The hospitality industry has always been a grind. Built on grit, late nights, fast turns, and tighter margins. But lately, it feels like the soul of it is slipping. Prices are at an all-time high, yet the people holding the line our staff, our managers are getting paid less than ever.
It used to mean something to work in nightlife. There was pride. There was exclusivity. You didn’t just walk into the best clubs because you had money, you had to have style, energy, presence. The door was sacred. The velvet rope meant something. We had gatekeepers, true NYC doormen – who understood the art of curation. Who’s in, who’s not, and why.
Today? Any jackass with a Black Card can buy a table. The culture’s gone corporate. The vibe feels watered down. And the real ones – the lifers who built this industry – are being stretched thinner than ever.
Ownership demands more, more, more… while offering less in return. The expectations are high, but the pay is stuck in the past.
Management is expected to run full-scale productions on a shoestring budget. Staff is burned out and underappreciated. Meanwhile, the guests get more entitled, and the standards keep dropping.
This isn’t a rant – it’s a call. A reminder. To my industry veterans: know your worth. Demand your value. Stay sharp. Stay in tune. The good ones are rare, and the game needs you now more than ever.
We need to bring back the era of intention. Of elegance. Of earned access. The late ’80s. The ’90s. The early 2000s. When nightlife was a craft, not a commodity.
It’s time we start building spaces that reward loyalty, protect the culture, and pay people right. Hospitality isn’t just a job. It’s a legacy.
Let’s act like it.
Words by: Juan C.
iRockParties 