Nightclubs, Interactive Service Labor, and Objectification Practices: Workers' Experiences in Elite Nightlife

Nightlife settings have been the focus of sociological inquiry for decades, with existing studies primarily focused on consumers and selective entry to elite clubs. However, workers' experiences have been largely overlooked. This study examines workers' experiences in elite nightclubs, including getting hired and interacting with managers and consumers. Based on interviews with elite nightclub workers—including bartenders, bottle servers, hosts, DJs, and security guards—in New York City and Los Angeles, we find that men highlighted industry connections and prior experience in being hired, while women workers were evaluated based on their appearance during the hiring process and throughout their employment. Women workers faced consequences for not meeting appearance expectations such as being removed from the schedule. During their shifts, they endured sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and stalking from consumers, as well as objectifying practices by club management. In contrast, men working in elite nightlife described relative autonomy, comfort, and control at work. This study clarifies the role of appearance expectations in facilitating gendered labor dynamics and consumer–worker interactions in shaping workplace objectification. Our findings advance sociological research about interactive service labor and workplace precarity by focusing on workers in elite nightlife.