If you can’t be without your phone for two hours, this restaurant in Texas isn’t for you. This comes as a shock for many foodies, especially the ones who regularly post on social media about what they eat.
Having phones is also something normal these days, for most people, not just foodies who share food-related content.
The new restaurant Caterina’s located at the Fort Worth Stockyards has put a ban on phones in their restaurant. Could this be the end of their business or will they become trendsetters?
Returning to Simplicity & Restoring the Pleasure of Dining
The owner of the restaurant, Tim Love, says that phones aren’t allowed in this Italian eatery.
Before starting dinner, the guests need to lock their phones in a bag that stays closed until it’s time to head home.
Love says his bold idea to introduce this requirement in this restaurant was inspired by the wish to create a place where people could enjoy delicious food and enjoy conversation with their loved ones, without the constant need to scroll their phones, check for notifications, and check messages.
Some of their visitors, according to Love, haven’t respected their rule and keep carrying their phones on the table. However, many others are glad to try this out and praise the restaurant’s initiative.
Love notes that if their customers really need to connect with someone who’s not with them, they can always use the restaurant’s landline. The waiter will even bring the bright red rotary phone to their table if they wish.
According to some studies, being on your phone, 24/7 can easily become too much. Our phones strip us away from enjoying the present moment and increase our anxiety.
If you visit this restaurant, the hostess will ask you to kindly put off your phone in a pouch and enjoy a pleasant dinner, without distractions. They serve dinner at a slower pace and the guests receive a multi-course meal.
This is slow dining or a dining experience that encourages slowing down.
Love’s Restaurant Has Another Rule for Guests
If you’re not set off by the phone-free environment, there’s just one extra rule you’ll have to adhere to in this restaurant, especially if you’re a man.
Namely, men need to wear jackets. And, if guests don’t have one, the restaurant can provide it. This is because the restaurant’s concept is based on the classy 40s and 50s vibes. So, to keep up the classiness, men need to wear sports coats.
With this in mind, if you’re planning a visit to the Dallas area and you love a quality Italian dish and don’t mind a phone-free night, don’t forget to bring a jacket, just in case!
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