You might have heard phrases like bottle service thrown around from time to time. More often than not, it’s a signifier of wealth, exclusivity, and good times.
But what exactly is it and how does bottle service work?
If you’ve only ever heard the short explanation, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just a way to drop an exorbitant sum on a single bottle of liquor and a few sundries. The truth, though, is a bit more extravagant. So let’s take a closer look at what it is, how it works, and if it’s worth it or not.
What Is Bottle Service?
Bottle service is an upscale feature offered by many clubs, high-end bars and lounges, and even some restaurants. It entails a customer purchasing a full liquor bottle, almost always the top-shelf stuff, along with mixers, garnishes, and the like to accompany it.
The practice is thought to have originated in Tokyo sake bars in the 1940s. Originally a wartime convenience, it soon became the norm for regular businessmen to purchase full bottles of sake and store the unfinished leftovers in designated lockers at the bar.
But a bottle and a few mixers don’t sound like much for the fee usually levied, does it? In practice though, you’re paying for much more than a mere bottle when you request bottle service.
How Does Bottle Service Work?
In the types of establishments that offer bottle service, your purchase gets you much more than the physical goods you paid for.
VIP areas, for instance, are often exclusive to bottle service patrons. So what you’re really paying for is access, usually in the form of a table in an exclusive area, an elevated level of service, and other perks that tend to vary based on the establishment.
It’s about the experience and the ambiance more than the drinks.
How Much Does Bottle Service Cost?
You tend to only find bottle service on offer at up-scale establishments, so it follows that you can expect to pay upscale prices. That said, prices can vary considerably based on location and how the individual venue sets its prices.
Small, local clubs may charge as little as a few hundred dollars for bottle service. By contrast, major establishments in areas that see a lot of tourist traffic may ask as much as $10,000.
Others use an alternative model, and instead set their prices based on tables rather than literal bottles with the tab calculated based on party and the level of service rendered. But the function is the same. Check out WYLD table prices for a good example.
Is Bottle Service Worth It?
If you only look at what type of drinks come with bottle service, you’ll come away with an incomplete image of what the service actually is.
Ask how does bottle service work, however, and the explanation will give you a much more accurate picture. It’s all about the high-level service and exclusivity. Few things can elevate a special occasion quite like it.
But it’s not the only way to live the high life. For more ideas on how to raise the profile of your next event, be sure to keep up with our latest entertainment and lifestyle news and views.
