Will Virginia's Smoking Ban Bring More Patrons to Restaurants?

[Moe III]

Originally Posted by normie

So, now that it's been a year, what do you think of the smoking ban? We've been eating out more since the ban took effect, and it seems to me like the restaurants are now much more crowded. Is it coincidence, or do people really prefer eating out now that they now it's a smoke free environment?

Forgive me, but it bothers me that so many of you pretend that prior to the ban you were forced to eat in smoking restaurants. You act is if smoke free dinning is a new experience that didn’t exist before. The only thing that has change is now there are fewer smoking restaurants then before. But there were only about 20% before the ban.

I don’t get it. The free market had balanced everything perfectly. Now the 23% of restaurant patrons that smoke have about 2% of the restaurant to pick from instead of the pre ban numbers of about 20%. It’s just greed and selfishness on the part of non smokers.

As a former smoker, I still avoid non smoking restaurants. It’s sad that free choice means so little to so many.

smokefreelyva.com

[GavinC]

I just read through this entire thread and WOW so many happy people over the smoking ban sweeping not just in Virginia but nationwide long before Virginia ever joined the little "bandwagon" on this and followed suit. I can tell you what it's done to some bar businesses elsewhere... it's been disastrous for them! Before I go into my little story about those non-smokers getting right into the faces of those evil smokers and telling them just how evil they ARE allow me to say that my mother smoked down at least a pack a day of cigarettes since she was a little girl and lived to be 92 years old. She also never had any physical issues, such as energy, mobility, mental faculties, was never overweight and was quite active her entire life.

Anyway, I was at a blackjack table in Atlantic City one fine day and about the whole table was smoking and drinking. It was one of the fractional 25% designated smoking tables and 75% of these tables are non-smoking. There was this woman at the end of the table that was making a fuss of the smoking and was going on about "That's bad for you and blah blah blah" to the entire table! I was sitting next to her and had a hard time even being up to the table since she took up the equivalent of 2 seats and at by my best and most honest guess must have weighed in at about 350-400lbs. or so. She went on and on and was continuing to complain as others at the table mentioned it was in fact a smoking table in a polite fashion despite her repetitious rhetoric about "and it's so bad for you and you will shave years off your life and" ---- I timed it just right to cut her off and work in "and so will eating 47 ham sandwiches for lunch!"

She got up in a huff, her face turned bright red, she was obviously totally pissed, waddled off in a huff and everything seemed to stop for a moment... the whole table full of people sitting there began to applaud! I'm so glad she didn't keel over from a heart attack when she was stomping off...

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by GavinC

[b] I can tell you what it's done to some bar businesses elsewhere... it's been disastrous for them!

I don't know about bar business elsewhere, but I don't see any bars here going out of business. Actually, I see a lot of new bars opening. Jimmy's was the bar the reporters covered the most when this ban first took place (representing a bar mostly patronized by smokers that might potentially be hurt). Jimmy's is doing a roaring business these days.

[Bigfoot424]

Your little arguments won't take away the fact I can now enjoy going into certain restaurants now where I couldn't before. Ate at Glory Days the other day and this was one place I quit going to years ago due to smoking. I could name several places like this but you'll be defensive no matter what.

And Gavin, my Mom smoked for many years and she finally quit when she was around 60. She developed Emphyzema after she quit smoking and has had lung problems ever since. Had she not quit smoking it likely would have been worse according to her Dr. And my Dad died at age 65 from Lung cancer after a life of smoking. So good for your mother but she is not the norm.

[info781]

I know Galaxy Hut in Arlington used to be a smoke pit, with the ban I now enjoy going there. They seem to be busy all the time. I just don't see any evidence that the ban caused anyone to close.

GavinC that is great your mother was able to smoke her entire life. However, the issue with cancer is that some people are strongly genetically disposed to certain types of cancers, your mother obviously was not. That is why some people get lung cancer just working in a smoky environment, without ever having smoked a cigarette. This is well documented.

Moe III - Sure people were forced to go to smoky places. For example, you are out with the group of friends, someone suggests a place to go, you don't want to be a spoil-sport, or don't have a better idea or don't know the area, so you endured the smoke. Not now.

[normie]

If you can still smoke in rooms that are set aside for billiards, I wonder if this means there has been a renewed interest in billards?

[VAFan]

Anyway, I was at a blackjack table in Atlantic City one fine day and about the whole table was smoking and drinking. It was one of the fractional 25% designated smoking tables and 75% of these tables are non-smoking. There was this woman at the end of the table that was making a fuss of the smoking and was going on about "That's bad for you and blah blah blah" to the entire table! I was sitting next to her and had a hard time even being up to the table since she took up the equivalent of 2 seats and at by my best and most honest guess must have weighed in at about 350-400lbs. or so. She went on and on and was continuing to complain as others at the table mentioned it was in fact a smoking table in a polite fashion despite her repetitious rhetoric about "and it's so bad for you and you will shave years off your life and" ---- I timed it just right to cut her off and work in "and so will eating 47 ham sandwiches for lunch!"

She got up in a huff, her face turned bright red, she was obviously totally pissed, waddled off in a huff and everything seemed to stop for a moment... the whole table full of people sitting there began to applaud! I'm so glad she didn't keel over from a heart attack when she was stomping off...[/quote]

HILARIOUS!!!

We liked getting a steak and cheese at Philadelphia Tavern in Old Town Manassas but would get it to go because my husband and I could not stand sitting in there because it smelled so bad from stale cigarette smoke. We haven't been up there in quite some time so I wonder what it smells like inside.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by normie

If you can still smoke in rooms that are set aside for billiards, I wonder if this means there has been a renewed interest in billards?

Normie,

Billiards has nothing to do with it. If the room has its own ventilation system and is closed off from the rest of the restaurant then they can allow smoking.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

I can't believe it took the state this long to finally come to its senses! Does Virginia always play "catch up" with everyone else?

That's kinda what I was thinking. California banned smoking in bars & restaurants around 1998.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by GavinC

Before I go into my little story about those non-smokers getting right into the faces of those evil smokers and telling them just how evil they ARE allow me to say that my mother smoked down at least a pack a day of cigarettes since she was a little girl and lived to be 92 years old. She also never had any physical issues, such as energy, mobility, mental faculties, was never overweight and was quite active her entire life.

Ok, so your mom was among the 2% who won the genetic lottery. The other 98% of us won't win that lottery and don't want to be around cigarette smoke. Truth be told, she probably would have lived longer if she hadn't smoked.

Your next example about the grossly overweight woman complaining about the smokers just points to the next area of public health that needs to be addressed.

Here are some ideas for that:

1. Reduce or eliminate corn subsidies
2. Quality school lunches for poor kids would be good and might address some behavior problems as well.
3. Disallow food stamps to be used for purchasing junk food/processed food/soda would be another good measure. Don't allow soda or junk food to be sold or served at schools.
4. More bike and walking infrastructure. If you make it easy for people to walk or ride their bikes they will. If you make it easy for people to drive, they will.
5. Ban drive through windows at fast food restaurants.