Will Virginia's Smoking Ban Bring More Patrons to Restaurants? (buy, plantations)

[bornindc]

Originally Posted by blu_monk

I don't know why people think there are THOUSANDS of people not going to restaurants because of the smoke. If the food is good enough, if the right band is playing or whatever, people will be there no matter what. It has nothing to do with smoke. The people that don't go out to eat, don't go out to eat because it's expensive to go out to eat all the time, not because they can't deal with the smoke. Restaurants will not see an increase in sales, actually, they'll probably see a decrease in sales because smokers are more likely to just stay at home where they can smoke in their own home.

I'd have to disagree with you too. Sorry, if there's a ton of smoke in the restaurant because of an open bar area, I'm not taking my infant there. I don't care how good the food is. I have family with allergies that won't go either. Hell, I even have friends that don't go to those places, even if they like them, because they just can't get the stink out of their clothes later. And I know from conversations with a few friends that they avoid smokey restaurants for similar reasons. It's a stretch to extrapolate from that small sampling (and the other posters on this thread) but that "thousands" in NoVa will now start going to places they didn't before is very likely.

I think the smokers will come and smoke outside, just like they do everywhere else. Have smokers stopped going to restaurants/bars in DC and MD where smoking is banned? Uh, no, they still go and keep their habit to the outdoors like they will in VA.

[normie]

Originally Posted by car54

Ditto...I've never smoked, but I've never liked government intrusion either.

If I own a bar/restaurant, I should be allowed to decide what is in MY best interests....to allow smoking and forfeit the business of those that don't like it....or to ban smoking and forfeit the business of smokers. I would be in favor of a law mandating the posting of a prominent sign that states whether the establishment is smoking or non-smoking...so folks could stop, or drive on by depending on their tastes.

It should be up to ME, the proprietor!

It's a slippery slope....

I agree, even though I personally benefit from this law.

On the one hand, I'm one of the people who absolutely must avoid smoke filled rooms at all cost. Last year I had a bout with lymphoma, and even though I'm in remission now I can't take the risk. So this law means I now have a lot more places I can go.

So in a way, I'm doing a happy dance. But it's only a "sorta happy" dance because I get nervous when I see laws like this. I don't like seeing the government regulate personal choices or telling people how to live their lives.

IMO, if other people want to poison their own bodies that's their business and their right. And if people like me don't want to be exposed to it, we have the right to take our business somewhere else. There were plenty of 100% non-smoking restaurants before this took effect. Business owners should have the right to decide which customers they want to cater to.

[Maineah]

My home state, Maine, banned smoking in bars and restaurants in 2004. There were a few places that tried to fight the ban but in the end everyone complied. Business is up across the board since the ban.
Private clubs were exempt initially though most of them have become smoke free as well. Some restaurants have outdoor smoking areas though at this point even those are disappearing.
It is a great idea and you will see significant improvements in business as a result of the ban.
I'm all for the rights of smokers to do as they please in their own envrionment, home, car etc. Maine has gone as far as to ban smoking in vehicles if children are present. Now we're wondering where it will stop. I agree with the public place ban but now they want to ban smoking in outdoor places like state parks and beaches. The restaurant ban is fine and a good idea for patrons and workers ...just watch your legislature and don't let them get carried away with it.

[l3it3r]

If it weren't for Southern Virginia's Tobacco farms, this would have happened a long time ago. I work in a building where only about 12 or 13 people smoke.. out of over 200. Not one person in the group I work in smokes (which makes lunch time and travelling very easy). If it were up to me, I'd ban smoking as a whole.. I drive a Jeep wrangler and can't stand when I get behind a smoker on the road. I hate seeing cigarette butts on the ground, and HATED going to resturaunts that allowed smoking. I am very happy about this law

[normie]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Amen to that. Would have liked this to have happened sooner, but with Virginia's tobacco-growing past and Philip Morris USA headquartered in Richmond, it's not surprising this took a while.

Exactly. Tobacco is very much a part of our state's cultural and economic history. Tobacco leaves are carved into the stone work for our state capital. A lot of people here have a sentimental attachment, much like people in Pittsburgh would have a hard time outlawing steel mills, even though steel mills create toxins. It's hard to let go of things that are part of your history, even when you recognize that their time has pased.

[NOVAmtneer82]

Originally Posted by bornindc

I'd have to disagree with you too. Sorry, if there's a ton of smoke in the restaurant because of an open bar area, I'm not taking my infant there. I don't care how good the food is. I have family with allergies that won't go either. Hell, I even have friends that don't go to those places, even if they like them, because they just can't get the stink out of their clothes later. And I know from conversations with a few friends that they avoid smokey restaurants for similar reasons. It's a stretch to extrapolate from that small sampling (and the other posters on this thread) but that "thousands" in NoVa will now start going to places they didn't before is very likely.

I think the smokers will come and smoke outside, just like they do everywhere else. Have smokers stopped going to restaurants/bars in DC and MD where smoking is banned? Uh, no, they still go and keep their habit to the outdoors like they will in VA.

I'm not a big smoker although a decent number of my friends are and I simply don't see how there will be thousands of non-smokers in Northern Virginia suddenly pouring into restaurants because of a smoking ban. Barring severe respiratory or other health problems I cannot imagine someone avoiding a nice place (that has smoking and non-smoking sections) just because they don't smoke. Sorry, but I would never turn down a meal at a place like Morton's just because people are legally..or were legally..allowed to light up inside.

I personally would rather sit next to a table of smokers than a table full of screaming kids whose parents just sit back like it's no big deal. I guess it's all about personal preferences but to me that is more annoying than someone blowing smoke my way.

[michgc]

I don't care if they drink alcohol, shoot up heroin, or pop pills while they are at a restaurant - that's their business, but they had better not blow cigarette smoke in my face. Applauding in Vienna.

[car54]

Originally Posted by bornindc

I'd have to disagree with you too. Sorry, if there's a ton of smoke in the restaurant because of an open bar area, I'm not taking my infant there....

Now there's a law I would support....ban infants and toddlers in restaurants!!!

The proprietor could be granted an exception if the establishment has a separate walled-off (soundproof!) dining area for the folks with kiddies.

After all, stress is bad for ones' health, and having a meal ruined by a few dozen kids screaming and running around is stressful for me!

Let's go folks, call your State reps and lets get a kid-ban movement going!

Or how about we just ban irritating people altogether?

[oneasterisk]

Originally Posted by car54

Or how about we just ban irritating people altogether?

You know it gets lonely eating alone...

It's not fair to ban all the kids. I've seen some kids that are really well behaved. It's definitely the parents fault if their kids are little monsters...

[seiketsu]

I'm one of those who decline invitations if I don't want to bother with dry-cleaning expenses or washing my hair that night. I'm all for smoking bans. Personally, I think tobacco should be just as illegal as marijuana, as its effects on both the smoker and those nearby are much worse. Too bad the nation's founders didn't have the foresight to set up sprawling cannabis plantations as a major driver of the economy.

That said, the one downside to smoke-free bars and dance clubs is that you realize just how BAD they smell without the cloak of smoke. Musty and rank, many of them are.