Just about every club in Columbus has a 2 drink minimum but it is rarely enforced beyond the first drink especially if you tip on the first drink. How is it at your clubs?
HA! The Detroit clubs hound one to buy, buy, buy! And if a dancer sits with you, rest assured the T-1000 has seen it and is on the way to ask "Would you like to buy a drink for the lady?"
If any club insists on 2 drinks I leave after being hounded to buy the second drink anywhere I wander in the USA. It has been so long in the Detroit clubs that I've been hassled, maybe they gave up trying to coerce me.
Well, tigerfan if you are a club owner, which club do you own so we "deadbeats" who prefer to spend our money on dancers who you make a lucrative cash flow when you charge them "tip outs" or per dance fees know which club not to go to? I'll spend my money, which I have a considerable amount of on what I like, not what you unfortunately stupid owners think we should. LMAO
My favorite Memphis club has a two drink minimum. You pay $15 at the door which includes cover and the cost of two beers. One beer you are served as you enter. They give you a ticket for the second beer. When you are ready for the second, you just give the ticket to the waitress. I don't know how it works if you want a cocktail. Might be able to use the ticket to bring down the cocktail price.
I've been to a DC club that requires you must always have a drink. As soon as you finish one, you must buy another. The drinks start at $9. Real smart to force your patrons to get drunk. DUI's and accidents take away repeat customers. Clubs that force you to buy alcohol should be avoided.
I didn't know there was even such a "rule". I would never go to a club that tried to enforce me to drink, just as I will never enter one that wishes personal information!
sinclair,
I recall a club in South Florida that offered something like you mention, but it was an option.
Many years ago my 2 brothers and I took my dad to a strip club while we were on vacation. I think the club had a 3 drink minimum. My dad didn't drink and my younger brother wouldn't drink in front of my dad. The waitress brought all the drinks at once so we had 12 drinks on our table for my brother and I to share. Dad had to drive us back to the condo that night but he had a great time.
The last time I had a sort of Drink policy enforced on me was several years ago at Henrys on Middlebelt. This particular day I was told I MUST have a new drink in front of me at ALL times. They were NASTY & very AGGRESSIVE about it. I've NEVER returned to that particular club as a result!
Last trip to Southern California the Hawaiian Theater has a 1 drink minimum $6 for a non alcoholic beverage. The waitress hits you as soon as you walk in the door and as soon as a dancer sits down with you. I wouldn't go there except for the exceptional vip "full" service. I hate when clubs do this they already get cash from the cover but forcing you to buy a drink is over the top.
The clubs I frequent have mostly one drink minimums, and I don't ever recall it being enforced. I don't recall any club having a two drink minimum in Columbus, but that can be because I have never seen it enforced.
The only place I ever recall seeing a drink minimum enforced was a club in French Quarter of New Orleans about 20 years ago. Don't remember the name of the club, but remember it was a hole in the wall. A customer get kicked out for not buying a drink. I was only in the club for 10 minutes when I saw that and left at the time.
OhioVoyeur, I was in Ambers once, over ten years ago and never went back. The entire club was rude, from the waitresses, to the bouncers to the dancers.
I have had some good times at amber's during their dayshift but I have not visited during night shift because they charge a high cover, drink hustle, dance hustle ("for $20 instead of $10 you will get a better dance").
Sorry to hear you had a bad time though. I usually just sit at the bar at the far end near the VIP area and order a coke (served in a tiny glass). Also sitting at the far end near the VIP lets you see what dancers are doing (air dances or stick shifting/HJs)
I think some people forget that strip clubs are a business. They are not forcing you to drink alcohol, they just want you to order something. Same with the cover, the valet, etc....it's part of the expectation. Do you expect to walk in with no cover, no valet, no drink/food order, but see topless women walk around and dance without spending a dime? When you go to a concert, is it free? It is expected that you pay to be entertained.
There are a couple of local clubs that have a drink minimum, but I've never had any of them enforce it on me. I spend money on dances and such though, so I suspect that rule is there so they have something they can use to get the deadbeats to pay up or get out.
OhioVoyeur, I have however, in the far distant past, when my physique still resembled that of a Marine more than a pear, had such experiences as yours. The last one ended similarly to yours, except for the fact that my conversation was with the manager, explaining to him that if he couldn't handle me sitting here for a minute, warming up and deciding what to drink and who to drink it with, then I'd gladly leave and tell all my friends about the experience.
That turned out to be a very interesting club, after I'd been going there for a few weeks. The accosting bouncer and I even got to be reasonably friendly after a while.
i hate the 2 drink minimum, i mean i understand it to a point, if you get in with no cover then i would understand, but to force me to pay for 2 drinks after i payed for parking and a cover, i think thats going too far but theres nothing i can do about it but leave if want but all the clubs here in detroit enforces the 2 drink minimum.
however one night i was able to skip the second drink by buying the first one at the bar and helping my dancer carry her drink to the vip room making it look like i had 2 drinks so when the waiter asked if i had 2 drinks i just said yeah and just as expected she went up to the bar to double check and the guy nodded so that trick worked, the funny thing is i didnt even think that carrying my dancer's drink for her would appear that i bought 2 drinks saving me 5 bucks to give to her as a tip.
oh and another thing, im not the type that likes to drink alcohol so forcing me to pay the exact same price for a non alcoholic drink just doesn't sit right with me.
"Well, tigerfan if you are a club owner, which club do you own so we "deadbeats" who prefer to spend our money on dancers who you make a lucrative cash flow when you charge them "tip outs" or per dance fees know which club not to go to? I'll spend my money, which I have a considerable amount of on what I like, not what you unfortunately stupid owners think we should. LMAO"
If you're spending money on dancers you're not a deadbeat. I'm talking about people who come in and don't want to spend one single dime but get a free show. Those people to me are deadbeats, and on them I'm more than happy to enforce a drink minimum.
Okay, so why then do neighborhood bars continue to go on decade after decade without high-priced drinks or cover charges? Yet strip clubs are well-known for cover charges, high-priced drinks, sometimes a VIP entry bracelet charge, etc.? And then some Detroit clubs order their waitresses to hound a customer to "buy the lady a drink" whenever a dancer sits with a customer (dancer doesn't get a share (fyi) but is required to sell so many drinks per shift.)
And a favorite pet peeve is being charged $6.75 for a bottled water when a store will sell it for $3 for a case of 24. $6.75 is the charge for a bottle of domestic beer at the clubs I'm thinking of.
There are high prices in strip clubs for only one reason. We pay those prices.
If there is competition, clubs react. I remember one club in Miami some years ago started charging nearly $5 a beer. A club close by put a sign up, $3.50 beers. Wasn't long before the $5 club went back to strip club normal prices.
I have not heard of a drink maximum but I do know clubs take their last call serious around 2AM, and then around 2:20AM they start grabbing drinks away from customers and closing at 2:30am
samsung1: If they take away a drink from me that I have already paid for, farmerart might get a tiny bit testy. In my past troubles have erupted over this issue.
"Okay, so why then do neighborhood bars continue to go on decade after decade without high-priced drinks or cover charges? Yet strip clubs are well-known for cover charges, high-priced drinks, sometimes a VIP entry bracelet charge, etc.? And then some Detroit clubs order their waitresses to hound a customer to "buy the lady a drink" whenever a dancer sits with a customer (dancer doesn't get a share (fyi) but is required to sell so many drinks per shift.)
And a favorite pet peeve is being charged $6.75 for a bottled water when a store will sell it for $3 for a case of 24. $6.75 is the charge for a bottle of domestic beer at the clubs I'm thinking of."
If you want a cheap bottle of water, I'd go to Wal-Mart, or even a gas station. That would make more sense. And yes, I have to admit, in my club when a dancer sits with a customer, we're likely to have a waitress there within minutes to sell the dancer a drink. That's how clubs make their money.
$3/24 = 12.5 cents per bottled water. Likely much cheaper cost to the club than any other beverage. I suppose, since when I've often been at those chains I've spent $100 to $150 (plus cover and $10 VIP bracelet) on VIP dances on average, that I should make it known they're getting their money that way from me. The problem is, due to the dancers either being holed up in the lockerroom or busy with other customers, hanging out at the club occurs. Indeed, with the various TVs about it's encouraged.
I can get get better food & drink prices at a regular bar and hang out without being harassed, and tip just a portion of what I'm saving to my server and they're practically in love because it's a far bigger tip than what other customers give. In fact, last time in my waitress recognized me as a good tipper and made a point to make me up a fresh brew of iced tea. A small gesture, but indicative of her appreciation. In fact, while I ate she sat in the booth next to me and I'm sure, had I asked her to wipe my mouth with a napkin after every bite, she would have done so with a smile!
$3/24 = 12.5 cents per bottled water. Likely much cheaper cost to the club than any other beverage. I suppose, since when I've often been at those chains I've spent $100 to $150 (plus cover and $10 VIP bracelet) on VIP dances on average, that I should make it known they're getting their money that way from me. The problem is, due to the dancers either being holed up in the lockerroom or busy with other customers, hanging out at the club occurs. Indeed, with the various TVs about it's encouraged.
Great points, especially about dancers in the dressing room or busy with other customers. That dressing room thing is a constant battle. It drives me nuts.
I have cut and pasted a couple of recent reviews which speak to the increased drink hustle level at some Detroit clubs. Click on the "Blogs" tab at the top of this site and you'll see what I am talking about.
35 comments
I've been to a DC club that requires you must always have a drink. As soon as you finish one, you must buy another. The drinks start at $9. Real smart to force your patrons to get drunk. DUI's and accidents take away repeat customers. Clubs that force you to buy alcohol should be avoided.
sinclair,
I recall a club in South Florida that offered something like you mention, but it was an option.
The only place I ever recall seeing a drink minimum enforced was a club in French Quarter of New Orleans about 20 years ago. Don't remember the name of the club, but remember it was a hole in the wall. A customer get kicked out for not buying a drink. I was only in the club for 10 minutes when I saw that and left at the time.
OhioVoyeur, I was in Ambers once, over ten years ago and never went back. The entire club was rude, from the waitresses, to the bouncers to the dancers.
Sorry to hear you had a bad time though. I usually just sit at the bar at the far end near the VIP area and order a coke (served in a tiny glass). Also sitting at the far end near the VIP lets you see what dancers are doing (air dances or stick shifting/HJs)
OhioVoyeur, I have however, in the far distant past, when my physique still resembled that of a Marine more than a pear, had such experiences as yours. The last one ended similarly to yours, except for the fact that my conversation was with the manager, explaining to him that if he couldn't handle me sitting here for a minute, warming up and deciding what to drink and who to drink it with, then I'd gladly leave and tell all my friends about the experience.
That turned out to be a very interesting club, after I'd been going there for a few weeks. The accosting bouncer and I even got to be reasonably friendly after a while.
however one night i was able to skip the second drink by buying the first one at the bar and helping my dancer carry her drink to the vip room making it look like i had 2 drinks so when the waiter asked if i had 2 drinks i just said yeah and just as expected she went up to the bar to double check and the guy nodded so that trick worked, the funny thing is i didnt even think that carrying my dancer's drink for her would appear that i bought 2 drinks saving me 5 bucks to give to her as a tip.
oh and another thing, im not the type that likes to drink alcohol so forcing me to pay the exact same price for a non alcoholic drink just doesn't sit right with me.
"Well, tigerfan if you are a club owner, which club do you own so we "deadbeats" who prefer to spend our money on dancers who you make a lucrative cash flow when you charge them "tip outs" or per dance fees know which club not to go to? I'll spend my money, which I have a considerable amount of on what I like, not what you unfortunately stupid owners think we should. LMAO"
If you're spending money on dancers you're not a deadbeat. I'm talking about people who come in and don't want to spend one single dime but get a free show. Those people to me are deadbeats, and on them I'm more than happy to enforce a drink minimum.
And a favorite pet peeve is being charged $6.75 for a bottled water when a store will sell it for $3 for a case of 24. $6.75 is the charge for a bottle of domestic beer at the clubs I'm thinking of.
There are high prices in strip clubs for only one reason. We pay those prices.
If there is competition, clubs react. I remember one club in Miami some years ago started charging nearly $5 a beer. A club close by put a sign up, $3.50 beers. Wasn't long before the $5 club went back to strip club normal prices.
Yes, but haven't found a grocery store with naked women yet.
samsung1: If they take away a drink from me that I have already paid for, farmerart might get a tiny bit testy. In my past troubles have erupted over this issue.
110 W College St
Griffin, GA 30224
The menu stated a 2 drink maximum.
Btw The name came from John Henry Holiday (Doc Holiday) who had his dentist's off just down the street.
And a favorite pet peeve is being charged $6.75 for a bottled water when a store will sell it for $3 for a case of 24. $6.75 is the charge for a bottle of domestic beer at the clubs I'm thinking of."
If you want a cheap bottle of water, I'd go to Wal-Mart, or even a gas station. That would make more sense. And yes, I have to admit, in my club when a dancer sits with a customer, we're likely to have a waitress there within minutes to sell the dancer a drink. That's how clubs make their money.
I can get get better food & drink prices at a regular bar and hang out without being harassed, and tip just a portion of what I'm saving to my server and they're practically in love because it's a far bigger tip than what other customers give. In fact, last time in my waitress recognized me as a good tipper and made a point to make me up a fresh brew of iced tea. A small gesture, but indicative of her appreciation. In fact, while I ate she sat in the booth next to me and I'm sure, had I asked her to wipe my mouth with a napkin after every bite, she would have done so with a smile!
Great points, especially about dancers in the dressing room or busy with other customers. That dressing room thing is a constant battle. It drives me nuts.
I have cut and pasted a couple of recent reviews which speak to the increased drink hustle level at some Detroit clubs. Click on the "Blogs" tab at the top of this site and you'll see what I am talking about.