While we’ve been saying it’s good meal etiquette to put your phone away at dinner since we launched, we’re happy that other people are taking it upon themselves to reward diners for good behavior.
Los Angeles restaurant Eva on Beverly Blvd. is offering customers a 5% discount on their meals if they’re willing to leave their phones at the front for the duration of their meal. Says owner Mark Gold:
“For us, it’s really not about people disrupting other guests. Eva is home, and we want to create that environment of home, and we want people to connect again. It’s about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we’re trying to create an ambiance where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company.”
Ahmen! Being at the table to break bread and socialize is what Grubwithus is all about. In addition to Eva’s 5% discount, a lot of diners have been playing The Phone Stack game to curb over-Instagramming and constant texting at the dinner table.
The Phone Stack Game rules are pretty simple. All the diners stack their phones in a pile in the middle of the table at the beginning of the meal, and the first person to grab their phone from the stack has to pay the bill. That could be an expensive text you’re checking!
There’s also an increasing number of people that say a cell phone whipped out on a date is a deal breaker! The disinterested or distracted cell phone checking is sending the signal that your emails are more important than your date. If that happens to be true (not all dates are perfect), try using the eHarmony Bad Date Rescue app to gracefully/hilariously extricate yourself.
Obviously we are fans of unplugging, but what about you? Do you use your phone at the table? How do you deal with other diners that do? Let us know any tips and tricks you have in the comments!
