Strippers Are Sharing What Business Is Like These Days

I went to club on Nov 1, the day after Halloween. I asked a dancer how the Halloween night was at the club the night before. She said it was very slow, particularly for a Friday night. I was surprised, as I expected strip clubs to be busy on Halloween. She it has been slow since the government shutdown. Let’s hope it ends soon!

"You would be surprised by the lack of desire and interest in sex in the general population right now. Stress has gone through the roof, and people are in survival mode whether they realize it or not"

Couldn't be me. When I'm stressed, I'm horny. When I'm happy, I'm horny. I'm out here getting extras, banging waitresses, and still finding the time to rub a couple out too 😂

I wrote 20 reviews in 2022. Beat that with 24 in 2024. Now I'm about to top that this year even though I don't bother penning reviews for most of my club visits.

This economy sucks but the true PLs find a way!

I've been hearing this in a lot of different places.

I think there's some good that can come out of this though. The way I see it strip clubs can...

1. Reduce prices. Make it more affordable. Fuck these $50, $60 dances that's becoming normal for some God forsaken reason. There's not gonna be a lotta middle and working class dudes that can afford that.

2. Fall back and look the other way on stuff. Do you really need hire a guy to stare at customers while they dances, who the hell is coming back for more of that?

3. Just go out of business and those customers will flock to other clubs. I've been noticing sc's going down here and there. It's not big news, nobody really hears about it on here. We just visit, see it's closed and let founder know and then the listing get closed. So it's hard to keep track.

You can see what internet searches are being done by using Google Trends. For the search "strip clubs near me" it dropped during the Covid lockdowns, then shot up right after the lockdowns. There has been a slow decline since then.

All types of discretionary spending is decreasing like trips to Vegas, dining out, six dollar cups of Starbucks coffee and strip clubs. Price increases due to inflation, not greedy businessmen, are higher than increases in incomes for most people. The inflation is coming from the government printing money to pay for high levels of government spending. Actual inflation is higher than official government statistics.

"Not to mention, no one uses cash anymore. It’s not like a married man is paying for lap dances with his visa."

I hadn't really thought about it, but this comment rang true for me. Strip clubs are, quite literally, the only places I use cash these days, and I have to strategically plan ahead so that I have enough cash on hand (that my wife doesn't know about) to fund my secret hobby. In my part-time side hustle as a working musician, all of that pay is in cash (including tips), and 100% of that gets set aside for future fun.

Obviously, the move to a cashless society is not the main reason for whatever decline we may be seeing in the industry, but it's got to be a contributing factor.

Occasional visitor here and heard escort prices straight to VIP, like they're swinging for the fences only. I've given up hope on the ol $100 for 3.

I can agree with the points on this thread aside from the hassle of dealing with cash. I just say that because the lines at dispensaries shows that people are okay with withdrawing money from an atm if they are motivated enough.

But yeah, demographics wise people don’t care enough about sex as much, people don’t care about alcohol as much, and people care more about their marriages and children than they used to (as reflected in divorce statistics and surveys about parent involvement). Not saying that married men don’t visit the clubs anymore—just not as much.

The main things clubs have going for it is that for people who are not already paired up, loneliness and difficulty with finding somebody else has increased. (As reflected in complaining about dating apps and the like)

I agree with most of the points in the article. Strip clubs are dying for a lot of reasons, not just the economy. I thought it was interesting that someone noted that things were good right after the pandemic, until all the free government stimulus money was spent. Now we’re dealing with the inevitable inflation resulting from the printing of all that stimulus money that was not earned through GDP. But are we really in a recession? I just spent last weekend at the Ft Lauderdale boat show where there seems to be an endless supply of discretionary spending by people willing to buy multimillion dollar boats and yachts. Clearly Americans are living in two different economies right now.

^ Every year that has passed for more than 45 years shows people care about themselves and not their children. The selfishness and incompetence of parents, especially the young, are staggering. The real crisis will be when baby boomers all die off and there is no family members left to take guardianship over children. A serious problem that is going to become an epidemic.

@iknowbetter there was obviously going to be an increase in demand when we came out of lockdown. Just like there was an increase in demand for international travel etc, and a big decrease in demand for for home office furniture.

The economy is already bad, and the danger of of a deep recession is high.

One of the comments that stood out to me in the article was a reference to phone location sharing. I expect that phone tracking, car gps tracking, ubiquitous cameras (I'm not just talking about VIP rooms here), and ID scanning are ultimately going to decimate this industry.

I gotta say though, some strip clubs you go to don't seem to have a problem with getting customers in the door. Packed to the gills. (I pretty much only do nights) Now how much are they spending, that I don't know but they are definitely still going.

This is a list of clubs I have been to since 10/15 where the dancers outnumbered the customers: Booby Trap (days); Cheetah Pompano (nights); Boardroom (night); Desires (Day/Night); Mario's (night); Dollhouse (night). The dancers at every locale said that business was horrible, getting worse and they are suffering.

right, because strippers are known for their incredible macroeconomics knowledge and financial savvy. It's a known fact that when strippers hang up their heels, they all get upper management jobs with JP Morgan Chase, NYSE, and the US Treasury.

seriously, though, this: 3. "I’ve heard a few guys at my work say it's too expensive now, even for a bachelor party. And some of these guys REALLY like going to strip clubs." —u/TheHandsomeFart

It's not necessarily a recession, it is a need for the vendors to mitigate their prices to match consumer desire and budgets. The same is true of new vehicles and single family homes.

^Except we're in a recession and the stupidity going on with the ballroom while we're in a shutdown makes Trump look like a fucking retard.

Guys who do have the disposable income may pass on going to clubs due to lack of perceived value. It's value for your money and at current prices the value is questionable or just not there. Clubs are too expensive for what you get. They need to provide a reason for going there at current prices.

This has been my experience. I have been going to clubs for decades and I love it. But I hardly ever go anymore.

Wise Too said it, "current prices the value is questionable or just not there. Clubs are too expensive for what you get." I could not have said it better myself . Today's girls are too intitled and frankly don't want to give you any bang for your buck. Drop your prices and stop mailing it in. Very few girls I have met since covid seem to even try to get to become favorites of the guys now. They seem to want to swing for the fence and then it's on to the next victim.

@PAWG_Patrol wrote "Couldn't be me. When I'm stressed, I'm horny. When I'm happy, I'm horny. I'm out here getting extras, banging waitresses, and still finding the time to rub a couple out too 😂"

@PAWG_Patrol is redefining the meaning of hard times! :)

"Drop your prices" is not a realistic piece of advice for strippers and strip clubs and the same is the case with restaurants, grocery stores or any other business. It is not greed that is driving up prices. Greed exists in humans at all times and places. The increase in prices in recent years is due to the inflationary policies of the Federal Reserve.

Prices are not going to come down as long as the Fed prints money to help pay for excessive federal government spending. People may continue to visit strip clubs but more of them will just sit there and spend little on the girls or, if they do spend money, will need to spend more to get the same level of quality they got in the past. Some other customers will accept a lower level of quality in order to avoid spending more.

Some customers will just find cheaper hobbies to spend time on and cut back on strip club visits. That is what I have done. I am not that interested in paying more to get the same level of quality as in the past or paying what I paid in the past but getting lower quality girls. I am also not that interested in just sitting in a strip club and drinking.

Southerner1, truth!

I disagree with any and every post about inflation/economy justifying raising prices. I own my own business and dropped my hourly rate by $50.00. I let all my client sources know and I cut my retainers to $4,000 - $6,000, instead of ten. Working more, making the same and enjoying hearing others bitch about no work, then going me shit because I charge less than they do. Last really bad economy I saw clubs go to 2/1 dances. 20+ years later morons cannot figure it out.

^^Businesses need to adjust to the economy by changing their scale and incentivizing customers to give them business. It is plain foolish to increase prices to offset higher costs and then bitch and moan when your business continues to decline because people will not give you business at increased rates while their wallets are already too thin.

I have actually had vendors like office equipment companies, medical supply distributors, and commercial cleaners pitch me their business with an estimate. I often respond that I am happy with my current selection whose rates are lower than their estimate. Some actually justify their prices by telling me their costs are higher because they provide uniforms, new vehicles, and premium benefits for their employees. Okay, good for you? If your business practices offer no benefit to the customer in exchange for greater expenses, then what is the motivation for the customer to choose you? Some of them have been so vehement when they explain how great it is to work for them, I have to laugh in their face.

I have a young Philipino guy in a Chevy S10 who can fix any copier problem in 30 minutes, a Cuban cleaning family that leaves my bathrooms clean enough for the Virgin Mary to be proud to take a shit in, and a fellow Caucasian who inventories my medical supplies every other week and keeps it stocked for me with inventory levels we adjust quarterly. No uniforms, no commercial vehicle fleets, and I don't know or care how they approach their healthcare and days off. They appreciate my business and we negotiate together to ensure that they are fairly compensated at rates that make sense for the practice.

If strip clubs are stupidly charging too much then here is a great business opportunity for smarter people to buy strip clubs and lower prices and rake in the dough. I have been hearing people complaining about high strip club prices for fifteen years now and none of those business geniuses have shown up and bought these clubs yet and lowered prices, at least here in Indiana.

I do not think, therefore, that this is the problem. This is a country where wealth is increasingly concentrated in the top ten percent of the population while things get worse for the other ninety percent. Cities that cater to wealthy tourists can support lots of strip clubs but not Rust Belt states like Indiana that have lost large numbers of factory jobs as manufacturing shifts overseas.

High inflation levels in recent years have further eroded the ability to buy luxuries for the average person. Many people are struggling to make ends meet. Household debt is at record high levels and the number of people working two jobs is also at record high levels. With the economy worsening, all forms of discretionary spending, including strip club spending, will continue to drop.

10% of the eligible male workforce has silently stopped working/looking for work. Three generations of illegal immigrants and unionized public school teaching the poor, the immigrant etc. and we no longer are a country at all. Three generations blackmailed into thinking they are owed, instead of owing. No borders - no country. No everyone works hard and long - no United States. End of fucking story.

I think a lot of guys who would've been whales in the clubs 10 years ago are just on Seeking or going on "business trips" to Dubai now

Also I've noticed in the under-30 generation it's become a social expectation for men to share their phone location with their wife/girlfriend, nobody's really talking about that

Another hot take, I think legal weed seriously changed the economics of strip clubs

I'm not sure if strippers complaining is the best indicator of a recession. Strip clubs have been slowly dying over the last twenty years. What a lot of people have said above is true. There just isn't value at many gentlemen's clubs anymore. Like southerner1 said, dancer entitlement is through the roof. Instead of trying to cultivate a regular who will come in every week or two and drop several hundred dollars each visit, dancers are pitching a $1,000 champagne room to you in the first twenty seconds of talking and then treating you like a leper when you don't bite. There are many factors at play in the 2025 gentlemen's club: lack of social skills with the Millennials and Gen Z, more obese dancers versus fifteen or twenty years ago, the Cuban invasion of strip clubs over the past five years (not everyone's cup of tea), the working class losing its purchasing power after 2021-2023 inflation.

Here is RCI Hospitality's (Rick's) stock chart over the last three years. This is not similar to the rest of the stock market.

@8TM there are two posts about location sharing already in this thread, so we are talking about it. @nicespice brought it up first. I'm curious how you think legal weed has changed the economics of strip clubs? Less money laundering opportunities, less alcohol sales, etc?

@docsavage dude, strip clubs operate in a capitalistic society. In my area we've seen three clubs cut prices in the last few months (after a year of some clubs raising prices). Clubs certainly can cut prices, but many won't because prices are "sticky."

That being said--let's look at Portland, OR. TUSCL reports have dance prices increasing from $40 or 3/100 a year ago to $50 or 3/120 being common. At the same time, at least three clubs have closed and dancers complain about how the dive bar clubs are packed, but no one is buying dances.

If a club were to open up there with fixed pricing of $25 or $30 a song, it would make a killing and their dancers would actually be able to get by without a second job.

I don’t think legal weed affects club traffic. I just used that as an example for why I was skeptical that dealing with cash was a big reason for declining club revenues.

A strip club can cut prices but it can't drop prices below operating expenses. Operating expenses are rising so at some point prices have to rise. Busineses can't operate at a loss for very long. I work in the accounting field and took college level courses in accounting, economics and business so I understand this. However, this is pretty much just simple math involved here so most people should be able to understand this.

Dropping prices does not always mean product quality remains the same. For example, in restaurants portion sizes can be reduced, lower quality ingredients can be used, and labor costs can be lowered by using more frozen instead of freshly prepared foods. Strip clubs can charge lower prices for lap dances but there is a limit to this. We have half price lap dances at one of my local strip clubs during certain hours but I have had the top girls there tell me they avoid working those hours.

Strip clubs will always exist but with a declining economy there will be fewer of them in the future since lap dances are a luxury, not necessity, for most men. Many people now are still in the denial stage that our two trillion dollar a year federal deficits, 38 trillion dollar and rising national debt, trillion dollar and rising yearly interest payments on that debt, and money printing to try to prevent defaulting on that debt is leading to an economic crisis that will impoverish large numbers of Americans.

I’ll give one example that nobody has brought up yet. Guys like me.

Pre-COVID I was a road warrior. My company and so many others have figured out employees like me don’t need to be on the road so much, and can acheive almost the same objectives with a camera and a computer screen.

I travel somewhere around 15% as much as I used to. Say I’d visit a customer 4 times a year, I’m lucky to make it there once a year now. That strip club down the road, had me coming in 4 times a year, now it’s zero times a year.

So many PLs become god damn amateur sociologists every time the question "are strip clubs dying?" is posed.

People have been saying porn is dying. But are new scenes still coming out weekly? Yes. People say bars are dying because Gen Z doesn't drink as much or some bullshit. But are the bars still full every week? Yes. Some jerkoff who hasn't written a review in years says clubs are dead. But could you go to one right now and get a handy from a stranger? Probab-fucking-ly if you actually tried!

So hang up the blazer, professor. Nobody wants to hear your long-winded dissertation. Just go out there and slap some dirty dollar bills on a chick's asscheek already 👍

At least where I am, the nightlife scene has been amputated if not dying. The bars AREN'T as full every week as they used to be, they have cut back hours. So yeah, we are seeing an obvious measurable impact of reduced demand for alcohol and higher wages for bar/restaurant workers.

@docsavage Most strip club costs are fixed. The only item that has a per unit cost is alcohol and perhaps bribes to local pols/po-po. The best mental model for clubs is that they function like a future exchange. They provide safety and a clearing house for market participants to do business. Obviously, prices are a lot less transparent and a lot slower to adjust than an exchange, but it is the same. Clubs make money off of membership fees (dancers fees + customer cover) and off of transaction costs (the per dance and room fees clubs collect).

I notice that there about 500 less strip clubs than 15 years ago and literally probably 3-4,000 less than 50 years ago. A restaurant in Providence where it used to take 2 months or so to get a reservation, had a table for us as walk-ins on a weekend night. One of my clients is selling his packy because of its' location near a college, which is why he bought it 40 years ago. 40 years ago his problem was a plethora of fake ID's, now its the sound of crickets chirping because college students drink less, spend less and go out less. A few years ago, I had trouble getting admitted to the Desire's Halloween party. This year I left at 10 on a Friday night with dancers outnumbering customers 45-30.

Let's ask the right question: When was the last time you saw a young man in his 20s take a dancer to the cr. One of my paternity case guys is 31, he told me he had had sex with 7 women lifetime. When he asked me how long it took me to get to seven I was honest and told him I hit the mark 3 weeks before I got my driver's license. The future of strip clubs is the same as the future of the United States: gloomy.

@Blahblahblahs

Strip clubs need heat, water, lights, insurance, building maintenance like painting and snow removal, replacement of carpets and furniture, and depreciation. I do accounting for buildings at army forts and these costs add up. They also need to pay for management, security, janitors, bartenders, waitresses etc. Plus there is the cost of alcohol and political bribes you mentioned. Also, property taxes too.

All these costs tend to rise with inflation. It is not just the strip club owners and strippers being greedy that causes rising prices. As I already said, people are always greedy but you do not always see rising prices. These rising prices are all across the economy, not just strip clubs.

Those are all fixed costs though. Unless I understood you were arguing that strip clubs that increase their revenue due to lower prices (basic micro 101) won't see a profit due to per dance costs. None of the things you mentioned go into the per song cost, they are all relatively fixed.

Blahblahblahs, I was basically focused on arguing against the idea that prices businesses charge are going up mainly because of greedy owners. This is a fairly common belief that you often hear among those who do not understand that it is government inflating the currency and not greedy businesses that is the main cause of rising prices. For example, prices rose nine percent in 2022. That was not a year business owners suddenly became extra greedy. The Fed printed up a bunch of money in 2020 and 2021 and passed it out to offset the negative effects of the Covid lockdowns and that created inflation that led to higher prices later.

Strip clubs make their money off drinks, money from the girls selling lap dances and entrance fees. To cover the higher fixed costs from inflation, they need to raise club prices and get more money from the girls. The girls will want higher lap dance prices if they have to turn over more money to the club.

Higher prices will drop demand. Some strip club customers will abandon going to strip clubs with each increase in prices. Strip clubs are not a neccesity for most guys so strip club spending is one of the first types of spending to go when prices are rising faster than wages. Because of higher prices in general, I am making fewer strip club visits. Luckily, I knew inflation was coming from watching Peter Schiff podcasts and made a lot of money buying gold four years ago and watching it double in price. I would recommend Peter Schiff as a good source of information on what is going on in the economy.