How to Go to a Strip Club

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 24, 2023 References

Going to a strip club can be an exciting way to spend an evening with friends. The dancers are good looking, the atmosphere is fun, and the drinks are often flowing. If you’re new to strip clubs or you’ve only been a few times, it can seem like a nerve-wracking or weird experience. But it doesn’t have to be. After you’re let in by the bouncer, order yourself a drink and have fun! Be sure to organize a safe way to get home if you choose to drink, and be courteous and respectful to the dancers, bartenders, and bouncers. Going to strip club should be fun and if you follow the basic rules of etiquette, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting into the Strip Club

1
Make sure you have your ID and wallet. You’ll need to provide identification in order to enter a strip club. You’ll also need to have cash for tipping. Make sure you have your wallet with your ID so you’re able to get into the club, tip, purchase drinks, and pay for parking, if necessary.^{[1]
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- Most strip clubs have ATMs inside, but they may charge you to use them. Pull out any cash that you think you’ll need ahead of time so you don’t need to pay to use the ATM.
2
Check to see if the club has a dress code by asking the bouncer. Some strip clubs will have specific policies regarding what you can wear into the club. For example, tank tops, large gold chains, or white shoes could be prohibited.^{[2]
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- A polo and jeans are usually fine to wear, but some clubs may have a different dress code.
Tip: Call the strip club or check their website ahead of time to see if they have a dress code.
3
Ask the bouncer if there is a cover charge. Before you try to walk into a strip club, you need to know if you need to pay a charge to enter. Ask the bouncer or security person working the front door if there’s a cover charge or a drink minimum for you to enter the club.^{[3]
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- You may need to pay the cover charge in cash only, so be sure to have at least $20 in cash on hand.
4
Show your ID to the bouncer. Near the entrance of the strip club will be a bouncer who is monitoring who comes and goes. Present your ID to them so they can make sure you’re old enough to enter. If the strip club has a cover charge, pay the bouncer to let you in.^{[4]
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- You can use a driver’s license, official government ID, or even a passport to provide identification to the bouncer.
5
Order a drink at the bar when you get into the club. The drinks at strip clubs are often overpriced but are how the club makes much of its money because the dancers are often contract employees. Even if you’re not drinking alcohol, when you enter the club, head to the bar and order a drink to show that you plan to be a good customer.^{[5]
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- If you don’t plan to drink alcohol, order a non-alcoholic cocktail like a cranberry juice with club soda and a lime.
- Many strip clubs have a drink minimum or require that you order a drink every 30 minutes in order to stay in the club.
6
Find a seating area for you and your group. After you’ve ordered a drink, look for a table or a seating area where you can relax. Don’t sit next to the stage unless you plan to continuously tip the dancers on stage.^{[6]
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- Make sure everyone in your group knows where your table or seating area is so they can find you if they get separated due to a private dance or a trip to the bar.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Following Proper Etiquette

1
Check for posted rules of conduct. The rules and etiquette of strip clubs can vary widely, especially in regards to things like tipping and touching. Look for a posted sign on the wall that lists the rules of the club or ask a staff member so you don’t risk being kicked out for breaking a rule.^{[7]
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- For example, in New Jersey, you can’t tip strippers while they’re on stage. You’re supposed to tip them afterward.
2
Be okay with saying “no” to a stripper or your friends. If you aren’t comfortable, you don’t want to spend money on a private dance, or you don’t want to buy a dancer a drink, it’s okay to say no. Don’t make up an excuse or feel pressured to give in.^{[8]
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- You don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do. Don’t feel the need to give in to peer pressure if your friends try to get you to do something that you’re not comfortable with.
- Don’t be rude or ignore them. You can simply say, “No, thank you.”
3
Ask the price before you agree to anything. To avoid getting suckered into expensive dances, drinks, or promotions, it’s important that you directly ask the price of a service beforehand. Don’t wait until after a private dance to discuss the price or you could be overcharged.^{[9]
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- For example, if a dancer offers to give you a private dance in a VIP room, you can ask something like, “That sounds fun! How much would that cost?”
4
Respect the dancers, bouncers, and bartenders. Strippers are human beings who deserve respect just like anybody else. Don’t be rude, dismissive, or insulting to anybody that works at the strip club.^{[10]
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- Don’t ask for a dancer’s phone number or out on a date.
- If a dancer denies your request or walks away from you, don’t be offended or chase after them.
- Many dancers enjoy working at a strip club. Don’t try to “save” them or get them to leave their job.
5
Don’t ask the dancers for their real names. Most dancers have alter egos that they’ve developed for the strip club and prefer to keep their personal information and lives private. Don’t be rude and insist on getting their names or information about their lives outside of the strip club.^{[11]
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- Respect the wishes of the dancers. If they say they’re uncomfortable with something, don’t get pushy or upset.
6
Avoid drinking too much alcohol. Getting wasted is never a good look, even at a strip club where drinks are served and you’re encouraged to let loose. It’s also risky to get so drunk that you don’t know where you are or you make poor decisions and spend too much money.^{[12]
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Tip: Drink plenty of water in between drinks so you stay hydrated and coherent. It will also help reduce the hangover that may be waiting for you the next day.

Method 3

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Staying Safe

1
Park in a secure location if you drive. Some strip clubs will have a private parking lot that is monitored by security. If you’re going to a strip club at night, make sure you park somewhere nearby and visible so you can return to your car safely.^{[13]
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- Criminals may believe that you have cash on you if you’re leaving a strip club. Be safe and park somewhere visible and near the bouncers or security of the strip club.
2
Designate a driver if you plan to drink. Many people go to a strip club to relax and have fun. Drinking alcohol is often a part of going to a strip club. If you do plan to drink and you drove to the strip club, make sure you have someone sober to drive home when you leave.^{[14]
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Tip: If you don’t have a designated driver and you drink too much, leave your car at the strip club and call a cab.
3
Take an Uber or a Lyft if everyone in your group plans to drink. Using a ridesharing app is a great way to save costs on parking and make sure you and your friends get to the strip club and get home safely. Download a ridesharing app to your smartphone to order a ride to the strip club and then home when the night is over.^{[15]
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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- Save on costs by sharing a ride with one of your friends.
4
Don’t leave anyone from your group behind if they’ve been drinking. If you get separated from a member of your group or if they drink too much and insist on staying when the rest of the party is ready to go, don’t leave them behind or they could get themselves hurt or worse. Leave together so everyone gets home safe.^{[16]
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- They may spend money that they shouldn’t spend.
- Because they’re at a strip club, people will assume that he has cash on him and try to take advantage of him. He could end up getting robbed as well.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I open a strip club?

Community Answer

Get all the proper licenses required, have enough capital set aside for expenses, find a good location (usually a place that was already a strip club), hire a bartender and security, and have tryouts for dancers.
Question

Is it possible to have sex in a strip club?

Community Answer

It depends on the strip club, and your definition of "sex." It is extremely unlikely you will find a strip club where sexual intercourse is a possibility, but you might find a club where you can pay a stripper to perform some sex acts. This is illegal (assuming prostitution is illegal in your country), but it still happens.
Question

What's the difference between a strip club and a brothel?

Community Answer

A strip club is a place where women take off their clothes and dance for tips. A brothel is a place where people pay for sex. There is no sex permitted in (most) strip clubs.