In a growing trend mirroring the banishment of cigarettes from dining rooms decades ago, restaurants and bars are increasingly implementing creative measures to encourage patrons to disconnect from their devices and reconnect with their dining companions and the experience itself. From lockable pouches for phones at Charlotte’s Antagonist cocktail bar, where the aim is to ‘bring back a little slice of human connection,’ to outright phone bans at Washington D.C.’s The Saloon and Manhattan’s Eulalie bistro, establishments are seeking to combat the pervasive distraction of smartphones that some owners feel have become the ‘new cigarettes.’ This movement extends to London’s Spy Bar, which places stickers over camera lenses, and Italy’s AI Condominio, offering a free bottle of wine for surrendered phones, with even Chick-fil-A experimenting with ‘Cellphone Coop Challenges’ for free ice cream in exchange for stashing devices. While the digital disruption is seen as a societal issue, restaurant operators are finding that proactive policies, from no-Wi-Fi signs at The Edge Harlem to speakeasy-style briefings at Philadelphia’s Hop Sing Laundromat, can foster more present and engaging dining experiences, though some experts caution against overly restrictive measures that could undermine hospitality.
Adapted from: Latest & Breaking News on Fox News
