Discount For Diners Not Using Their Mobile- What Do People Think Of This

[gordiescotland1]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-43181353

Personally I think it is a great idea, there is nothing more annoying than someone sitting a table speaking in a loud voice, or a date sitting next to you always looking at their phone very off putting I hope this catches on.
What do others think?

[Sqad]

ummmm...but they can use a landline phone....can't they?

[Jackdaw33]

Ah ha, I see.

[andy-hughes]

Sqad - // Andy...the "courteous mobile users" will still be courteous and all they have to do to get the discount is to hand in their mobiles. //

I am unsure what point you are making here Sqad - ?

As I see it, I am an adult and I know my manners, so I don't use my mobile phone at the table in a restaurant.

Why should another customer who may or may not be able to behave like an adult in public be given a discount for handing over their mobile phone to make them act in a proper polite manner?

I know it's a gimmick, and personally, I would not visit this restaurant because I object to the notion of money off for gimmicks like this - but for others, my point remains, why reward bad manners and penalise common courtesy?

[ummmm]

Except we don't have a landline..

[Sqad]

A-H.....Fine....don't give discounts, just suffer the annoyance of anti-social phone users.

Can you think of a better idea?

[diddlydo]

Excellent idea and about time that all pubs and restaurants followed suit. In addition, any phones that are carried should be switched to silent - it's no good people saying they don't use their phone in restaurants but then let it ring unanswered with whatever irritating tone they've selected. I also get really p***** off with people sitting in "Quiet Zone" carriages on trains who then asnwer their phone and have lengthy conversations.

[Sqad]

Well tough ummmm!

[Mamyalynne]

If I were keen for the discount I'd take my phone and offer it up - normally it would still be at home.

[ummmm]

No it's not. Mobile phones are for convenience.

[andy-hughes]

Sqad - // A-H.....Fine....don't give discounts, just suffer the annoyance of anti-social phone users.

Can you think of a better idea? //

Personally, I am not remotely bothered if people use their phones in restaurants I think it is bad manners, and I don't do it, but it's a free country.

If restaurants have an issue, simply put up a large notice advising diners that anyone using a phone at the table will be asked by staff to continue their conversation outside.

It's not a gimmick drawing attention to your premises, which is what this is actually about - but it's fairer than rewarding discourtesy.

[Cloverjo]

That drives me nuts too, diddlydo. I usually choose not to sit in the quiet carriage, because there's always one idiot who thinks the rules don't apply to them. I'd rather be annoyed by a load of people chatting in the non-quiet areas.

[andy-hughes]

Jordyboy - // it is a pity that with all this great technolgy someone could not come up with a device that could be used to block all signals to stop pest using there phones in restaurants and on long distance busses and trains //

I don't think it's fair to penalise people who genuinely need to be in contact, simply to deal with people who are ignorant.

Some appropriate notices, backed with appropriate enforcement, is the way to go in my view.

[rccatnap]

When booking a table in a restaurant, I sometimes ask if there is a mobile-free zone. Rarely is the answer, 'Yes', but it informs the restaurant what this customer's expectations might be.
I was in a pub last Monday evening where there was a family of five sitting around a table and every single one of them had their phone out texting. It looked strange, but it was peaceful.

[Sqad]

A-H.....fine.....put up a large notice.
I would have no objection to that either.
The question being, which would be more effective?
The particular restaurant feels that the discount would be.

[naomi24]

I wouldn't eat there.

[237SJ]

I hope the cash box is attached to the table.

[ducksie]

I wouldn't eat at that restaurant but reading some replies, I think if family at home need you, give them the number to the restaurant you're eating at, let them contact the restaurant if it's urgent, I don't like dining while my companions are all nose down into mobiles, we have an agreement before going out,that whoever is first to pick up the phone pays the dinner bill, it's all tic really, it never actually happened but we still stick to that plan and leave the phones on silent or look at them while out for cigarette break

[youngmafbog]

This particular restaurant is using it as a gimic, perhaps to try and get some punters in on a quiet Monday.

My take is that it is a good idea, I would go to a restaurant that is mobile free and even more so if it was brat free.

It is perfectly possible to live without a mobile, I am not permanently attached to mine and I have had one since 1990 so longer than most.

[woofgang]

If the food is good enough I wouldn't care....rather have mobile phone users than noisy rowdy ones or children running everywhere. In fact such an attitude on the part of a restaurant would put me off.

[ducksie]

brat free? maybe you've a good brat sitter who knows better than to contact you when you're dining out. I must have been using phones earlier than that as I was the only person in the village had one and a songwriter penned My Girlfriend's got a Mobile Phone, I remember my OH at the time used to wind me up singing it.