STRIP CLUBS: How Much Money Should I Bring? How Much should I Tip?
Call.Me.Ishmael
Rhode Island
One of the most frequent questions (particularly from strip club newbies) is how much money should one bring to a strip club and how much should customers tip. I'm always a little dumbfounded by this questions, because the many variables should be readily apparent. But, it's more apparent that a lot of guys think that all or most strip clubs operate in exactly the same way (sort of like getting a sandwich at Subway). Obviously, that's not the case.
Let's start with some truths...
1. There is no universally correct answer. Like everyone else, you're going to have to figure this out in real time. Mistakes and miscalculations will happen.
2. The only way to guarantee that you'll make 100% of dancers completely happy with how much money you've given is to walk into the club, hand them all of your cash, and then immediately leave (bonus points if you don't talk). Meaning, no matter how experienced and generous you are, there's always the possibility that a dancer will be unhappy with your payment. So, those awkward encounters will happen. But only rarely if you're not a complete cheapskate.
3. Whatever you read online (including this article), take it with a grain of salt. Online, you'll often find dancers inflating their payment expectations versus realities. Customers posting online will often falsely round down what they tip or pay, sometimes by a lot, as a sort of online fiscal flex. Conversely, there's also guys who brag that they tip massive amounts of money. That's also often a flex and fiction of another kind. The point remains that there's a lot of blue-sky dreaming that gets posted as fact when it comes to money spent in strip clubs.
*** HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I BRING TO A STRIP CLUB?
You just want a number? $400 cash.
If you're new to strip clubs and want to test the waters, then something like $400 should be enough to buy drinks, tip at the stage, and buy more than one lap dance (or maybe one VIP). For $400 in **most** clubs, you'll enjoy yourself and learn a few things. If you blow through that $400 too quickly, then bring more the next time. If you spend that $400 stupidly, then learn from your mistakes and be thankful that you only wasted $400.
-- A Note Regarding YOLO Syndrome and Credit Cards
If you're new or know you have impulse control issues, then strongly consider leaving your credit/debit cards at home or (at the very least) in your car. There's an extremely non-zero number of guys who have put themselves in a serious financial bind because they blew through their non-discretionary budget in a very discretionary way at a strip club. There's also a large number of guys who don't realize how closely their wives / girlfriends scrutinize their bank statements until they spend $2,200 on unspecified services at Club Naughty Girls.
*** HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I TIP AT A STRIP CLUB?
Honestly, guys who ask this are a bit frustrating. How can you not understand the many factors that make providing a useful answer to this question pretty much impossible? But anyway, I'm going to make some suggestions that will doubtlessly generate suggestions, disagreements, and pearl-clutching in the comments.
-- Tipping at the Stage
If you're at the stage, then tip every dancer at least once. Give her $1 to $5 at a bare minimum. Tip $5 to $10 if she's more attractive, working hard, and/or gives you some special attention. If I want a dancer to find me after her set because I want dances or VIP, I'll tip a minimum of $20 and that usually works. Even if I'm not at the stage, if I see a dancer who is pretty hot and has an energetic and fun attitude on stage, I'll throw $5 to $10 on stage without even sitting down.
In terms of "making it rain," I don't. In my opinion, making it rain is something guys do to impress other guys. I have no problem with other guys doing it and most dancers love it (as long as it's not loose coin...). From what I can tell, the absolute bare minimum to "make it rain" is about $50 in ones. Below that is less of a flex and more of an embarrassing moment (no one brags about "making it drizzle"). It's usually more than $50.
-- Tipping for Lap Dances
Zero ... if it's a really basic, going-through-the motions lap dance or two. Tips are for a job well done, and not just for showing up. For a disengaged, mechanical performance, I will pay the base rate and probably never buy dances from her again. Many dancers will disagree with this.
For good lap dances, I'll start somewhere between 10 to 20 percent over the base rate, but that's not written in stone. Was there a lot of two-way contact? Tip more. Was there a lot of two-way contact in a club that normally doesn't allow two-way contact? Tip more than more. Did she grind you until you had a lapgasm? Tip WAY more than more. You get the idea.
-- Tipping for VIP
It's not very different from lap dances. If a dancer is a dead fish in VIP, she does not get tipped over the base rate. If she's good, then she gets tipped. If she's very good, then she gets tipped significantly more. That said, this is where a lot of guys will start asking about paying and tipping for extras (however you define that). This is the perfect place to suggest that you...
*** TALK TO YOUR DANCER BEFORE BUYING DANCES!
No, really. All this gets a lot easier and less prone to error if you talk to your dancer about what **exactly** you want, what she allows, and what she expects to be paid (potentially including the tip). If you can't reach an agreement, then don't buy dances or VIP. If she seems purposefully vague or evasive about what she's willing to do or charge, then maybe find another dancer. That said, know that some dancers are guarded with new customers about what they offer, even though they do offer a lot. So, in some cases you might need to spend (or waste) a bit of money so that a dancer relaxes and opens up a bit.
-- But, Online Dancers Say I Should Spend More!
Of course they do. They're highly motivated by money and want more. That's the job. The reality is that it's fine if you want to go into a club, buy a couple of drinks, drop some tips on stage, and spend under $50. It's your money.
Unless a club is crowded to capacity and there's a long line of guys outside with cash falling out of their pockets who can't get in, then the guys who spend a less aren't causing harm (just frustration). So, maybe pay less attention to dancers who go online to vent.
*** MORE ON THE TOPIC OF VARIABLES
So, I've given a few dollar amounts and percentages above. They are a starting point that could change radically based on...
-- Specific Region or Club
If you go to an upscale club in Manhattan, then the $400 I mentioned above might buy you two drinks and eye contact with a hot dancer. If you go to a sketchy dive club in Arkansas, then $400 might make you the club's "whale" for that shift. Figure that into your planned spend.
-- Dancer Hotness and Services Offered
If you want sexy fun time with that dancer who has Playboy Playmate looks, then you will spend more. If you want extras from that same smoke-show dancer, then you will spend a lot more. This will be true at any club in any region. If you're after the hottest dancer in the club, you will pay more. No one can tell you how much more. You need to use your words with the dancer and figure it out.
-- Your Budget
Though you are not obligated to spend thousands of dollars at every strip club you visit, it's also true that if you're on a limited income or have other financial burdens, then maybe you should not visit strip clubs. Or, you visit strip clubs infrequently. Ultimately, strip clubs are luxury spending even if you're spending less. The most important variable in all of this is how much you can spend comfortably without missing a mortgage or car payment.
I hope that these opinions are useful to folks. Let me know what you think in the comments.
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12 comments
I'd also add in that club traffic makes a huge difference.
I rarely go when the club is jammed with guys, because it is harder to get a stripper's attention, and because girls probably try to charge more.
If you can get there on a weekday, preferably before 4:00, the place may be empty and girls may be more willing to compromise and be more accomodating, especially if you have a chance of becoming a regular at a slow time.
Also, if you get towrd the end of the month when rent is due, or when other bills are due, the girls can be more accomodating.
2 really great points: talk with your dancer *before* taking her to VIP and come to the club with minimum $400. I’ll get a regular ol LD first to feel her out, figuratively and literally, then decide if VIP is worth it. I have a lot of success with lines like, “I want to be respectful of your boundaries and I want you to have fun too, so what are we allowed to do?” Dancers tend to be very responsive and enthusiastic when you treat them like human beings. Which should go without saying, but they still deal with fucktards all day long and your manners will make you stand out as a customer they prefer to be with. Also, $400 should get you as drunk as you want, get a dancer drunk, if you’re both into that, give you plenty of tipping money for the floor & stage(s) and have 1 or 2 hundred left over for some LDs after you find a lady you like. If you want VIP, bring more than $400. I’ve been quoted anywhere from $150-$350 for 30min of VIP, $300-$500+ for an hour and a mere $700 for the whole night (5+ hours). Politely ask how VIP is different from the LD. Keep an open dialogue about boundaries and see if you or she can get away with doing more and make sure she’s still comfortable with what you’re doing. IME, dancers appreciate it and perform more enthusiastically when there’s ongoing consent. And it makes me feel like less of a creep. I’m in a good mood when my dancer is in a good mood. Everybody wins!
Nelly, you make some excellent points too. I always find my CFs when I go earlier at slower times. It’s much easier to get approached, do the approaching and build rapport. I’ve never specifically gone at the end of the month, but that seems like sound logic, I’ll hafta try it out
And i would say bringing and spending $400 is something every strip clubber can do at least once just to say they did it, but it depends on your goals and whether you want ITC or OTC, and going forward you can stick to standard, hopefully high mileage lapdances.
IMO skip the food, skip the drinks and skip the tips. Just get lapdances which can cost $20-$40+ each… after 2 or more dances with a girl you can get a feel for what other services she offers… and then move forward to a VIP, or OTC, or just stick to dances if thats what you prefer. So you can have a decent time with even $100-$200.
My advice would be to pay whatever prices are posted in the club. Bartering isnt a good look for you nor the dancer. Its awkward and feels like a rip off.
In VIP tip $100-$200 or so.
For dances throw in the price of an extra dance.
A good stage tip is like $10. The minimum is a $1 pity tip.
Girls love when you make it rain. their reaction is fun. It gets you more attention than a $20 and solicitation.
I agree, you can have a good time with $200, but I like getting a little toasty, sitting at the stage(s) and spending a little time with the ladies to see how we gel. If I’m there for a specific dancer, i.e. we have ITC planned, I will be spending just on her and my/our drinks, and I want the most LDs/VIP possible. Then my approach is like yours
Personally I tip after a good LD even if I’m not sure I’ll see her again just as a thank you for providing good service.
But if you are looking for a more self-interested focused reason if the LD was good and you might want another from that dancer on a future visit the tip makes it more likely she’ll remember you and approach you with enthusiasm.
Stage tips arent required, nor customary unless youre sitting stageside.
You definitely dont need to tip $100-$200 for VIPs.
People like Icey tip the $100-$200 in VIP so the dancer will then provide some sort of extras in VIP without being discussed beforehand, and since there was no discussion of paying X amount for extras, the guy can go around saying “see i didn’t pay anything extra but the dancer sucked me off in vip, must be because of my crazy good looks”. Its all a self created ego stroke.
VIP is whatever you agree on with the dancer. Of course if you tip $100-$200 you will automatically get some sort of better mileage in many cases, even though it wasn’t discussed prior. And obviously anyone who likes free money will like being rained on.
Man how times have changed. When I first started going to SCs 20-25 years ago I recall getting drunk and lots of dances for <$150 all in at remote clubs like Bonita Flats in Kansas. Think $2 beers and $5 dances.
Lately I’ve been blowing $500-$800 for a comparable night out.