Restuarants Requesting People Turn Off Their Cell Phones.

[Pudge714]

I went out to dinner tonight. At an upscale restuarant (Scaramouche for those who live in Toronto). I opened up the menu and it said inside
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Out of courtesy to other guests please turn off your cell phone

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I decided to I turned my phone on vibrate because I could see if I received a call and my phone plays music when turned on or off so that would kind of defeat the purpose of not interrupting other people.
I have been to enough restaurants with similar price ranges, atmosphere and food quality and have never seen a message like this before. Has anyone encountered something like this before? What do others think of this policy?

BTW for those interested who have been to Scaramouche before this wasn't in the main dining room. I was also pretty underwhelmed, but I think that was a combination of having too high expectations and ordering poorly. Also I think they had the B team out as it was the Friday before a long weekend.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

people who scream into their Nextel phones and leave the BEEP BEEP on in restuarants should be killed.

[fusting1234]

To turn it off without making the turn off sound

1. Remove back
2. Remove Battery
3. Put Battery back in
4. Put Back back on

[Quicksilvre]

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Has anyone encountered something like this before?

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I have, mostly at churches.

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What do others think of this policy?

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I don't think it's necessary for maybe 90% of the population, but the other 10% spoil it sufficiently for it to be justified. I can't honestly say that I would miss it.

[pshabi]

That policy wouldn't hurt hurt my feelings at all. Everyone uses their cell phone but a lot of people need to hang the hell up every once in a while. Nahmean?

Edit: Especially the douchebags talking two-way all the god damn time.

[jaydub]

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I have been to enough restaurants with similar price ranges, atmosphere and food quality and have never seen a message like this before. Has anyone encountered something like this before? What do others think of this policy?


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I've been to many where reception was simply not available. Before it closed down, Robert Donna's Galileo in DC was one that I recall I always had difficulty. Not sure if it was active blocking or an architectural coincidence but it seems to be more effective than a little menu note that the abusers would ignore. Let's face it, if someone is enough of a [censored] to be obnoxiously loud on a cell phone at a high end restaurant, they sure as hell aren't going to read the note and turn off their phone.

J

[tuq]

I don't see the problem here. Proper protocol is to leave the table and go outside or maybe to the bar area (if the weather sucks) to speak on the phone anyway. They're only putting it on there to catch the small number of douchebags for whom this isn't obvious.

By the way, I only know of one restaurant in Phoenix where this policy is in place (Durant's, the legendary chop house on Central), but know of quite a few private golf country clubs that don't allow cell phone usage on the course.

[emon87]

I have no problem with a request like this at an upscale place going for a particular atmosphere. Their atmosphere is basically what makes them thrive.

However, in fast food or casual places a policy like this is dumb. In Seattle, Red Mill burgers has this policy, despite the fact that they cater to and thrive on families with loud muddy kids, etc. The cell phone policy is just borne out of a hate of phones and them trying to foist their ideas on other people, and for that I dislike it.

[kkcountry]

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people who scream into their Nextel phones and leave the BEEP BEEP on in restuarants should be killed.

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this video gave me seizures, no joke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruzQxvZstJY

[David H]

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To turn it off without making the turn off sound

1. Remove back
2. Remove Battery
3. Put Battery back in
4. Put Back back on

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You could also try to put your phone on Silent before you shut it off. When I turn my phone on or off, it makes a noise if it's set to Loud, vibrates if it's on Vibrate, and makes no noise when it's set to Silent.