Bars like Red Lion and Kam's at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign  are a quintessential part of the campus's social experience. However, recent decisions by these bars threaten to make this experience less accessible and more expensive. If these bars transition to a cashless cover, patrons will have to download the Line Leap app to gain entry, leading to mandatory and unavoidable extra charges each time. Not only is this inconvenient, but an exploitative initiative. 

These bars are only successful because of the business they receive from us students. If we all simply boycott Red Lion and Kam’s and choose to spend our money at Joe’s or other local spots instead, they’ll quickly realize how much they rely on student business and see the impact of their practices.

at UIUC already impose hefty entrance fees on students- cover at Red Lion regularly reaches $20+ some nights, and adding another layer of costs and fees is clearly a blatant money grab by these bars.  The cashless cover will surely not enhance our bar experience or contribute to our overall convenience, but instead prove to bars that their patrons will do nothing while they continue to charge egregious fees.

Cash is much more accessible to students, and only accepting digital payments will exclude students who do not have debit/credit cards, or those who simply cannot or will not link a payment to their phone.

We urge Red Lion and Kam's to maintain their current cash-accepting covers and give students the freedom of choice when it comes to payment methods. 

Reject this predatory cashless-cover move, and show the Bars that UIUC students will not continue to tolerate extremely high prices at bars. If we all stand our ground and refuse to give these bars business, they will surely change their policies back. 

Sign this petition to demand Red Lion and Kam's allow traditional cash payments for entry covers, ensuring inclusivity and fairness for all patrons.