Life News
Phones are the new cigarettes: locked pouches, lens stickers and free wine for going offline
A growing number of restaurants and bars want diners to look at each other, not their screens. The Guardian listed some of the tactics: the Spy Bar in London puts a sticker over phone camera lenses at the door; Antagonist, a bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, seals phones in locked pouches like those used in schools; and the Trophy Room in Phoenix stores them in a vintage filing cabinet. In Verona, Al Condominio offers a free bottle of wine to customers who hand over their phones, and about 90% accept.
The Guardian said big UK chains are moving too: Pizza Express has tried phone-free afternoons, while Wetherspoons asks customers to keep phones on silent.
Fox News added more American examples. The Saloon in Washington, DC bans phone use and has no televisions; Hop Sing Laundromat in Philadelphia briefs guests on its no-photo rules; The Edge Harlem in New York offers no Wi-Fi; and some Chick-fil-A branches give free ice cream to groups who put their phones in a box while they eat.
“People want an excuse.” — Tina Vaughn, co-owner of Eulalie, Manhattan, via Fox News
How each outlet framed it
- The Guardian — a wry look at whether bans work, from gentle nudges to strict rules.
- Fox News — a roundup of US venues, presented as diners welcoming the break.
What we don't know yet: Neither outlet cites a survey of how many venues have rules or how customers rate them. The Guardian notes that some customers simply go elsewhere, so the trend may suit some places better than others.