One sign that restaurants are approaching some sort of normalcy is the return of a good old-fashioned controversy around dining room dress code. And that’s what Steak 48 provided this week when social media spoke about the steakhouse’s new, very detailed dress code. which includes restrictions about wearing corsets, women’s baseball caps, bandanas and over a dozen additional rules. Beyond clothing, Steak 48 also stipulated a minimum of $ 100 per person and an 18% automatic tip for groups of five or more at its Chicago and Philadelphia locations.

The reason Steak 48 is asking for the $ 100 minimum is “to make sure every customer enjoys the total experience of food, service and atmosphere.” Meanwhile, new dress codes were implemented at all 48 Steak restaurants, but stores in Chicago and Philadelphia were the most detailed. Other Steak 48 locations include Charlotte and Houston; the company also operates Steak 44 in Phoenix. Dress code has become a trending topic this week on Twitter.

The social media debate focused on whether the dress code was really an anti-black whistle, a practice that tormented restaurants and bars for years. Most recently, the now-closed Bottled Blonde bar / restaurant came under the microscope four years ago for its policies in River North. Earlier this week, NBA legend Dominique Wilkins tweeted about alleged racist practices at a French restaurant in suburban Atlanta.

The discussion on Steak 48 wasn’t all about racism. Several restaurant patrons tell Eater Chicago that they feel management is betraying their loyalty by imposing arbitrary restrictions. The $ 100 minimum was particularly frustrating for diners venturing from their homes to visit restaurants – some for the first time – as COVID-19 positivity rates plummet and vaccines continue to be more widely available available. A few guests were not put off by the restrictions, however, saying some customers may find the rules useful after a long year of the pandemic without having dinner in public.

Steak 48 opened its Chicago location in 2017, where it serves water-aged steaks ranging from $ 46 to $ 74 a la carte. The cheapest bottle of wine is $ 89. The $ 100 restriction is similar to prepaying for a meal, something popularized by Tock, the reservation portal co-founded by Alinea co-founder Nick Kokonas. The system, introduced in 2014, was developed to eliminate costly no-shows, but some clients have raised fears of having to pay for their meals in advance. In many ways, the discussion of five years reflects the online chatter around Steak 48’s politics.

Conversations surrounding private service worker groups on Facebook indicate that some in the industry believe they would benefit from the policy, as a minimum tip would make work during a pandemic sustainable. Many restaurant workers feel overloaded with additional responsibilities; staff shortages are common in the industry. Better pay would help allay these frustrations, but some are skeptical that Steak 48’s minimum $ 100 mandate would benefit its service workers. “So if Steak 48 is going to charge $ 100 per person, does that mean it will also increase employee salaries?” One Twitter user wrote.

Steak 48 submitted a statement to Eater – the same one it sent to multiple media outlets. The response ignored several questions about the public’s response to the dress code and whether the property was concerned about the implications of racism. Read the full statement below.

We continue to adhere to the same business casual dress code policy for dinner service at all of our gourmet properties to ensure the best experience for all of our guests. Like many restaurants in our industry, we have had to make updates to our policies, such as the minimum of $ 100 per person in order to support our staff and restaurant operations, and to provide the opportunity to be successful as a steakhouse. designed for full. – a down experience. Our standard minimum tip of 18% also helps ensure the support of our staff, especially as our community continues to reappear after a difficult year.

• Dress Code for Steak 48 [Steak 48]
• Restaurant dress codes frequently target black customers. It is high time for them to leave. [Eater]
• Chicago bar slammed for allegedly racist dress code [Eater Chicago]
• Buckhead restaurant slammed for arbitrarily enforced dress code [Eater Atlanta]
• Introducing the ticketing system from Nick Kokonas, Tock [Eater]
• Would you like to pay for your dinner before you eat it? [The Guardian]
• By se to reach restaurants billing in advance [New York Times]