no less. She saw this as it was awkward turning back and forth to the game and to face her throughout our conversation. I didn't go any further with our dialogue. She took the $1 bill out of my hand and off into a sea of tables she went.
It's obvious to me, as I am sure it is to those reading that they don't carry change in hopes people (READ: male poker players who are in awe of pretty young girls) leave a high tip. Why bring me change when I request it in the form of a $5 bill? Furthermore, really? I mean really? You're going to cop an attitude and tell me a different ordering procedure than I have used for years because I asked for change? You're going to hustle me for $5 and when you don't get it you're going to embarrass me in front of my peers as well as create a spectacle while I am playing a pot in a $1500 buy in tournament? Wow. Just wow.
It is everyone's own personal decision how to tip. Those who know me personally or from the fraud show know I am not frugal nor am I cheap. To me though $3 is the appropriate amount of compensation for the services rendered. Walking about 2 minutes to my table and handing me a bag to me is worth $3. I think that is MORE THAN FAIR. Realize again they are carrying often 6 bags of food during their short walk from the make shift restaurant. I suspect they easily make $20+ at least for 5 minutes of their time.
I of course realize I live in a city that is based massively on the service industry. I was a craps dealer in 2000 at the El Cortez making sometimes as little as $5 a day in tips plus minimum wages. I then worked as a craps dealer at the Suncoast. I NEVER gave a customer an attitude or was disrespectful if they chose not to tip or tipped very little after a winning session.
Lately I have decided enough is enough with the excessive tipping and the donating. My boiling point was a few weeks ago when I was at a Walgreens. My purchases were $13 and I handed the cashier a $20. She asked me if I wanted to donate a dollar. I asked what for, since I found it odd she didn't state the charity or organization when asking me.
Guess what she replied?
"I don't know". Unreal.
I am a principled person believe it or not. I don't patronize places that I feel have disrespected me. I will end this by making it clear that I don't want compensation. I don't want a free orange glazed mahi mahi or some bbq salmon. I will not ever patronize All American Dave's business again. As I tweeted to him, I will of course also share my experience both on radio and in words. I will share my experience with others.
Lastly Dave if you are reading this, anyone with mild intelligence realizes you make a killing. Yes I am sure the rio charges you an arm and a leg for the exclusive rights to be the only restaurant setting up shop outside. I also though see countless bags minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, at $25 a pop being delivered. I have yet to be at a table in my 5 events played without seeing MULTIPLE people feasting on your food.
So why not consider paying your girls more and instituting a "no hustling policy' or at the very least instruct them to be polite and non combative regardless of how much a customer tips.
Edit: I have never met Dave Swanson. I cant affirm that he is aware of these practices that go on.
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Originally Posted by Gutito21
