Kids Eat For Free At Restaurant If Parents Don't Use Their Phones

Moms.com

By Joanna Mazewski

Published Dec 6, 2018

Modern Italian hotspot Frankie & Benny’s now has a no-phone zone in about 250 of their restaurants throughout the United Kingdom.

Credit: iStock / rez-art

All too often many restaurant guests see the same situation in most fast food or dining establishments: both parents and children sitting on their smartphones or electronic devices and not really engaging with one another during their meal. Well, now one particular restaurant wants to put a stop to it with their very smart and hopefully effective idea.

According to News Channel 8, a chain based out of London will offer parents a free meal if they don’t use their smartphone while they are dining with their children. This means that moms and dads can’t check their email, look at their notifications, send texts or better yet, take photos of their meal to upload on their social media accounts later on. Instead, they are expected to ask their kids about their school day, engage in some sort of conversation and of course, set a good example for their kids.

PREVIOUSLY: Why You Should Have A Cell Phone Contract With Your Kid

Modern Italian hotspot Frankie & Benny’s now has a no-phone zone in about 250 of their restaurants throughout the United Kingdom. The concept is currently in a short trial phase but seems to be working.

One of the reasons behind this initiative is because a new study found that many children actually don’t like it when their parents are on their phones during meals. In other words, it’s not just moms and dads who get irritated when their tweens, pre-teens, and teens constantly text or check their Snapchat accounts during dinner. The chains said that about 77 percent of parents said they felt guilty about the amount of time they spend on the phone, and 67 percent said their device had come between them and their family.

If that weren’t enough, 10 percent of kids have even hidden their parent’s mobile device in hopes that it will help get their attention and their affection.

Here’s another scary statistic. According to Daily Infographic, 40 percent of people check their cell phones while using the bathroom, and a shocking 1 in 10 people use their phones in the shower.

And while you might miss out on sharing a photo of your amazing meal with your Instagram followers, by putting down your phone, you gain something else: quality time with your family. No amount of likes or comments can compete with that.