Do You Get Bottle Service?

September 22, 2008

The other day the New York Times wrote about how astronomically expensive it is to order bottle service in nightclubs. A bottle service can be found in many upscale bars and nightclubs wherein patrons purchase entire bottles of liquor to drink. Typically, bottle service includes a reserved table for the patron's entire party and accompanying mixers of choice.

It doesn't surprise me to hear that the markup for bottle service can easily be as high as 900 percent. I've always known this, which is why if I enjoy bottle service, it's never my wallet that's covering it. Have you ever enjoyed bottle service, and are you willing to pay for it?

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17 Comments

jennielee86 4 years 29 weeks

I cocktail waitress and provide bottle service. Because of this, I'm a little bit spoiled when I go out to clubs - I always get bottle service. Helps to be an attractive female =)

skigurl 4 years 34 weeks

i get it when i go to certain places in my city, they dont' have it much, but when i visit friends elsewhere, we do it it's really convenient, and gives you great seats!

lexichloe 4 years 34 weeks

I don't go out much at all. Besides, I consider bottle service as something the celebrity wannabes do in LA. The Hills anyone? It's a keeping up w/ the celebrity Jones' IMO. Save your money people!! Okay, I'll stop, I sound like Suze Ormon.

bluesarahlou 4 years 34 weeks

Yeah, that's not for me. Course, I'm more of a wine drinker. And if we're going somewhere nice for dinner we tend to bring our own wine and pay the corkage fee. Which I think is kinda funny...you're paying someone to open your wine for you ;) And in those instances we're bringing the "good stuff", so paying the corkage fee is fine by me. I wouldn't pay a corkage fee for a cheap bottle of wine, so I definitely wouldn't a pay bottle service of $125 for a $15 bottle of vodka!

Jyramiah 4 years 34 weeks

Oh I would love, too. If I were old enough.

chiefdishwasher 4 years 34 weeks

My "go to" bar only provides keg service....

TidalWave23 4 years 34 weeks

I live in Vegas and it's become kind of a standard amongst my friends. If we go out in a group of 4 or more, we always tend to do bottle service. It can be expensive, but my boyfriend and I balance it out with nights spent playing bingo and drinking for free ;)

suziryder 4 years 34 weeks

Awww mondaymoos I'm sorry that happened to you! What a lousy group of people :( I've never had bottle service, I've never even heard of it, haha. I don't go out much - um, make that ever. My fiance and I prefer raiding our liquor cabinet and snuggling on the couch instead :)

atomicspin 4 years 34 weeks

I just like knowing that I'll have a place to sit. If bottle service is $400 and you have 4-5 people, the night ends up being just slightly bit more than it would have been anyways, assuming you actually drink. Though if you don't drink, you're screwed. But look at the view! Bottle service isn't about a drink though, it's about real estate. People pay ridiculous amounts for crappy houses in the "right" location, bottle service is just an extension of that.

lisabarn 4 years 34 weeks

A friend of mine was given bottle service as a gift, it was a lot of fun but definitely not worth the amount we would have been charged, plus we went on a Wednesday night and the place was dead so we didn't need the reserved table....

popgoestheworld 4 years 34 weeks

omg, mondaymoos I would be so furious if I were you!! I always turn down going out with groups that consistently go to bars where bottle service is a requirement just to be seated. Honestly, I think it's just a status thing and quite pretentious. It's something you do to go to place where you want to be "seen." If I want to hang with my friends I'll go somewhere more low-key.

psychobabble 4 years 34 weeks

My old roommate was a huge fan of bottle service as a way to get a reserved table. I can understand the allure, but it's way too expensive for me, plus I rarely go out. Not to mention, she's been stuck with the full tab when other people in the group "forgot" to chip in for the tab. I'd never do it!

mondaymoos 4 years 34 weeks

Funny that they posted this today... I got bottle service for the first time Friday night. It was the first time I'd gone out with this particular group of people, and I can definitely say I won't be doing it again... since they decided to leave me with the bill.

verily 4 years 34 weeks

I don't think I go to the right kind of places for bottle service. I like neighborhood bars and dives. Bottle service is entirely too expensive to begin with. I'd much rather save my money and order my drinks from the bartender or the waiter/waitress.

Le Luxe 4 years 34 weeks

Its so funny that this story is posted today because i actually went to a bar in NYC this past weekend and we had to get bottle service for us 6 girls in order to reserve a table. The costs were outrageous. Even to reserve a table for 6, you have to buy at least $250 bottle of booze. Nothing spectacular either. For example, they charged $125 for a bottle of Absolut- which you can buy for like $15 bucks at any liquor store! Insanity.

Evalla 4 years 34 weeks

I think getting bottle service is insane. I get that it's supposed to be a status thing or whatever, but all I ever think when I see people ordering bottle service is, "Wow, they must not value their money ... at all." Such a rip-off.

ilanac13 4 years 34 weeks

i've definitely been places where we've had table service, but i have to say that i won't ever pay for it myself. i think that it's insane that they will charge you upwards of $400 for a bottle that you can get in the store for $40 or less. it's maddening. the only upshot to this is if you're going to a crowded place and you need the space to sit, or if you want to get into a NEW club and there's a long line - if you pay for the table then you get in...and you look cool in VIP.

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