I have something to say before abandoning this topic forever.
Bridgette, you were right. Deep down, I knew it too. I couldn't admit it because it was my club. I think the club is making more money at our expense. Here's how:
1. Customers generally know whether they want a VIP before they come in, especially when they are in groups. For those who want rooms, they no longer have a reason to linger around the main floor and are hustled to the back at alarming speeds. This makes for a faster turnover of rooms and hence, more rooms sold for that day.
2. The dancers who aren't lucky enough or are not good enough friends with the waitresses to get a crack at the VIP prospects become downtrodden and drink all night. Again, more money for the bar. I'm not sure this was an intended effect, but hey, if I notice it ....
3. The club has no bouncers. We have floormen who, along with the 2 housemoms, run the entertainers. They are all super busy and they honestly don't have time to supervise the dances. I doubt they have time to pee. The girls are excellent at policing themselves. I've never seen a "dirty" dance on the main floor, but I guess to ensure that all dances were no contact, the management decided to put them on top of the tables. I rather would have paid an extra $5 tipout to a 6'9" 400 lb man with excessive facial hair to walk around the club and give the customers shit for trying anything. $5 x 60 dancers = $300 minimum pay for the scary dude. I doubt there would be a shortage of applicants.
4. If a customer wants a regular floor dance, he must pay an extra $25 to the club to go to the regular floor dance area. The dancers only get $10 for each dance. Still, no contact or if there is, it's light one-way, no grinding or boobs. And by being in the regular floor dance area, she is missing out VIP prospects by sticking with a guy in a semi-secluded area who clearly only wants $10 dances.
5. Why is the VIP $250/hour at a mega upscale club? It should be at least $400/hour to the dancer. For a room, the dancer gets paid $250/hour and the club charges $200/hour for use of the room. The customer pays about $450/hour total. A dancer only gets about 56% of the money for selling a room.
6. Breast touching is rampant if not encouraged by the girls, and the floormen don't seem to notice. I heard a dancer tell her trainee that breast touching is okay with her because she has implants and doesn't feel it.
I could be wrong about all this as I am no expert. I'm just a dumb ass stripper.
Favorites being played is more obvious. I know that they have always existed. It's just that before, I was too busy to care, even if I wasn't in the VIP. When I was continuously doing dances, I was a happy girl.
When certain waitresses figure out that a table of guys has decided to go VIP, they pimp out their girls. These girls generally sit at the bar until a waitress gets them. I have no idea how the arrangement works. I just know that my tips aren't high enough or I'm not pretty.
One on occasion, a group of men asked me to join them in a room. 2 of them fought over who I was to be with. It was darling. I was flattered. While in the room, one of the dancers informed me that it was in my best interest to tip the waitress $50 for not giving me the boot. Can I get a WTF?
Another occasion, I found a table of 2 who pretty much said, "VIP now." I had to find another dancer and asked the waitress for one that I knew she and I could agree upon (ie one of her friends). Lo and behold, she brought out 2. The dancer that I had requested told me that the intention was to butt me out, but she said she couldn't do that to me and she convinced the 2 guys to take 3 girls, including me.
This one time, at strip camp, a waitress came to my table of 2 guys, 2 girls and told my customer that ABC dancer was waiting for him in the VIP.
No, there is no way to get in good with the waitresses. It takes more than money to talk to them.
So this bullshit is fine when the club is busy and everyone is making money. It's slower now (mind you, it's October, not July, October) and I've had lots of time to watch this shit happen and become a bitter girl.
My earnings are/were still pretty high. However, the $150/night pay cut amounts to a $30,000/year loss. Less earnings, more stress, can't do it.
I'm reallly upset. The Cheetah had been the best club I ever had the pleasure of working. I consider it one of the best in country and now I have to go somewhere else. I hope that I don't burn my bridges by making this post. When the floor dances are brought back, I will be knocking at their door.
What's funny is that the very afternoon I decided to leave, I received emails from 2 of my regular clients informing me that they will be in town. I am comforted that they are willing to follow me to a new club. I really am. My work means something to them. I am appreciated and it feels so fucking awesome.
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