I’m often asked why Vegas Strip Club drinks cost so much. The average price of a beer is $16 and cocktails go from $17.50 to $18 for the well liquor and more than that for the good stuff. So yes after taxes and a tip drinks in a Vegas strip club cost anywhere from $20-$22. Here’s an explanation of why that just might make the high prices easier to swallow.
READY TO GO TO A VEGAS STRIP CLUB?
WHY VEGAS STRIP CLUB DRINKS COST SO MUCH
1. TOURIST PRICING.
Prices for everything are higher in tourist areas. Hot dogs nachos and beer cost more at the ball park, stadium or arena. It’s basic supply and demand. People come to Vegas to party and drink and so all the bars nightclubs and strip clubs charge more for drinks. Bars & Nightclubs in Vegas charge $10-$11 for a beer and $14-$16 for cocktails. Strip club drinks are only a little higher than the nightclubs on the strip and in some instances less than the nightclubs on the strip.
2. THE STRIP CLUB IS REALLY A GLORIFIED BAR AND MOST OF THEIR REVENUE COMES FROM ALCOHOL SALES.
All this action and the club only makes money on the drinks!
Strip clubs don’t make money from lap dances. They make very little money from VIP rooms–the dancer gets most of that money and the club keeps a small percentage. This is why the private rooms usually have drink minimums–so the club makes money too. For a full explanation, here’s a great article on how strip clubs work. The simple version is the clubs only get money 3 ways: They get a small amount from charging dancers a house fee for the privilege of working. They get a small amount from the private room fees. Almost all of their money comes from drink sales.
Vegas strip clubs don’t usually charge a cover charge and if they do, it doesn’t make them any money. For example, If you take a taxi to a Vegas strip club, they will charge you a $60 to $75 cover charge with no drinks included. But they have to pay the taxi driver who brought you $75–if they didn’t the taxi driver would refuse to take people to their club. So, the club charged you $50 cover and paid a taxi driver $75–they gotta make up that money in drink profits. They clubs also charge you a cover if you drive yourself. This helps offset their costs.
THE LOWEST TOTAL COST TO YOU IS TO GO WITH US.
When you go to a Vegas Strip Club through a business like Doctor Strip Club or a promoter on the street, the club requires a 2 drink minimum. They charge you $40–$45 at the door of the club and give you 2 drink tickets. The club pays money to us for bringing you, so again they are going to make up that money by charging you high prices for drinks.
Here’s a great post on why strip clubs offer free drinks and entry through businesses like Doctor Strip Club.
3. IT COSTS AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO KEEP A STRIP CLUB OPEN IN VEGAS.
A strip club is a business and businesses exist for one reason…to make a profit. That means they have to cover all their costs and have money left over. Strip clubs in Vegas have ridiculously high costs.
Real Estate is expensive in Vegas and it takes a big chunk of land to run a strip club. Then there is the insurance required to have naked women and drunk people in the same place. Then there is heating and cooling and the cost of limos and transportation and promotions and marketing and staff. The numbers are insane. I’m very good friends with the owner of one of the major strip clubs in Las Vegas. His club has to make $14 million a year AFTER paying promoters and limo companies JUST TO BREAK EVEN!
IMAGINE OWNING A BUSINESS WHERE YOU HAVE TO SELL OVER $14 MILLION IN ALCOHOL JUST TO BREAK EVEN…
NO WONDER DRINKS ARE SO EXPENSIVE IN VEGAS STRIP CLUBS
It takes 4 Air conditioning units just to keep the sign in front of Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club running; then they have to heat and cool over 70,000 square feet. You think your utility bills are high…Sapphire has well over 70,000 square feet of space and a pool and a huge parking lot to maintain.
To make a profit a Las Vegas strip club has to average receiving $120 per person they get in the door. This doesn’t count lap dances because the clubs don’t get that money. That means the club needs to sell 6 drinks/person on average at $20 a drink to make a profit–and most people don’t drink 6 drinks each. Good thing the clubs charge the dancers a house fee and make a small percentage on private rooms. Good thing some big spenders drop 10 grand in the VIP room. Otherwise they would have to charge even more per drink just to keep the doors open!
That is why Vegas Strip Clubs charge almost $20 per drink. When you understand the numbers, it makes sense but the prices are still high.
My solution: Don’t get drunk at the strip club. Vegas is much more fun sober anyway. Have the 2 drinks required to get in and take the free round trip ride and free entry we include. Buy one more drink if you want and spend the rest of your strip club budget on dancers.
WHAT IF I DON’T DRINK?
Call us at 702-305-4051 to get you to the strip club. We can and will gladly waive the 2 drink minimum for up to half of your group. You can also give your two drinks to a dancer in lieu of tips or to reduce the amount you tip. We can’t waive the 2 drink minimum for the whole group because as you can see, the clubs need the drink revenue to stay open. This effectively reduces your entry costs by half and the ride to and from the club is still completely free.
Here’s an article on how to enjoy Vegas strip clubs on any budget.
READY TO GO TO A VEGAS STRIP CLUB?