At a time when it was customary for cafés to have an impeccably dressed doorman to ensure establishments remained classy, customers of A Brasileira do Chiado always wore ties and attire that was strictly controlled by the waiters. An exception was opened for artists, who were allowed a measure of (restrained) boldness. Hats being in common use at the time, it was considered good manners to remove one’s hat inside an establishment. Upon returning from his trip to Brazil, Admiral Gago Coutinho, at the time acclaimed as a national hero, was approached by the doorman and urged to remove his hat. Gago Coutinho refused to do so, claiming it was part of his uniform, but the doorman, enforcing strict compliance with the rules, would not relent, and Gago Coutinho withdrew in a huff.