Being a member of a country club has its perks, but these perks also come with a price.
Between initiation fees and monthly dues, there are several costs to join a country club, but these fees do not mean a member is joining an all-inclusive paid club. Because a country club is a private organization, a member must pay for the privilege of membership. The fees cover the costs of maintenance, upgrades, and staffing for the facilities, and allow the club to offer activities and amenities to its members.
In fact, rather than food being included in a membership, most clubs require the opposite. Members are actually expected to spend a certain amount on food in a specific amount of time. The food and beverage minimum amount and rules vary by club, but almost always it is a use-it-or-lose-it fee. If a member comes up short on the minimum requirement they are charged the difference.
Clubs either have a monthly, quarterly, or yearly minimum ranging anywhere from $50 a month to a few thousand dollars a year. Some clubs have a different minimum for individual or family memberships as well as whether alcohol is included or not.
Having a food and beverage minimum ensures members are utilizing the dining operations of a club more often. And while some members are not bothered by never meeting a food and beverage minimum, others would much rather take their family or friends out to dinner instead of letting their money go to waste.