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Fantastic. Next time a certain friend eats out with me, I do hope you are sitting next to us. He seriously drives me nuts with his phone.
Then do what I've decided to do from now on if ever I'm treated second to a stupid piece of plastic ...get up, say. "See ya," and leave them to it. Be consistent until they either catch on or otherwise find a new friend who isn't attached to his/her wretched phone. It's time that the ignorant among us were put on notice. There appears to be quite a number on this particular thread.
Actually I love that they are closed on Sundays but this is not the place to discuss that.
I believe it's self-righteous. Sure some people use their phones excessively but plenty of people don't. Again if people are glued to their phones to the point they are not interacting with their company, I think they have bigger issues than a fast food chain playing psychologist can fix.
I'm still baffled by all of the comments ranging from mildly insulting to outright hate over this promotional idea.
As an example, I just saw a facebook post that said "I like the idea but I'm not letting anyone take my phone".
Reading comprehension issues maybe?
Let me ask this of the thread posters:
1. Is it a bad idea for people to put down their phones while eating in a group situation and actually talk with the people they're sitting with, especially if it's their family?
2. Is it bad that a restaurant is promoting itself and the idea listed above by offering a free item?
3. Is it wrong for them to create a program which a person can CHOOSE to do?
Some are acting like there's someone standing in the restaurant demanding phone usage stop and tossing out offenders or making people park their phones on entry.
It's all about CHOICE, if you CHOOSE to then you get a free ice cream, if you CHOOSE to keep using your phone then you don't get a free ice cream.
Isn't FREE WILL and the freedom to CHOOSE one of the pillars of our society?
Amen, brother. I've seen 'em both, those sad toddlers and the alleged friends. Once grabbed a quick pre-theater meal at a Times Square Applebee's and three teen girl "friends", probably tourists, sat next to me and I swear did not speak for minimum 5 minutes. Might have been longer. Plunked themselves right down and went straight for the two-thumb salute, heads bowed individually and diligently over the shiny, shiny screen. I swear I was starting to think they had had a huge fight, until 12 (? maybe exaggeration, but if so, slight) minutes later, they had tap-a-tapped every single thing they wanted to communicate about to all their friends and family members, and could finally unzip their lips. Quite sad choice, a window view of Times Square and two live alleged friends, whose company you allegedly, one assumes, enjoy.
Sounds like you spend a lot of time watching what strangers do, not a lot different than being glued to a phone.
I'm still baffled by all of the comments ranging from mildly insulting to outright hate over this promotional idea.
As an example, I just saw a facebook post that said "I like the idea but I'm not letting anyone take my phone".
Reading comprehension issues maybe?
Let me ask this of the thread posters:
1. Is it a bad idea for people to put down their phones while eating in a group situation and actually talk with the people they're sitting with, especially if it's their family?
No, but I'm not gonna police what other people do especially when I don't know if maybe they really need to use the phone. Like someone said people could be waiting for job interviews, have emergencies or simply might need to talk to someone who they can't speak to later on.
Quote:
2. Is it bad that a restaurant is promoting itself and the idea listed above by offering a free item?
yes, they are in the business of selling greasy food, not in the business of telling people what phone behavior they find rewarding.
Quote:
3. Is it wrong for them to create a program which a person can CHOOSE to do?
if they cared about their customers they would leave them alone not try to impose their self-righteousness. It's none of their business if people use their phones or not. "Rewarding" behavior is a judgment call. It's telling people what they think they should be doing. Again it's not their business.
Quote:
Some are acting like there's someone standing in the restaurant demanding phone usage stop and tossing out offenders or making people park their phones on entry.
the company is sending a message. They are telling people what they think good behavior is. Again none of their business.
Quote:
It's all about CHOICE, if you CHOOSE to then you get a free ice cream, if you CHOOSE to keep using your phone then you don't get a free ice cream.
Isn't FREE WILL and the freedom to CHOOSE one of the pillars of our society?
It's not about choice. Choice is letting people eat their meals however they want.
What they are doing is sending a message. Telling people how they think they should eat their meals.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
26,700 posts, read 41,718,665 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimj
I'm still baffled by all of the comments ranging from mildly insulting to outright hate over this promotional idea.
As an example, I just saw a facebook post that said "I like the idea but I'm not letting anyone take my phone".
Reading comprehension issues maybe?
Let me ask this of the thread posters:
1. Is it a bad idea for people to put down their phones while eating in a group situation and actually talk with the people they're sitting with, especially if it's their family?
2. Is it bad that a restaurant is promoting itself and the idea listed above by offering a free item?
3. Is it wrong for them to create a program which a person can CHOOSE to do?
Some are acting like there's someone standing in the restaurant demanding phone usage stop and tossing out offenders or making people park their phones on entry.
It's all about CHOICE, if you CHOOSE to then you get a free ice cream, if you CHOOSE to keep using your phone then you don't get a free ice cream.
Isn't FREE WILL and the freedom to CHOOSE one of the pillars of our society?
1. No, it's not a bad idea at all. But someone may not be there by choice, I'm not going to get mad at them at checking the Final Four Scores if their other people at the table are excluding them from a conversation which is not interesting anyway.
2. No they are a big business. They can do whatever they want for marketing. I can choose however to eat at a place that does not make this big a deal over smartphones.
3. No. But it seems like this program discriminates against single people who dine alone since they have no family to be distracted from.
I might do it for one of their cookies, but not ice cream.
Their cookies are worth the risk of having my phone stolen.
I wonder about this more than anything else. I'm assuming that everyone puts their phone in the same box? They should offer FOOD for doing this, not dessert. At least a sandwich.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carolina Knight
Retailers have a similar program involving cell phones. If you do not talk on your cell phones, you receive service. When your cell phone conversation is more important than checking out or finding an item, you receive no service. This concept works very well.
My bank does this. There is a sign where the line forms that tells you that cell phone usage is not allowed during transactions. Use it all you want in line, but once you get to a teller, put it away.
Great policy.
However....
At a restaurant, where you can presumably do as you please once you are seated, I don't see the big deal. If the people that you are eating with do not mind - why does Chic Fil A care?
the company is sending a message. They are telling people what they think good behavior is. Again none of their business.
It's not about choice. Choice is letting people eat their meals however they want.
What they are doing is sending a message. Telling people how they think they should eat their meals.
Take everything you just said and compare to Obamacare.
The government is sending a message and telling people what they should do with their lives and money. Except that one is required. Chick-Fil-A's program is optional. That one isn't about choice. Choice is letting people spend their money as they see fit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mochamajesty
I wonder about this more than anything else. I'm assuming that everyone puts their phone in the same box? They should offer FOOD for doing this, not dessert. At least a sandwich.
I stopped by to get a salad tonight and someone came up to the counter while I was waiting to reclaim their phones.. They put the phones in a "Coop" (Chicken coop.. Phone coop.. get it.. I am easily amused at times). It basically looks like a happy meal box. Each table that participates gets their own 'coop'. The box was actually kinda cute.. And, I was actually surprised at the size of the free ice cream.. It's.. Larger than a McDonalds sundae.
Quote:
My bank does this. There is a sign where the line forms that tells you that cell phone usage is not allowed during transactions. Use it all you want in line, but once you get to a teller, put it away.
Great policy.
However....
At a restaurant, where you can presumably do as you please once you are seated, I don't see the big deal. If the people that you are eating with do not mind - why does Chic Fil A care?
Their little contribution to family togetherness, I suppose. Mom, Dad and the kids go out to eat, they feel they should talk to each other, not be buried in phones.
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