Have you ever watched a dish go cold while someone instagrams it? Or been tempted to hurl your partner’s phone into the ice bucket? You’re not alone. Our recent research revealed that 90% of Brits said they find it rude when others use their phones during a meal and 83% would welcome a ‘no phone zone’ in restaurants.
While Brits are increasingly frustrated by phone use at the table, it’s something most of us are guilty of. 66% of diners use their phone when dining out, spending an average of 7 minutes neglecting our fellow guests. 32% of diners ask for a restaurant’s Wi-Fi password before they’ve even ordered their meal and a shocking 40% wouldn’t go to a restaurant if it didn’t have Wi-Fi.
Adrian Valeriano, Vice President of OpenTable Europe, comments, “Mobile phones and social media are now a central part of both our professional and social lives, so it isn’t surprising to see that diners are using their mobiles at the dinner table more than ever. It’s fair to say that in recent years the restaurant industry has had to adapt to this change in dining behaviour, but you would be hard-pushed to find an establishment that had a problem with it. However, if diners are serious about wanting no-phone zones, it will be fascinating to see whether restaurants adopt it.”
Food critic Grace Dent comments, “I am definitely guilty of using social media at a restaurant dining table and I don’t see a problem with sharing the odd snap of your meal here and there. However, it’s fair to say the trend for ‘food porn’ is impacting on the pleasure of the dining experience. As a result we’re all guilty of forgetting basic social manners and so I think it’s important to establish a greater sense of etiquette and decorum at the restaurant table.”
Some of Grace’s tips include:
- We all use various technology and social media to book and discover new restaurants but once sat opposite your dining partner, remember you’re there to be with them.
- Prioritise conversation. If someone’s more interested in being on their phone than being with you, it’s time to get the cheque.
- Food first, filter later. Get in and get out, if you’re desperate to document and upload your food then make sure you document it quickly and labour over uploading it later.
- Don’t insist on involving your fellow diners in a social media brag. If your guest doesn’t want to be snapped mid-gorge, then respect that fact.
- Never, ever, let someone’s social media snapping get in the way of enjoying your food. If they want to photograph your dish, they should have ordered it.
- Rearrange the table at your peril. Not only does it invite judgement from your fellow diners, but you’ll look like Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen shifting furniture on Changing Rooms.
Are you guilty of being glued to your phone when you’re dining out? Would you visit a restaurant with a ‘no phone zone’? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #NoPhoneZone.
