Bottle service is a relatively new way of receiving service at a bar or nightclub.
Many believe bottle service first started in Japan during the 1940s.
However, it didn’t become popular in the United States until the 1980s.
As more clubs, bars, and restaurants started offering bottle service, it became a unique way to demonstrate one’s status among the rest of the club goers.
If you’re interested in paying for bottle service and all the benefits it offers, then you might find yourself surprised when you see the cost.
Bottle service ranges anywhere from $100 to $1,000.
In more exclusive clubs in party cities like New York City and Las Vegas, it can even become as expensive as $10,000.
Here are 10 reasons bottle service is so expensive.
Why Is Bottle Service So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)
1. Quick Entry
When going to a bustling club, one of the first things you’ll notice as a new club goer is how hard it is to get in.
Nightclubs have a limited number of people that they can allow in at any one time.
It’s a fire hazard to let in more than the building allows.
That’s why bouncers sit at the doors to ensure only a certain number of people are inside at any given time.
As people leave, they’re allowed to let more people in.
The problem with nightclubs is that people don’t always leave in a timely manner.
There’s a lot to do at a club that requires time.
Drinking and dancing are two of the most common activities.
Some clubs also offer food, which means people will also be sitting down and eating while they socialize.
People can spend hours at the club.
That means that it takes a long time for them to leave.
People who arrive at the club late have to wait for those inside to finish eating, drinking, or socializing before they can enter.
That’s where bottle service has an advantage.
Bottle service also has the name, “table service.”
When you order bottle service, you’re also guaranteed a table.
That’s because part of bottle service is serving the bottle to your table.
They won’t serve it to you at the bar or on the dance floor.
Because you’re guaranteed a table, that also means you’re immediately allowed into the club.
You don’t have to stand in line with the others.
You’re taken inside and shown to your table where you receive your bottle.
Part of the cost of the bottle is the table you’re paying for and the ability to skip the line.
The longer the club’s line tends to be, the more expensive the bottle service.
2. VIP Area
Another reason that bottle service is expensive is that you’re taken to the VIP area.
Bottle service is, in itself, a VIP service.
To receive that service, the club will take you to the VIP lounge where you have your own table.
Some clubs even have separate areas for each VIP.
You’re able to enjoy your own private area at your favorite club.
This makes the bottle service expensive because you’re not only paying for the bottle.
You’re also paying for the VIP area.
Since VIPs tend to be wealthy or have a lot of influence, you’re rubbing elbows with them.
The club also has to ensure that not just anyone can be in the VIP room.
If the price were low, then everyone would be in the VIP section.
That basically defeats its purpose.
Bottle service is expensive because you’re able to enjoy a private table or room in the VIP section.
3. Cocktail Waitress Services
One of the perks of bottle service which also adds to its price is cocktail service.
In particular, when you order bottle service, you’re also given a cocktail waitress or waiter who tends to your party’s needs.
The waitress or waiter only provides service to a few select people in the VIP area.
Some clubs will have one server per table to ensure that the table’s occupants have all their needs met.
The server will help pour your drinks and mix your cocktails.
If you have any orders for the chef, then they’ll also deliver them on your behalf.
This person is basically like your own private server during your bottle service.
Because you receive exclusive treatment from them, you also pay a bit more.
It’s usually good practice to leave them a good tip since you’re the only table they’re serving.
This sort of treatment is something that celebrities and other executives often enjoy.
By paying an expensive bottle service price tag, you can enjoy it, too.
4. No Cover Charges
While not all nightclubs charge a cover, many of them do.
This helps ensure that the nightclub, restaurant, or bar still earns a good amount of money even if no one ends up drinking or eating.
Some people come to the club simply to dance and meet people.
They’re not there for drinks or food.
Since they’re occupying space where a paying customer might be, the club ends up losing money.
To ensure they receive their share of money for the services they’re providing, they institute a cover charge.
A cover charge is a flat fee that guests pay to enter the club, restaurant, or bar.
When you pay for bottle service, you do not have to pay a cover charge.
That’s because the bottle service acts as a cover charge, in itself.
You’re paying for a bottle and everything that goes with it when you order bottle service.
Since you’re already paying an expensive charge, the club doesn’t add a cover charge on top of that.
Instead, it’s built into the price for their bottle service.
Bottle service is expensive because it includes the cover that the club, restaurant, or bar charges to get into the building.
5. Removal Of Wait Time At The Bar
As anyone who has gone to a club knows, you usually have to wait in line to order drinks at the bar.
While many clubs do what they can to have as many bartenders and staff on hand to help make the process faster, it’s inevitable that a line will form.
There are usually just too many guests looking to get drinks at the same time.
When you order bottle service, however, you don’t have to wait in line.
You’re able to get the drinks you want by ordering through your cocktail waitress or waiter.
Besides the bottle that you bought, you’re not limited to the number of drinks that you can order.
If someone else in your party wants a different drink, for example, then you simply inform your server.
That person then goes to the bar and picks it up for you.
Because ordering drinks through bottle service is more convenient, that convenience is reflected in the higher price of the service.
The more expensive the bottle service is, the better service you can expect.
6. Attention
Another reason bottle service is expensive is the attention it gives to the one buying it.
Not everyone can afford bottle service at posh clubs.
Some of those that do buy it do so because it gets them attention.
They create a bit of a scene when the bouncer or staff member escorts them to the VIP section.
Even among the VIPs, a new person coming in and receiving a bottle gains them attention.
Clubs know this, and they know that people are willing to pay extra money for this attention.
Because of that, they’ll inflate the price of their bottle service ever so slightly.
After all, the more expensive the bottle service is, the more elite a person appears when they’re able to afford it.
Bottle service is expensive because people looking to gain attention are willing to pay the high price.
7. Status Symbol
Besides gaining attention, being able to buy bottle service also establishes one’s status in the club.
Almost anyone can afford to enter a club.
Only a few can pay for bottle service.
Those who do are instantly recognized as wealthy.
That also usually makes people associate that person with elite status.
They may wonder if the individual is a celebrity or some sort of an executive.
Among the wealthy, establishing one’s status is important.
It proves to your peers that you belong among them.
That also reflects in the price of bottle service.
At particularly posh clubs that regularly cater to the high elite, you can expect bottle service to cost somewhere in the thousands of dollars.
The club knows that these individuals are looking to establish their status as wealthy socialites.
By putting a high price on their bottle service, they not only establish that status, but they earn a good amount of money in the process.
Bottle service is expensive because it’s linked to status.
8. The Bottle
One of the reasons bottle service is expensive has to do with the bottle itself.
When you pay for bottle service, it means that you’re paying for an entire bottle of alcohol.
This might mean a whole bottle of vodka, wine, or even champagne.
Whatever the bottle is, you’re paying for the entire thing.
The very base of your cost for your bottle service is how much the bottle costs.
For example, if you’re buying a cheap bottle of alcohol, then your bottle service won’t be that expensive.
If you’re buying an expensive bottle of alcohol, then your bottle service is going to be more expensive.
Rare vintages of wine, imported alcohol, and other expensive types of alcohol can set the starting price of your bottle service quite high.
After you include all the other perks that you receive through bottle service, the price jumps even higher.
However, depending on the price of the bottle, your starting expense can determine just how expensive your service ends up becoming.
9. Presentation
Another perk of bottle service that also adds to its price is the presentation of the bottle.
The club knows that you’ve paid a lot of money for the service.
Because of that, they put a lot of effort into the presentation of your bottle.
It’s often served in a fine box or container.
Theatrics are also added like dry ice to create smoke or fog.
The theatrics can also determine how pricey the bottle service ends up being.
If the club uses more expensive materials to present the bottle, then it’s also going to add to the overall cost of the service itself.
For example, if the club serves the bottle in a gold container or laced with diamonds, then you can expect the service to be expensive since the club has to source the gold and diamonds.
While the club makes the service worth it, you can expect bottle service to be expensive for certain types of services that involve a lot of theatrics.
10. Celebrity Interaction
While not all bottle services guarantee the chance to rub elbows with celebrities, some of the more exclusive clubs do.
Certain clubs cater to celebrities.
To give celebrities their privacy and maintain their status, clubs will have a steep bottle price that celebrities and executives can afford, but the middle class usually struggles to pay.
Those who save up for bottle service at a posh club, however, may have the chance of running into a celebrity.
This can add to the overall VIP experience that guest receives when paying for bottle service.
Because it makes the experience more luxurious, it also inflates the price.
You may find that some clubs that often cater to celebrities have a higher bottle service cost than those that mainly cater to executives or wealthy individuals.
That’s because they know that people are going to be willing to pay extra for the chance to be close to some of their favorite celebrities.
Bottle service is expensive if celebrities frequent the VIP lounge.
How To Save Money On Bottle Service
While many consider bottle service something only the elite can afford, it’s actually more affordable than you may think.
Here are a few tips you can use to save money on an incredible bottle service experience.
1. Invite Lots Of Friends
Most clubs don’t limit the number of people that you can bring with you to the VIP lounge.
If they do, then it generally tends to be a higher number like eight or 10 people.
The more people you bring, the more people you can split the tab with.
Ordering a $200 bottle service on your own may seem like a lot.
However, if you bring 10 friends with you, then that drops the price to only $20 a person.
That’s easily affordable and you get all the benefits that go along with bottle service, too.
If you want to really make bottle service inexpensive, then you need to invite an entourage to go with you.
2. Drink At Cheaper Clubs
If you want to experience bottle service for the first time but you’re wary of paying a high price for it, then you should start at a cheaper nightclub or bar.
Take the time to look through their menu to determine their average prices.
If they apply a cover charge, then it’s worth seeing what the fee of admission is, too.
These details can give you a good idea as to the kind of price their bottle service may be.
When you’re ready to make your decision, call the club or look for a tab on their website that explains how much their bottle service is.
As a first-timer, you may only want to pay around $100 to get your first taste of the service.
Not only is this easily split up between friends, even a small group of friends, but if you find that you don’t like the experience, then it isn’t as big a waste of money.
Cheaper nightclubs may not have the same kind of experience as the poshest club in Las Vegas, but it is a good way to get a taste of the service at a cheaper rate.
3. Choose Cheap Alcohol
Another way to save some money is to order bottle service from a bottle of alcohol that’s cheap.
The price of bottle service for a rare wine vintage isn’t going to be the same as bottle service for standard beer or vodka.
Clubs start pricing their bottle service based on the price of the bottle first, then they increase it from there.
If you buy relatively cheap alcohol, then your bottle service may be a bit cheaper as a result.
Since you can order more drinks once you’re inside, you can always pay for the better stuff without having to wait in line for it.
Even better, you have a cocktail server who can mix your drinks right at your table.
The Top Places To Order Bottle Service
If you’re looking to try bottle service in some of the best clubs, then you should start by looking at Las Vegas.
Here are some of the top places to order bottle service.
1. Omnia Nightclub
Omnia is a nightclub in Las Vegas that provides exclusive service and care during your stay.
The bottles start at $595 and increase from there.
They also have different prices based on where you want to sit.
These prices change based on how busy the club is and if there’s a celebrity performer playing.
Their cheapest rate is around $2,000 and grants you access to a small section on their rooftop terrace.
If you want to be on the dance floor in the main room, then you can expect to pay around $8,000.
You can find the club in Caesar’s Palace.
2. Hakkasan Nightclub
Hakkasan is another nightclub in Las Vegas that provides bottle service.
With their service, you’re also given your own server, security guard, and a busboy to keep your table clean.
Bottles start at $595 at the club.
They have cheaper tables in their small Ling Ling rooms at $550.
However, like Omnia, if you want to sit closer to the stage, then you can expect to pay around $8,000.
Hakkasan is inside the MGM Grand.
Conclusion
Bottle service is a VIP experience that comes with a lot of benefits.
Besides personalized care, you’re also able to use the VIP entrance and enjoy a better experience at the club.
To keep the cost of bottle service down, you should go with friends to split the cost.
When you’re ready to hit it big, then you’ll find some of the best clubs offering bottle service in Las Vegas.
