Diners who stay off phones may order multiple courses or more drinks, hospitality experts say

Six years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns caused enormous strain on one of Las Vegas’ most important industries - dining. Now, how is the industry doing? What kind of challenges and opportunities are restaurants facing in the current economic climate?

Tourism is rebounding across Southern Nevada, and a growing number of visitors are finding their way beyond the Las Vegas Strip and downtown to destinations along the Colorado River. Laughlin continues to see solid tourism growth, driven by its river recreation, lower prices and a slower pace that visitors say feels different from Las Vegas.

Not long ago, the idea of Las Vegas landing major league sports teams was a punchline. Now, the city is on the verge of becoming home to the NFL, NHL, WNBA and MLB — and it could eventually add the NBA, too — raising questions about whether the market could become oversaturated.

As the National Football League awards Super Bowl LXIII to Las Vegas for its 2029 championship game, count on Southern Nevada being even better prepared to host the event than it was in 2024.

A hospitality and tourism expert sheds insight into how a future Las Vegas NBA team would boost tourism and global tourism, as the “Entertainment Capital of the World” has worked to overcome slower visitation numbers. Las Vegas has rebranded as the Sports Capital of the World, as more franchises move into the valley and a bevy of athletic and sporting events are now held here, from the Super Bowl to Wrestlemania.

With the practice of “tipflation,” there’s been greater pressure on American consumers to tip service workers more than in recent years. This pressure can be a source of frustration for retirees living on a fixed income — especially with credit card fees passed on to customers at dining establishments.

Las Vegas Strip and downtown casinos closed out 2025 with a slight uptick in gambling revenue despite a significant drop in visitors and signs of pricing fatigue among customers, according to public data and industry analysts.