A bargirl is a woman who is paid to entertain patrons in a bar, either individually or, in some cases, as a performer. The exact nature of the entertainment varies widely from place to place; depending on the venue this can be individual entertainment ranging from light conversation to sexual services, or more public entertainment in the form of Go-go dancing or striptease. Variants on the term include B-girl, hostess, juicy girl, and guest relations officer.
Bargirls work in various types of bars throughout the world, including strip clubs and regular bars in the U.S., hostess bars in East Asia, go-go bars and "beer bars" in Southeast Asia, dance bars in India, and boliches in Argentina.
Note that a bargirl should not be confused with a barmaid, who serves drinks in a bar but is not expected to entertain customers individually or to dance.
In the U.S., "B-girl" (an abbreviation of "bar girl") is commonly understood to mean a woman who is paid to chat with male patrons and encourage them to buy her drinks. The B-girl is usually served watered-down or non-alcoholic drinks to minimize both the effects of the alcohol and the cost to the bar.
In addition to entertaining customers individually, in some venues (such as strip clubs in the United States, or Go-Go bars in Asia) are expected to dance on stage, often in skimpy costumes such as bikinis, semi-nude, or nude.
Bargirls often receive a commission on drinks bought by their customers. Where applicable, they may receive a percentage of the escort fee or bar fine paid by any customer who wishes to take them out of the bar. In other cases, they may have a periodic quota of drinks or bar fines, or both.
Some bargirls also act as prostitutes, either on-site (with the bar effectively acting as a brothel) or by being available through bar fines. This practice is especially common in Southeast Asia.