This seems to have gotten a little off topic so I will continue. The clubs I frequent most are smaller clubs with only a few "good" seats away from the prying eyes of the manager/bouncer. Once I get one of those seats, I try my best to keep it. I always have a dancer that I'm talking with hold my seat for me.
BG, I don't think I've ever been in a club where you bring in your own bottle and keep it at your table. Anytime I've taken a bottle into a BYOB club they've required me to give it to the bartender, who then serves me from it. Or if I've taken beer it's always been a Foster's "oil can" (one is enough.)
But this question is rather a moot point for me. Usually when entering a strange club, I'll go into the rest room first thing to let my eyes adjust to the low lighting and give me time to look around. Then if I haven't found a dancer to join me by the time I have to go again, I'll leave at that point. So whenever there's a drink to be watched or a seat to be held, my dancer will do it for me. Plus I never go clubbing when they're crowded, so saving my seat is rarely a concern.
In clubs where you can bring in your own bottle, I've left my bottle / plus / drink for a while, while getting a lap dance. The idea was, to use the bottle to keep my seat, since these clubs are also packed at some times. I always got the waitress's consent for such an arrangement.
Anyway, it worked out OK about 75% of the time, but the rest of the time people have just taken the bottle and walked right over to their own table with it. I am the sort of dumb ass who confronts people who steal in such a manner, and their usual response has been, "What, it's not for free?" or something else utterly stupid. I think if I didn't look like a "clean cut grown up" (middle aged loser?) they'd probably be more comfortable deliberately trying to intimidate me. Usually it was a crowd of "ghetto" dressed people -- African American or not, they affected the style of rap singers in clothing and "demeanor." Classy.
That having been said, I must admit that the few times I was comfortable leaving my bottle unattended, it was near to empty or, at least, I was near to done drinking from it because of the amount of what I had already consumed. I was willing to keep or lose it regardless. I was certainly aware that something might be taken out of it without my consent, before I left it unattended.
But it never occurred to me, that something might be put INTO it while I was absent. Until now. :(
I've asked a fellow patron to watch my beer while using the restroom. Never had a problem so far but haven't done so in a while. I remember one time a British guy left his wallet sitting next to me and said "watch my wallet mate, will you?" I said ok but was surprised he left his wallet with a stranger. I was thinking he is awfully trusting or doesn't have much cash. Then again half the club seemed to be full of the British (joint manuevers in a military town I was club hopping in).
I tip waitresses to bring me drinks. I've never had a waitress find me a dancer. I'm perfectly content to wait until my favs find me. I average a buck or two per drink.
I DO tip the Champagne room waitress in advance at my favorite clubs. The reason for this is that it buys you privacy. I tip between $30 and $50 depending on the club, what I know I'm going to get, and what the girls expect.
Doug, do you hold your breath in the restroom so as not to inhale those harmful microbes? I think it's safe to call that an irrational fear.
I like to get up every once in a while for a variety of reasons besides peeing, without giving up my table. I'll usually ask the waitress and whoever's at the next table not to let anybody take it. Being a decent tipper can pay off, but nothing guarantees it won't be taken over while I'm gone.
I've come across aggressive drink minumuns at clubs in many cities. I don't mind buying a fresh drink before I'm finished with my first, partly as a courtesy to whoever has my table or a barstool in their section. I just don't like it being demanded.
Fondl: Uhh... I would never take a drink into the bathroom with me... who knows what organism is floating in the air.
Chandler: I usually time my "potty break" in between drinks. I do not want to leave my drink unattended. FORTUNATELY, I rarely need to "see a man about a horse", as I can go many hours without doing so, even while drinking. I'm lucky I guess. Besides, leaving a drink at my table doesn't always assure that my table will be saved. I've had both fellow patrons and SERVERS remove even a full drink, after I've temporarily left it.
I've been in a few clubs (Detroit area) where there is, according to the waitre... err... servers, there is a minimum drink per hour policy - plus a tip is demanded. I left the club the last time a snooty server attempted to collect on this policy... what frickin' crap!
Chandler, I usually take my drink to the restroom with me and refill it with tap water. It keeps the waitress from buggin me to buy another drink that I don't want.
I order so little, about the only service I requre of a waitress is to leave me alone for the most part and not pick up my half-full drink when I go to tip a girl at the stage or to use the restroom.
I try to pick up the waitresses. Really. I just lay into them with total Ross-Jeffries-style speed seduction, ridiculous lines, the whole gamut. It has worked about 10% of the time, for legit. bangsy-bangsy for free after-hours, usually after an evening date the next night. To the contrary, I find that excess tipping succeeds in convincing waitresses (and dancers, for that matter) that you can be bought and that you think SHE can be bought, and that therefore your affections are rather shallow. I therefore tip an "appropriate" amount and do not try to make my mark by means of tipping, but rather by means of something else.
On rare occasions, I've slipped a door-man or VIP monkey (male or female) or "head house mother waitress" type lady a $10 or $20. This is for "service rendered," the fact that he or she will watch the door while I enjoy time with a dancer in more assured privacy. That's a different situation, a direct fee-for-service arrangement, though it is camouflaged as a tip.
If I frequent a club and develop a relationship with a certain waitress, I tip better. I see how the service is before I reach that stage. My favorite waitress gets the biggest tips. She often steers those dancers I do not care for away, and sends tells me of ones I would like enjoy spending time with.
I HAVE recruited a waitress to track down a particular dancer for me - once, but it was immensely appreciated, and the outcome with the dancer she tracked down, made it well worth it. I, unfortunately, didn't tip the waitress for her troubles, which I've regretted, since.
At my fav clubs, I try to stay in the waitresses best grace. It definitely can payoff. I've used waitresses quite frequently to pass messages to my dancers - (ie, "can you please tell Nicole that Doug is here to see her?"). I've also found that it's good to keep on the good side of the bartenders, doormen and DJs, too. I've give DJs money to take a particular girl out of the dance rotation for the night, so that I can spend uninterrupted time with my dancer. I've given tips to the doorman, in reward for passing messages to my girls when I'm not there.... or for getting my girl on the phone when I've called...
One of my strip club buddies has used a waitress to talk to a dancer to get some helpful information, which he was then able to parlay into some VERY rewarding OTCing.
Never had a waitress get me a dancer, but I've had dancers find me a waitress when I couldn't get one to take my order. I didn't tip the dancer for that. I usually bought her a drink, though.
I have a favorite waitress at one of the clubs I frequent. She is a delight to talk with and we have gone to other clubs together. When I walk in and she is working I give her $10 and then go sit at the bar for a while to check things out or watch a ballgame. She will come up to me after about 45 minutes and ask if I want a table and then somehow get me one if the place is busy (very small club). She will often buy my first beer when I do sit at the table and always makes sure everything is ok. Of course I tip her extremely well. At most places I tip $2 - $3 per beer and sometimes buy the waitress a drink if she is allowed. If the service is exceptional I tip extra at the end of the night. Having a mom who worked double shifts as a waitress in the same restaurant for 20 years bringing up three boys and sending all to college makes you appreciate how hard they work. Plus they have to put up with all the drunks and dancer bs.
I tip just like I would tip in any other bar or restraunt. 20% plus the loose change and a piece of candy. To be politically correct, I think that the prefered name is "server". I have asked servers to deliver messages to dancers but I would never seek them out to reccomend dancers. Most of them turn over faster than the dancers. Jennifer is my favorite server and Misty is my favorite bar tender. If they were dancers, they would clean out my wallet.
I really do not need waitresses about 98 percent of the time. I like getting up and moving around most of the time. Anyway if a beer is 3.75 or 4.25, I'll often leave them a dollar tip anyway. I guess if a club was really crowded and I didn't want to get up and lose my seat, a waitress could come in handy. The prettier the better though. :)
I used to give a tip like most do in here. Then there are the times when a waitress is really working her butt off in general and is still making sure that I am ok. Since I am not a drinker most waitresses don't bother asking much and assume that I am either cheap or have ill intentions in the bar.
I have on actually tipped for bringing me free drinks. This usually gets an odd look but turns out pretty well. I drink coffee a lot and when I was at the PP in Columbia they didn't charge me. Still, I gave a 2 dollar tip just about each time I got one.
I have always been generous to wait staff as I have family members who have done it and talked about how crappy people tip them.
I've never asked a waitress, or anybody else, to get me a dancer. I like getting dancers for myself. Reading reviews of clubs where that's the custom makes me want to stay away from those clubs. If that rules out the whole state of Texas, so be it.
As for waitresses who just serve drinks, I tip them on a similar scale to what Doug described, 20% minimum plus any loose change. For $7.50 in drinks, I might only tip $1.50 (20%), unless I'm occupying a table in her section for long without buying much. I don't want BE tight, but I don't to appear to be a free spender either.
I always tip the waitresses well. I know that the waitresses talk to the dancers and I sure don't want word to get back to the dancers that I'm a tight-wad. Also, I'm usually with a dancer when I'm tipping the waitress, so I don't want to appear tight on tipping then
How much do I tip? It depends on the cost of the drinks... I don't want change, so my tip is first going to round up to remove the coinage... So, for example, our (dancer and mine) drinks come up to $7.50, I'd probably tip $2.50. If I'm just getting a single beer ($4.50), I'd probably tip $1.50.
25 comments
But this question is rather a moot point for me. Usually when entering a strange club, I'll go into the rest room first thing to let my eyes adjust to the low lighting and give me time to look around. Then if I haven't found a dancer to join me by the time I have to go again, I'll leave at that point. So whenever there's a drink to be watched or a seat to be held, my dancer will do it for me. Plus I never go clubbing when they're crowded, so saving my seat is rarely a concern.
Anyway, it worked out OK about 75% of the time, but the rest of the time people have just taken the bottle and walked right over to their own table with it. I am the sort of dumb ass who confronts people who steal in such a manner, and their usual response has been, "What, it's not for free?" or something else utterly stupid. I think if I didn't look like a "clean cut grown up" (middle aged loser?) they'd probably be more comfortable deliberately trying to intimidate me. Usually it was a crowd of "ghetto" dressed people -- African American or not, they affected the style of rap singers in clothing and "demeanor." Classy.
That having been said, I must admit that the few times I was comfortable leaving my bottle unattended, it was near to empty or, at least, I was near to done drinking from it because of the amount of what I had already consumed. I was willing to keep or lose it regardless. I was certainly aware that something might be taken out of it without my consent, before I left it unattended.
But it never occurred to me, that something might be put INTO it while I was absent. Until now. :(
I DO tip the Champagne room waitress in advance at my favorite clubs. The reason for this is that it buys you privacy. I tip between $30 and $50 depending on the club, what I know I'm going to get, and what the girls expect.
I like to get up every once in a while for a variety of reasons besides peeing, without giving up my table. I'll usually ask the waitress and whoever's at the next table not to let anybody take it. Being a decent tipper can pay off, but nothing guarantees it won't be taken over while I'm gone.
I've come across aggressive drink minumuns at clubs in many cities. I don't mind buying a fresh drink before I'm finished with my first, partly as a courtesy to whoever has my table or a barstool in their section. I just don't like it being demanded.
Chandler: I usually time my "potty break" in between drinks. I do not want to leave my drink unattended. FORTUNATELY, I rarely need to "see a man about a horse", as I can go many hours without doing so, even while drinking. I'm lucky I guess. Besides, leaving a drink at my table doesn't always assure that my table will be saved. I've had both fellow patrons and SERVERS remove even a full drink, after I've temporarily left it.
I've been in a few clubs (Detroit area) where there is, according to the waitre... err... servers, there is a minimum drink per hour policy - plus a tip is demanded. I left the club the last time a snooty server attempted to collect on this policy... what frickin' crap!
On rare occasions, I've slipped a door-man or VIP monkey (male or female) or "head house mother waitress" type lady a $10 or $20. This is for "service rendered," the fact that he or she will watch the door while I enjoy time with a dancer in more assured privacy. That's a different situation, a direct fee-for-service arrangement, though it is camouflaged as a tip.
At my fav clubs, I try to stay in the waitresses best grace. It definitely can payoff. I've used waitresses quite frequently to pass messages to my dancers - (ie, "can you please tell Nicole that Doug is here to see her?"). I've also found that it's good to keep on the good side of the bartenders, doormen and DJs, too. I've give DJs money to take a particular girl out of the dance rotation for the night, so that I can spend uninterrupted time with my dancer. I've given tips to the doorman, in reward for passing messages to my girls when I'm not there.... or for getting my girl on the phone when I've called...
One of my strip club buddies has used a waitress to talk to a dancer to get some helpful information, which he was then able to parlay into some VERY rewarding OTCing.
I have on actually tipped for bringing me free drinks. This usually gets an odd look but turns out pretty well. I drink coffee a lot and when I was at the PP in Columbia they didn't charge me. Still, I gave a 2 dollar tip just about each time I got one.
I have always been generous to wait staff as I have family members who have done it and talked about how crappy people tip them.
As for waitresses who just serve drinks, I tip them on a similar scale to what Doug described, 20% minimum plus any loose change. For $7.50 in drinks, I might only tip $1.50 (20%), unless I'm occupying a table in her section for long without buying much. I don't want BE tight, but I don't to appear to be a free spender either.
How much do I tip? It depends on the cost of the drinks... I don't want change, so my tip is first going to round up to remove the coinage... So, for example, our (dancer and mine) drinks come up to $7.50, I'd probably tip $2.50. If I'm just getting a single beer ($4.50), I'd probably tip $1.50.