When the announcement created a mini-controversy on social media, the restaurant’s management clarified its policy on Facebook. Or, as Gen Z refers to it, the “boomer social network made for old people.”
“This policy is in place to ensure a mature, sophisticated, and safe dining environment for everyone,” the restaurant posted. “It’s just something for the older people to come down and have a happy hour, come get some good food, and not have to worry about some of the young folks who bring some of that drama,” an assistant manager declared.
For those of you who may be in your late 30s or early 40s, being referred to as “the older people” could come as a quite a shock and you might need to report to your cardiologist. But, while the age limits for “grown and sexy” might seem a bit arbitrary, they’re actually quite logical. Studies show that 30 is the age at which women start trying to be sexy and 35 is the age at which men start noticing.
While some experts speculated about the legal ramifications of restrictions by age and gender, social media reaction as been mixed.
“What if I don’t identify as a man or a woman,” a person posted on Yelp. “Can I get in at 30 or 35? Not cool, man.”
But, as one defender so eloquently put it, “Nobody wanna eat dinner and hear y’all loud a*s youngins doing TikToks from the booth to the bathroom.”
So far, Bliss seems to be thriving, with reports of long lines of customers waiting to enjoy its snapper, oxtails and jerk lamb chops. Not to mention its cocktail bars, hookah bars and karaoke. Still, the policy raises a few question in my mind.
— Who, exactly, gets to define sexy? My driver’s license clearly proves my age, but nothing on it mentions “sexy,” one way or another.
— Can a restaurant with karaoke really be called classy?
— And, on behalf of all “the older people,” does it have an early bird special?
Contact this columnist at dlstew_2000@yahoo.com.
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