Bottle service in Bangkok's gogo bars

[macaroni21]

From time to time, I see mention of "bottle service" in this forum. Of course I have also seen customers in bars with trolleys beside them well provisioned with 75cl bottles, mixers, ice buckets, etc. Not being much a drinker myself, I have never been such a customer, so out of pure curiosity, here are some basic and naive questions for those who know much more about this.

My understanding is that when a customer has bought a bottle and does not finish it in one visit, the bar will keep the bottle for him for his subsequent visit(s), by writing the customer's name or some other identifier on the bottle, and marking the level of liquid as well.

1. Is my outline understanding correct?

2. Is there a time limit for the customer's return? (Presumably, if there is, then after the time limit, the bar would either dispose of the bottle or use the remaining liquid in the bottle for their own house pour).

3. Is there any charge for the customer who returns and asks for this bottle. Does the customer get to return as many times as he likes (within time limit, if any) for free (i.e. no entry charge) if he has a bottle waiting for him on the shelf?

4. Presumably, each visit the customer is likely to order mixers. What sort of prices do the bars charge for mixers and any charge for ice, etc? (A single-drink customer would have to pay 400 -500 baht for a can of Tonic, Soda or Coca Cola. If a bottle customer asked for a similar can as mixer, is he charged at a different rate?

5. If the customer calls a boy to sit with him, and offers the boy a drink served out of the same bottle, does the bar charge nothing? (for customers who order single drinks, the bar would charge a boy drink and earn money from that; the boy also gets maybe 50 or 100 baht from the boy drink).

6. Can a boy refuse a drink out of the bottle, e.g. saying "I don't drink alcohol." What usually happens then?

7. Do mamasans help themselves freely to the bottle? Or must they first be explicitly invited by the customer to partake? (I have seen mamasans - sometimes two of them - drink considerably from bottles and I have often wondered what the understanding between customer and mamasan was, or was the mamasan helping herself liberally in order to exhaust the bottle as soon as possible, it being her job to help the bar sell more bottles/drinks?).

Hoping some members here can help answer the above....

 

 

[vinapu]

I, like you,  am bottle virgin but from I heard and read from other people it seems that each bar may have own policy , not to mention pricing. 

It means if somebody chips in with answers I would be handy if bar name is mentioned.

Jason 1975 may answer as once he invited me and another member to help him and his boys to empty his bottle at Jupiter, all I remember that we all three were admitted in without paying admission.

[ichigo]

41 minutes ago, vinapu said:

Jason 1975 may answer as once he invited me and another member to help him and his boys to empty his bottle at Jupiter, all I remember that we all three were admitted in without paying admission.

I have the same experience with @jason1975, when he took myself and @Raposa to Jupiter, we did not have to pay any admission.

[floridarob]

Been so long that I bought a bottle, I forgot all the particulars....I do have a bottle story though. 

In Pattaya, BBB when it was part of the hotel when Jim & Gordon were running it...they also did corkage, under the same terms as opening a bottle with a different fee. I asked if that's for any size bottle and they said yes, I had brought a 1.75 bottle of Bacardi with me from the US, something that the staff had never seen, and everyone was amazed, laughing at how big it was (size queens). But Hugh, the manager lived up to their word of allowing it in at the same price. He later told me that they had to hide it, because it lacked the Thai tax stamps and had an inspector or someone come in, they could've had problems.

So in addition to buying bottles in the bars, I wonder of they do the same "open a bottle" like back then and at what cost?

[jason1975]

22 hours ago, ichigo said:

I have the same experience with @jason1975, when he took myself and @Raposa to Jupiter, we did not have to pay any admission.

Yes, if you buy a bottle at Jupiter, you don't have to pay admission ticket.

[colmx]

1. Is my outline understanding correct?

Yes

2. Is there a time limit for the customer's return? (Presumably, if there is, then after the time limit, the bar would either dispose of the bottle or use the remaining liquid in the bottle for their own house pour).

Depends on the bar but its usually something between 10-30 days, after which it gets consumed by the bar (or siphoned by the barman)

3. Is there any charge for the customer who returns and asks for this bottle. Does the customer get to return as many times as he likes (within time limit, if any) for free (i.e. no entry charge) if he has a bottle waiting for him on the shelf?

No charge to re-call your bottle, but there may be a charge for mixers and ice. Some bars include all mixers + ice until the bottle is finished on multiple occasion. Others charge on a return visit

4. Presumably, each visit the customer is likely to order mixers. What sort of prices do the bars charge for mixers and any charge for ice, etc? (A single-drink customer would have to pay 400 -500 baht for a can of Tonic, Soda or Coca Cola. If a bottle customer asked for a similar can as mixer, is he charged at a different rate?

As above, some bars include all mixers + ice until the bottle is finished on multiple occasion. Others charge on a return visit. Last week, Goodboys were charging 100b per mixer on a subsequent visit

5. If the customer calls a boy to sit with him, and offers the boy a drink served out of the same bottle, does the bar charge nothing? (for customers who order single drinks, the bar would charge a boy drink and earn money from that; the boy also gets maybe 50 or 100 baht from the boy drink).

Again depends on the bar, i have drank in Fresh boys, Jupiter and Good boys in the past where the boys drank for free. Last week, Good boys wanted 400b for a boy to join the table (boy gets 200b from that). The boy got a "boy drink" and once that drink was finished could choose to stay and drink for free (with prospective tip or off), try to extract another boy drink or go back on the floor

6. Can a boy refuse a drink out of the bottle, e.g. saying "I don't drink alcohol." What usually happens then?

Again depends on the bar, the boy can choose a boy drink or can drink coke from the mixers of they don't drink alcohol

7. Do mamasans help themselves freely to the bottle? Or must they first be explicitly invited by the customer to partake? (I have seen mamasans - sometimes two of them - drink considerably from bottles and I have often wondered what the understanding between customer and mamasan was, or was the mamasan helping herself liberally in order to exhaust the bottle as soon as possible, it being her job to help the bar sell more bottles/drinks?).

Usually mamasans and waiters drink by invitation and don't qualify for mandatory "boy drinks", of course familiarity breeds contempt! They also try and convince you how much they like 400b tequila shots!

 

Per comments above, buying a bottle at e.g. 2500b exempts you from "admission fees" so if there are 3-4 people in your group, and all can drink the same beverage,  it is definitely the most economical way to go if you intend to stay for more than 1 drink 

[vinapu]

All calculations may change if bar is charging 3500 -4000 for the bottle.

From what I heard from other people  policy on bottles changes from bar to bar so its better to investigate with mamasans on the site keeping in mind all outlined above.

[floridarob]

5 hours ago, colmx said:

Some bars include all mixers + ice until the bottle is finished on multiple occasion

Which ones?

[macaroni21]

Thanks @colmx , that was very helpful. It kind of confirms that the whole concept is obviously meant for a different demographic of a customer from someone like me!

[macaroni21]

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

From what I heard from other people  policy on bottles changes from bar to bar so its better to investigate with mamasans on the site keeping in mind all outlined above.

I find it hard to imagine a customer (or group of customers intending to share a bottle) going through "all outlined above" like a pre-flight checklist, so in most situations some costs may not be explained until the bill arrives.

[jason1975]

I've ordered bottles from Jupiter and Freshboys late last year so I can share recent experience. Price was about 3000 to 4000 baht depending on bottle. The bars can hold your bottle for 1 month.

On first visit, no charge for mixer. Just pay for bottle. However, for 2nd visit, there is a charge of 500 baht for unlimited mixers.

At Jupiter, models can sit and drink with you without you having to pay for them.

At Freshboys, however, the mamasan strongly encouraged me to buy a drink for guy. The guy himself told me that if I didn't buy drink, mamasan will be angry with him. I didn't want to create any trouble for him so I agreed to the drink. So he had one bottle of beer and one glass for Johnie Walker whisky from my bottle.

Now this was not my regular guy.(#25). This was another guy whom I invited down from stage. My regular guy said I didn't have to buy him a drink. He happily helped himself to my bottle when he came to sit down with me. When mamasan asked me whether I wanted to buy him a drink, he waved her away! He has a strong character and doesn't let himself get bullied. Probably why I love him in first place!

In both bars, mamasans asked me first whether they could pour themselves a drink from my bottle and drink with me and I said sure. When I leave, I always tip them as well as the waiters pouring and serving me drinks the whole night. Some waiters can be quite cute! Hehe.

Even though FB mamasan is known to behave badly to guys, I treat her respectfully. I even gifted her some cosmetics (whitening cream and face masks) so that she will treat my guy well.

[Raposa]

1 hour ago, jason1975 said:

Even though FB mamasan is known to behave badly to guys, I treat her respectfully. I even gifted her some cosmetics (whitening cream and face masks) so that she will treat my guy well.

I did the same to a Moonlight mamasan for similar reasons.

[jason1975]

21 minutes ago, Raposa said:

I did the same to a Moonlight mamasan for similar reasons.

Great minds think alike!

[bkkmfj2648]

2 hours ago, jason1975 said:

He has a strong character and doesn't let himself get bullied. Probably why I love him in first place!

Great to hear this.  My former PMB now boyfriend has very similar characteristics to yours - of which I adore these characteristics.

2 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Even though FB mamasan is known to behave badly to guys, I treat her respectfully. I even gifted her some cosmetics (whitening cream and face masks) so that she will treat my guy well.

Does your guy know that you are taking care of the mamasan so that he will be treated well?

Or is it a hidden secret so that everything is happy and pleasant ?

[jason1975]

Just now, bkkmfj2648 said:

Great to hear this.  My former PMB now boyfriend has very similar characteristics to yours - of which I adore these characteristics.

Does your guy know that you are taking care of the mamasan so that he will be treated well?

Or is it a hidden secret so that everything is happy and pleasant ?

Yes I did tell him. I know mamasan recommends him to customers.

[vinapu]

21 hours ago, jason1975 said:

 

Even though FB mamasan is known to behave badly to guys, I treat her respectfully. I even gifted her some cosmetics (whitening cream and face masks) so that she will treat my guy well.

Next time don't forget to add some cyanide to the mix.

[vinapu]

20 hours ago, Raposa said:

I did the same to a Moonlight mamasan for similar reasons.

Some of them are nice  but one of them has custom of leeching to me each time I enter bar, taking seat beside uninvited and trying to be helpful hoping for the tip. It is not really annoying but I find this a bit of imposing so cant say I'm thrilled. Being shy guy, looking like nobody I like to be left alone. 

[vinapu]

20 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Great minds think alike!

Such outstanding modesty! 

[vinapu]

18 hours ago, jason1975 said:

Yes I did tell him. I know mamasan recommends him to customers.

Not that he needs any recommendation. When I was, there with emiel in Nov both of us independently agreed that he IS the best looking guy there. 

[jason1975]

7 minutes ago, vinapu said:

Some of them are nice  but one of them has custom of leeching to me each time I enter bar, taking seat beside uninvited and trying to be helpful hoping for the tip. It is not really annoying but I find this a bit of imposing so cant say I'm thrilled. Being shy guy, looking like nobody I like to be left alone. 

It's alright. They are just trying to be helpful 

[vinapu]

Just now, jason1975 said:

It's alright. They are just trying to be helpful 

I get it although it may not work as intended. On at least 2 occasions recently I changed my choice of bars to visit for the evening because of that. 

[MaxBKK]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

I get it although it may not work as intended. On at least 2 occasions recently I changed my choice of bars to visit for the evening because of that. 

Communicate your displeasure with a non-verbal body language response  - totally ignore her, pretend she isn't there. Most of the time, they'll give up and go away. If you engage with them, they'll never go away...

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, MaxBKK said:

 Most of the time, they'll give up and go away. 

In my case I described " most of the time" is very fitting as certainly I'm not in " most" catergory when there

[floridarob]

14 hours ago, vinapu said:

Being shy guy, looking like nobody I like to be left alone. 

Shy?