I work in a bar that charges a cover. This is a great departure from what other bars in town have done and some people take great issue with it. People constantly complain about it and are constantly trying to get out of paying it.
One reason people don't want to pay it: they don't understand why we charge it in the first place. We are the only bar downtown that regularly charges (I think). Other bars in town have charged a cover only when there is a crazy drink special. For instance, $5 cover and $1 wells all night long. The reason we charge a cover is that we FLY in acts from all over the country and put them up in a hotel for the weekend. We also PAY them to play. You are paying $5 for the entertainment not the drink specials. Think of it like a ticket price to a concert. So to the girl who screamed across the bar, "My friend doesn't have to pay cover does she? She's pregnant?" Unless she's Helen Keller, she pays.
If you think you can flirt your way in, good luck. The door guys get a cut of the door so it is in their best interest to charge as many people as they can. But they are human, so like I said, good luck - you never know. It could work. If you are going to Las Vegas with a group of girls - put on your best dress from the Slut Barn and expect to pay nothing in the way of cover. Clubs in Vegas want good looking ladies inside and they will chase you down to get you to come into their establishments. We didn't pay anything for cover and many of the bouncers gave us a free drink ticket as well. Not that I'm cheap, but if they are offering, I'll take it. Don't worry - I tipped extra for a free drink, just as you should.
The other reason people don't want to pay cover is that they are bar hopping and won't be staying very long. I sympathize with you, but the idea is to get you in the door and to KEEP you there, thus getting more money from you. If you pay to get in, it is our hope that you therefore will want to stay and "get your money's worth." If you are coming in with a large group, such as a bachelorette party or a scavenger hunt party that plans on bar hopping, the bouncers will occasionally cut a deal such as two for one cover. However, if you appear to be a super annoying group that is rude or demanding in any way - don't bet on a deal of any kind. It might be your special day, but the door guy doesn't care, just like everyone else you will encounter that isn't your best friend or family member.
Another reason? "I'm here all the time!" Thank you for your continued patronage! We appreciate it, but if we only charged people that had never been here, we would be closing our doors in a week. Some one out there suggested on a blog that you should attempt to try to get in for free by pretending to know the staff that works there. They suggested you pick a generic sounding waitress name (I find this incredible offensive) and drop it to the door guy. This is ridiculous for two reasons: good luck guessing "Jecynda" or "Carlo" and secondly, even if you do know "Jecynda" - you still aren't getting in for free. There has been very little turnover at our bar so knowing the bartenders or staff really isn't a feat. So trying the "I know so and so who works here!!" will only get you, "Yeah...everyone knows him. Five bucks please."
Some people are just plain cheap. They don't realize that $5 is pretty cheap for the level of talent we bring into our bar on a weekly basis. Don't think so? Try booking one of the acts for a private party. If $5 still just seems like too much to you, please go elsewhere. We just aren't the place for you. In my experience, if you balk at the $5, your eyes will explode at the drink prices (which are reasonable, just like the cover), and cheap people rarely see the importance of tipping (I choked just having to type that).
So how do you enter a bar like a pro?
1) Be polite to the bouncers. They are people. You can say hello to them.
2) Hand them your cash (not coins!) with a smile.
3) Move along. There are other people waiting to come in. You don't need to become their Facebook friends and you also don't need to show them how tough you are by talking about how P90X is going for you. Even if you do become their friend, you are still a long way from getting in for free.
4) In a night club, you may want to tip. There is one guy that I know of that tips the bouncers but in most places, I don't think this is necessary. However, if you want to set yourself apart so they remember you, go ahead. Of course, I would never discourage anyone from tipping anyone, any time.
5) If you feel paying cover is "against your religion" then our bar just isn't for you. It's one of those, "It's not you it's me" situations, except it's you.
