Missouri restaurant defends higher minimum age requirement for customers to avoid 'drama'
New restaurant in St. Louis area announced women must be 30 years old and men must be 35 to enter
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A new restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri, is standing by its policy setting minimum ages of 30 and 35 for female and male customers, despite receiving some pushback.
"Of course, we have been getting a little backlash, but that’s OK because we’re sticking to our code," Bliss Restaurant owner Marvin Pate told KSDK News.
"It’s just something for the older people to come do and have a happy hour, come get some good food and not have to worry about some of the young folks that bring some of that drama," Assistant Manager Erica Rhodes added in the report.
The upscale restaurant and bar, which serves Caribbean and West African cuisine, opened last month to great fanfare on social media, its Facebook page shows. However, locals were divided on the establishment's age policy, which requires women to be 30 years old to enter and men to be 35.
A bar in St. Louis put a controversial age policy in place that only men over 35 and women over 30 could dine in the establishment. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"As a Black-owned business, Bliss Caribbean Restaurant is dedicated to providing North County with an upscale dining experience. 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," Bliss's owners wrote in a Facebook post announcing the age restriction.
Everyone who enters the restaurant after 7PM Wednesday through Sunday must show their IDs to a hostess or a St. Louis County Police Officer on-site.
Bliss explained this would create "a mature and relaxed environment for all guests," while allowing the business to "focus on providing exceptional service and a memorable experience," and ensure the restaurant "remains a premier destination for those seeking an upscale Caribbean dining experience."
The social media post drew hundreds of comments, most of which appeared to praise the policy.
A St. Louis area's bar decision to enforce a higher age restriction on customers created waves on social media. (iStock)
"I love the age requirement please don’t get rid of it," one of the top comments read.
"Love this cuz not only it's for the mature crowd but it makes you wanna go out again without the nonsense," another person wrote.
"Anybody upset just doesn’t understand what’s happening with these businesses being tore up by younger crowd," another top comment said.
Other locals were more skeptical about the age policy.
An age restriction at a new upscale restaurant received positive feedback from locals. (iStock)
"Everybody about to be in jungle hustle buying fake IDs," one critical person wrote. "I understand the need for setting an age limit to protect businesses. However, it's important to acknowledge that places like this that do allow family members and friends in without meeting the age restriction. Additionally, age does not guarantee behavior, as there are individuals above the age of 30-35 who may still engage in disruptive behavior. It's crucial to address the issue of behavior rather than solely focusing on age restrictions."
"Welp there goes date night why such a big age difference between men and women? I’m 30 and wouldn’t really see myself dating someone 5 years older than me," another person wrote.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Bliss for comment but has yet to receive a response.
