Are We Really Paying a $30 Cover Fee in 2022?
It’s a Saturday, and you and your friends are having a night on the town. You get to the club and see the line wrapped around the building. Reluctantly, you guys hop in line only to wait almost an hour just to finally get to the door and be told, “30-dollar cover.” As a broke college student, one of the biggest bummers is getting to the front of the line and realizing that you’re about to pay a hefty cover to get inside wherever you’re going. Why are we paying cover? What are we getting out of these experiences?
Paying cover has always been a hassle in my book. I’m constantly torn between going out with my friends or staying in to save my bank account from the horrors of South Florida nightlife. I’ve paid covers in the past that could have bought me a full tank of gas if I had saved it instead. It makes me think—what am I even paying for? Don’t get me wrong, charging a hefty cover but doing free drinks for a few hours is understandable. In that case, it is clear what we are paying for: the drinks. Otherwise, I always get confused and wonder why so many people submit to paying cover every weekend. Of course, it’s not all about drinking. But that being said, drinks do play a massive role in the nightlife culture. If you’re not getting free drinks, that means you’re not only paying money to get inside the place, but you’re also spending money to buy extremely overpriced drinks. And for what?
There are some clubs charging 30 dollars to get inside, only for it to be a small, overcrowded space with bad music. If you’re into that, then, by all means, go and have some fun. But most of the time, it is not worth it to pay money to be shoulder-to-shoulder with the sweaty guy next to you while the DJ plays twice-remixed songs. The bathrooms are nasty, the wait at the bar is absurdly long, and when you finally do get your drink, it’s watered down and half full. Unless a famous DJ is playing or the drinks are free, there shouldn’t be any reason for some of these places to charge a cover.
As humans, we function similarly to herd animals. We all have our own herds and tend to follow what the herd does as an entire group. When most of us are willing to pay cover, the rest of us will usually tag along because “that’s what everyone wants to do.” If we got out of that habit, imagine how much money we could save and also how many more new and genuinely good experiences we could have with great people. Instead of the same club we pay cover for every week, why not try something new? Perhaps the dingy little dive bar down the street or the restaurant with the cheap margarita pitchers. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up finding your new favorite spot. With a few good friends, any of these places would be just as fun as going to the club, if not more. And there’s no cover!
Strike Out,
Ryan Manney
Boca Raton
Ryan Manney is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. His hobbies amount to surfing, skating, writing, reading, and everything music. When he isn’t surfing, he loves watching and/or playing live music. He also likes to wear cool clothes. You can reach him on Instagram @ryanmanney or email @ r.manney3@gmail.com
