Restaurants Tackle Phone Distraction at the Dinner Table
While cigarette smoke has vanished from dining spaces, some restaurant owners are now contending with a different issue: patrons overly focused on their phones.
Establishments are getting creative in their attempts to encourage diners to engage more with their meals and less with their screens. This ranges from locking pouches, reminiscent of school days, to offering complimentary glasses of wine for those willing to set their devices aside.
For instance, at Antagonist, a cocktail bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, guests receive a lockable pouch for their phones as they enter. It’s been suggested that phones have become the “new cigarettes,” as highlighted in a recent article.
The objective? According to Adam Horner, the bar’s general manager, it’s to “bring back a little slice of human connection that we all feel has been lost with technology.”
Meanwhile, The Saloon, a bar in Washington, D.C., goes a step further and outright bans phone use. One regular expressed to the Journal that this policy is a response to a bar culture that’s become “very insular and not very fun” due to everyone being glued to their devices.
In Manhattan, Eulalie, a bistro, has clear signage and menu notes regarding its no-phone policy, which co-owner Tina Vaughn believes diners appreciate. “People want an excuse,” she shared. “They’re dying for someone to say, ‘You can get off that. It’s OK.'”
Additionally, Philadelphia’s Hop Sing Laundromat prohibits calls, texts, and photos as part of its controlled speakeasy atmosphere. Guests are informed of these rules upon arriving.
Other venues are adopting a more subtle take. The Edge Harlem in New York City, for example, does not offer Wi-Fi and encourages patrons to “Connect With Each Other” through a sign at the bar.
Across Europe, different methods are being tested. Spy Bar in London, for example, puts stickers on phone camera lenses, while AI Condominio in Verona, Italy, offers diners a free bottle of wine if they surrender their phones before their meals.
This trend seems particularly prevalent in higher-end dining experiences, such as tasting-menu restaurants, but even popular chain restaurants are exploring phone restrictions.
Chick-fil-A, for example, has rolled out a “Cellphone Coops Challenge” at certain locations, inviting families to stash their phones in a box during meals in exchange for complimentary ice cream.
The push to limit phone usage comes amid a backdrop where smartphones have become as ubiquitous as dinnerware, with guests often photographing their food, recording videos, or scrolling social media throughout their dining experience.
These distractions can disrupt the flow of service. Sanwar Mal Khokhar, a mixologist in Dallas, highlighted that when a dish needs to be served at the right temperature or with a specific explanation, phone distractions can throw that off.
Yet, he also believes that a blanket ban on phones would be excessive. “It’s perfectly fine to snap a quick photo, check a message, or look up an ingredient,” he noted, reflecting on modern dining life.
Some hospitality professionals argue that enforcing stringent no-phone policies can create uncomfortable situations for both guests and staff.
Rachael Barclay, a former general manager, pointed out that while phones might disrupt the dining atmosphere, addressing issues of service and engagement might be a better approach than outright banning devices. “A locked pouch is the opposite of hospitality,” she remarked, suggesting that the focus should be on creating an inviting atmosphere rather than restricting behavior.
In her perspective, attending to guests’ needs, ensuring good pacing in service, and fostering a more communal dining environment could be more effective solutions. After all, it’s all about balancing modern life with the experience of sharing a meal.
