Can we stop with the whining about cover charges?!

6/9/2011 6:39:23 AM

I love reading TUSCL reviews, even as a standard member most of the time. The site is valuable to know what's out there and where to go, particularly when I travel ... new cities, new clubs, so little time ... research good!

But ... what's up with all the reviews starting with how much the cover charge is? I don't get the mystery or surprise here ... non-existent or small cover during the day ... and then you're lucky to get in for $10 or less at night (after 7pm shift change - another generally accepted standard) during the week, and at minimum $15 on weekends.

Here's an eye opener .. you're going to a strip club! DUH?! I'd love to hear from someone who has been to a quality strip club (meaning quality talent) that doesn't have a cover charge. The establishment and industry exists to pull money out of your wallet ... cover, drinks, tips, and lap dances ... lather, rinse, and repeat. Get used to it?!

If it's a quality place I'm happy to fork over the change pot I've been collecting and putting aside just to have a little extra to give to the girls, up and beyond the call of duty. No cover charge? Buyer beware. No, I don't LIKE handing over $10s and $20s that I'd much prefer to break into $1s and $5s and stuff in the cleavage of an appreciative stripper who might return the favor with a little extrat traction, touch, or nibble on the next lap dance.

So, come on boys ... stop complaining as a part of the reviews. Use that valuable real estate to talk about the club and how it works so we know if we're going to like it or not on first visit.

Funnier yet are the guys who complain about having to pay a cover AND the lack of valet in the same review .... you got your priorities mixed up!

my1%

21 comments

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Otto22

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14 years ago

I never complain about cover charges except on the rare occasions when the cover is wildly disproportionate to the club, i.e. most DVs.

georgmicrodong

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14 years ago

Opining on the relative value of the club versus the cover charge is entirely appropriate, as is citing the presence and amount

georgmicrodong

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14 years ago

Opining on the relative value of the club versus the cover charge is entirely appropriate in a review, as is citing the presence and amount of said cover charge. To use your own words, albeit punctuated correctly, "get used to it."

vincemichaels

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14 years ago

Well, not knowing the reviews you are referring to, I can't say whether or not the reviewers are whining. The owner of the site asks us to be descriptive of the club when we write our reviews and it doesn't hurt to mention what the cover is. As you note, the cover is part of the revenue the club makes. I don't have a problem with a business trying to be profitable, only if they charge an obscene amount for a product or service. Women always cost money, hot women, even more so. I generally don't use valet, there's no need to have a car jockey park my fine, fine 2002 Ford Focus. Fuck, if something happens to it, something happens to it. It never has, the asshole thieves have better products to steal. So why would I want to pay the club, I'd rather spend my dollars on the babes. I get better mileage. :)

Dudester

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14 years ago

Fantasy North is a nude club on the north side of Houston. The building is a converted warehouse. They have the same furniture from when it opened 20 years ago. That furniture was second hand. Cover is 25.00 and you need a 12.00 wristband to get a LD.

You're down 37.00 and you have yet to see a nipple.

chukko

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14 years ago

My1percent, you must have neglected to read the discussion (or article. I forgot.) on club layout. There's lots of comments on important information that should be in reviews. Whether someone whines or not about the prices doesn't have the slightest effect on my mood. As long as the price they paid is posted, I'm happy. Some clubs don't have cover charge ever, such as Fox's Den in cleveland and they charge $10 for lapdances and don't require you to buy a drink (yet expect you too). While other clubs such as the Men's Club in Dayton has a $12 cover charge and also require you to buy a drink. On top of that the dances are around $30 dollars. That means that you'll be spending $45 dollars for your initial dance at the Men's Club as opposed to 10-15 dollars at the Fox's Den (66% or 2/3 less). Like vincemichaels said, I'd rather throw my money away on the women. That's the main reason to go. The more I give to the club, the less I give to the dancers. Sure each club has it's own niche, but by knowing all the facts you can plan accordingly, because not everyone has unlimited amounts of disposable income. I think $5 dollars cover and 1 drink required is generous.

GSWx4

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14 years ago

Last fall the Vegas Spearmint Rhinoâ€™s cover (day and night) was $50. Current reviews now say its $22. Any number of quality clubs also waive the cover charge for various reasons. For example Scores in Tampa and Shotgun Willies (currently ranked #45 overall and #23 for dancer quality) in Denver have both waived their cover charge if I was going to order food. But specifically to your challenge of a quality club with â€œquality talentâ€ and no cover, I give you the Great Alaskan Bush Company, Anchorage. Always outstanding dancers (dancer quality 7.77), no cover, no valet, no drink minimum. So yes, Iâ€™d like to know especially if itâ€™s out of the ordinary.

someyoungguysomeyoungguy

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14 years ago

I don't think anyone objects to letting people know what the cover is. But I will go further and say that we have a right to whine about the cover. Yeah, we know that's a charge stripclubs usually make. But not all. And let's be honest: As much as we all know how much we usually spend in a club, that doesn't mean we won't notice when the cover charge is, like, $20 on a Saturday night. I often drop $200 at a club and I still think a cover more than $10 is outrageous. And I think it's my right to say so.

jackslash

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14 years ago

We like to whine. It's more fun than getting a lap dance--well, not really. I think reviews should include prices for cover, valet parking, coat check, etc. Then we can decide whether we want to pay those charges or go to another club or just stay home. I was recently in San Francisco and learned from TUSCL that a nearby club had a $40 cover charge. I chose to take my business elsewhere.

my1percent

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14 years ago

Appreciate all the thoughtful and experienced feedback!

GSWx4 - in Alaska, they also pay the residents just to live there ... calling a moving van right now!

Chukko - i missed that article ... all that speaks to the value rating, which I highly value!

Dudester - agree that is beyond excessive ... into the WTF category! So don't go ... and general supply/demand economics will (hopefully) bring em down.

Vincemichaels - I hear you on the mileage ... funny man!

Microdong - opininn is different than whining ... the other gents appropriately put this in the value proposition category.

Maybe we create a "Worth it" or "Not worth it" check box ... or create a category for Cover Charges so the more value concious can whittle down their selections by cover charge max to expect ($10 / $20 / $30)

shadowcat

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14 years ago

I don't know what reviews you are reading. With a few exceptions(Vegas)I don't see many customers bitching about the prices of admission or the lack of valet parking. In fact I see more complaints about the mandatory valet.

SuperDude

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14 years ago

What about the cover charge of $20.00 for each visit to the VIP? I would like to know if a club charges that before I go there.

minnow

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14 years ago

I just finished reading 2 dozen or so of the most recent reviews, not one of them griped about the cover charge- in fact one reviewer stated that the $20 cover at Mons Venus was worth it. One review whined about $5 beers, another about expensive LD's. Most reviews didn't bother mentioning cover. I can see both sides to OP's sentiments. If someone has, say $200 to spend in club, cover and overpriced drinks are the cost of doing business. I'd wager that the folks griping the loudest are those who want to pay cover, nurse a drink, and watch shows without tipping.
OTOH, every dollar a person spends or saves would be the equivalent of a F500 company spending/saving ~ $100K. Don't think for a second that those companies won't hesitate to reduce those expenses in a heartbeat by whatever means (firing some people, going to a lower cost supplier, etc). Therefore, listing cover charges is relevant, as are the hours(7p? 8p?) that the charges increase, or publications/websites for discount cover coupons.

crazyjoe

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14 years ago

It gets annoying to feel like your nickeled and dimed. Pay for vallet then cover then wristband for vip. All going to the club not the girls. Then the girls haave to pay a house fee just to work. Then they charge double what other regular bars do for drinks. Then all the staff gets paid minimum wage and the dancers have to tip everyone out to make up what the club doesn't pay them (door people, bouncers, house mom, dj etc.). How do regular bars stay in business without making workers pay to work there? I don't mind them making money but it seems a little rediculous sometimes

samsung1

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14 years ago

I think the cover charges are important to know but if the reviewer lets it affect his rating by more than a point or two then it gets a little carried away.

skibum609

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14 years ago

Club Desire in Providence -- no cover before 8 pm - no wristband -- free shot every hour until 8pm - buy a $20 drink card and get $25 worth of drinks -- of course you have to put up with beautiful dancers, full 2-way contact above and below and the girls who do extras........

dudeanonymous

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14 years ago

I don't think I've ever read a review on here that unjustly complained about a high cover. If you shell out more than the norm, walk in, and find only a couple unattractive dancers, you have a right to complain, and a duty to warn others.

tttclub

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14 years ago

Most of the "whining" I see is about mandatory valet, which is annoying. Basically, for a nice club, I expect to pay $40 to sit down, give or take $10 (valet, cover, booth.) Vegas is ridiculous with covers, but Vegas is a ridiculous place, so I expect to get ripped off there. I can see if the cover is $20 and you walk in and 2 dancers with a total of 10 teeth are in the place, but otherwise it's the cheap asses that whine about covers, drink prices, etc. It's simple, don't go back. If a club is really gouging at the door, and the club is trash, they won't stay in business. The way to get back at them is simple, don't ever go there again. You don't see people posting all over the web complaining about a $9 beer at a ballgame. Or $5 for a large popcorn at the movies (which costs them about 22 cents.) The cover charges are high, because people will pay it. If it's too high for the quality of the place, find another place.

gatorfan

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14 years ago

What cover charge? Was I supposed to pay a cover charge somewhere?

thesamurai

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14 years ago

Reviews are opinion based so if somebody wants to complain about the cover I don't care. If that is the only thing they say in the review then they suck and should be disregarded...but if they give good info I don't mind a little color in the commentary.

troop

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14 years ago

^^
yup, reviews are someone's opinion, if they want to mention or complain about the cover charge, what's the big deal?

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