$25 for plates and cutlery: the latest Las Vegas fee guests didn’t see coming
Room service in Las Vegas now comes with a new decision point at several properties owned by MGM Resorts: take your meal in to-go containers for a $10 delivery fee, or pay an extra $25 to have it served on real plates with metal cutlery. Guests say the policy, labeled a “classic service charge” on bills, has been turning up across multiple MGM resorts and often isn’t disclosed until checkout.
Receipts shared by travelers show how quickly a small order spirals. A $14 cheeseburger becomes a $39 line item once the $10 delivery fee and the $25 tableware charge are added—before tax and any gratuity. For families ordering several meals, that single fee multiplies across the bill. And it’s not just room service: guests who pick up food from hotel restaurants and ask for proper dishware back in their rooms report being charged the same $25.
What’s striking is the shift in what counts as a basic amenity. Clean dishes and utensils used to be part of room service. Now, at certain MGM properties, tableware is treated as a premium add-on. The change mirrors a wave of new fees rolling through the Strip in 2025, including nightly charges for connecting rooms—about $20 at Excalibur, Luxor, and New York-New York, and up to $35 at Bellagio, Aria, and Vdara—and eyebrow-raising markups like $26 bottled water in guest rooms.
Guests say the disclosure problem is the sore spot. Many only discover the plate fee when the folio lands, not during ordering. In an era of “junk fee” crackdowns, that’s a sensitive issue. Hotel groups have faced legal pressure in recent years to make resort fees and other extras plainly visible before purchase. Federal regulators proposed nationwide rules to curb hidden fees across industries, while state attorneys general pushed hotel chains to clean up pricing displays. Yet as old fees get clearer, new ones often pop up elsewhere in the stay.
What the “plate fee” covers, why hotels are doing it, and how to avoid it
What does the charge actually buy? Staff describe it as the cost of providing full table service in the room—real plates and cutlery, a setup and later pickup, and cleaning. Operationally, that’s more labor and laundry than a to-go bag. The question for travelers is whether the fee is reasonable and, more importantly, whether it’s flagged at the moment of choice.
Zoom out and the economics help explain the behavior. On the Strip, most revenue now comes from non-gaming sources—rooms, food and beverage, entertainment, fees—rather than casino floors. After years of higher wages, supply costs, and pressure to keep headline room rates competitive, hotels increasingly build margin through add-ons. During the pandemic, many properties trimmed or redesigned room service into “grab-and-go” models; charging separately for dishes and a tray return is the next step in that evolution.
Transparency is the legal and reputational fault line. Consumer advocates argue that if a fee changes the total price in a meaningful way, it should be presented upfront—on menus, in ordering apps, or over the phone—before a guest commits. Several major hotel brands have already been pushed to display resort fees clearly during booking. Dining-related add-ons are now entering the same debate.
If you’re heading to Las Vegas soon, a few practical moves can keep costs from piling up:
- When ordering, ask point-blank: “Is there any extra charge for real plates and cutlery?” If yes, confirm the amount and request your total before you agree.
- Opt for the to-go setup and request extra disposables, or bring a compact reusable kit (a folding knife-and-fork set and a lightweight plate).
- Pick up from food courts or quick-service spots that package meals for carryout without additional service fees.
- Check your folio daily in the hotel app or at the front desk. If a fee wasn’t disclosed, calmly ask a supervisor to remove it and note who you spoke with.
- For larger groups, consider a sit-down meal in the restaurant; the per-person cost can be similar once delivery and service add-ons are factored in.
Families booking connecting rooms should also build in that nightly charge, which varies by property and season. And watch for other add-ons—parking, early check-in, late checkout—that can quietly nudge a trip over budget if you don’t plan for them.
Could policies change? Absolutely. Hotels test fees all the time, dialing them up or back based on guest reaction and occupancy. The company policies can also differ by resort and date. Until pricing becomes more uniform and disclosed at the point of sale, the safest approach is to assume extras exist, ask before you order, and document what you’re told.
For now, the $25 plate charge is a vivid snapshot of where hospitality is heading in 2025: not just what you book, but how you use it, is getting itemized. For travelers, that means the old “room service treat” may no longer be a simple comfort. It’s a calculation.
