Caesars has massively downgraded the "4 free drink" benefit for all Diamond levels in the Vegas market

[Dan Druff]

You might recall that in this thread, I first mentioned that Caesars was removing the "4 free drink benefit" in Vegas from certain players in May 2024. Then, in post #15, I mentioned a rumor that they would be doing away with the benefit entirely in February 2025.



Several employees at Vegas Caesars properties are telling me that, starting February 10, Diamond Plus and Diamond Elite will no longer have the 4 drink benefit at outlets or restaurants -- only casino bars, and no prepackaged drinks will be available as part of this benefit.

Seven Stars will reportedly keep them.


Notice I was the only one calling this back in August.

[Tasha]

I lost my money at my local Casino around 2017 and asked for a free cup of soda at the bar and I got refused. They told me I would have to BUY the cup of soda. The soda used to be FREE. I pointed out that the soda used to be FREE at the bar and pointed out that I JUST lost my money and just wanted a free cup of soda to take the edge off. They said the rules were changed where they were no longer allowed to give free soda at the bar. Boo.

[DGenBen]

I lost my money at my local Casino around 2017 and asked for a free cup of soda at the bar and I got refused. They told me I would have to BUY the cup of soda. The soda used to be FREE. I pointed out that the soda used to be FREE at the bar and pointed out that I JUST lost my money and just wanted a free cup of soda to take the edge off. They said the rules were changed where they were no longer allowed to give free soda at the bar. Boo.

Here’s a pro tip. Just bring a little cartridge of CO2 and some sugar in your purse.

Then if this happens just ask for a cup of water, which should be free anywhere, then add the CO2 and sugar & you will have instant soda.

[Dan Druff]

As expected, they downgraded the benefit for Diamond Plus and Elite to be bars-only today, and you also cannot use it for prepackaged drinks.

Seven Stars is unaffected.

[jpfromla]

As expected, they downgraded the benefit for Diamond Plus and Elite to be bars-only today, and you also cannot use it for prepackaged drinks.

Seven Stars is unaffected.

You called it months ago.
It does, finally differentiates, Seven Stars from Diamond.
No effect for me. Used mine exclusively at bars.

[DGenBen]

Here’s a breakdown of the current Caesars Rewards Benefits:

Seven Stars - We don’t give a fuck
Diamond Elite - We really don’t give a fuck
Diamond Plus - We don’t give a fuck or a shit
Diamond - Fuck off!!!!
Platinum - Fuck off and eat a dick!!!!
Gold - Fuck off and eat two dicks!!!!

[coach belly]

Several restaurants are listed on the flyer.

Are some restaurants still included?

Several at Vegas Caesars properties are reporting that, starting February 10, Diamond Plus and Diamond Elite will no longer have the 4 drink benefit at outlets or restaurants -- only casino bars

As expected, they downgraded the benefit for Diamond Plus and Elite to be bars-only today

[Dan Druff]

Yes, the listed restaurants are included. That's because the drinks there are essentially equivalent to the bars -- very cheap and easy for them to make.

They're getting away from Diamonds (of all levels) clogging up the retail outlets, and sucking up all the Fiji, Naked Juice, Tropicana, etc. They want you to stick to drinks in a glass that they pour from a bottle or get from a tap or machine. That is little cost to them, doesn't require stocking/restocking, and doesn't cause long lines to develop.

I don't blame them for this move. Their policy was stupid in the first place, basically inviting this "abuse".

However, this was all originally borne from cheapness, as they closed the Laurel Lounges to save $$ (originally hiding behind COVID), and then introduced this to shut people up. And in typical Caesars fashion, they didn't think about any possible exploits.

[Dan Druff]

Oh, and some of the outlets won't be done updating their system until 2/24. In such cases, you can still use these benefits as Diamond Plus or Elite until they take it away.

But some are already gone, and they will all be gone for Diamonds by the 24th, except the ones listed above.

[coach belly]

Yes, the listed restaurants are included. That's because the drinks there are essentially equivalent to the bars -- very cheap and easy for them to make.

I'm not following your reasoning here.

Many of the cocktails on the drink menus are not that easy to make, somewhat complicated actually, with multiple ingredients and processes.

They're definitely not easier to make as whatever comes in sealed can or bottle, and many of the locations with those options were self-serve (Starbucks, gift shops & food court), but it looks like they took all the self-serve options away.

I understand that the 4-drink players were emptying the shelves of Fiji, San Pellegrino, Red Bull, etc...taking 4 at a time.

I occasionally saw that happening myself...and I read locals admitting to coming in everyday to stock up for home.

[DGenBen]

Yes, the listed restaurants are included. That's because the drinks there are essentially equivalent to the bars -- very cheap and easy for them to make.

I'm not following your reasoning here.

Many of the cocktails on the drink menus are not that easy to make, somewhat complicated actually, with multiple ingredients and processes.

They're definitely not easier to make as whatever comes in sealed can or bottle, and many of the locations with those options were self-serve (Starbucks, gift shops & food court), but it looks like they took all the self-serve options away.

I understand that the 4-drink players were emptying the shelves of Fiji, San Pellegrino, Red Bull, etc...taking 4 at a time.

I occasionally saw that happening myself...and I read locals admitting to coming in everyday to stock up for home.

How hard is it to make a rum and coke or a 7 & 7?

Sure, it’s hard to make a drink like a banana daiquiri, but the person would have to order it, drink it, & then repeat the process 3 more times.

Much cheaper for Caesars than just giving away hundreds of Fuji waters

[coach belly]

How hard is it to make a rum and coke or a 7 & 7?

Sure, it’s hard to make a drink like a banana daiquiri, but the person would have to order it, drink it, & then repeat the process 3 more times.

Much cheaper for Caesars than just giving away hundreds of Fuji waters

If you look at the drink menus for the venues on the flyer, the featured cocktails are somewhat complicated to make.

But mixing and serving any cocktail is harder than having the customer grab something out of the cooler.

The wholesale pour cost of an easy-to-make cocktail (G&T) is about $3.

1 liter bottles of Fiji water retail for less than $3.

The player gets 4 bar drinks, whether they order them all at once or one per hour. But the labor cost is greater for the 3 hours. The players can order 4 drinks for the day, either for themselves over 3 hours, or a round for the table all at once, or any other configuration.

It's cheaper for Caesars if they order them all at once from the bar, but not as cheap as having the player grab 4 drinks from the cooler.

[DGenBen]

How hard is it to make a rum and coke or a 7 & 7?

Sure, it’s hard to make a drink like a banana daiquiri, but the person would have to order it, drink it, & then repeat the process 3 more times.

Much cheaper for Caesars than just giving away hundreds of Fuji waters

If you look at the drink menus for the venues on the flyer, the featured cocktails are somewhat complicated to make.

But mixing and serving any cocktail is harder than having the customer grab something out of the cooler.

The wholesale pour cost of an easy-to-make cocktail (G&T) is about $3.

1 liter bottles of Fiji water retail for less than $3.

The player gets 4 bar drinks, whether they order them all at once or one per hour. But the labor cost is greater for the 3 hours. The players can order 4 drinks for the day, either for themselves over 3 hours, or a round for the table all at once, or any other configuration.

It's cheaper for Caesars if they order them all at once from the bar, but not as cheap as having the player grab 4 drinks from the cooler.

I believe that wholesale pour costs of cocktails typically range more like $1 to $3 depending on ingredients.

Also not sure which Las Vegas Caesars properties are retailing 1 liter Fiji waters for less than $3. That price is about what you could buy one for online.

But even if those numbers are accurate there is a huge difference between locals being able to walk in and grab 4 bottles of something to takw home vs having to get drinks made at bar that they can’t take home and stock up on.

This alone would be a huge reduction in how many people use the benefit,

[coach belly]

Also not sure which Las Vegas Caesars properties are retailing 1 liter Fiji waters for less than $3. That price is about what you could buy one for online.

$2 today at Albertson's

The featured drinks are priced above $20 on the menus.

What the 1L Fiji go for at Caesars? $6?

[DGenBen]

Also not sure which Las Vegas Caesars properties are retailing 1 liter Fiji waters for less than $3. That price is about what you could buy one for online.

$2 today at Albertson's

The featured drinks are priced above $20 on the menus.

What the 1L Fiji go for at Caesars? $6?

Don’t know but wouldn’t be surprised if it was $10 or more, those places are massively marked up.

But you do see how a local could just grab 4 Fijis everyday to take home & not be able to come in and ordered 4 mixed drinks everyday to go as easily right?

[jpfromla]

Also not sure which Las Vegas Caesars properties are retailing 1 liter Fiji waters for less than $3. That price is about what you could buy one for online.

$2 today at Albertson's

The featured drinks are priced above $20 on the menus.

What the 1L Fiji go for at Caesars? $6?

Don’t know but wouldn’t be surprised if it was $10 or more, those places are massively marked up.

But you do see how a local could just grab 4 Fijis everyday to take home & not be able to come in and ordered 4 mixed drinks everyday to go as easily right?

1 ltr. Fiji at Caesars LV $10.

[coach belly]

1 ltr. Fiji at Caesars LV $10.

You were able to use of your free drink offers to cover that, correct?

[jpfromla]

1 ltr. Fiji at Caesars LV $10.

You were able to use of your free drink offers to cover that, correct?

Yes, but I'd rather use that ticket on a fourth Manhattan.

[akashenk]

If the folks who run CZR were smart, they would have figured out a way of modifying the perk so that their high value customers weren’t pissed off. For example, they could have started by requiring that players had a hotel reservation in order to use the vouchers. This might not have been a complete fix, but it would certainly have removed the vast majority of abuse.

I get the sense El Dorado got in way over its head with the acquisition. They have not made a single decision which makes their properties more attractive to their gaming customers. It’s the opposite in fact. And their employees are also not happy about many of their decisions.

I walked into a Caesars-owned Starbucks the other day. A medium lemonade-based drink was $12. A croissant was $9. It’s clear CZR is taking the approach that all they need to do is sell a low volume of product to a small number of people who have a ton of money to burn and they will do better than trying to sell to a larger market. This might work in the short term, but is unsustainable. And consumers have long memories.

[jpfromla]

If the folks who run CZR were smart, they would have figured out a way of modifying the perk so that their high value customers weren’t pissed off. For example, they could have started by requiring that players had a hotel reservation in order to use the vouchers. This might not have been a complete fix, but it would certainly have removed the vast majority of abuse.

I get the sense El Dorado got in way over its head with the acquisition. They have not made a single decision which makes their properties more attractive to their gaming customers. It’s the opposite in fact. And their employees are also not happy about many of their decisions.

I walked into a Caesars-owned Starbucks the other day. A medium lemonade-based drink was $12. A croissant was $9. It’s clear CZR is taking the approach that all they need to do is sell a low volume of product to a small number of people who have a ton of money to burn and they will do better than trying to sell to a larger market. This might work in the short term, but is unsustainable. And consumers have long memories.

Which is a complete reverse of the Loveman Total Rewards days, in which they would entice you to come back regularly. Coupons, free play, Lounges, shows, ect. Brand loyalty has it's benefits. With CET not anymore.