Las Vegas Weekly

August 9, 2008 · 12:23 PM

Battle of the bottle is straightened out

By Robin Leach

My friend Jack Colton, who chronicles the inner-workings of our specialized nightlife industry for our Las Vegas Weekly and his own jackcolton.com blog, has penned an interesting read that I’d like to share with you. His article breaks down all the mysteries surrounding the seemingly never-ending baffling battles about bottle service in our Strip clubs. Jack’s article should help you from now on whenever you step foot inside a Vegas nighterie and try to fathom and unravel all the written rules -– and the ones that simply just happen on the spur of the moment!

Jack- thanks for setting the record straight:

Understanding Las Vegas Table Service Minimums

The most common rule-of-thumb for table service minimums at Las Vegas nightclubs on both regular and weekend club nights is the “one bottle per three person rule.” While not always directly on target, this average assumes that for every three people within your party, one bottle of alcohol will be consumed by the members within your group and from the occasional drink poured for any other people that might have been invited over.

But, more often-than-not, the actual bottle purchase minimum that your host will quote you for your reservation will largely be based on the “supply-and-demand” factor of:

1) The number of reservations that the club expects to have on the night you are looking to reserve a table.
 2) Where in the club that you want your table to be.
 3) The overall guy-to-girl ratio that makes up your party.

Understandably, if a club has over 100 reservations for the 50 or so tables that they have available, the minimum purchase requirements will be higher. It is common to see a two- or three-bottle minimum for decently placed tables on regular club nights, and you will often find that holiday weekends often bring about an additional purchase minimum.

Q: Can I reserve a table with part of my group, and then just meet the rest of my friends inside to avoid a higher bottle minimum?

A: You will have a difficult time getting away with this as most table areas inside of nightclubs are roped off with security and may require a specific hand stamp or arm bracelet to access. Each member of your group is stamped or banded as you check in for your table, giving the club a pretty good idea as to how many people you really have in your total party. This helps the club keep the number of people in the “VIP Area” under control, and, obviously, helps them sell the appropriate number of bottles for the actual number of people that you booked your table for.

Having a table in a “free-range” area (one without roped security) gives you more freedom as to who you can and can’t have at your table. But do keep in mind that your cocktail waitress might be the one to rat you out on your minimum purchase if you end up having a significant number of extra people (more than just a few) joining your group that obviously intended on just meeting you once everyone was inside. This is required of her by management, and serves to increase her total gratuity at the end of the night.

Q: How much should I tip the cocktail waitress? And who else do I need to tip?

A: A generally safe number is about $80 per bottle for your cocktail waitress, and then an additional $20 or so per bottle for your busser (who, as you will see, is a very hard worker). Often times you will see that a tip for the cocktail waitress was included in your total price, so make sure to read your check-out receipt to know how much was automatically given to whom. When in doubt, just ask them. They usually aren’t shy about these things!

Additional tips may be expected for your security guard (if applicable) and your host.

Q: How much do bottles cost?

A: Standard bottles of alcohol (vodkas, rums, whiskeys, etc) will usually start between $350 and $450, depending on the club, plus an average tax of 7.5% and any additional gratuities that might automatically be included. This price includes your table area, basic mixers, and the cover charge for your group.

Q: When can I get a single bottle minimum?

A: Single purchase minimums are almost always available on slower nights and occasionally available on the busier nights of the week for smaller groups who might not mind having their table in a less crowded area of the club. But, again, keep in mind that it will be highly unlikely to get a single bottle minimum on any night that you can expect the club to have a high number of reservations, as they can obviously sell more in that space with another group. Ask your host for more specific information.

Q: Are the prices negotiable?

A: It never hurts to ask! Bottle prices aren’t typically negotiable, but you can occasionally bargain for a “buy one/get one” purchase depending on your setup. This is easier if you are visiting the club on an “off-night,” your group is comprised mainly of girls, you know someone, or you have already purchased a decent number of bottles (usually three or more).

Q: What is a Purchase Minimum?

A: This that you have a minimum spend amount equivalent to what the minimum bottle purchase would have cost, giving you the flexibility to order everything from shots, mixed drinks, beers, etc. While more clubs and pool parties are now offering purchase minimums, not all of them do, so you will need to ask your host for more specific details on their nightclub’s policy.

Share This