There are a lot of things that might signal we are entering (or have been in) a recession. My bank account is certainly one of them, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about.
One major recession indicator is how much expendable cash people have, and one big industry that depends on people being liquid is that of erotic dance. Recently, Reddit user AutumnForestWitch asked, “We need the real recession indicator. Strippers of Reddit, how is business going?” I don’t want to worry you (if you’re not worried already), but things aren’t looking great. Here’s what everyone had to say.
1. “I’ve worked in the industry for years. It’s been bad for the last three years and is continuing to get worse. Prior to COVID, you could expect a ratio of five or six customers per girl. Since COVID, it dropped to one-to-one or worse. The first couple of years after COVID, money got really good, but that’s all dried up now. Previously, when the industry slowed, the girls would bounce to other clubs and eventually come back after a month or two. However, girls are now leaving the industry entirely.”
Kilito Chan / Getty Images
2. “NYC girl here. I know of multiple girls who have lost their apartments. It’s the worst anyone has ever seen for the industry.”
3. “I’ve heard a few guys at my work say it’s too expensive now, even for a bachelor party. And some of these guys REALLY like going to strip clubs.”
4. “It’s always been a boom and bust business, but the boom just got weaker and weaker over the years. When I first started, a girl walking out with $5-10k on a Friday night was expected. I saw dancers throw an absolute fit because they ‘only’ made five grand. It’s a damn shame to go from that to where we are now, where most girls I know are struggling to make ends meet. I know women from all walks of life who danced once every six months or so. They’d come in, make their rent for the year, and peace out until they needed to stack some cash again. Those girls don’t really come around anymore, because it’s genuinely not worth it.”
Aleksandr Rybalko / Getty Images
—u/anivex
5. “There is an intersection in my town that has three strip clubs, and the parking lots are bare.”
6. “As someone in the mental health field, I have noticed a huge decline in libido from men and women. You would be surprised by the lack of desire and interest in sex in the general population right now. Stress has gone through the roof, and people are in survival mode whether they realize it or not.”
—u/Flowerpot33
Related: People Are Calling Out Sneaky Propaganda Hiding In Plain Sight, And Now I Can’t Unsee It
7. “I’m a sex worker in a tourist town. Things are slow AF, and this is when we normally expect things to pick up.”
8. “Several factors are contributing to the industry dying. Beyond the economy being the way it is, the usual customers are moving to online services. Also, millennials and Gen Z aren’t really into strip clubs like generations before them were. There’s also the rise in people using Find My iPhone/location sharing, which makes it harder to be discreet. Some major markets are still okay, like Vegas, Miami, NYC, etc. But secondary markets like Scottsdale, for example, are dead.”
Oscar Wong / Getty Images
9. “It’s bad. Real bad. Worse than it was in 2008, and that’s saying something. I stopped by my old club last week, and the manager said they made more money during COVID.”
—u/anivex
10. “My earnings have definitely declined in the past year. Even though tourism is down in my state, I’m still doing OK because of my regulars, but they’re coming in less as well. It isn’t great. It isn’t my only source of income, but I’d be struggling a bit if it were.”
11. “OnlyFans might be the answer for the downturn. Maybe only 1% of people who worked in the industry transitioned successfully to the platform, but their clientele/future customers all did. OF has a revenue of like $7 billion, which I think is about the same as what the strip club industry for the US was.”
Andrii Lysenko / Getty Images
—u/nonowords
12. “Former security guard for a strip club here. It never fully recovered after COVID, and the money has dried up since 2023.”
13. “I live in the Midwest, and it’s going HORRIBLY. It’s NEVER been worse, and I’m not exaggerating! Most nights, I leave in debt to the club or with under $100, and I have to work double shifts (day shift then night shift) constantly. It’s about as bad as it can be.”
14. “I left the industry entirely this year, after three years of decreasing pay with no bounce back at all. At the last place I worked, most dancers were lucky to leave with $200 at the end of a shift. We’re not getting naked for warehouse pay, ladies and gentlemen. The only women left are there because they have no other options. Everyone with an option is gone. The money is gone. Our clients no longer have enough money for the club.”
Georgepeters / Getty Images
—u/Mistealakes
15. “Money is not good unless you get a depressed blue-collar worker or work back-to-back-to-back shifts. A lot of baby strippers are flooding the clubs, but the money isn’t there.”
16. “Business has not been good these past few months. I think we can rule out men deciding to be faithful to their partners, becoming hobbyists, or focusing on being good dads. The only reason for this is that they don’t have the $$$. Even high-end clubs are not seeing their regulars as frequently. It’s bad.”
17. “The big strip club I pass every day is advertising new, lower prices. We’re fooked.”
Shaunl / Getty Images
—u/JonnyLosak
18. “Strip clubs in my town are closing up. Local governments are voting to restrict the way they operate, and they are getting zoned out with nowhere to go, as the land they sit on is becoming more valuable. But it seems the whole industry may be on its way down regardless. You would think that this kind of business would always have some demand.”
—u/10per
19. And finally, “According to a stripper manager I know, the recession’s been here.”
—u/Starksgoon
Do you work at a club? Have you noticed a downturn in the industry? Or are there any other recession indicators you’ve noticed? Let me know in the comments or use the anonymous form below. Your response could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed article!
Note: Responses have beed edited for length/clarity.
Also in Work & Money: 25 Jobs That Are So Much More Difficult Than People Think, I’m Honestly Shocked People Actually Do Them For A Living
Also in Work & Money: “It Feels So Slimy”: 15 Wild “Industry Secrets” That The Public Has No Clue About, According To Employees
Also in Work & Money: Here Are 17 Top-Secret IRL “Cheat Codes” That Employees Shared From Their Industries
About the Author
