Restaurants ban diners phones during meals as no-scroll trend grows: put it away or else

Diners at a growing number of restaurants and bars are being asked to stash away their phones — or even lock them up — as part of a push for more memorable nights out.The trend is gaining traction across the US, with more spots experimenting with restrictions, incentives or locked pouches, Fox News Digital recently reported.Charlotte cocktail bar Antagonist places guests’ phones in locked pouches for about two hours, while Delilah, an upscale supper club with locations across the country, has a no-phones, no-posting policy, according to Axios.Even Chick-fil-A has tested the tactic with a Maryland location offering free ice cream to families who keep phones off the table.The trend is especially common at high-end, curated spots like listening bars, supper clubs, cocktail lounges and restaurants offering tasting menus, said Ben Tannenbaum, New York-based vice president of partnerships at nightlife company LineLeap.“The driver isn’t really an anti-phone sentiment,” he told Fox News Digital.“It’s that guests are going out less often than they used to and spending more per visit when they do, so operators are trying to make sure the visit delivers.”The trend has been building for years, experts say, and it’s picked up steam as more people recognize the downsides of constant screen time.“The phone-free dining trend began prior to COVID, but it’s increased in momentum in recent years, especially as people have come to understand the negative impacts of overuse of personal devices,” Amanda Belarmino, a hospitality professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told Fox News Digital.She said unplugged meals can help diners stay focused on both their food and companions, adding it may even be financially savvy for restaurants.“Diners who are engaged in the experience are more likely to eat multiple courses or order a second drink,” she said.They’re also more likely to enjoy their food if it hasn’t gotten cold while they’re busy...