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A “bottle girl” is a unique profession often unseen by the general public. However, these girls are key players in creating a luxurious ambiance at exclusive bars, clubs, and lounges. They are poised, beautiful, and upscale, but what do they do exactly?
A bottle girl, also known as a bottle server, is someone who works at expensive, high-end nightclubs, lounges, or similar nightlife establishments. These girls specialize in providing top-paying VIP clientele with booze and top-tier entertainment – think loud music, magnums of champagne, and flirty personalities.
But the job isn’t for everyone. While the money can be amazing, the job can be demanding and at times lead to harassment. With that being said, for someone with a strong personality and good sales technique, it can be a highly lucrative job.
What Does a Bottle Girl Do?
Simply put, bottle girls work at upper-class nightclubs, bars, and lounges. They can be compared to waitresses and champagne servers; they are responsible for serving drinks to top-paying customers, ensuring the glasses are clean, and keeping them happy by essentially selling an experience – an aesthetic. Why else would customers spend an absurd amount of money on a bottle of alcohol when they can get it for a lot cheaper at the shop?
VIP customers pay lump sums to ensure special treatment and an elevated service experience. Bottle girls are expected to meet these high standards by being polite and attentive to their customers and always bringing their A-game and bubbly personality to create a fun, desirable atmosphere.
Bottle girls spend their nights serving bottles of alcohol to VIP guests. They are often expected to entertain VIP tables by doing elaborate bottle presentations, joining guests for shots, and dancing for or with the customers.
Although a fun and thrilling job, bottle girls have a demanding job that calls for long hours, demanding customers, and unwanted attention.
How Much Do Bottle Girls Make?
Like most waitressing, bartending, or cocktail serving jobs, a bottle girl’s salary is inconsistent. The average pay rate varies greatly based on where they work, the type of nightclub, how many hours they work, and their ability to wow the crowd.
Bottle girls in large, bustling cities tend to make more money than girls working in smaller towns. Lastly, the girls’ earnings depend on how many hours they work, whether they work on weekdays or weekends, and their performance. If they are able to read a crowd well and provide excellent service, the girls are more likely to earn large tips from customers. A bottle girl’s ability to lure customers into buying bottle service will directly influence her earnings. Think about it, a bottle girl is primarily a salesperson at the end of the day.
While websites like ZipRecruiter list the estimated hourly pay for bottle girls at $18.65 per hour, this number can actually be significantly lower than what a good bottle girl can pull down. Stories abound of girls making thousands of dollars per night.
Do Bottle Girls Earn Tips?
Yes. A bottle girl’s salary will consist of two parts: a wage and tips.
The basic wage is determined by the hourly rate that the girls are paid by the institution. The base salary can vary widely and can range from minimum wage to six figures.
Regardless of the wage, most of the money is in the tips. Though not mandatory, happy customers often tip bottle girls for their excellent service. Tips can help boost your earnings significantly.
At many establishments, bottle girls will pool and split tips in order for everyone to succeed. While this isn’t always the case, it is more common than not.
Bottle Girl Requirements
Bottle girls do not need any specific qualifications to apply for the job. However, the girls need to be older than 18 (sometimes 21) and should have a valid ID. Some experience in customer service and knowledge of champagne, wine, beer, and other alcoholic drinks is highly beneficial. Furthermore, some states will require bottle girls to receive alcohol server training. In order to check if your state requires training, you can use our helpful map here.
While bottle girls partake in a glitz and glam industry, there are strict requirements for becoming a bottle girl and retaining the position. The servers need to be attractive, poised, and charming.
Bottle girls often sign a contract stipulating the company’s or manager’s clearly outlined standards regarding appearance, weight, dress code, hairstyles, and body adornments.
Bottle girls are typically required to wear tight and revealing clothing like short skirts, fitted dresses, crop tops, or shirts that show cleavage.
Skills of a Successful Bottle Girl
Besides good looks and booze knowledge, bottle girls need several characteristics or skills to become successful bottle girls.
Bottle girls need to be hard-working and must thrive under pressure. They constantly work in fast-paced and high-volume atmospheres where excellent service is demanded at all times. The girls must also maintain a positive and enthusiastic attitude to lure customers and keep them happy.
But let’s be honest, being a successful bottle girl often involves flirting and being sensual. It’s by no means a requirement, but the truth is it is how the top paid bottle girls make the most money. But let’s be clear, this does not mean touching or doing sexual acts.
Every bar or club that you work at as a bottle girl will have bouncers. They are your best friends if anything unsavory comes up from a patron.
How to Become a Bottle Girl
Becoming a bottle girl is an ideal job for young ladies who enjoy a night out and need a well-paying income. It’s the perfect part-time job for college students – they can work at night and study during the day.
But applying to be a bottle girl isn’t like every other job. Oftentimes, bars and clubs will do “casting calls” where they invite you to show up with other girls to apply.
If you are looking to get a job at a specific bar or club, a lot of it also boils down to connections or just showing up and applying.
If you get the job, you will need to complete relevant training to ensure you know your way around the bar and serve customers according to the club’s standards.
Do Bottle Girls Need to Have a Bartending License?
Whether or not a bottle girl needs to be licensed to handle alcoholic beverages or not depends on the state that they are working in. Therefore, there is not clear cut answer on generic requirements. But, a good heuristic is that if the state you are working in requires bartenders to be licensed, they will most likely require bottle girls to be licensed as well.
Have fun. Get paid.
Girls who find a party lifestyle appealing can consider applying for a bottle girl job. The profession takes place in a glamorous industry and requires undeniable flair. Bottle girls need to be able to read VIP customers and cater to them accordingly to ensure a luxurious ambiance.
