Would You Stop Using Your Cellphone at Restaurants If It Meant a Cheaper Meal?
The owner of a Los Angeles-based restaurant wants his customers to put down their cellphones and talk to each other instead.
To show just how much he hates it when people pull out their smartphones during dinner, Eva Restaurant owner and chef Mark Gold is willing to pay patrons out-of-pocket for their cooperation.
Anyone consenting to part with their phones for the duration of the meal by leaving their mobile devices at the door will be eligible to receive a 5% discount.
"For us, it's really not about people disrupting other guests," Gold told KPCC. "It's about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we're trying to create an ambiance where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company."
Gold claims the incentive is a hit, with just under half of all customers agreeing to the terms.
