Miami's bottle girl job "not as simple as it looks," story shows
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👋 Sommer here! Last week, I came across a New Times story with the headline "I Survived Bottle Service Boot Camp." Immediate click.
Why it matters: Miami's nightlife is world-renowned — and bottle girls are a key part of the operation, whether or not they get the recognition.
- This story, authored by Jess Swanson, the former news editor at the outlet, dives into a world that seems so integral to Miami's nightlife while also highlighting the hard work that goes into an often easily overlooked job.
What they're saying: "So many people will act like this is a degrading job, or that bottle service girls are just cute waitresses," Michelle Kent, the story's main subject, told Swanson. "In reality, we are the sales agents for these multimillion-dollar nightclubs in a city where sales can range from $100,000 to $5 million in a single night."
The big picture: Kent is a respected bottle service girl in Miami — someone who industry professionals often turn to for staffing help, Swanson wrote.
- So in 2021, when clubs were struggling to staff well-trained bottle girls, Kent launched Bottle Service Boot Camp.
Between the lines: Swanson attended a two-day professional development course for beginners for the story and wrote that one of the more "enlightening lesson[s]" was learning how much earning potential the job has.
- Kent has overseen tables with an $80,000 minimum spend during Ultra Music Festival. The standard tip is 10%.
- Kent told the group she's earned $10,000, $20,000 and $30,000 in tips a night.
The intrigue: While a bottle parade may look "pretty straightforward" to the average partier, "it is not as simple as it looks," Swanson writes.
Worthy of your time: I'm not a big clubber, but I loved everything about this story. I encourage you to read it.
- It's a fun and educational look into a profession many overlook while giving the women — especially Kent — the kudos they deserve.
Go deeper: Read the full story