In a city where screens dominate every waking moment, some Londoners are paying for a breather. For $12 a pop, they’re joining the Offline Club—a quirky experiment that swaps smartphones for face-to-face chats and a taste of the unplugged life. Since its debut in late October 2024, over 2,000 people have signed up, with Gen Z leading the charge. What’s the draw? A chance to escape the digital grind and reconnect with the world beyond the scroll.
A Break from the Buzz
The concept’s simple: hand over your phone, grab a coffee or a beer, and mingle—no notifications, no FOMO. Launched by two Dutch entrepreneurs fed up with their own screen addictions, the Offline Club first took root in Amsterdam before hopping the Channel to London. It’s not a retreat or a lecture hall—just a pub or café turned into a no-tech zone for a few hours. Think board games, awkward small talk, and the novelty of eye contact. “It’s like a mini-vacation from your phone,” one regular, 24-year-old Mia Patel, told Fortune. “You don’t realize how tethered you are until you let go.”
London’s hooked fast. The club’s events—three hours of forced disconnection—sell out in hours, with waitlists stretching into the hundreds. At £10 (roughly $12), it’s cheaper than a West End cocktail, but the payoff’s bigger: a rare slice of calm in a city that never sleeps. Since October, the group’s hosted dozens of meetups, pulling in everyone from burnt-out bankers to TikTok-obsessed twentysomethings.
Gen Z’s Digital Rebellion
The loudest cheerleaders? Gen Z—the irony isn’t lost. Born into a world of Wi-Fi and iPhones, they’re the generation that’s never known a screen-free day. Yet, they’re also the ones clawing back control. A 2024 UK study found 60% of 18-to-24-year-olds fret over their phone habits, with many clocking five-plus hours daily on social media. “I’d check Instagram before I even brushed my teeth,” admits Jake Carter, a 22-year-old barista who’s now a club regular. “This feels like hitting reset.”
It’s not just London. From “dumb phone” revivals—flip phones are TikTok’s latest retro flex—to social media sabbaticals, Gen Z’s flirting with a digital detox wave. The Offline Club’s tapped into that itch, offering a low-stakes way to unplug without going full hermit. “They’re not anti-tech,” says co-founder Ilya Kneppelhout. “They just want balance—less noise, more life.”
Why Pay to Disconnect?
Spending money to not use your phone might sound bonkers when you could just toss it in a drawer for free. But there’s a method to the madness. “It’s the commitment,” explains Kneppelhout. “Paying locks you in—plus, you’re not alone, so it’s social, not isolating.” The fee covers venue costs and a drink, but it’s really about buying into the vibe: a room full of strangers all opting out together. For Londoners juggling packed Tubes and relentless pings, that’s worth its weight in gold.
The club’s not preachy—no manifestos or mindfulness gurus here. It’s practical: lockboxes for phones, a stack of Monopoly boards, and a nudge to chat up the person next to you. “I met someone who lives three streets away,” says Patel. “We’d never have crossed paths otherwise.” That real-world spark’s the hook—proof there’s still magic beyond the algorithm.
A Trend With Legs?
The Offline Club’s not stopping at London. Plans are brewing for Manchester, Berlin, and maybe New York—anywhere urbanites feel the screen-time squeeze. Gen Z’s appetite for IRL (in real life) moments could fuel it further; a 2025 YouGov poll pegged 45% of young Brits as “interested” in digital detoxes, up from 30% two years ago. Meanwhile, London’s attendees are begging for more sessions. “Three hours isn’t enough,” Carter laughs. “I’m hooked on not being hooked.”
In a tech-drenched world, paying to switch off might just be the ultimate luxury. For Londoners—and the Gen Z crew steering this ship—it’s not about ditching phones forever. It’s about reclaiming a corner of life that doesn’t glow blue. One $12 ticket at a time.