Texas Restaurant Bans Customers’ Cellphones, But Not Everyone Agrees With The Rule

Cell phones are no longer only for calling or texting; they carry a person's life - pictures of friends and family, social media, credit cards-- everything. And that's what makes them so addicting.

Tired of seeing customers staring at their phones, one Italian restaurant owner in Texas put his foot down.

Enjoy A Smartphone-Free Dinner

caterinas
Instagram/ChefTimLove
Instagram/ChefTimLove

Tim Love owns many restaurants in the Fort Worth, Texas area, and he's tired of seeing smartphones out during dinner.

So when he opened Caterina's, he made a strict "no smartphone" policy.

ADVERTISEMENT

Phones Are Put Away

ADVERTISEMENT
tim-love
Instagram/ChefTimLove
Instagram/ChefTimLove
ADVERTISEMENT

Tim describes his process,

ADVERTISEMENT

"The host gives each guest a bag to put their phone in, and the bag stays with the guest the whole dinner... It's not a big deal."

ADVERTISEMENT

An Old School Red Rotary Phone If You Need To Make A Call!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
red-phone
instagram/Caterinasftx
instagram/Caterinasftx
ADVERTISEMENT

But what if a guest is waiting for a phone call?

ADVERTISEMENT

The restaurant offers an old-school rotary phone that the staff will walk over to the table so the guest can use it.

ADVERTISEMENT

Of Course, People Can Go Outside To Look At Their Phones

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
klara-kulikova-WcV2YkM3Dls-unsplash
Unsplash/Klara Kulikova
Unsplash/Klara Kulikova
ADVERTISEMENT

Tim also adds, "If someone really needs to access their smartphone during dinner, they are welcome to simply walk outside to use it."

ADVERTISEMENT

So far, this idea doesn't seem to have any negatives!

ADVERTISEMENT

What About Food Bloggers?

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3764485
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio/pexels
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio/pexels
ADVERTISEMENT

A food blogger asked Tim, "What about people like me who want to take photos of the space and their memorable meal?"

ADVERTISEMENT

Tim already has a plan; they will send a follow-up e-mail to all reservations the following day with a photo of everything they ordered if they want to share it.

ADVERTISEMENT

If You Can Watch A Movie And Not Be On Your Phone, You Can Do This

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
davey-gravy-DmO662qvWO8-unsplash
Unsplash/Davey Gravy
Unsplash/Davey Gravy
ADVERTISEMENT

Tim warns this restaurant isn't for you if you can't go two hours without looking at your phone.

ADVERTISEMENT

Even though people go to the movies and don't look at their phones for the same amount of time...

ADVERTISEMENT

Should Restaurants Ban Cell Phones?

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
GettyImages-136244851
Getty Images)
Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT

The big question on everyone's mind is, should restaurants be banning cellphones?

ADVERTISEMENT

There are pros and cons to doing so. And comedy shows and concerts have been trying to push unplugged performances for some time now.

ADVERTISEMENT

Encouraging A Slow Dining Experience

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
liubov-ilchuk qZOwG2oaj4-unsplash
Unsplash/Liubov Iluchuk
Unsplash/Liubov Iluchuk
ADVERTISEMENT

Tim considers Caterina's as a slow-dining restaurant. Guests will enjoy a multi-course meal.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tim hopes the experience will encourage people to slow down and enjoy their experience at his restaurant.

ADVERTISEMENT

What About Dining Alone?

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
GettyImages-1005963034
Johannes Schmitt-Tegge/picture alliance via Getty Images
Johannes Schmitt-Tegge/picture alliance via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

There are other questions that people want answers to, like "What if you're dining alone and don't want to talk to strangers?"

ADVERTISEMENT

And, "What about people who use cell phones to track blood sugar levels? Or people who need to keep in contact with loved ones?"

ADVERTISEMENT

Should There Be Exceptions?

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
GettyImages-1235021620
Matt Harbicht/Getty Images for Tandem Diabetes Care
Matt Harbicht/Getty Images for Tandem Diabetes Care
ADVERTISEMENT

People also mentioned that some people need their phones to communicate with others because of health problems.

ADVERTISEMENT

So does that mean their cell phone still needs to be taken away?

ADVERTISEMENT

Pros To No Phones

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
pexels-adrienn-1537635
Photo by Adrienn/pexels
Photo by Adrienn/pexels
ADVERTISEMENT

The pros of a restaurant banning cell phones start with unplugging - it helps customers enjoy their experience at the restaurant.

ADVERTISEMENT

Also, it would accelerate the meal times and table turnovers, which means more customers!

ADVERTISEMENT

Cons To A Cell Phone Ban

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
pexels-kerde-severin-1542252
Photo by Kerde Severin/pexels
Photo by Kerde Severin/pexels
ADVERTISEMENT

The biggest con for a restaurant if they ban cell phones is the loss of social media interactions.

ADVERTISEMENT

With fewer people taking pictures of their food will lead to fewer posts about the restaurant, which will ultimately lead to less sales.

ADVERTISEMENT

Caterina's Other Rule - Dress Classy!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The "No Smartphone" policy isn't the only rule at Caterina's.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tim gave the restaurant a 40's and 50's style - meaning if you make a reservation, you must look classy.

ADVERTISEMENT

Men Must Wear Sport Coats

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
pexels-pizhonby-4398944
Photo by PIZHONBY/pexels
Photo by PIZHONBY/pexels
ADVERTISEMENT

What does that mean? Well, for the men, that means wearing a sports coat.

ADVERTISEMENT

But don't worry if you forget; they have extra sports coats on hand to loan out.