It’s always interesting (in a pathetic sort of way) to explore the origins of the dreaded “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” signs.
Here’s an article from the summer of 1977 from Albuquerque.
We know the signs spread as a reaction to hippies from the mid- to late-1960s to the early 1970s. In this case, we find that the New Mexico Restaurant Association started providing signs to them members in 1976, which does seem a bit late.
But here’s the story.
No-no-no signs popular items
Albuquerque restaurant operators bared their souls today and confessed they are not inspired by the sight of naked toes and hairy armpits on their customers. “No shoes, no shirts, no service” proclaim placards posted conspicuously at many restaurants.
The New Mexico Restaurant Association began offering the no-no-no notice to its members a year ago and it’s a highly popular item. Howard Cowper, association executive, said more than 900 have been put in use so far.
“BAREFOOTED customers? Good heavens, no, we wouldn’t think of allowing such a thing in our dining room,” said Al Monte, his voice rising to a squeak at the mere contemplation of the spectacle in his immaculate restaurant, Al Monte’s.
No, No, No | “No shirt, no shoes, no service” says the sign and, unless this shirtless, shoeless would-be diner is an exception, he’ll have to eat barefoot in the park. Albuquerque restaurant operators frown on such casual attire in their dining rooms.
Cafes in the University of New Mexico area have a particular problem with casually attired students.
“We do everything but spread broken glass on the floor to discourage bare feet,” said one waitress working near the campus.
City ordinances do not cover shirtless or shoeless diners, reports the Department of Environmental Health Food Sanitation Division.
BUT THE thought is repugnant to most food service operators. And to most of their customers.
At Pancho’s Mexican Buffet restaurants, where customers go though a serving line, some barefooters “may sneak in,” J. D. Armijo said.
“We can’t see their feet until they’re already in the dining room with their food,” he said. “But, of course, we don’t make a scene about it — we allow them to go on and eat.”
Said one barefooted diner: “I’m just footloose and fancy free, so what’s wrong about eating without shoes?”
They do sound like that guy from Vicar of Dibbly. Only they actually mean it.
By the way:
Unfortunately, I see flip-flops.
“We are so sophisticated, we can hand-pick our customers and keep out the classless plebs”
Meanwhile at the Philippines:
[quote]“We are so sophisticated, we can hand-pick our customers and keep out the classless plebs”[/quote]
Plebs like … the university students? You know, the future elite …
What I think that people who were not around at that time should take from this article is that there were a decent amount of people going barefoot in any town almost anywhere in the US. You did not have to be anywhere near a beach to see this. A business owner of today could be open for years and have never seen such a thing.
From what I remember, this condescending version of the sign seemed to have started to spread around 1972 or so, with the earlier versions saying simply “no bare feet”. Then when the colleges began to eliminate their dress codes between 1969 and 1972, the business owners began to lie and say “no bare feet by order of board of health.” and then “NSNSNS”. By the 1980s I started seeing more of a different version – “proper attire required” – with them hinting at and assuming you know what they mean. Market research showed that putting the word “NO” on a business door is unwelcoming, so telling customers that something is “required” or “prohibited” is a better wording. So today almost all the signs I see say “shirts and shoes required”. Only a very small number of the older worded ones exist around here. And none of them are claiming the board of health thing.
What was the motivation for people to go barefoot around town back then? Surely they were not all “hippies”.
Guessing from the article, the anti-barefoot attitude of restaurant owners and employees was already established before the NSNSNS signs appeared.
If people liked to go barefoot then a lot, were there any protests against the signs?
Well, if we are posting things….
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/after-150-years-knowing-that-sanitation-saves-lives-a-third-of-the-world-still-doesnt-have-access-to-a-safe-toilet-9871035.html
Would your solution be toilets or thin canvas shoes? 😉