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Thread: Is it OK to ask about $$?

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    Default Is it OK to ask about $$?

    I've been reading the forums and articles here and have really learned a great deal. One thing that stands out is that there are few industry standards here when it comes to prices, tipping and the dancer's share of what she earns. I had no idea that the dancers turned over part of their LD money to the house. I was under the impression that the dancers generally paid a set amount to the house, djs, bouncers, etc.

    From reading the forums, it seems that the financial agreements between dancers and clubs vary greatly. So, is it out of line to come out and ask the dancer if she has to give part of her LD money to the club? And if so, how much? That would greatly in figuring a fair tip while maximizing the amount of cash we have for our entertainment. You know, not being seen as cheapskates while getting the best deal for ourselves as well.

    Also, while we're talking about money, recently one of the waitresses asked me if I wanted to buy a dancer a drink for $20. She offered that the dancer received have the amount and the house kept the other half. Well, LDs are also $20 and it was about time to go so I said I thought I would just have another dance instead. The dancer seemed to be pleased with that choice and I got my dance, tipped her and left.

    Later I wondered if that was the right thing to do. A little enlightenment would be appreciated.
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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    OK, that's the second time I've seen the term, "funny money." What is it?

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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    "Funny money" is dance dollars that can be purchased with a credit card. The house makes about 20%. A lot of clubs do the "funny money" in $25 denominations. The house would get $5.

    At most of the clubs in Dallas, the dancers pay a house fee and don't pay anything out of their LD money.

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    Featured Member FONDL's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    Whenever I'm in a club that's new to me I always ask a dancer how the place works. And I also tell her I'd rather she got as much of my money as possible instead of the house. Most seem to really appreciate that. I've even offered to buy a girl a drink anad had her say "Let me go to the bar and get it, it's cheaper that way." Bet the house loves that. In some places there's a separate fee for the VIP room that goes to the house, then you negotiate whatever tip you can for the girl's time. In other places you buy LD tickets from the bartender or somebody else - that's an especially aggravating set-up. In others you just deal directly with the girl and she keeps it all, but has to tip out at the end of the night. Or maybe has to pay a fee to work there.
    Friends Of Naked Dancing Ladies (FONDL)

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    Featured Member Lilith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    As many have stated, the money schematics are club-specific. This is how it worked in the two clubs I have been in.

    Dancer pays a bar fee, which is essentially the cost of renting the stage and dressing rom for the night. The amount varies; in one club it was $10, in the other it ranged from free to $35, depending on what time you arrived.

    The DJ gets 10% of the nightly earnings.

    The bouncers are tipped nightly, a minimum of two dollars apiece for up to six bouncers.

    Other clubs might also have various other employees which need to be tipped. Bartenders, waitstaff, the housemom, the manager... the possibilities are endless.

    The house, in both clubs, kept $5 of every VIP and nothing out of the tableside dances. In addition, one club requires that we tip the VIP bouncer when we go to VIP.


    It isn't uncommon for a gal to do three dances before she has taken care of her club expenses (tip-outs and fees). Whatever she makes after that is also subjected to income taxes. As you can gather from this, just about any dancer will be more than happy to accomodate your wishes to ensure that as much of your money as possible actually goes to her. Feel free to ask.

    Just as an aside, I find it vaguely annoying when guys remark that we must make "so much money", as if we're all rich beyond measure. The money is quite good, but the cut is exactly as steep as if we were private business owners. The money we make is not all ours. For instance, let's say a gal has a take of $4000 in a month. Roughly $1000 of that will go to the overhead (tip-outs and fees). Of the $3000 left, she pays income taxes; depending upon her household composition, she is now down to $2100 to $2550. That equals to a yearly net of $25,200 to $30,600. This is clearly not an extravagant sum.
    He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    I think it's sweet to ask about how much she gets to keep with the intention of taking care of her. At my club we don't pay a percentage of dance money; rather a flat fee, but I've had guys give me money for tipping out the dj, to skip stage, to pay tipout, etc., and I think it's a really nice thing to do. One of the nicest things a customer can do is tip on top of the dance minimum; it's like saying we're worth more than the minimum.

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    God/dess Zabrina's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    I'm sure all the girls appreciate when you ask about club fees with the intention of making sure she gets paid accordingly. Very considerate of you!!

    I don't like it at all when customers ask or speculate how much money I make per night. That is nobody's business but my own.

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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    I don't think there's any problem with asking a dancer how much she gets to keep from the LD money, especially if you plan on compansating her for it. Even if you don't, I don't think most girls mind you asking that - it's the "how much do you make a night/week/month/year" that we don't like.

    Yes every club is different when it comes to how they charge the girls for working there. Some have higher house fees and tipouts, and take little or nothing from LD money. Some have lower house fees and tipouts, and take alot of the LD money. Some have 'ladies drinks' where the girls get a commission on drinks customers buy for them. That is generally lower than the commission they would get from a dance. I have worked in a few clubs with 'ladies drinks' - a $20 drink usually had a $10 split, and a $20 lapdance usually had a $15/$5 split (dancer got $15).

    ALL clubs take a portion of the funny money (money you buy from the club on credit card to pay for dances), usually around 20%. If you are paying for dances with funny money, it is always nice to either tip the girl in cash or include a little extra on the funny money bill to offset what the club takes. Of course, we always prefer cash, and that is easiest to deal with, so it's best if you just take what you plan on spending in cash before you arrive.

    Quote Originally Posted by pheno View Post
    When you lead a nontraditional life don't try to measure it with traditional milestones.

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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    I cannot BELIEVE anyone would actually ask or speculate about how much someone earns at their job. That is truly mindblowing! :o

    That's why I had to ask about whether or not it was okay to inquire about the club's policies regarding LDs, etc. To tell the truth, I'm even a bit embarrassed to do that as it kind of gets into the dancers' personal business.

    From now on, though, I'm going to ask about this stuff.

    With the cover charges, jacked up beer and liquor prices, and the fees charged to the dancers, the clubs ain't hurtin' a bit in my mind. In my opinion the equation for a good customer/dancer experience (all other things being equal) is seeing the maximum amount of the customer's dollars find their way into the g-string or garter of the dancer for her to keep.


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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    In my opinion the equation for a good customer/dancer experience (all other things being equal) is seeing the maximum amount of the customer's dollars find their way into the g-string or garter of the dancer for her to keep.
    I agree with that comment 100%, BUT (and I'm not meaning to offend anyone here) some dancers will not be exactly be upfront with you about the cut the club takes, they may in fact inflate the amount in order to play on your sympathy and to get more money out of you, so take what you hear with a grain of salt. If you feel a dancer has earned a tip by all means tip her, but don't believe everything you hear.

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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    I think it's safe to assume that in most places the dancer pays out 15-25% of her money to the club, in the form of ld fees or house fees.

    For example, where I work now the stage fee is only ten dollars, but I make less than half of my private dance money. In another club, I might keep all of my dance money, but pay $1-300 to work. It works out about the same.

    Lena



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    Default Re: Is it OK to ask about $$?

    Well, my cut of what I sell is way lower than that. Last night I sold 1 VIP for $200 (plus cc fee of $12) and 10 lapdances at $30 each. Out of the $212 VIP, I get $108. On the laps, I get $20 each. 5 of my laps were paid with funny money, which means the club also takes an additional $2 each on those - I got $190 for my 10 laps. So out of $512 (212 VIP + 300 in laps) sold, I got $298 (108 + 190). Subtract $25 for house fee and that leaves $273, about 53% commission for me. This does not include tips I received from customers, or tips I paid to DJ and bouncer. I would say most clubs will take a MINIMUM of 15-25% of what a girl sells.

    Quote Originally Posted by pheno View Post
    When you lead a nontraditional life don't try to measure it with traditional milestones.

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