As more and more establishments shift their focus toward catering to a 30+ crowd, a new trend is emerging in bars across the U.S. — banning Gen Z to “protect the atmosphere.” Aimed at creating a more mature and relaxed experience, this growing movement is sparking heated debates and reshaping nightlife for older patrons.
A new trend is showing that more and more bars in the U.S. are banning Gen Z from entering in order to protect the “atmosphere” for the 30-35+ crowd.
It seems as though the bar patrons over the age of 30 view the bans as a good thing when enacted at their place of choice. But, there is still quite a debate on if this is truly a good policy. Not surprisingly, the loudest people on both sides of the debate are the people under 21, and people 30-35 years old.
CNN recently posted an article titled, “Some bars and eateries are banning 20-somethings. Can it become a widespread practice?” which has sparked debate on the growing trend.
The author of the article, Harmeet Kaur, gathered quotes from people at the bars banning patrons under 30 or 35 from various sources, including Facebook.
Ahead of the Curve
One example of the trend is The Auction House on the Upper East side in New York City. The owner, Johnny B. Barounis was way ahead of the curve back in 1993 when he decided to ban anyone under 25 from entering.
Barounis said, “those kids that had their flannel shirts tied around their waists, wearing their Villanova hats backwards, walking around in the street with their Amstel Light in their hand. I didn’t need a 21-year-old to come in with two of his friends, to make a ruckus and then get sick in the bathroom.”
In St. Louis, Bliss, an upscale Caribbean bar/restaurant has a similar policy where they ban women younger than 30, and men under 25. The ban has had mixed reviews online but the owners, Marvin and Tina Pate (42 years old) do not regret their decision.
The Lounge Type Feel
They told CNN, “why not just make a lounge type of feel at a resort but in a restaurant setting? Majority of (places) around the country, if you go to a place that’s 35 and up, it’s actually a lounge with fried food.”
“We thought about the concept of a restaurant that’s daily, where people could … get a luxe environment and just enjoy themselves with actual cooked food.”
After receiving a lot of attention at the end of May for their policy, Bliss announced on Facebook, “To ensure a grown and sexy atmosphere, we require all guests to be 30 or older for women and 35 or older for men. This policy helps us maintain a sophisticated environment, uphold our standards, and support the sustainability of our unique ambiance.”
Atmosphere: Creates a mature and relaxed environment for all guests.
Quality: Allows us to focus on providing exceptional service and a memorable experience.
Sustainability: Ensures our restaurant remains a premier destination for those seeking an upscale Caribbean dining experience.”
Flooded With Comments
The post was flooded with comments, but the most liked comment read “I love the age requirements please don’t get rid of it”.
The second top comment agreed, saying “Anybody upset just doesn’t understand what’s happening with these businesses being tore up by the younger crowd.”
Other comments said, “And stand on business! We need great establishments like this to keep the bs down!” and “I wish more restaurants/lounges had age requirements like this”. The post did not have any comments against the policy on Facebook, but the Gen Z crowd was quite loud on X.
While the issue is gathering more attention lately, age bans are not a new thing, especially since older Millennials and Gen X’ers finally have the capital to open their own bars.
Property Destruction
The most common reason that bars and restaurants have enacted these bans is due to their fear of 20 something destroying their property and their atmosphere.
This trend also seems to open the doorway for a resurgence of members only clubs, which will benefit the establishment with dues and high end clientele.
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This post first appeared on Pulse of Pride.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Chris Owens.
