"Brown Bagging is Chic": The Origins and Distinctions of Philadelphia's BYOB Culture

This article examines how the policy known as "bring your own bottle" (BYOB) developed in Philadelphia's restaurant industry in the decades after Prohibition (1920–33) and how, over time, the policy grew into an important feature of the city's dining-out culture. More, this article positions BYOBs as places where chefs enjoyed creativity and experimentation free from corporate oversight and where patrons not only saved money but also affirmed their cultural tastes through appreciation of food and wine. Largely an affluent phenomenon, the increase in the number of BYOBs after the mid-1990s reveals the ways in which Philadelphia and its restaurant community adapted to changing economic patterns and consumer tastes.