MJX’s Strip Club Theory - Part 1

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what impact regular customers or “regulars” have on the economics of strip clubs, how strip clubs should run, and how good the experience will be when you visit a strip club. I decided to write down my theory about regulars to see what other TUSCLers thought about it. Hope you all enjoy and sorry in advance for this being such a long article.

1 Types of Customers

In order to understand my theory on what (if any) impact “regulars” have on the strip club business, I think it is necessary to first realize that there are different kinds of strip club patrons. I know there are lots of different categories (RILs, Rocks, etc.) to describe strip club patrons, but I think (at least for where I’m going with this) it is possible to describe most strip club patrons as failing into one of three categories:

1.1 “Regulars with Favorites:”

This customer is similar to a frequent flyer that uses the same airline. This category is for customers who visit one strip club (or maybe a few clubs) on a regular basis (at least once a month) AND focus a MEANINGFUL AMOUNT of spending on one dancer (or maybe a few dancers). I will give you an example. Once a month or once a week, John visits Club XYZ to see Jane. On most nights Jane makes about $100. When John comes to visit he always spends $200 on Jane. Those nights Jane makes about $300. Jane really likes the nights John is in the club. Congratulations John, you qualify as a “regular with a favorite.”

I will give you another example. Once a month or once a week, Bob visits Club XYZ also to see Jane. Unlike John, Bob is let’s say “on a budget.” Bob only ever get 2 LDs and only from Jane. Those nights Jane makes about $150. Jane probably appreciates making a little more on those nights, but not as much as she appreciates John. IMO, this probably doesn’t qualify as a MEANINGFUL AMOUNT of spending on one dancer, so Bob would NOT qualify for this category. Bob isn’t “a rock,” but as far as the dancers are concerned, Bob isn’t that much better than the “everybody else” type of customer.

Guys who want to pretend that they are getting special treatment from a dancer belong in this category assuming they are spending adequately.

1.2 “Regulars Who Likes Variety:”

This customer is similar to a frequent flyer, but one who’s willing to use any carrier. IMO this influences the strip club dynamics differently than type #1. This category is for customers who visit one strip club (or maybe a few clubs) on a regular basis (at least once a month) frequently enough that non-dancer staff (i.e. bouncers, managers) who are paying attention to life should recognize as having been then a few days or weeks ago, repeatedly. Even though this customer is spending a MEANINGFUL AMOUNT per visit, this customer spreads it around. I will give you an example. Our friend John is back as Club XYZ, but on this visit he spent his money on dancer Abby. The next visit he chooses dancer Destiny. Next visit it’s dancer Nevaeh. (Yes… I am suffering for ‘dancer name’ writer’s block.) In this case the club is getting the same cut as before (when John only visited Jane), but now Jane and all the other dancers do not have steady business from John.

I am not in any way trying to suggest there is anything wrong with clubbing this way. There are arguably advantages to this clubbing approach. The main point is that the cash flow distribution is different. The club’s cut isn’t affected.

1.3 “Everybody Else:”

There are several other ‘types’ of strip club customers I considered giving their own category.

“Club Hopper:”

This category would be for customers who rotate their clubbing over several clubs. This customer may not be in the same club frequently enough for non-dancer staff to really notice you as a consistent repeat customer. The club hopper may have one or even a few dancers who are sort-of favorites, but again isn’t spending consistently enough on the same dancer or in the same club for you to get the same attention that a frequent flyer would expect.

“Casual Customers:” and “Tourists:”

Casual customers and tourists are technically two distinct groups. However, As far as the club and the dancers are concerned, however, you are an “everybody else.” These categories cover anyone who isn’t a frequent repeat customer: the tourist or businessman in town for a few days, the bachelor party, and guys who only come into a club once every few months are good examples. As with the “club hopper,” you are not spending consistently enough on the same dancer or in the same club for you to get attention over a frequent flyer.

I decided that if you were not in one of the ‘frequent flyer’ categories, there wouldn’t be much (if any) different in how the club or the dancers treated you.

2 Impact of Customer Type with Respect to Dancers

I am a customer, not a dancer. So everything I say here is seen thought the eyes of a customer. (I know better than to think I can guess what any woman is thinking let alone a dancer.) Also, I think that the distinction between “regulars with favorites” and “regulars who like variety” is very important. Lumping all “regulars” together obscures why strip clubs are the way they are IMO.

2.1 “Regulars with Favorites:”

I think that, serious dancers should want cultivate becoming a regular’s favorite. This kind of a situation should lead to more money on a more consistent basis for a dancer. (Sadly this probably isn’t obvious.) The general assumption would also be that this situation is better for the customer as well. The more regular of a customer you are to the same dancer, the more comfortable she’ll become with you, and ideally this improves what you get out of the transaction: discounts, better mileage who knows. However, make no mistake here, the club doesn’t give a fuck which dancer you spend money on as long as it is in their club. This might surprise some people, but IMO, most clubs doesn’t want customers to have favorites. I will say more on that later.

2.2 “Regulars Who Likes Variety:”

I can see this going one of two ways.

On one-hand, it seems (to me) like the regular who likes variety approach could be a disadvantage (especially in low mileage areas or small clubs). You don’t spend enough time and money with the same dance in order for her to become more comfortable with you and offer a better deal or higher mileage or convince her you are not LE. The dancer isn’t going to treat you like dirt (or less like dirt) since there might be repeat business another time, but she also isn’t going do more for you if she doesn’t think it will bring her more money later. (Note this was my default assumption for a long time.) If this were true, then having a “favorite” makes more sense.

On the other-hand, the regular who likes variety approach can also drive competition. If dancer Abby doesn’t want to lose your business to dancer Destiny, she might be motivated to offer you a better deal (either cost or mileage).

I think the competition idea also in some ways explains why dancers get catty and territorial over then better customers. The dancers assume you are not going to be faithful to a favorite. All the dancer drama shit of don’t talk to him he’s my customer is all about cock-blocking you going for the variety. The dancers are trying to find ways to reduce the competition.

Personally, I see the regular who likes variety approach working better in areas where there is a known tolerance for higher mileage. This is a bad example, but: You walk into a German FKK, they all fuck and suck and are reportedly very eager to please. What more do you gain by developing a favorite? You know she has already done 100 other guys. You really can’t pretend you are getting special treatment in this case.

I also see the regular who likes variety approach working better (almost to the point of necessity) as the number of dancers in a club increases. These may not be good examples, but you go into Babydolls or the Master’s Club or Tootsie’s and there are a hundred girls working. You have a good time with dancer Cinnamon. You go back the following week and there are a hundred girls there again. Good luck seeing dancer Cinnamon again.

To be perfectly clear, which way this shakes out depends on the club (number of dancers, what local LE will tolerate) and will be different in every club.

2.3 “Everybody Else:”

If a dancer has no reason to expect repeat business, then she’s going to try and get as much as she for the least in return. Period. There is no down side if she rips you off. This is especially true in many tourist areas. Las Vegas is a good example. 99%+ of customers who come into a club will not be back on a weekly or monthly basis.

TO BE CONTINUED...