TL;DR ANSWER: It varies wildly based on the region, the club, the dancer, and what service the dancer provided.
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...
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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.
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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.
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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.
