It’s winter break. It’s Friday. You have big plans. You’re going to the mall. You’re meeting some friends. You have an American Eagle gift card. You want to use it. And you want a cinnamon sugar pretzel.

    You get to the mall. You see a new sign: After 5 p.m., all guests under 18 must enter with an adult.

    Wait . . . what?

    Your mall has a new rule. It’s called a chaperone policy. Across the country, shopping centers are setting rules like this. These rules ban teens after a certain hour unless they’re with an adult.

    Why are malls doing this? Store managers say too many teens get rowdy in the evenings. Sometimes they damage property. This bad behavior can deter other shoppers from coming to the mall.

    But are these rules fair? Some teens and parents say no.

    For years, malls have been a safe place for teens to hang out. Could chaperone policies change that for good?

    It’s the last Friday of winter break, and you’ve got big plans. You’re heading to the mall to meet up with some of your friends. You’re dying to use the American Eagle gift card your grandma gave you for Christmas. Plus, your mouth is watering for a cinnamon sugar pretzel.

    You text your friends when you arrive. Then you notice a new sign: After 5 p.m., all guests under 18 must enter with an adult.

    Wait . . . what?

    It looks like your mall has put a chaperone policy into place. And it isn’t the first to do so. Shopping centers across the country are setting new rules that ban teens after a certain hour—unless they’re with an adult.

    Why are businesses taking this step? Store managers say It’s because too many teens get rowdy in the evenings, and in a few cases, they’ve even damaged property. This bad behavior can deter other shoppers from coming to the mall.

    But some teens and parents argue that these new rules are unfair.

    For decades, malls have been a safe place for teens to hang out. Could chaperone policies change that for good?

    In the 1950s, shopping malls in America became the place to be. People could shop at many stores under one roof. By 1960, about three new shopping centers were opening every day. This changed how people shopped. It changed how they socialized too. Malls became popular gathering places—especially for teens.

    By the 1980s, malls were booming. They added video game arcades and skating rinks. Food courts flourished. Malls hosted fashion shows and concerts to attract young shoppers.

    These days, online shopping has changed how we buy things. But teens still hang out at malls. They offer freedom. “The first time you go to the mall on your own marks an important moment,” says 10th-grader Amrita Kumar. “You feel this sense of responsibility.”

    As early as the 1950s, shopping malls in America were the place to be. People could finally shop dozens of stores under one roof. By 1960, about three new shopping centers were opening every day. Not only did this change how people shopped, but it also changed how they socialized. Malls became popular gathering places—especially for teens.

    By the 1980s, malls were booming, and they added video game arcades and skating rinks. Their food courts flourished. Malls even hosted events like fashion shows and concerts meant to attract young shoppers.

    In recent years, online shopping has changed how we buy things. But in many places, malls are still a popular spot for teens to hang out. After all, they offer freedom. “The first time you go to the mall on your own marks an important moment,” says 10th-grader Amrita Kumar. “You feel this sense of responsibility.”

    But are teens taking that responsibility seriously? 

    Some business owners don’t think so. They say they’re adding new rules in response to fights and other bad behavior.

    Take Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California. On December 30, 2023, hundreds of young people visited the mall. Officials say their goal was to destroy the property. A fight broke out. Three people were injured. As a result, the mall now has a chaperone policy. On Fridays and Saturdays, teens must be with an adult after 3 p.m.

    The Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has a similar rule. Gene Satern is a manager there. He reminds people that teens can still shop solo. 

    They just can’t do it all the time. 

    “I want to stress that everyone is still welcome at our center,” he says. “But on weekends we require families to shop together.”

    But do teens take that responsibility seriously? Some business owners say no. They say teens fight. They behave badly. So malls are adding new rules.

    Del Amo Fashion Center is in Torrance, California. On December 30, 2023, hundreds of young people went there. Officials say they planned to destroy things. A fight broke out. Three people were injured. Now the mall has a chaperone policy. On Fridays and Saturdays, teens must be with an adult after 3 p.m.

    The Mall of Louisiana is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It has a similar rule. Gene Satern is a manager there. He says teens can still shop solo. They just can’t do it all the time.

    “Everyone is still welcome at our center,” he says. “But on weekends we require families to shop together.”

    But are teens taking that responsibility seriously?

    Some business owners don’t think so. They say they’re adding new rules in response to fights and other bad behavior.

    Take Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California. On December 30, 2023, hundreds of young people visited the mall. Officials say their goal was to destroy property. A fight broke out, and three people were injured. As a result, the mall now has a chaperone policy that requires teens to be with an adult on Fridays and Saturdays after 3 p.m.

    The Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has a similar rule. Gene Satern, a manager there, reminds people that teens can still shop solo.

    They just can’t do it all the time.

    “I want to stress that everyone is still welcome at our center,” he says. “But on weekends we require families to shop together.”

    Some people question these rules. Fewer teens at the mall could be bad for business. In the U.S., there are about 27.7 million teenage consumers. Many people shop online. So don’t malls need teen shoppers?

    Plus, parents say these rules punish even the good kids. Suzanne Mohan is a mom of two teens. They live in New Jersey. They shop at the Garden State Plaza in Paramus. It began requiring chaperones in 2023. “We want to raise our children to be very independent,” Mohan says. She says they can practice being independent at malls.

    Her daughter, Emilie, is in seventh grade. For her, it’s even simpler. “I just want to go to the mall to shop,” she says. •

    Still, some people question these chaperone policies. For one thing, fewer teens at the mall could be bad for business. In the U.S., there are about 27.7 million teenage consumers. With so many people shopping online, don’t malls need help from teen shoppers?

    In addition, parents say these rules punish even the good kids. Suzanne Mohan is a mother of two teens in New Jersey. They often shop at the Garden State Plaza in Paramus, which began requiring chaperones in 2023. “We want to raise our children to be very independent,” Mohan explains. She believes malls are a place where they can practice this.

    Her daughter, Emilie, agrees. But it’s even simpler than that, the seventh-grader adds: “I just want to go to the mall to shop.” •

_{—With reporting by Lisa M. Herrington}

_{—With reporting by Lisa M. Herrington}

_{—With reporting by Lisa M. Herrington}