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| Yes | 38% | 1175 votes | Total: 3071 votes | |
| No | 62% | 1896 votes |
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Add to FavoritesIn the pre-cell-phone era a getaway was a getaway. A romantic meal at a restaurant was just that. There was no problem being out of reach. In an emergency people could generally find us. In the cell-phone era everything has changed.
Herman is taking his new girlfriend Cindy for a romantic evening at small and authentic Italian restaurant. The waiter shows them to their table and presents them with menus. Herman orders a bottle of Italian white wine.
The waiter is ready to tell the young couple about today's specials, but Cindy's phone rings. She spends the next twenty minutes in an animated conversation with a long-lost friend that she hasn't seen since lunchtime.
As she replaces her phone, Herman's boss calls. He cannot understand a section of Herman's progress report. As Herman explains the report he notices that there is another call waiting. It is his friend Jonti - he must take this call! Jonti will be flying to Australia first thing in the morning.
The waiter waits patiently. So does Cindy. Before Herman has completed his call, Cindy's mother calls. She wants to know why she hasn't heard from her daughter for three weeks.
The waiter manages to get their order. At last the couple can talk to each other. They have been at the restaurant for an hour and their order has only just been taken.
What shocking service. Herman has a good mind to complain.
As the food arrives, Cindy's phone rings again. Her ex-boyfriend. Determined to get rid of him quickly she answers. The call becomes complicated. She makes her way to the Ladies room and returns after twenty minutes to her cold food.
What ever happened to the romantic evening? Apart from ruining their own meal Cindy and Herman have subjected people at the other tables to their loud conversations.
Perhap s banning cell-phones from restaurants is taking things too far, but it may be the only way to ensure that we can enjoy a meal at our favourite restaurant.
Learn more about this author, Barry Marcus.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
Allowing cell phones to be at full volume should be banned in restaurants, along with people having their cell phone conversations while still inside, but the actual banning of phones from restaurants is not a good idea.
All of us have had some dining experience where we have been enjoying a romantic meal with our partner, or a catch-up lunch with friends, when suddenly the meal is interrupted by the loud ringing of another diners cell phone. And if that was not bad enough, now you are subjected to hear their entire conversation in full, all while trying to enjoy your meal. This is certainly an occurrence we can all agree ruins a dining experience, but a total ban on cell phones would not be a good idea either.
Imagine that you are at dinner, your cell phone is turned off because of the ban, but your family have been trying to reach you the entire time. Something terrible has happened and you are required to be somewhere urgently, but they cannot get through. This is definitely an experience no one wants to have, but having your cell phone off means it is quite possible that you will miss a very urgent call.
So instead of banning a cell phone, restrictions should be put in place instead, much like at the cinemas. It should be asked that diners silence their phones, or put them to vibrate so as not to interrupt other patrons trying to enjoy their meals. This means that the individual is still able to feel the vibration of their cell phone, or check the display regularly, so as not to miss important calls.
It should also be requested that an individual leaves the restaurant, or at least excuses themself to the toilet if they know the call will be more than a few seconds long. This is courtesy again to other diners so that their meal is not interrupted by having to listen to another person's phone call. As much as some people may enjoy a bit of eavesdropping, most would rather hear their own conversations than struggle over the noise of a person shouting into their phone (as many men seem to do).
Learn more about this author, Holly Rogers.
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