When you’re going to a strip club for the very first time, one of the biggest concerns pestering your mind can be thinking about what is expected of you when it comes to tipping.
You’ve no doubt seen your share of movies and tv shows, so you’ve formed some impressions, but if it comforts you, please know that even repeat customers have questions regarding appropriate tipping.
In general, tipping is a gesture of appreciation or happiness with the services people perform. The happier people are with the service, of course, the more they let their tip reflect it.
Below are some general and simple guidelines for tipping in gentlemen’s clubs.
Who should I tip?
Anyone who renders acceptable to above average service. These people might include:
- limo driver
- the doorman or front-end host
- drink/food servers
- bartenders
- dancers/entertainers
- restroom attendants
- coat/item checkers
- porters
- security, especially if they walked you to your vehicle or resolved a conflict. But be discreet. Security never wants perceptions of favoritism or bias.
How much should I tip?
The going standard for most services is typically 15%. However, Vegas is pretty much a 20% town. When people want to express a compliment, 25-30% is a common amount to tip.
Corporations typically apply a floor of 18% in tips to whatever they do in a club and they move on up from there.
Now some positions, like restroom attendees and doormen/hosts are furnished at no charge. Nevertheless, please know these folks are appreciative of the thoughtful people who do tip. Dropping a dollar bill can appear cheap, so think in terms of 5’s, 10’s, and 20’s especially if you’re on a winning streak!
When in doubt, do not be embarrassed to ask a facility manager or someone who appears to be in management what most people tip or what are the going rates may be. And of course, at the end of the day, it’s your money and your assessment and up to you how much you choose to tip.
When should I tip?
The best time to tip is immediately upon being served. Now some folks prefer to run a tab and settle up at the end of the night, inclusive of the tip, which of course is fine. However, they might have missed a golden opportunity to reward exceptional service at the moment of enjoyment when it happened, which is a real spontaneity spoiler for sure.
When the performers are on stage, tipping protocol can be different from club to club. Some clubs allow you to approach and offer tips while others never want patrons approaching the entertainers when on stage. Some clubs allow patrons to tuck tips under G-strings or other articles of clothing while others prefer that they are tossed or placed on stage. Watch and act accordingly, or when in doubt, simply ask.
Regarding lap dances or private shows be sure to have a previously agreed price so you know an appropriate amount to tip. Customarily 15-25% depending upon your level of enthusiasm. It is customary to tip immediately after the engagement. You can leave it on a nearby table or hand it directly to her. Remember, the entertainer’s body is hers and if you’d like the option of placing the tip under a garment, ask first.
Above all else, be respectful and polite.