4. Earning Money as a Bunny Was Harder Than Advertised
The advertised wages for Bunnies in 1961 were $200 to $300 a week, a great deal at the time. However, earning that much wasn’t always so easy. Bunnies had a portion of their tips claimed by the club. Bunnies also had to arrive at least an hour to get dressed and do their hair and makeup, which was unpaid time. Demerits for makeup application errors, chipped nails, and so on would lead to docked wages. Bunnies also had to purchase and maintain their uniforms through expensive dry cleaning.
Bunnies determined to make good pay could take on extra opportunities, including working for private parties. Bunnies did, in most cases, make excellent tips due to the wealth required for men to join the club. Celebrities, executives, and members of organized crimes were frequent patrons of the club and typically tipped very generously. Men were often mocked by photo and cigarette girls, who worked the floor selling both for a nickel a piece if the men paid only the recommended amount. One former Bunny remembered making over $1,000 a week, an unheard-of amount for women at the time. She made so much in cash she forgot to cash her paychecks at the end of the week.
