A text message was enough to light the fuse. Some influencer asked for free drinks in exchange for “visibility” and, upon receiving a no, hinted that the review would not be kind. Bar and restaurant owners have had enough of that.
In the United States, the United Kingdom, and much of Europe, the phenomenon is repeating itself. Content creators who film without permission, interrupt service, and bother other customers just to get their perfect shot. Some establishments opted for deterrent signs at the door; others went further and publicly shared screenshots of those awkward requests.
The beer world, which seemed untouched by the social media trend, also put on the brakes. Festivals and breweries are already limiting access to those seeking more a photo for their profile than to learn about the work behind each glass. And another suspicion is growing: guides and reviews of places that, in reality, were never visited.
