What you probably didn’t know about being a topless waitress

Between the “grab them by the kitty” mindset and intoxicated men attempting to kiss you, working as a topless waitress is an unusual career to say the least. Click here to read more about Topless Waitress.

While employment in or affiliation with the sex work sector is still frowned upon, money can be made. The issue is that this might vary depending on where you work. From the outside, the property seemed to be pretty decent; tidy parking lot, guarded, and plenty of lights. However, appearances may be deceptive, and I probably should have seen their constant hiring as a red flag.

Whatever the case, I required revenue and dancing was not my forte.

Additionally, I get along with my father.

I was 26 years old and had never visited a strip club, but had worked in retail. Seeing a topless waitress enter and spend the equivalent of your rent on clothing, all while wearing full hair and makeup, makes you resent the fact that you’re in school full time and working 40+ hours a week. That is without overtime, as that time is split between two or three separate occupations.

Interviewing and Applying

Naturally, their application was online, and it had the standard questions about qualifications, needs, and so forth. The only thing that struck me as odd was the request for photographs. A headshot and a full-body photograph, just a snapshot of how you look on a daily basis. While that makes sense, given it is an appearance-based company, it’s weird to imagine they have a database full of random ladies.

The interview itself was very straightforward, and the manager, whom we’ll refer to as Jeff for the sake of anonymity, was candid about the work requirements. I could work whenever I pleased, but I was required to close at least two evenings a week. Tip the bartender, arrive on time, and conduct yourself in a way consistent with a person of basic manners.

That is true, but what about the attire?

To my relief, the uniform basically stated, “dress anything you want as long as it’s black.” This was a moment of happiness for me; I’m all about wearing black, and my boobs got to stay hidden behind my blouse. And, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against women profiting off their sexuality…obviously. I was employed at a strip club.

If you have the confidence and it works, then go ahead and boo.

This is the point at which I should have said thanks but no thanks…

This man locked his gaze on me and demanded $45 for “materials” and a meal tray. This is in addition to the $10 per night minimum wage, which is customary for dancers, but I’ve never seen it applied to servers.

I assumed I’d eventually earn enough money as a topless waitress to offset all of it during the first weekend.

The Initial Weekend

The first night on the job was actually rather pleasant. The evening began slowly; within the first 30 minutes, another waiter toured me around and sent me on my way. The lack of patrons should have been another warning indicator for a Saturday night, but I was new and decided to give it a chance. There were already a good number of waiters on the floor, and the most of them had their regulars.

I went out with around $25 in tips from various clients and $50 from a gentleman who had had an excessive amount of alcohol. Overall, it was a very bad deal for the first night… However, I was still thankful of Mr. Buy Several Rounds, On Me’s kindness.

In that vein, we were permitted to drink on the job. This appears to be a positive, however I abstained from drinking for the most part in order to avoid the more obnoxious patrons. If anything, I’d go for a Coke or a glass of juice.

The following weekend was particularly bad. Perhaps it was the club, but there were a lot of dancers and very few guys in the premises. I eventually retreated to a table with one of the gentlemen I’d been serving all night and had a lengthy conversation with him.

He was extremely courteous and approachable, and he concluded the evening by leaving me a $25 tip. I believe I made a total of approximately $34 that evening before tipping my bartender.

From the Trinity to the Stage

The second weekend was just as bad, but at least I had made a buddy. Trinity was her stage name; she was 18 years old, and this was both her first night at a strip club as a topless waitress and her first night ever dancing. As a 26-year-old, the big sister in me wanted to ask her what she was doing there, given her youth.

She’d recently given birth and was living with an older partner, which told me everything I needed to know. She was a very nice topless waitress who reaped the benefits of her youth in this profession. She went out to do a few dances and returned approximately 30 minutes later with $800.

Yes, you read that correctly. This gal just paid my rent in less than a half hour.

You’re undoubtedly wondering now, “why didn’t you simply dance?”

Yes, I wondered the same thing until she leaned over during a dance and the customer physically grabbed her by the crotch.

That. That is precisely why I was not dancing. Although the manager intervened immediately to inform the creeper that this was a no-contact zone, this was not the first time I had witnessed this type of conduct from our guests. Additionally, it did not help that some of the dancers were clearly engaged in prostitution in the VIP lounges.

Now that pornography is allowed, I see no reason why prostitution should not be legalized as well. It is sometimes described to as the “world’s oldest profession,” and it is completely legal in the state of Nevada and numerous other nations. It provides a secure, hygienic atmosphere for ladies, complete with bouncers and other security personnel.

“I would never like to deprive someone of the choice of sex work, but I would wish to expand the possibilities so that everyone can choose whether or not to engage in it, and to do so safely.” 

The issue I do have is that this is not a brothel, but a strip club. When one individual establishes that certain behaviors are acceptable, it sets the tone for the rest of the room. I was here to serve food and beverages, assist the dancers in attracting clients (in exchange for tips), and that was it. I had always excelled at customer service and had been perplexed as to why I wasn’t generating any money up until this point.

A woman who had worked there for more than a decade approached me and basically informed me that I did not match the fantasy. She made an excellent point; many of these men come to the strip club to escape the sight of their wives or girlfriends who have fully lost control. They want to see ladies with their hair down and their nails done, who aren’t afraid to reveal a little cleavage or even a nipple, as long as they do it with a grin.