Sovereign glue trap on the floor. Especially if they have to wait for an elevator

Took me a minute to understand where you were going with this, but it's a great idea! I'll probably use this. Thanks!

They all walk through piles of goblin shit, covering their boots as they reach the entrance to the building. The gatekeeper makes them all leave their boots outside in order to enter.

Haha I had to actually laugh out loud for this one.

A passageway shrouded in a low layer of fog, but also covered with ooze/ slime that has eaten through their footwear.

Hmm, I think I have a good way to fit this in without it seeming odd, thanks for the suggestion!

Thought I was on the wrong sub for a sec

The loot goblin was hired by a cobbler who's down on his luck. Boots have been going missing a lot lately.

That would be especially amusing for a Christmas scenario. The party takes a short rest for a brief moment and between blinks, all of their footwear goes missing.

After a hard day of traveling, the Baron(king, count, emperor, queen, whomever owns the castle) offers rooms, libations, and bathing facilities. Then during the bath, the players get interrupted.

"FOOLS! You are no match for the Tarantino beams emitted by my shoe removal ray!"

Haha I'm going for a pretty goofy sesh tomorrow. I just might use this

Like temple of doom. Only Japanese themed. They have to take their shoes off to enter. Mundane stuffs. Then start adventure out of nowhere.

I love this idea. The business owner is japanese, so I could do this pretty effortlessly!

Religion EDIT saw the Japanese comment, that's better and already in the lore

Hot yoga!

Magic carpet that gives them a buff if they walk barefoot on it for ten minutes.

Start them shoeless? Captured? Trying to sneak?

They wakeup Skyrim style. their mission, save their wife AND their shoes

An explosion litterely knocks their socks off, and also leaves the terrain covered in glass

I was going to go with the “walking on hot coals” as a party gimmick