Club cover charges and hidden coat checks...

[suitz]

Maybe it's just the custom and culture here in North America that I am not used to... but I get seriously ticked off by being asked to pay for an undisclosed mandatory coat check.

So what exactly am I paying cover for? On top of that, why do you have to hide the fact that there is a mandatory coat check - if it is not optional, tell me! Don't spring it on me when I am at the door.

I also take exception to clubs that automatically take my coat check cost at the same time as my cover charge. What if I don't want to check my coat? You have to. Club policy. THEN STATE it before I hand over my cash.

And... $3 for a coat check? When cover was $5? Your coat check is 60% of your cover charge? Really? I think that says a great deal about the quality of the product you are offering at the club, if you need to boost your income from coat checks - as clearly you're not getting enough cover charges.

I have no problem with paying an entry fee, or indeed a coat check, but I dislike how underhanded it is... I am not an informed customer if these charges are only being presented to me at the door. And really $3 for a coat check? REALLY?

Oh... and I was right. The product did suck. The music was poor. And the dancefloor was tiny. I paid $8 for that? I should have spent it at the McDonald's across the street.

 

[Mambo T]

I think this is a great, new concept I could exploit. I'm gonna add a two drink minimum to my gigs. Upon entering you will be required to buy me a minimum of two drinks.

 

[Offbeat]

I think this is a great, new concept I could exploit. I'm gonna add a two drink minimum to my gigs. Upon entering you will be required to buy me a minimum of two drinks.

I suspect your costs will go up by the need to hire a lot of back ups to yourself

 

[terence]

Maybe it's just the custom and culture here in North America that I am not used to... but I get seriously ticked off by being asked to pay for an undisclosed mandatory coat check.
.

The " coat check " thing has long been in existence. Dance halls in the UK had them, but many were not mandatory ( some were , and they charged a fee ).

Stateside, have also seen this in operation during the Hustle days .its a carryover from the old niteclub era of the 30s .

As to entry price.. wow, youre lucky, never found anything that reasonable ( outside of Tampa ), usually $10 .

 

[MMaatttt]

One of my local nights, the venue owner puts the heating on to try and sell more drinks and in summer won't run the poorly serviced air conditioning unless the promoter pays extra.

 

[MMaatttt]

Maybe it's just the custom and culture here in North America that I am not used to... but I get seriously ticked off by being asked to pay for an undisclosed mandatory coat check.

Yes, that sounds like a con. Increase the ticket price and include a free coat check if you want, but don't add undisclosed extras.

 

[suitz]

The " coat check " thing has long been in existence. Dance halls in the UK had them, but many were not mandatory ( some were , and they charged a fee ).

Stateside, have also seen this in operation during the Hustle days .its a carryover from the old niteclub era of the 30s .

As to entry price.. wow, youre lucky, never found anything that reasonable ( outside of Tampa ), usually $10 .

I really have no problem per se with a coat check, I just dislike the fact that I have NO choice in the matter... and also that I am not informed prior to my arrival that a coat check will be mandatory. I like surprises, but not ones where I lose my money unexpectedly.

As for the price, pfftt... for $5 - you pay for what you get... it was a very poor poor night. Having said that though, the other venue I usually go to also charges $5, but it's definitely worth it! (No mandatory coat check either!)

One of my local nights, the venue owner puts the heating on to try and sell more drinks and in summer won't run the poorly serviced air conditioning unless the promoter pays extra.

That's really underhanded of the owner. Sneaky bugger.

Yes, that sounds like a con. Increase the ticket price and include a free coat check if you want, but don't add undisclosed extras.

They can do whatever they wish to... I've been to 3 different nights at different locations run by these promoters. They've all been poor to disappointing, all ridiculously priced for what the night turns out to be like, and ALL with an undisclosed mandatory coat check. I won't be supporting their events again. (Complementary lessons at the start were also a bloody joke too.)

 

[terence]

As for the price, pfftt... for $5 - you pay for what you get...

Not necessarily.. have paid $ 10 on mnay occasions, different locations and got sub standard music ( for what would be called acceptable salsa ) on the other hand, there was a latino club in Tampa that only charged $2 for many yrs and raised it to $3.. everyone complained !,.... and, it had great music, ambience, and salseros.

It even happens at a local venue where ( apparently, so my students tell me ) a lot of "pop " style music is played ( $ 12 entry fee ) .

 

[Salsa Student]

Maybe it's just the custom and culture here in North America that I am not used to... but I get seriously ticked off by being asked to pay for an undisclosed mandatory coat check.

Never seen that. Sounds like a "revenue enhancing idea" that not enough people complained about when it was introduced.

 

[Chris F]

Not turning on the AC in order to up sales for $5 bottles of water is one of my favourites...

 

[MMaatttt]

That's really underhanded of the owner. Sneaky bugger.

The people who run the venue are just cheap, at least they don't over charge for drinks. You would think they would be more helpfull as the Salsa nights bring in a lot of people to an otherwise quiet venue.

Anyway, I know to check the radiators now and I know where the thermostat is.

 

[bailar y tocar]

In some places (Barcelona, Cali Colombia) one pays for drinks and the receipt is checked on exit to confirm that you spent the minimum. You can take the bottle of liquor with you if you want to. You can't easily reach the minimum with soft drinks or water.

P.S. the air conditioning is usually so cold you have to keep dancing to stay warm.

 

[Ron Obvious]

My favourite is when the coat check is indeed included in the cover charge, but still given a value. For example:
"Entrance 10 €, includes a coat charge worth 2 €"

They want us to think that we really just pay 8 €.

 

[Carlos]

In some places (Barcelona, Cali Colombia) one pays for drinks and the receipt is checked on exit to confirm that you spent the minimum. You can take the bottle of liquor with you if you want to. You can't easily reach the minimum with soft drinks or water.

Are you serious???? So what happens when you didn't spend the minimum at the end of the night and you wanna leave? Are they gonna hold you in captivity until you have bought more drinks or something?

 

[londongirl]

Are you serious???? So what happens when you didn't spend the minimum at the end of the night and you wanna leave? Are they gonna hold you in captivity until you have bought more drinks or something?

Yeah, it was common in Barcelona when I was there. I didn't find it hard to get to the minimum with soft drinks, but I guess I dehydrate easily. Anyway the mojitos were lovely too.

If you don't buy drinks you pay an exit fee instead. Better to buy the drinks, at least you get something in exchange.

-

There's one (non-salsa) club in my city that gives everyone a little electronic card that you 'pay' for drinks on, ie it just logs what you order - on exit you hand it over and pay what you owe - nice way to rack up a big bill , though the minimum spend is just one drink of any kind.

But don't lose it...

Then the cost is 80 euro!

And as everyone carries ID cards linked to their registered address it doesn't even matter if you don't have the cash on you. They just take down your details, and you have to go in and pay the next day. Happened to a guy I was dating....yeah, that was an expensive night for him .

 

[MMaatttt]

Yeah, it was common in Barcelona when I was there. I didn't find it hard to get to the minimum with soft drinks, but I guess I dehydrate easily. Anyway the mojitos were lovely too.

If you don't buy drinks you pay an exit fee instead. Better to buy the drinks, at least you get something in exchange.

-

There's one (non-salsa) club in my city that gives everyone a little electronic card that you 'pay' for drinks on, ie it just logs what you order - on exit you hand it over and pay what you owe - nice way to rack up a big bill , though the minimum spend is just one drink of any kind.

But don't lose it...

Then the cost is 80 euro!

And as everyone carries ID cards linked to their registered address it doesn't even matter if you don't have the cash on you. They just take down your details, and you have to go in and pay the next day. Happened to a guy I was dating....yeah, that was an expensive night for him .

That's just creapy! Not as bad as that club which wanted people to implant a chip in their arm though.

 

[Ron Obvious]

But don't lose it...

Then the cost is 80 euro!

Then if you have ordered drinks for more than 80 euro it's a better deal to lose it.

 

[vata07]

Maybe it's just the custom and culture here in North America that I am not used to... but I get seriously ticked off by being asked to pay for an undisclosed mandatory coat check.

Haha, well i see you're "visiting Canada", lol! Last week I went to club here, paid $10 cover then saw no available tables so I asked about coat check. I came with a fleece and jacket over that and they tried to charge $2 for each, lol! Seriously! You could easily had put both on one hanger!! I actually didn't go through with it and left the club not too long after that..waste of $10...but yeah, to answer your question, the "coat check" is definitely about making a few extra bucks.

 

[suitz]

Are you serious???? So what happens when you didn't spend the minimum at the end of the night and you wanna leave? Are they gonna hold you in captivity until you have bought more drinks or something?

Haha, I'd love to see that happen. So long as the music is good and there are people to dance with, I wouldn't mind staying 'captive'. I could dance all night...

 

[suitz]

Haha, well i see you're "visiting Canada", lol! Last week I went to club here, paid $10 cover then saw no available tables so I asked about coat check. I came with a fleece and jacket over that and they tried to charge $2 for each, lol! Seriously! You could easily had put both on one hanger!! I actually didn't go through with it and left the club not too long after that..waste of $10...but yeah, to answer your question, the "coat check" is definitely about making a few extra bucks.

Well, currently I am in Canada, but I've been to some clubs in the US too where I found similar practices. Charging for each is really taking the proverbial ****, especially if they are just smallish items. But at least it seems that your coat check was not mandatory - you had a choice. I really strongly disagree with hidden but mandatory charges... it's just very unethical business practice.

Having said all that though, I will also commend some venues too here in North America to be fair. Some places have charged $12-15 for entry, but your coat check is included, they provide free water, be it from a water dispenser or a fountain or at the bar, wonderfully air-conditioned and they put on a mini light buffet. That is great value. Awesome music too in many cases.