Want a window seat at a restaurant in Las Vegas? Expect to pay more.
Airlines charge more for better seats. If you don’t want to pay for an assigned seat, you get what’s leftover at check-in. Airlines realized that not all seats are equal value.
- Some customers were getting better seats than others, luck of the draw, yet all customers were paying the same.
- Airlines realized they could capture the extra value instead of the customer by attaching a seat selection fee.
- Better seats are a scarce resource, and this allocates them based on willingness to pay rather than randomness.
Better airline seating might have been first come, first-served in the past. Now it’s a fee. That idea is likely coming to restaurants, specifically MGM hotel restaurants in Las Vegas, according to Deutsche Bank.
MGM is already raising resort fees and parking fees,
They start with MGM increasing resort fees at all of its Strip properties by between $3 and $8 in early December. Deutsche Bank estimates on a room-weighted basis that resort fees are up 13% year-over-year for 2025 or about $6. The incremental resort fee adds 2% to average daily room rates and revenue per room for 2025 relative to 2024, Santarelli said. The fee should add $70 million of high-flow-through incremental net revenue this year, equating to about 80 basis points of year-over-year growth and 2% EBITDAR growth, Santarelli said. In addition to the resort fee, MGM raised parking fees by a low-double-digit year-over-year percentage.
However seat fees for restaurants are a “high-margin flow-through concept…additive to EBITDA and are currently under the radar.”
Restaurant seating fees aren’t new. The Paris Hotel’s Eiffel Tower restaurant charges $40 for a Bellagio fountain view, and the rotating restaurant at The Strat (formerly Stratosphere) charges $25 for a window table.
However spreading the idea out across Bellagio, ARIA, Vdara, Cosmopolitan, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, W Las Vegas, Park MGM, New York New York, Luxor, Excalibur and potentially more would be a watershed.
Like airlines, of course, we could see restaurant seats added as an elite benefit. In fact, in some cases they already are, for instance top tier loyalty members may get guaranteed reservations in restaurants as well as skip-the-line privileges for buffets. Gamble at a high enough level, and you may not get nickel and dimed in restaurants (or even have to pay the bill for the meal, of course).
Just another reason to avoid the strip in Vegas.
Fascinating. Had not heard of this before–probably because I avoid Las Vegas.
For most restaurants, currently, if you really want a particular table, you have to ask (politely) for it, get lucky, or tip someone; if such a new pricing structure makes things more transparent for those with specific preferences, it could be useful, but more likely than not, it will just be a way for big companies to charge more and give us less, as the airlines have proven over the years.
Another example of changing times is movie theaters, which, until the last decade, it was mostly general admission, all tickets were the same price, and seating was first-come, first-serve; but then, theaters like AMC ‘innovated’ by adding new, fancy recliners, expanded dining options, and assigned seats. Whereas, for a Broadway show, concert, or a sporting event, it’s been assigned seats for a while, and certain seats fetching a premium price over the nose-bleed sections. Hmm.
Just following Caesars Entertainment with their cash-grab practices, as this is something many of their restaurants have been doing for years.
Given the significant number of senior citizens enjoying the lavish MGM buffet, corporate management should consider a profit opportunity by implementing a $50 surcharge for restaurant seats near the restrooms. Additionally, as an exclusive benefit for MGM Rewards Gold members, this surcharge should be reduced to $10 per poop. For MGM Rewards Platinum and Noir members, all surcharges for restaurant seats would be waived.
I’m with @David R. Miller.
I gamble and am willing to spend money but I loathe getting nickel-and-dimed. Value in Vegas is increasingly elusive which is why I’ve cut back my visits – even for work – back to the bare bone and still avoid the strip unless I want to see a big show.
Vegas is just out of control. I used to go 8 times a year. With all the nickel and diming and price increases well beyond vacation, I have cut it down to 4 times a year. I see myself going even less in the future.
What starts in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas.
Given the significant number of senior citizens enjoying the lavish MGM buffet, corporate management should consider a profit opportunity by implementing a $50 surcharge for restaurant seats near the restrooms. Additionally, as an exclusive benefit for MGM Rewards Gold members, this surcharge should be reduced to $10 per poop during their dining experience. For MGM Rewards Platinum and Noir members, all surcharges for any restaurant seats would be waived.
For those complaining about being “nickel and dimed” just gamble enough to have higher level status and amazing how that goes away. I focus more on Caesars but typically am comped my entire hotel stay (or maybe a couple of nights at a fraction of the regular price), pay no resort or parking fees and get all kinds of incentives and offers (like attending New Years Eve functions, the Suoer Bowl, F1, etc).
To me Las Vegas is the model of capitalism – those that contribute the most to the corporations get the benefits as they should. BTW I am very detailed in keeping up with my gambling wins/losses and the benefits I receive are worth more than the wurst year I have ever had.
Going back for 6 nights next Wedyand can’t wait
Screw the guest is the Vegas culture now
Shoot @ fish in a barrel!They will still come.
The more your screw them the more they will come to feel special.
They won’t get 50 cents out of me for their late check out or their premium seat
But this is a city where being a sucker may hold status with your wife or significant other
@ The new Fountainbleau hotel they have a steakhouse (Papi) where a single steak is 1000.00 dollars and comes with nothing
Every diner in house knows you ordered it as the servers dance around your table and bring it out in a fancy box with lit sparklers to celebrate your order.
Ripping off guests is a new art form and making the customer feel special.
For MGM Marriott is the perfect partner as they both excel in greed
The Bonvoy junkies will pay big time when they overpay each and every time they book through Marriott.com.
A fool and his money are soon parted!
“Gamble at a high enough level, and you may not get nickel and dimed in restaurants (or even have to pay the bill for the meal, of course).”
Unfortunately, I once lost enough at a high enough level at Paris casino to have my room, food and beverage all “comped”. Not a great feeling to be contacted for the next 3-4 months to return for more “comps”.
We’ve given up on feeding the one armed bandits, and the food and service at our favorite restaurants on the strip have gone downhill. We joined a vacation club and pay $500 a week for a 1 bedroom suite with a kitchen. We booked great restaurant away from the casinos at half the price on Open Table. We spend our time hiking in the desert, going to museums, and laying by the pool.
Talking about airlines making money on seating assignments made me think of something I would pay for. If I could pay for having the recline mechanism in the seat in front of me to be inoperative, I would pay a reasonable premium. Relief for my knees.
I use go to Vegas 3-4 times a year for 30 years. I stopped when they changed blackjack rules, and seemed slots and video poker machines got tighter despite the industry claim casinos don’t change payout frequency. Since I stopped going, they started parking fees, hotel fees and etc. be nice if whole world don’t go to Vegas for 6 months and maybe prices would come down.