Getting refunds on cover charges
Array
Pennsylvania
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 9:05 AM
I went to a club a few weeks ago on a Sunday evening at about 4:45. The club had opened at 4:00, according to their scheduled hours on their website. I know clubs are generally slow to get started, especially on a weekend evening, but I was in the area and thought, why not? I entered, no door girl, just a bouncer. I asked the bouncer who was working and he showed me a list of 5 names. He charged me $5 and I paid and entered. One other loser was in there and the barkeeper, who was all over the place being busy. Music was playing but no dancing and no girls in evidence. I got my drink and about 15 minutes later one girl came out of the dressing room.
She walked up to the closest custie, who was the other guy, sat down and began a conversation. After about a half hour they went to the lap dance room, came out about five minutes later. He then left and she disappeared to the dressing room. I’m left sitting there alone, just me, an empty bar and an empty stage. It had now been about an hour since I had arrived, so I got up to leave.
On my way out I stopped to talk to the bouncer, still sitting alone at the front desk. Feeling somewhat irritated I told him what had happened, and asked if couldn’t get my cover back. I know, only five bucks, but I think you will understand that I was in a rather foul mood by then, and I chose not to accept his refusal to refund the five bucks. His excuse, “club policy.” I repeated, “No girls.” After a bit of back and forth I asked to see the manager on duty. He agreed and came fetched a young girl who could have easily passed for a dancer. I argued with her for a bit until the bouncer told her to leave, that he would “handle it from here.” He came out from behind the desk. He was BIG and I’m small and I felt suddenly very intimidated. But my innate stubbornness had kicked in and I wasn’t going anywhere. We continued to argue for a bit until he pulled out the independent contractor argument, that they couldn’t tell the girls what to do. I started to counter with a “false advertising” argument when the manager came back out. I changed tack and asked if I could at least get a free entry the next time. The manager said she could do that and pulled one out a gave it to me. At that point the bouncer came out from behind the counter and said, “Now, we’re not going to have the same problem next time are we?” Which, of course, really pissed me off, but good sense finally kicked in, I sort of had what I wanted.
I recall reading here a few weeks ago about another PL’s similar experience but with a more congenial bouncer or manager. Are most clubs this nasty about refunding covers? I know the amount was peanuts, but I just got into one of those moods where I had to say something. I would probably have been satisfied with a simple we’re sorry, but all I got was a flat no. And that really pissed me off.
The whole exchange probably lasted 20 minutes in which time one other dancer came in for her shift. Bouncer: “See, we got dancers now!” Me: “I waited an hour with no dancers, I think I deserve a refund.” I left.
Now, if I could just remember where I put that free entry....
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