Can Restaurant Dress Codes Ever Be a Good Thing?

Smalliez Diner’s weird little announcement last week about introducing a dress code for its visitors got most of us either LOL-ing hard or suitably ticked off. As this tweeter rightfully pointed out, “smalliez is not even a restaurant, it’s a diner. and they’re trying to tell people what to wear to eat waffles???” and in Nosa’s words, “Smalliez, dress code? Let’s RELAX please.”

They’re both absolutely spot on. By definition, a diner is typically a small, informal and inexpensive restaurant with a casual, easy vibe and an uncomplicated menu. So should you really have to spend 30 extra minutes thinking about your outfit because you’re craving a burger and a milkshake? In Lagos, there’s also an extra layer of outrage when issues like this come up because most of us can agree that restaurants here should be doing way better, and have a lot more to focus on (i.e. originality, menu range, customer service, etc.) than what kind of bottoms its diners are wearing.

Some argue that as Nigerians, we bring the need for dress codes on ourselves, because some of you don’t know how to behave outside. Also, while diners are traditionally viewed as informal, casual establishments, it's important to recognize that each establishment has the right to cultivate its own unique identity and ambiance.

Other people might argue that what you wear to a restaurant shouldn’t matter, as long as it’s your money you’re spending.

There are valid arguments for both sides, but is there a place and time for dress codes?

Image: Andrea Davis | Pexels

What I do have a problem with is the way restaurants go about implementing those policies (i.e. shaming a woman for daring to turn up in flat sandals) and sometimes, the fact that it’s straight-up uncalled for and just not remotely that deep (à la Smalliez), based on the type of establishment it is. Dress codes need not be overly restrictive or elitist. These establishments can implement dress codes that simply require patrons to be clean, well-groomed, and dressed in a manner that respects the establishment's desired atmosphere. Sounds balanced, yes?

But to say we should abandon restaurant dress codes entirely? I don’t think we’re prepared for how that could impact eating out culture as a whole.

That being said: Lagos restaurateurs, please leave this fake elitism aside and focus your energy on serving food that’s imaginative and actually worth the ridiculous price tags you slap on them. Cheers.