During my research process for my novels, I visited a few strip clubs and talked with the dancers, waitresses, bouncers, and even a few patrons about what motivates them to be there. Much to my great surprise, I learned that there are many more similarities between the dancers and delivery drivers than I expected. The following passage, on pages 60-62 of "Topless Delivery", discusses the similarities and differences.
There are many similarities between pizza delivery drivers and exotic dancers. Each profession has its own risks and its own rewards. People in both groups work at night and depend, partially or entirely, upon cash tips from their customers for their livelihood. We also have to lie to others about what we do for a living. Drivers often lie to their insurance companies because they would have to buy special commercial liability insurance for at least triple what they would pay for regular insurance...if they can get coverage at all. Both drivers and dancers keep quiet about our tips. A few years ago, a group of us at Papa's Pizza experimented with full disclosure of tips. We stopped the experiment within a few weeks because we found ourselves owing the store hundreds of dollars every payday because our hourly base wages were not enough to cover the taxes on our reported tips. Worse yet, the reported tips bumped us up into a higher tax bracket. That's when we were making minimum wage or slightly more!
A new trend in the industry is for restaurants to pay delivery drivers as they would pay waitpersons for dine-in restaurants; below minimum wage and claim tip credit for the difference.
At the larger pizza chains, drivers are paid a base hourly wage, usually minimum wage, which we earn by working in the kitchen or on the phones between deliveries. However, many of the drivers who work at many independently-owned pizzerias are independent contractors, as are exotic dancers at most strip clubs. They are entirely responsible for reporting all of their income and paying taxes on that income, including the employer's portion of the Social Security and Medicare taxes. Dancers are typically required to pay a fee to perform at the club, as well as at least half of what they collect for VIP couch dances. Additionally, they are usually required to "tip out" the bar staff, the DJ, and everyone else. Similarly, drivers pay for their own gas, insurance, and maintenance on their delivery vehicles from the tips they earn. At a few places, they are also required to "tip out" the kitchen staff. In other words, they must share their tips with the managers and kitchen staff. Fortunately, this practice is the exception rather than the rule.
While most dancers work within the confines of the strip club under the watchful eyes of bouncers with martial-arts and/or military backgrounds, drivers spend most of their time driving to and from customers' homes and businesses in all kinds of weather and traffic conditions. People in both groups are frequent targets of robberies and assaults because we always carry cash on us. As a safety rule, we rarely leave the store with more than enough cash to make change for a $20 bill. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, delivery drivers are the third most likely profession to be murdered on the job...behind police officers and taxi drivers. We drivers often compete against one another for certain customers. Most exotic dancers are very possessive with regards to their regular customers in the club.
After talking to these beautiful ladies at the various clubs I have visited, I walked away with a newfound respect for what they do for a living...and why they do it. We really aren't so different after all.
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