Hamptons Elite and Influencers Fight Over Dining Space

The Hamptons are currently locked in a cold war between its historic elite and a fresh wave of digital creators. Both camps fight aggressively to claim ground while keeping the other at bay. Established families resort to sneaky moves just to keep their peace. They slip into restaurants through back doors or use private restrooms to avoid becoming props for a twenty-something's TikTok feed. The old guard will do anything necessary to dodge tacky influencers wielding tripods and acting out of turn.

Zach Erdem, who owns 75 Main, faced disruptions that forced him to take drastic action. He split his venue in two to keep longtime rich patrons separate from the crowds drawn by viral videos of people dancing on tables. 'I want a Hamptons for everyone,' he told the Daily Mail. 'We don't want to be exclusive for only the one percent.'

When guests enter, staff ask if they prefer the outside seating, the back garden, or the main dining room. Erdem has a plan for every answer. Most wealthy residents choose the garden. It features its own entrance and bathroom. Guests can wash their hands without a young influencer standing nearby touching up their Rhode peptide tint on their lips while recording. 'They can come without seeing anybody,' Erdem said. 'Just walk and eat and leave via the back door.' 'They don't need to see anyone or be seen by anyone.'

Influencers make outrageous requests, asking Erdem to cover expensive meals in exchange for posts on Instagram or TikTok. He turns them down every time because a video will inevitably get made about his place regardless. He has owned the spot since 2010 and it remains one of the most visited dining locations in The Hamptons. 'People want to come to the Hamptons, and they want to come in and just not spend too much money. The Hamptons are not cheap,' Erdem said.

Even his hotels fill up daily with a waitlist for entry. Those lucky enough to snag a cancellation pay triple the price and do so gladly. Influencers strut into his businesses, which include two hotels, two nightlife spots, and three restaurants, wearing Chanel bags and designer outfits while bringing cash. He recently watched a family stop by and realized he had seen their daughter six times in one week alone. 'I'm like: "Oh, your kids come here more than you!"' he said. 'So, it's basically that the kids are taking over the families, their credit cards, and they come in more than their families.'

This younger crowd loves grabbing tables near the DJ booth in the back dining room and will wait hours just to get a spot. Unlike another business that posted a 'no influencers' sign, Erdem has embraced this scrappy, phone-heavy group. 'All the people dancing on tables and chairs all night, it turns to really a fun place,' Erdem said. 'And the younger crowd stays longer, spending more money than the old crowd.' The established clientele prefers professional dining setups, sitting down for an hour and a half or two hours at most.

They know their limits well and what they seek, be it a steak, some fish, a small appetizer shared around, or just espresso before heading home. That is not the plan for the young crowd. They stay put to keep the table, arguing with the maître d' manager rather than leaving early. The average check now climbs three times higher than what their fathers paid back then. Because of this shift, he was forced to split his 225-seat restaurant down the middle.

The younger generation claims the back dining room as their own. At night it transforms into a rowdy club where people dance on tables and swing napkins through the air. High cash flow from these visitors brings money to 75 Main and the surrounding area generally. Erdem believes stiff-collared Hamptonites should not exclude this ever-growing younger crowd just because they are different. The one percent do not go out every single night, nor do they shop daily or cater to tourists who bring vital revenue into the village. He told the Daily Mail that Montauk used to be known for all the young people, but now that scene is everywhere across the region.

The older generation prefers professional dining and stays only one or two hours, arriving just a few nights each week. They often choose outdoor seating out front near the back garden which features a private entrance and bathroom. Not everyone agrees with Erdem though. The Four Winds Craft Guild, a basket store located on this ritzy Massachusetts island, recently posted up a no influencers sign. Immediate reaction from many influencers with follower counts in the hundreds of thousands was pure outrage. Many labeled the sign as out of touch and even sexist, claiming it discriminates against a profession dominated by young women.

However, ritzy coastal towns have had enough of blonde girls with tripods upsetting their peaceful villages. Erdem has chosen to embrace the need for this scrappy, phone-heavy crowd instead of banning them. No one reads the paper anymore, he noted. Nobody buys magazines asking where they should eat today. Everyone goes on the phone or checks TikTok and Instagram where hashtags like #restaurants pop up instantly. All these influencers post beautiful content that brings people through your door. If I want to invest, he stated, I will definitely invest in an influencer. But there is one crowd Erdem wants to keep out of the ritzy Hamptons: The people of Jersey Shore. Sorry, Snooki