Marriott’s LaSalle Hotel in Bryan, Texas (by Texas A&M) completed a two-year, $6 million renovation and the Tribute Portfolio property re-opened in September.
This hotel does something a little bit differently – something I have never seen before. They ask guests to tip the front desk agent checking them in.
Credit: LaSalle Hotel
We’ve seen QR codes in rooms to encourage guests to tip housekeeping. Hotels say that encouraging tipping saves them from paying higher wages. All that matters is that the employee gets more money, and that helps with retention. It doesn’t matter who does the paying.
But at most hotels the QR code tipping encouragement is limited to housekeeping. Not so at the LaSalle, according to a reader who stayed there. They report that they were given a slip of paper pushing tipping along with their key when they checked in, along with their elite breakfast vouchers.
Here was the QR code in their room suggesting a housekeeping tip.
And this was the QR code in their key packet to tip the front desk.
Tipping the front desk is only really Las Vegas thing – aside from this Marriott hotel – and there it is an explicit bribe in exchange for an upgrade.
What was once dubbed ‘the $20 trick’ it’s now more of a $100 trick, you slide the cash over with your credit card and ask whether upgrades are available (ideally mentioning the room type you want) and if they can do it they pocket the money.
It’s basically the desk clerk taking your money instead of the hotel owner doing it – or, rather, selling the hotel owner’s inventory to you at a discount where they keep the money for themselves.
Credit: LaSalle Hotel
At LaSalle, though, it seems to be the more traditional hotel strategy of getting gullible guests to pay more money, in order to keep hotel payroll down while still retaining staff. That’s great for the hotel if you fall for it, I suppose. Although perhaps the only thing I’ve seen more egregious is airport self-checkout kiosks that not only ask for a tip, but won’t accept $0 as the tip amount.
Just don’t tip. They get paid an hourly wage. If it’s not enough that’s not your fault. What’s next? Being forced to send you child to school with tip money for the teacher?
Caught speeding a while back, ticket was created on an iPad, had to sign and then below the signature line was suggested tip. OK, just kidding, but this tipping practice has gone WAY TO FAR. And hard to imagine anything less “hospitality” than tipping extortion.
I’d studiously avoid returning to any hotel that did this to me and leave a scathing TripAdvisor review as well. We have to discourage this type of thing.
It’s really easy to deal with this. Just throw out the slip and don’t tip. If nobody tips, then they’ll eventually stop printing out those slips.
I’ve been saying.. it isn’t a bribe, it’s a gratuity, according to the US Supreme Court, and it’s totally legal and expected, if you want nice things, moving forward. Otherwise, just set lower expectations. And if you’re mayor of NYC, a business class upgrade is an acceptable quid pro quo to forgo fire safety rules for a consulate. Accountability and justice is dead. Wake up.
For the mega rich: If you’re planning a stay at the historic New York Hilton Midtown, I recommend tipping generously, and maybe also hiring private security and a decent life insurance policy.
“It doesn’t matter who does the paying.” …….. Business owners should just pay their staff a living wage, it’s very simple really, not rocket science
The difference is that the front desk personnel and the housekeeping personnel are not exempt from Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and from minimum wage. And, if the incoming administration’s tax proposal comes to fruition (no tax on tips), it’s possible that this exemption would not apply as well, depending on how the bill is drafted and passed.
If anyone is covered by FLSA, there is no reason to tip them unless they are rendering a personal service above and beyond the normal duties of the position. People who are normally tipped (servers in restaurants, etc) are only required to be paid half of minimum wage, with the expectation that tips will make up the remainder (which often doesn’t occur).
No reason to get upset or not go back to hotel. They aren’t shoving a tablet in your face or adding a charge to the bill. If you don’t want to use the QR code don’t- no reason to get this upset.
BTW I leave cash for housekeeping since no idea if they really get the money on the QR code.
I suffered this insult about 10 years ago checking into the Embassy Suites Niagara Falls. They had giant tip jars at every check in counter. My tripadvisor review was titled “TIP JARS at CHECK IN”
JUST. SAY. NO.
All of this nonsense is not just hotels and airports. I have been on two small group toours where, once I paid the sttandard charge, surprise, surprise I am expected to tip the guides, up to $15 per person per day. Both cater largely to Americans, and we are the worst about accepting the suggestions. Consquently, I have pretty much given up on small group tours, or any kind of tour for that matter. Payl your staff, please!
Tipping is a tax on nice people. That’s all it is.
Clearly there are enough stupid people tipping. The QR code costs nothing to put out there.
Any idiot you reel in to tip is free money
Tipping has become a disease. Its high time customers stop subsidizing business from paying their employees proper living wages. Include it in the cost of the product being offered and let me make my decision whether i want your product
Once again, Japan has it right.
I do NOT comply with nonsense tipping requests.
I’m very comfortable saying “NO” all day long.
Americans are a generous people.
However, American tipping culture is out of control and other countries are rightfully laughing at us.
Added to my list of places I will never stay.
These scummy entitled Democrat voters always have their paws out for more and more and want to work less and less
Glad there is a push to automate everything and get rid of these scummy subhumans.
Best example is ubereats and door dash. I never use that service because it’s always some poor third worlder in a beatup car. I don’t want to be anywhere near these “people” and I don’t want them near my home.
I notice the QR codes are the same which means a part of the tip meant for an excellent housekeeper will go where? I’ll continue to use cash.
@ Eileen. Well stated and I won’t get started on the employer
I saw the same at Hyatt Place Richmond airport yesterday by the check in desk.
I happen to know associates name and his name was on there.
Same in all rooms (labeled housekeeping)
This hotel started to charge $10 for parking a couple weeks ago. Pure greed as it is not a downtown location or anywhere close to airport.
I tip nobody. Anywhere. Restaurants included. They are PAID. If they don’t like it, QUIT. Tips are a scam 1000%. Every. Single. Time.
Here for the comments. No need to add anything other than keep calling them out Gary! I echo most of what y’all have stated!
This is evidence of a poor business model. I wish that Marriott would be take private and the focus could then return to the customer as opposed to the shareholder.
For what it’s worth, the LaSalle Hotel, Tribute Portfolio is owned and operated by New Castle Hotels & Resorts.
Here is their list of properties:
https://www.hospitalityonline.com/new-castle
https://www.newcastlehotels.com/portfolio
Presumably, all their properties are doing this.
@adam…you’re my hero!
Front desk agent for a Marriott property here! My property absolutely doesn’t solicit tips ever for any staff. We provide tipping envelopes per request. However, in the past year of working the desk at a lower level property in a small town in the Midwest, I’ve received just under $800 in tips. I’ve never asked for or suggested tips to any guests- every time it was a situation where I was simply proactive to fill a need, something that used to be common in hospitality. I have employees that have never been tipped because they do bare minimum. A tip is not something that should ever be asked for or expected. We are all paid a standard wage at the hotel to do the job. Tips should be reserved for above standard work. Just my opinion as a tipped employee in a non-tipped position.
@RetiredLawyer you: “People who are normally tipped (servers in restaurants, etc) are only required to be paid half of minimum wage, with the expectation that tips will make up the remainder (which often doesn’t occur).”
Fact: “The United States federal government requires a wage of at least $2.13 per hour be paid to employees who receive at least $30 per month in tips. If wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during any week, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate.”
You hit on one of my pet peeves. If you work, say, 40 hours during a week in a tipped job, you will make at least $290 in wages plus tips. It’s just that as little as $85.20 may come from the employer IF you get enough tips. You get zero tips, the employer must foot all $290.
@andyS Don’t want sub humans and those people? Quite entitled there aren’t you?
Not only are US hotel prices through the roof, especially where you have to pay for valet parking, where you “have to” tip coming and going, but having everyone tipped? I didn’t begrudge housekeeping – but now they don’t come in during your stay. Sure, the trash is overflowing, so while the room is worse, I am suffering. I’ll go abroad where service is nicer and tip free. Often much cheaper too!
I stay 50+ nights per year at Marriott hotels throughout the USA and I have never encountered a front desk tip jar anywhere.
Most of my stays are 1-3 nights so I decline housekeeping as a general rule. I’m a tidy person by nature and happy to pick up after myself as I would do at home.
On the rare occasion that I do request or receive housekeeping I tip in cash.
Some crooks put their QR codes over the real ones. Endemic at Hilton properties like in Annapolis at the Hilton Garden and Philadelphia airport properties with mandatory daily fees to park at Fairfield and Courtyard…..
Stunned and speechless- the employee is being trained to work less, NOT more.
Here’s a tip. Housekeeping should only ever be tipped in cash. Don’t have some, get some. Ask the front desk to charge you the $20, $50 whatever and get the cash to tip housekeeping. Using an app / QR code isn’t tipping for the service, its going to the hotel owners pocket. With that clarified, this past weekend I paid $100 extra at NY Hilton Midtown to check-in early and get a 2 cat upgrade. There was nothing special about the room, but hey I didn’t get shot.
Tipping is a tax on nice people. That’s all it is.
The above statement says it all…so true !!
Nope. The tipping practice has gone way too far since Covid. Same with junk fees at hotels and airlines. Pay your employees a decent wage. Be transparent and stop trying to screw your customers.
AndyS, pure insanity. Read a book. Read anything other than what you’re currently reading because it’s caused brain rot. Go outside. Something to get you in touch with reality. This has nothing to do with politics.
Hey Andy S
Your comments indicate you are the subhuman (an arrogant entitled MAGA being perhaps?)
It is NOT my fault their employer does not pay them a living wage! Get mad at them, not me! I saved for a year to take this vacation. I will go somewhere that doesn’t have that “suggestion”.
At a hotel, I only leave a cash tip in the room.
If hotel owners are allowing this type of tipping extortion on guests, turnabout is fair play. Why can’t the hotel employee expect their employer to tip the hotel staff as well for doing a great job? Hotel owner would not be a business for it not be off the work of every hotel employee. This would be above and beyond any annual bonus… If the hotel owner or general manager of the hotel likes the work and experience the employee is giving the customer, the employee should also expect a tip from their general manager and hiet owner. Just saying…
Um no. You don’t get paid waiter wages. I’m not tipping you for showing up to work and I tip 25% at restaurants.
I’d probably be more willing if you were helping yourself, but these people want premium wages for a job your average 10 year old could do, and probably better.