Making Bottle Service Special
Strategies and Points of Difference

Bottle service has swept through the country, moving inward from each coast to find regular devotion in smaller cities and tertiary markets. Nightclub & Bar reached out to a few veterans in this niche of the industry to get the latest handle on the 750-millileter and up orders. Well-versed club owners and operators discuss the ABC’s of high-end bottle service on a regular schedule, but the following provides a look at the other half of the equation. Here are a few suggestions from females in the industry who have provided A-list nightclub clientele with perfect evenings out for years and years.

Scottsdale’s Social Provider
“As a VIP hostess, I know my client like I know my nightclub. I cater to their every need,” says Erin Adler. Adler has been a VIP Hostess at Scottsdale, Ariz.’s, Myst for more than three years. “When a guest walks through the door I know their favorite drink, what type of cigar they enjoy and the experience they are anticipating.” One of Adler’s best service strategies is to be available outside of work. She treats her job like any business with high-needs clients  this includes always being on-call, not just for her nightclub but also for her actual guests. “Each of my customers has my cell phone number and may call me directly with any questions or requests such as what type of caviar or Champagne they want. Or, if they want me to decorate their table or skybox for a special occasion,” she says. “If they have a request that is not on the menu, I make sure that it is ready waiting for them when they arrive.” By empowering their servers to handle special orders on a one-on-one basis with the customer, Myst owners ensure that each need is met directly and efficiently every single night. If the server receiving the gratuity is responsible for all aspects of a guest’s pre-arrival requests, that server is far more likely to make sure it is done to perfection since it is her tip on the line.

Austin’s Most Auspicious
Johanna Flink has been in this industry for 15 years, and she has opened two luxury lounges in Texas. She is now the general manager in charge of all elite services at Austin Texas’ newest nightspot, QUA. At QUA, a fresh approach to high-end bottles can be seen in the club’s Elite Case, and Flink says that the case helps make a production out of expensive bottle orders. “If a bottle is over $450, we personally walk the table head to our Elite Case, and they hand-select their bottle and then they walk back to the table,” she says. The Elite Case allows the club to display its magnum sizes and upscale Champagnes and Cognacs, and it ensures that each bottle is protected and given the full presentation it deserves.  One area in which QUA management excels is in making sure that the club’s servers always look their best. “We wear all black, but we don’t have a dress code for the servers,” says Rizzo Pachica. Pachica worked as a cocktail server at the venue’s sister club VICCI for two years prior to joining the new elite staff at QUA. “We also have male and female servers,” Pachica says. The dress and mixed gender helps set a vibe. The feeling is sophisticated, sleek and classy, with each server dressed in something he or she “feels good and looks good in,” Pachica says. And, she says the male servers have been a big hit for bottle service customers. “They actually do just as good, if not better, tip-wise,” she says. “You would think that customers would think that it is weird, but they respond well to it.”

Tryst Sparks Service
Tryst, nestled in the Wynn Properties in Las Vegas, needs little introduction to even the most unaware patrons of nightlife. The legendary venue is young by the scheme of things, but the bottle service is mature. The club management keeps bottles of Cristal that range in the tensof-thousands in price. But, these sophisticated luxuries come with plenty of fun in the form of presentation. Lisa Escobar and Kristine Stokes are two servers that have taken care of Tryst’s most elite guests for years, and each lady agrees that part of their tip success comes in sticking together. “We take care of each other,” Stokes says. “We all make sure to help each other when things get busy.” Each bottle server in Tryst is added by her fellow ladies as well as the club’s bussers who act more as “partners,” according to Escobar. There is good reason for all the back up. When a special occasion, big bottle or cake is delivered at a particular table, the space lights up with excitement literally. “We have these sparklers,” says Escobar. “But they are really more along the lines of flares. We use them to create a scene when something important is going on at a table or when someone is really buying a high-end bottle.” The waitresses grab the other staff members to help them, and everyone gets in on the action. The drink list is also geared toward the extreme. “We have a drink called the Ménage à Trois,” says Stokes. “It is Cristal Rose, Hennessey Elipse, Grand Marnier 150, and it is served on a sterling silver platter … with a gold-dipped straw with a diamond.”

Doing What Works for You
While the Trysts and QUAs of the world bank of fl ash and extreme QUA actually boasts a shark tank in the dance floor many operators out there can  offer extreme service without the glitzy accoutrements. Bottle service is still relatively new and the parameters are set and exceeded daily across the nation. Focus on making each customer feel like royalty. Know names, addresses and e-mails and use them. Empower your servers to represent your club both onshift and off, and never forget to make your venue a great place to work.