Why should you pay cover?
 

I have a question that I am sure has been asked a billion times already. But those of you who have owned bars... what is the point of charging cover?

The people who go in are going to spend money on booze or food. So why charge them money to go in as well? I never understood this - it just makes no business sense to me.

Other than maybe filtering out the people who have no money - by charging money to get in. Perhaps that would make sense yeah.

Any ideas?

If there is a band and a portion of the proceeds go to that band then it's all cool.

More $$$ is always good.

At the bars I've been to the band gets most of the cover charge. Other than that.. its money that people are willing to pay. Why not charge them?

I was thinking this lastnight, it's stupid.

Normally it goes to the DJ or the band playing.

There are a shitload of bars here that charge covers for no fucking reason... no DJ's, no bands... just another money grab. I have no problems with paying a cover charge for a band or whatever, as I have play in a band and ya gotta pay us somehow. But fuck any bar owner who thinks I'm paying them to let me come in and buy overpriced watered down drinks from them.

Yup... usually there is a band, DJ, or promotion company that is hosting an "event". The cover goes to them, and the bar/club gets the booze money.

It would be more straightforward if the band/dj/promotion companies get a cut of the booze money, but nobody ever drinks less due to a cover charge. Think of it as paying the talent and/or promoters.

The bars cover is usually used to pay the bouncers and off-duty cops where i'm at...

They charge because they can.

It probably has some psychological effect as well.

Yeah it probably helps get people in the spending mood.