Should Bars Ban People Under 30 In New York?

A bar is getting some serious attention after sharing a post on social media, and the idea could spread to New York state. 

We all know the drinking age is 21, and as a result, most bars across the country are 21 & older. However, a pub in Ohio is changing this rule, and it’s getting attention from customers and bar owners alike. 

The bar has received mixed reviews since the initial announcement, with many people saying that this bar is completely eliminating a major percentage of their customer base, making it a poor choice for business.

Donerick’s Pub Groveport in Columbus, OH changed their policy for upcoming weekends at their business, and they broke the news on Facebook a few weeks ago. 

On May 1, the business wrote, “Starting this weekend! 30 & up on Friday and Saturday nights. Cover charge starts at 10PM, and the doors close at 1:15 A.M. No exceptions!”

As you may have guessed, the customers 29 & under were pretty upset by this, and they should be. After all, 51% of Americans between the ages of 21 - 26 typically go to the bar once per week, making them the age group that goes to the bars the most. To eliminate that audience on two of the biggest bar nights of the week, on Friday and Saturday, affects the customers more than you think it would. 
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If your local bar has ever tried to do something like this, they probably had their reasons for it, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best idea. I do see Donerick’s point…they have vocalized that there have been disruptions in business as usual as a result of the younger crowd, so they felt they had to make “necessary changes.” However, if you read the comments on their Facebook page, it looks like there are more people angry about the change rather than excited for it.

Customers were split, with some people arguing for the age to be capped at 35 instead of 30. But overall, most people are angry because a whole group of people are being punished for someone else’s poor actions. 

Look, I am 24 so clearly I am a bit biased when I say this, but I still have to say it: Don’t ban the younger population from your bar. They make you the most money. If someone is acting out, have your security bounce them out of the bar. Once they act up, that person loses their privilege to stay as a customer. 

Bars in New York will thrive as long as they keep their customers safe, offer affordable drinks, and advocate for quick service. If you have a bad customer, bounce them out. If the buddy’s friends don’t like that, then they can leave too. 

To ban an entire age demographic from a bar for two nights per week is surely going to cause some animosity from customers.