Dice Tipping Game and Method

Abstract

A dice tipping game and method utilizes a set of dice comprising a group of pictorial icons. The server rolls the dice and the dice faces are tallied. This tally represents the percentage gratuity to be paid to the server based on the value of the meal or service. One of the pictorial images has a value of zero, another one of the images has a value equating to an additional percentage added to the tally, and a third image represents an opportunity to roll the dice again for a more favorable tally. One or more optional die with faces representing cash values may be added to the set of dice to provide an additional tip amount to the server above and beyond the total percentage rolled.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, TABLE OR COMPUTER PROGRAM

Not Applicable

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a dice game, and more particularly to an entertaining tipping game and method as well as additional games that may be played with the disclosed dice for amusement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Service industries have existed for generations and tipping of those offering various services has become a custom in many cultures. Service work can be a challenging job, often requiring hours on one's feet and polite and professional interactions with challenging and unappreciative patrons. From the customer's perspective, it is often difficult to decide what percentage gratuity should be paid. Patrons generally appreciate that tips comprise a large portion of the worker's wages but may struggle in arriving at a fair gratuity. A need exists for a tipping game and method that engages patrons with service workers in determining a gratuity in a fun, speedy, and interactive way. The disclosed tipping game and method replaces the subjective tipping whims of the patron with a more objective game of chance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention features a method and game for tipping service industry personnel using multiple multi-faceted dice. The server is invited to accept a certain percentage tip offered by the patron or alternatively may roll the dice, playing the disclosed game for a larger tip. If the server accepts the offer, that individual rolls a set of dice having values on the die faces that are within a pre-determined minimum and maximum total value when all die in the set have been tallied. At least one of the die includes a pictorial image representing the value 0. At least one other die includes a pictorial image representing an additional tip percentage and at least one more of the die includes a symbol or illustration to denote that the player is entitled to another roll of the dice.

To play the game, the dice are rolled and the values are totaled to determine the gratuity. The total potential gratuity lies between a pre-determined minimum and maximum total value offered by the dice set. If the pictorial image representing the additional tip percentage is rolled, the server will be awarded that percentage above and beyond the tally of the remaining die. If the icon representing the additional roll of the dice appears, the server may reroll the dice or may stay with the total tally of the first roll.

This set of dice may be used to play additional games, the rules of which are disclosed more particularly below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a set of six cubical dice

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a set of four polyhedral dice

FIG. 2 is a projection of a cubical die illustrating the Spilled Drink icon

FIG. 3 is a projection of a cubical die illustrating the Money Dish icon

FIG. 4 is a projection of a cubical die illustrating the Meal Ticket icon

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a Cash Cube

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a sample score card used in the game “Five Course Meal”

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a sample score card used in the game “It's a Cook-Off”

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a sample score card used in the game “Grub Challenge”

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Dinner Dice

For the purpose of this application, the terms die and dice shall be used to identify the respective singular and plural forms of a throwable item of any size having a numerical value or pictorial image on each of its faces. The die may take the form of a cube or polyhedron.

In the United States, a service provider typically receives a tip ranging from between fifteen to twenty percent of the total value of the service (or the cost of the food in the case of a restaurant). Gratuities are generally left to the discretion of the patron and may increase or decrease with the generosity of the customer or level of service of the worker.

In the proposed game of chance, the server is offered a payment of a tip within the customary range or that server may play their hand at “Dinner Dice.” In this game, the server foregoes the standard tip and agrees to roll a set of dice as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Any number of die may be used with any numerical values on the die faces provided that the potential minimum and maximum total of all dice rolled in the set provides the desired minimum and maximum potential gratuity.

At least one of the die includes a pictorial image representing zero percent (0%). For the purpose of this application we will refer to this image as the “Spilled Drink” icon; a sample design of this icon is shown in FIG. 2.

At least one of the die includes a pictorial image representing an additional percentage that will be added to tip above and beyond the total dice tally. For the purposes of this application this image shall be referred to as the “Money Dish” icon; a sample design of this icon is shown in FIG. 3. If the server rolls a twenty (20) from the various die faces along with a Money Dish icon, and that Money Dish icon has been assigned a ten percent (10%) value, the server will receive a thirty percent (30%) tip. It should be understood that the ten percent (10%) assigned to the Money Dish in this example is for explanatory purposes and that any desired percentage may be attributed to this icon prior to the roll of the dice.

At least one of the die includes a pictorial image representing a free roll of all of the dice in the set. For the purpose of this application this image shall be referred to as the “Meal Ticket” icon; a sample design of this icon shown in FIG. 4. One should recognize that any image or text may be used to represent zero, the added percentage and the additional roll described above. The Spilled Drink, Money Dish, and Meal Ticket images have simply been included for demonstration purposes.

To begin the game, the server rolls the dice either together or individually. The values of each of the die are tallied once all of the dice have been rolled. The total tally equates to the percentage gratuity that the patron agrees to pay. For instance, a roll tallying eleven (11) among the dice will result in an eleven percent (11%) tip. Each of the faces may be marked with an integer or a percentage.

In one embodiment, a set of six cubical die, each ranging in value from one to six is rolled, creating a potential tip ranging from four (4%) to thirty-nine percent (39%). This set of dice in this embodiment includes two Spilled Drink icons, both taking the place of the 1. A Money Dish icon takes the place of a six in one of the remaining four die and a Meal Ticket icon takes the place of a six in one of the remaining three die. In the event that a Spilled Drink icon appears among the six dice rolled, the value of that particular die will equal zero. If a Money Dish icon has been rolled, the assigned additional percentage will be added to the total dice value. For instance if the dice tally equals thirty (30) and a Money Dish having an assigned value of five percent (5%) appears, the total tip would equal thirty-five percent (35%). If a Meal Ticket icon has been rolled, the server is entitled to roll all of the dice again for a more favorable total. This re-roll is completely optional and at the discretion of the server.

While the above embodiment employs six cubical dice ranging in value from one to six, it should be appreciated that any number of multi-faceted dice may be used of any size, provided that the potential tally of the face values rolled lies between a desired minimum and maximum tip range.

If the patron is feeling generous, one or more “Cash Cubes” may be added to the dice set as shown in FIG. 5. The values on the faces of these dice represent actual cash values. For instance, rolling a five (5) on the Cash Cube corresponds to an additional five dollar ($5) tip above and beyond the tally of the other die in the set. Inventor contemplates offering Cash Cubes in bronze, silver, and gold where a bronze Cash Cube has a maximum cash value of ten dollars ($10), the silver Cash Cube has a maximum cash value of twenty-five dollars ($25), and the gold Cash Cube has a maximum cash value of fifty dollars ($50). It should be recognized that these maximum values may be adjusted for inflation or to suit the needs of the user and may be in any currency. A computer application may also be used in place of physical dice. In such an application virtual dice will be rolled, tallied, and reported to the player of the game via a visual display.

While the present invention provides an entertaining way to calculate tips, it also offers a series of engaging multi-player diversions as described more fully below.

Five Course Meal

A game called “The Five Course Meal” uses a minimum of six dice ranging in value from one to six and having at least one Spilled Drink icon, at least one Money Dish icon, and at least one Meal Ticket icon. A score card is used to record five rounds (or courses of food): soup, appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert. Each player takes turns rolling the set of dice and places their tally for the round in the respective course column in a score card.

A sample score card is shown in FIG. 6; however, it should be understood that a computer application on a mobile device may be used to track scoring. Each Spilled Drink in this game has a value of zero and each Money Dish is assigned a value of ten. If a Meal Ticket is rolled, the player is entitled to a free roll of the dice set. If a player rolls more than six Spilled Drinks he is disqualified from the game; this rule applies even when a Meal Ticket has been rolled in the same round. The player having the lowest tallied score must roll first for the Spilled Drink deduction. At the end of the game, each player rolls the die with the Money Dish icon. The value of this roll is multiplied by the number of Spilled Drinks that player rolled during the game. If a Money Dish is rolled in this round, the number of Spilled Drinks rolled during the game is multiplied by ten. This calculated value is deducted from the player's total score. The player with the highest total score at the end of the five rounds wins the game and is crowned the “dinner winner”.

Secret Recipe

In this game, the same set of dice disclosed in Five Course Meal are used. Players line up five dice and reserve the sixth die with a Spilled Drink icon for rolling. The five dice are placed in a vertical line in descending order from five to one. The objective of the game is to place the five dice in ascending order from one to four with the Money Dish face-up in the fifth position. This is accomplished by flipping each of the dice according to the total value of the dice faces rolled. Players take turns rolling the reserved die, flipping the number of dice according to the number rolled. If a three is rolled, the player may flip three of the dice in the set. Players may only flip each die once per turn unless the number six has been rolled. In such case, one die must be turned twice. Each player must use all of the flips that have been assigned by their respective rolls. For instance, a roll of four requires the player to flip four of the die. If a Spilled Drink is rolled, the player loses his turn. Each of the players must get at least one turn before the game may be completed. The first person to place the dice in the proper order wins the game.

It's a Cook-Off

In this game, players use six dice as disclosed in the Five Course Meal game along with a score card as shown in FIG. 7 to gather a set of six “ingredients”. Each ingredient is acquired by rolling a pair of the desired number. A pair of ones equates to the first ingredient, a pair of twos corresponds to the second ingredient and so on. Ingredients must be acquired in sequential order. Once an ingredient is procured, the acquisition of that ingredient is noted on the scorecard as shown in FIG. 7. It should be understood that a computer application on a mobile device may replace a paper scorecard.

In the event that a player rolls only one of a needed number, that participant may reserve the die and pass the remaining dice to the next player. If the next participant seeks the same number as the prior player and subsequently rolls one of that required number, the prior player must return their reserved die to the dice set, allowing the rolling player to keep their rolled die. If a person has reserved a die and rolls another of the same number to complete the pair, the ingredient may then be filled in on that player's scorecard as illustrated on FIG. 7. Once a pair of numbers has been acquired and an ingredient has been obtained, the player must return that pair of dice to the dice rolling set.

Each player may roll the dice once per turn unless a Meal Ticket is revealed during a roll. In such a case the player may re-roll any die or dice of his choice. In the event that a Spilled Drink icon is rolled, that player may force any player to return their reserved die back to the set of dice. If no players have reserved a die, the Spilled Drink icon has no value. The Money Dish in this game is a wild card and may take on any needed value. The first player to acquire all six ingredients wins the game.

Grub Challenge

In this game, players use the six dice disclosed in the Five Course Meal game along with a score card as shown in FIG. 8 to finish all six plates of grub. Each player rolls the dice, tallying the total points rolled. The set of dice is passed to the next player who also rolls and tallies their score. The process is repeated until all players have rolled in the round. The player with the highest number of points in the round has finished their plate of food first and fills in the corresponding plate on the score card; this individual is also the first person to roll the dice in the next round. If two or more players tie in rounds one through five, each of these players may fill in a plate on their respective scorecards. A roll of a Money Dish is equivalent to a value of ten (10) and allows that player to automatically fill in a plate on their scorecard. If two players tie they may both fill in their dish unless one of the players is on their 6^th and final plate. In the event that a Money Dish is rolled on the 6^th plate, the player will automatically win the game. It should be understood that a computer application on a mobile device may replace a paper scorecard.

The above games may also be transformed into drinking games. If any player rolls a Money Dish, that player may direct one or more players of his choosing to take a drink. This drink may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic in nature. If Meal Ticket is rolled, that player may direct one other player to take a drink. If a Spilled Drink is rolled, the rolling player must take a drink.

While the above description contains many specifics, these should be considered exemplifications of one or more embodiments rather than limitations on the scope of the invention. As previously discussed, many variations are possible and the scope of the invention should not be restricted by the examples illustrated herein.

Claims

1. A tipping game comprising:

A set of dice comprising at least one die, each die of said set having multiple faces bearing numerical indicia correlating to a percentage and at least three of the faces of the die in each set bearing a unique pictorial symbol relating to an assigned value, wherein a tally of the numerical indicia on any roll of the dice set ranges between a desired minimum and maximum tip percentage.

2. The tipping game of claim 1, wherein said set of dice is comprised of six cubical dice.

3. The tipping game of claim 1, wherein said set of dice is comprised of three polyhedral dice.

4. The tipping game of claim 1, wherein said desired minimum and maximum tipping amount ranges from four to thirty-nine percent respectively.

5. The tipping game of claim 1, wherein one of the pictorial symbol represents a value of zero, a second pictorial symbol represents a value of ten percent, and a third pictorial symbol represents an option to re-roll the dice.

6. The tipping game of claim 1, wherein at least one additional die having multiple faces bearing numerical indicia corresponding to a currency amount is included in said dice set.

7. A method of tipping comprising the steps of:

(a) Offering to tip a server based on a roll of a set of multi-faceted dice comprising at least one die, wherein at least three facets of the die within said set bear a unique pictorial symbol relating to an assigned value and wherein each of the remaining die facets have numerical indicia correlating to a percentage such that a tally of the numerical indicia on any roll of the dice set ranges between a desired minimum and maximum tip percentage;

(b) Asking the server to roll the set of dice;

(c) Tallying the numerical value of the dice roll;

(d) Tipping the server based on the numerical value of the percentage tally.

8. The tipping method of claim 7, wherein each of said set of dice is comprised of six cubical dice.

9. The tipping method of claim 7, wherein each of said set of dice is comprised of three polyhedral dice.

10. The tipping method of claim 7, wherein said desired minimum and maximum tip percentage ranges from four to thirty-nine percent respectively.

11. The tipping method of claim 7, wherein one of the pictorial symbols represents a value of zero, a second pictorial symbol represents a value of ten percent, and a third pictorial symbol represents an option to re-roll the dice.

12. The tipping method of claim 7, wherein the set of dice comprises at least one additional multi-faceted die having faces that each correspond to a currency amount and comprising the additional step of adding the currency amount rolled to the tally of numerical indicia.

13. A computer application comprising:

A set of virtual dice comprising at least one die, each die of said set having multiple faces bearing numerical indicia correlating to a minimum and maximum percentage assigned by the user, and at least three of the faces of the die in each set bearing a unique pictorial symbol relating to a value that may be assigned by the user, wherein said user virtually rolls said set of dice and said application tallies the numerical indicia the virtual roll.

14. The computer application of claim 13, wherein at least one additional die having multiple faces bearing numerical indicia corresponding to a currency amount is included in said virtual set of dice.

15. The computer application of claim 13, wherein said first pictorial symbol represents a value of zero, said second pictorial symbol represents a value of ten percent, and said third pictorial symbol represents an option to re-roll the dice.