@tbwabackslash

class="content__text" A few years ago, every restaurant was curating its look specifically to attract influencers. Now, they’re banning them.  DAE, a new design shop and cafe in Brooklyn, is prohibiting people from taking photos and videos due to “TikTok and Instagram photoshoots getting out of control.” The Korean cafe blew up on social media as soon as it opened, with users obsessing over their photogenic foods like checkerboard butter on milk bread, as well as their aesthetically designed interior. According to the shop’s co-owner, Carol Song, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to come in, order one drink, then stay for two hours doing photoshoots. Others didn’t even order anything, they just took photos of food and drinks on nearby tables. While some businesses are leaning into that kind of free publicity, DAE is intentionally leaning out. “I didn’t want to be a place where people just come and go for the trend,” says Song. This situation isn’t unique to DAE. Due to complaints from diners, other restaurants have implemented no-flash photography policies, asked users to delete videos that show other diners, or banned phones altogether. At Lamia’s Fish Market in the East Village, diners even get a free bottle of champagne if they agree to lock away their phones during the meal. With social media overload disrupting IRL experiences, we could see a clearer divide between spaces that encourage content creation and those that regulate it. Expect phone-free environments to serve as a new kind of escape. Edge: Zero Out  Spotter: Warren Dell — TBWA\London  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #ZeroOutBackslash @daenewyork #foodinfluencer #phoneeatsfirst #photoban #nophotosplease #influencers #restauranttrends #nyeats #daenewyork #nophonepolicy

October 17, 2023