Tipping on Dances

avatar for Mindwanderer
Mindwanderer
I have been clubbing for decades in the Houston area, but I’ve also visited clubs in many other states. Although I don’t consider myself cheap (you all may disagree after reading this post), it never crossed my mind to tip on dances until I started reading on TUSCL that people did so. In 20-ish years, I’ve probably had 5 girls or less straight up ask me for a tip after dances, and it usually turned me off greatly. I used to think it was just a rip-off effort, but maybe I’ve been the bad guy all these years.

Is tipping on dances customary? Am I crazy to think that it is not typically expected in Houston? Is it customary in some cities but not in others? Finally, am I just an (unintentionally) cheap bastard who needs to see the errors of my ways?

33 comments

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avatar for jackslash
jackslash
4 years ago
When you pay $30 for a dance, you have paid enough.
avatar for Jascoi
Jascoi
4 years ago
i don’t like it when a girl asks for a tip.
i’ll give her a tip if she really impressed me.
avatar for NinaBambina
NinaBambina
4 years ago
I feel as though my dances are tip worthy. Although it's not expected, it's appreciated. Also, some clubs track the dances and straight out take a percentage of the money. A lot of customers don't know this. I don't always bring up tips, but if I know the guy had a good time I'll say something like "tips are appreciated!" every once in a while. If you say it enough times it can be the difference between a $600 and $700 night, for example.
avatar for doctorevil
doctorevil
4 years ago
I very rarely give tips on dances. I will if I feel the girl has gone well above what Is considered the “normal” dance for the club, or has been exceptional in some other way. No, I’m not talking extras, just a well above average dance. In places where the dance prices are very high, $25 or $30 each, it’s a much higher threshold for me to tip. For that kind of money I expect an excellent dance. I hate it when the girl asks for tips. It’s rude, and it’s just a ploy for more money. It’s an automatic “no, I don’t think so” from me, unless I was going to tip her anyway, in which case it would give me second thoughts.
avatar for pistola
pistola
4 years ago
I don’t like when the girl asks although the way Nina describes it (Tips are appreciated) is the nicest way of them being greedy. My rule of thumb is this. If dances are $25 and I get three and don’t have 5s on me, I’m not going to ask for $5 change. If the gal is super frisky and feels and is making sure I leave drained AND it’s someone I’d get a dance from again (like the next time in the club I want them to recognize me and at least say hi) I’ll give a tip. I am also more prone to tip gals that don’t ask versus those that do. And lol at what Nina said, not sure I’ve ever met a dancer who doesn’t think her dances are tip-worthy. I’ve also got into a few arguments with gals demanding a tip.

I think @OP it comes down to this, just do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Since I supported myself through college waiting tables maybe I’m a little more empathetic to tipping. It’s your money, deal with it how it works for you.
avatar for DenimChicken
DenimChicken
4 years ago
When a girl says the total after dance(s) and ends it with "plus tip" - they think they are playing a cute psychological game to make you feel obligated to tip. To me, it's tacky as fuck. I've told this directly to girls and they sure don't like that....oh well.

At the same time, girls I know who work hard at the club and do well, make it a point to never ask for a tip themselves. They also think it is in poor taste.

All that said - if something about the experience was great (fun conversation leading to dances, unexpected higher mileage or just whatever reason) - I'll sometimes throw in extra money. Never because they asked for it - only because I want to.
avatar for NAAAASTY
NAAAASTY
4 years ago
If she's good, I keep getting dances. If she's a fave or potential fave, I'll tip. Never was a tipper nor thought about tipping though until a fave asked so sweetly.

NAAAASTY
avatar for wallanon
wallanon
4 years ago
"Is tipping on dances customary?"

No.

"Am I crazy to think that it is not typically expected in Houston?"

Not when I was there. But I haven't clubbed in Houston for years.

"Is it customary in some cities but not in others?"

Not that I've seen. Clubs don't get a cut of the tips to dancers so there's no incentive for clubs to push them.
avatar for datinman
datinman
4 years ago
Gratuity comes from the Latin word for grateful. If I leave VIP grateful, I will definitely tip. 🤪
avatar for DeclineToState
DeclineToState
4 years ago
I get only VIP dances not floor dances because i don’t dig floor voyeurs and because I’m my area hands on boobies doesn’t happen on floor.
VIP comes in packs of 3 for $100 to $120 where I’m at. I tip $20 for each 3 pack unless dances are terrible - and by terrible, I mean if hands on boobies are swiped away during songs 2-3 or if not enough dancing and too much talking, but that happens less than 20% of the time. If 1st 3 pack is good I keep going and add on more 3 packs.
I expect many tuscl’ers will say that’s too much, but works for me, and I’ve found it helps develop CFs, which I like.
Used to be more of a variety guy but now I’m a CF guy. Once a CF, it’s straight to VIP room and we bypass VIP dances. I have a feeling spicey and PSD would be CFs.
avatar for DeclineToState
DeclineToState
4 years ago
^or perhaps better said, I’d like spicey and PSD to be CFs
avatar for SanchoRG
SanchoRG
4 years ago
That’s too much

I don’t tip off dances unless I LDK then it’s a 50/50 chance lol

Tough to justify a tip after paying someone the equivalent hourly rate of like $500/hr. I don’t tip my fucking lawyer or accountant either
avatar for wallanon
wallanon
4 years ago
Good recovery DeclineToState lol
avatar for DeclineToState
DeclineToState
4 years ago
->@SanchoRG: “I don’t tip my fucking lawyer or accountant either“
Neither do I. But they don’t give me a boner or have nice boobies I’m allowed to touch. My accountant is an attractive blonde MILF - I’d pay for dances.
avatar for SanchoRG
SanchoRG
4 years ago
No, they provide an equally valuable service though. They keep me from getting fucked, so I can fuck more. Circle of life
avatar for DeclineToState
DeclineToState
4 years ago
^Good point. To each his own, everyone clubs differently and that’s cool
avatar for Rod8432
Rod8432
4 years ago
I don't tip mediocre dancers. I instead use tips to acknowledge a good dance, and to encourage the provider of said good dance to seek me out. I'll usually lay a $5 tip on a good dancer after let's say a trio of $10 dances (when formerly at Follies). The dancers always seem appreciative, and on many occasions, my faves will break away from what they're doing to come over and see me when I'm in the club. No scouting or flagging them down. Works for me, and even with a tip, lap dances still seem like a bargain-and-a-half to me.
avatar for Icey
Icey
4 years ago
Tip the price of a dance. Only time I don't tip is if she asks for or demands one
avatar for WavvyCain
WavvyCain
4 years ago
I did this week. She passed my truth test. I kept up with the dances and asked her like I didn’t know. She said 7 dances but I have her 120. Plus once I leave the club I make it back. Gotta keep the money circulating man, it’s just paper.
avatar for gSteph
gSteph
4 years ago
I tip, almost always. In the 2 - $7 range usually. She doesn't need to get me off, or take me home; but if she makes the fantasy seem real, that my lap is a fun place to be, and my hands are nice, I feel a few bucks recognition, above base price, is the right thing to do.
avatar for Bigbuff
Bigbuff
4 years ago
Never really tip when it's requested. Annoys me. Will generally tip the change if I enjoyed the dance... i.e. 4 $20 dances give $100, 2 $25 dances give $60, but always depends on how much I like dancer and dances.

When I get to know dancers better, typically get to a situation where we don't really count, we stop when either one of us has had enough. In these cases they tebd to get the usual, plus the tips they get as they go on stage
avatar for Papi_Chulo
Papi_Chulo
4 years ago
When I lived and SCed in Dallas in the 2000s, dances were an even $20 (even in the nude clubs) – and it never occurred to me to tip extra (wasn't a TUSCLer back then) - if I wanted to a dancer to have more $$$ I’d just get more dances.

After I relocated back home to Miami I didn’t club much for about 2 years till early-2012 – in the 2000s Miami clubs were the national-norm of $20/lap-dance (in the mixed-clubs) but at some point in the late-2000s or early-2010s it went to $25/lap-dance which kinda makes it an uneven # - I don’t have a hardline w.r.t. tipping no tipping but with the $25 uneven price-point I end up tipping more often usually by rounding up – i.e. I rarely just get just one-dance from a particular dancer (unless the dance is pretty-bad) – I usually avg 2 to 3 per dancer and occasionally 4 (since I’m into variety) – thus if I get 2 $25 LDs I often round up to $60 but not always, if I get 3 $25 LDs I usually round-up to $80 – if I get 4 $25 LDs then less-likely I’ll tip but I may throw in an extra $20 (if I go up to 4 $25 LDs it’s b/c I felt the dances were very-good) – I tip mainly as a gesture of appreciating the quality of her service vs hooking her up w/ big-time $ since my tip is minimal (I’m also cognizant that the way Miami/SoFlo clubs work is that the dancers have to give the house $5 out of every dance so they are not keeping the whole $25/lap-dance) – with most Miami/SoFlo clubs having extras it’s not that common to get a lap-dance that will blow your socks off b/c most of the dancers wanna leave you wanting for VIP/extras where they can make the big-mula.

But – I don’t visit the SoFlo mixed-clubs that often – I usually hit the small black dives where dances are usually $5 floor-dances and are usually full-nude and with 2-way-contact – here I pretty-much tip every time and get enough dances so a dancer at least makes something off of me – i.e. if I get 3 floor-dances I give her b/w $20 and $25 (this is the min I’ll spend on a dancer if the dance was just alright) – if I get 4-dances I’ll give her $30 sometime $35 – if I get 6 I’ll give her $40 or $45; and sometimes tip a bit more – the songs in these clubs can avg b/w 2 and 3 minutes so not as long as the mixed-clubs (and in the past it was an issue where they could be under 2-minutes and sometimes even under 1-minute) – in these clubs even w/ the cheap-dances many of the custies just hang out and don’t buy any dances so most of the girls appreciate the ones that spend $30 to $40 on them on dances plus a little tip - again the tip is not huge but they appreciate the fact that you are at least giving something especially in these types of clubs I hit.
avatar for ancientlurker
ancientlurker
4 years ago
It takes exceptionally bad service for me to not tip: air dance, miscounting, not starting until late in a song, spending our time looking at her phone or talking to someone else, that kind of thing. How much depends on how much I enjoyed it.
avatar for rl27
rl27
4 years ago
To me it's a combination of the dance quality, cost of the dance, how many dances, how long and what type of extras.

For one of my regulars then I will tip more. In a club I rarely visit, say in town for vacation, then I likely won't tip unless she was very, very good.

If the dances are cheap, say $10 a song, or the dancer offers discounts for multiple dances, say 3/$40, 4/50, then I may gave an extra $5 or $10 for each set of 3 or 4. If we negotiated some extras say $150 for some more fun, then that $150 is the tip.

There are limits. If I paid for $200 worth of dances, then I likely won't tip, or if I do it's when a dancer goes well above and beyond what I expect in a very good dance.

avatar for NinaBambina
NinaBambina
4 years ago
"I don’t tip my fucking lawyer or accountant either"

That's because lawyers and accountants are paid by the hour and/or have a salary... dancers live 100% off commission and tips. A waiter would have been a better comparison.
avatar for SanchoRG
SanchoRG
4 years ago
Eh fine, I don't tip my independent licensed & bonded tradesmen either. The only people I ever do tip are people whos base rate is total dogshit. That includes waiters, delivery guys, uber drivers, hairdressers etc. If I knew my waiter was making $20/3 mins I would not tip them a dime.
avatar for NinaBambina
NinaBambina
4 years ago
"The only people I ever do tip are people whos base rate is total dogshit"

Most strippers' base rates are actually negative, but ok Mr. Pink.
avatar for NinaBambina
NinaBambina
4 years ago
Also, I am guessing by your logic, you wouldn't tip a server or bartender at a busy Michelin star restaurant because you know they're already making hundreds a night anyway.
avatar for xedin5436
xedin5436
4 years ago
If I enjoy a dancer's work enough that I'd get dances with her again, I'll tip the cost of a dance. More if they're exceptional (not counting negotiated extras or anything). I'm hoping for two things, depending on where I'm at - at a club I visit often, the dancer will recognize me and that I'm worth spending time on, which has been an issue in places where girls just hang out at the bar with their regulars all night; or in a place I don't go often that dancers are talking in the dressing room about who good customers are. The second reason is a bit of a stretch, but it has paid off for me before.
avatar for BabyDoc
BabyDoc
4 years ago
I’m overly generous. I’ll tip (usually big) at the end of the night or whatever time we spent together commensurate with how well I was entertained and how much I enjoyed myself.

Though I pay as I go for LDs (naturally) I never tip by the dance. In fact if a dancer asks for, suggests, hints at, or even expects a tip she is done for good. These are the same women that don’t know how to be an entertainer. They intimidate the weak or naïve into giving them a tip but otherwise they end up annoying customers to the point that the customer has to resort to promising to give them a dollar to go away. Worse than the fake homeless veterans begging on street corners.
avatar for nicespice
nicespice
4 years ago
“Is tipping on dances customary? Am I crazy to think that it is not typically expected in Houston? Is it customary in some cities but not in others? “

In Houston, or any other large city in Texas, it’s not.

I do think tipping is more customary in some other areas. I definitely get WAY more tips on top of dances where I am currently and it’s the norm here. I don’t even ask, but it’s nice it happens. 😊If you care to be remembered, it’s a good gesture. If not, then I guess don’t worry about it.
avatar for Salty.Nutz
Salty.Nutz
4 years ago
The amount of your tips is not going to get you anything extra if she wasnt already an extras girl. They treat you the same with or without tipping in every visit as long as yiu oay
avatar for Salty.Nutz
Salty.Nutz
4 years ago
Also strippers that ask for a tip after theyre done dancing see it as a last ditch effort to pinch your wallet because they probably feel they wont see you again. Servers and bartenders dont ask for a tip because its rude
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