""This decision was driven by the increasing costs associated with operating as a nightclub after 10 PM, including the expense of hiring a DJ and the additional security now required," Clyde's President John McDonnell told Washingtonian in a written statement. "Unfortunately, offering this experience at no cost is no longer financially sustainable." McDonnell also said that Clyde's takes student feedback "seriously" and it will "pause the cover charge" to asses whether the Tombs should shift back to to being a "traditional restaurant" on weekend nights, but without the $5 cover."
"On September 4, a sign appeared out front of the establishment announcing the change. Catherine Alaimo, a senior and reporter for the student paper the Hoya, says the news spread like wildfire, immediately inspiring outcry. Someone created an Instagram account, @tombs_cover_boycott, with a mission statement to "stand together in solidarity to oppose the senseless $5 cover." "It gained a ton of followers, basically the whole senior class overnight," Alaimo says."
The Tombs, a popular Georgetown bar known for trivia, a cappella, and weekend dancing, introduced a $5 cover charge on weekend evenings. Students organized quickly via a petition, a boycott, and a dedicated Instagram account, while the student body president engaged with management. Clyde's Restaurant Group cited rising costs of operating as a nightclub after 10 PM, including hiring a DJ and additional security, as rationale for the fee and said offering the experience for free was unsustainable. Following the student backlash, Clyde's reversed the cover charge and will pause it while assessing a return to a traditional restaurant model on weekend nights.
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