by Kelly A. Mello

Created on: February 26, 2008

Cellular phones should not be banned from restaurants, but certainly the use of them should be. To put it bluntly, using cellular phones in a public area such as a restaurant is just plain rude. It is rude to the host or hostess, waiting staff and their fellow diners.

There are two parts to cell phone use: Talking and texting. Neither one is better than the other. Both means of communication dull the dining experience for all.

When walking into a restaurant, how can the host perform his job sufficiently if he cannot even ask how many are in someone's party? Or their last name? Not only will this hinder him from getting everyone seated in a timely manner, but it will annoy him, and the people behind the offender, as well. If someone is on the phone when they walk in, they should surrender their place in line until they are finished with their phone call.

Waiters are often thrusted into this situation as well. Instead of taking orders as soon as possible, they are forced to either stand there, waiting for his customer to hit the end button, or leave and come back later. Some people then have the audacity to get upset at the waiter for making him wait. As a result, the waiter doesn't get as good of a tip as he should have.

And of course there is the general public who has to put up with the incessant ringing. Going out to eat is supposed to be a pleasant experience which relaxes you. That is just not possible when you hear the "Chicken Noodle Soup" song ringing away the next table over.

People have an internal filter, which stops them from talking about things in public that are meant for private. The cellular phone seems to cause a disruption with this filter, because people often blab away about personal issues no one wants to know about when they are on one. And to talk about so-and-so's rash at the table doesn't exactly make your meal any more appetizing.

Lastly, there is the company cell phone users are out with who are left on the back burner. Nothing says, "You're not important" more than giving them the "one-minute" finger and beginning a conversation with an invisible someone else.

With texting, people may think that it is less rude than talking on the phone. Those people need to think again. They often pay even less attention to what they are supposed to be doing and who they are walking into. Sure, things are a little quieter when you are tapping away at digits on your phone, but that beeping or clicking sound can be just as annoying. And since they are not talking out loud, people think this gives them license to do it even more.

I understand that sometimes, it is necessary to use the phone. Emergencies do occasionally pop up from time to time. But that is the only time the use of phones should be used in a restaurant.

My question is, why go out if you are not going to pay attention to the person you are with? Wouldn't you rather sit back, enjoy your company along with the meal set before you? There's no better way to stay connected to the people who are important to you than to spend quality time with them. Shut off your phone and try it sometime!

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