In macau whenever you get on a taxi to go to a sauna, after you get off the taxi they wait around to get money from the sauna.  I really don't like it, especially if it was my own decision to go there and not by his recommendation.  However, I'm not sure which saunas are offering money to the drivers and which don't.  Does anyone know if 18 or Rio give money to taxi drivers?

they all pretty much do, i really like the idea!  it encourages the taxi drivers to take punters around.

last time i was in macau, the taxi drove me to all the 'fishbowl' places!  he was very polite and happy to take me around.  i got to choose from over 100 WG's in person without paying anything but the small taxi fee.  it was great!

i wonder how much they actually give to the taxi drivers
which sauna did u go to when you were in macau?

wow that is freaking awesome bro! how can that be a bad thing? the taxi driver will have no intenton to ripp you off and be willing to drive you anywhere!

If this really bothers you that much, I suggest ...

you take the taxi to the sauna you want to go to ... get out and walk in another direction until
you see the taxi leaves ... then you go back to the sauna !

To be fair, the Taxi thing is common in many places in the world.  In Las Vegas, taxi drivers are paid healthy commissions by almost every strip club and major night club in town, all to get people to the clubs.  With the strip clubs charging $20 and $30 us ($120-$150hk) just to walk in the door, it isn't hard for them to fork over half of that and still come out far, far ahead.

The reality is as a customer you can't win.  

You're going to get exactly the same deal regardless of whether the taxi gets a cut or not - they're not going to reduce your bill and give you his commission.  It's factored into their business model, and if they don't get to pay commission or an intro fee to someone, they just pocket it and say "thank you very much".  

The only time it's an issue is if you don't know any place to go and you ask the taxi to choose - at that point you're screwed.  But if it gets you what you were looking for in a town you don't know, you might as well lie back and enjoy it (so to speak!).  

Conversely, if you do know where you're going, because you already did your research and know the rates, you already know you're getting a good deal and your bargaining power with the House is very weak.  

BUT there's nothing to stop you making friends with a taxi driver and persuading him to take you there for free or for a reduced rate ... ... Of course that will only work if you already know the driver and call him as a private hire.  If you take a taxi from a cab rank, you'd be taking a risk to try and haggle.

normally the comission is only between the sauna and the taxi driver.
the customers don't pay the commission
I don't really know why it bother you? maybe you are a foreigner but the comission thing exist 20 years ago already

btw a good tip if you don't want to be bother, ask for a restaurant close to the sauna the walk to the sauna

if you want go to 18; told the driver 金龍軒 (golden dragon inn restaurant)
darling 1, ask for 回力軒 (hui li inn restaurant)
darling 2, ask for 小肥羊 (little fat sheep restaurant)
rio, ask for 新口岸 (Estb de Comida Portuguesea Porto Exterior restaurant)
...

I don't know which one i went to.  i got all the names mixed up, i know it wasn't 18, d1, or d2 though.  and it wasn't a sauna, it was a 'fishbowl' place, although i found out later that there actually was a sauna service downstairs.  anyway, saunas you're stuck in as soon as you enter, so you're stuck with their selection, but 'fishbowl's let you look without committing the place.  i went to all of them (some gave me drinks), decided on the girl and place, then went back to one of the ones i visited earlier.

i heard from a taxi driver that they get 20 to 30HKD for taking a couple to an hourly motel in HK.  I'm guessing saunas should be around that or more.

just thinking! if taxi drver gets a 50$ coupon per customer he takes to a sauna, then we can use this to our advantage and ask for a free ride????

if you have the cheek to ask, he should agree quite happily!

the more passengers the better!

taxi ride from the ferry to all mayjor sauana will only cost like $20 ! group of 4 goes to sauna and driver gets 200 worth of coupons in return for a free ride

i will try this when im back in macau

If you want to be a cheap skate, can always ride the hotel minibuses which are close proxmity to all the saunas in Macau...