Handcuffs and punishments are on the menu: in China "Prison" bars are gaining popularity (3 photos + 1 video)

Prison-themed bars have opened in China, offering visitors the chance to feel like they are on the other side of bars. The establishments are extremely popular among guests.





Guests are asked to change into orange jumpsuits that look like those worn by prisoners at the entrance, and the interiors of the bars are decorated with metal bars, photographs of suspects in police custody, and graffiti on the walls, writes the South China Morning Post.

The booths for visitors are decorated like individual cells.

To add to the prison-like atmosphere, bar owners also dedicate a dark room to an interrogation cell filled with instruments of punishment such as handcuffs, leg irons, and sticks.



Despite the creepy atmosphere, these establishments are so popular that they have opened in Qingdao (eastern Shandong province), Hangzhou (Zhejiang province, also in the east), and Chongqing (southwest China).



These bars are largely inspired by the Netflix hit "Orange Is the New Black."

Drinks at these establishments (cocktails, sodas, and coffees) cost around 50 yuan ($7). Some of the bars require customers to pay an extra 10 yuan for rent.

Upon entering the bars, customers are asked to sign a "letter of admission of guilt" and receive a "criminal record" stating what crime they "committed."

Before being escorted to their "cells," a police photograph is taken.

The bar staff, dressed in prison uniforms, also interact with the "prisoners", asking them what crime they committed and reminding them of the "prison rules", such as not breaking tables.

Many people on social media like this idea.

"It's easy to take beautiful photos. The lighting is right and the decor is interesting. The prison atmosphere is just there. I have recommended this immersive experience to my friends", "I went to a bar in Hangzhou at 10pm on a weekday and waited 20 minutes to get in. It's so popular!", "These bars are so avant-garde. This world is so crazy, ha!" - write in the comments.