Half price meals for diners who switch off their phones

The Abu Ghosh restaurant in Jerusalem is encouraging diners to turn off their devices in return for a generous 50 percent discount.

Smartphones may offer consumers a vast array of benefits, but they could be killing the atmosphere in restaurants. So much so that the Abu Ghosh restaurant in Jerusalem is encouraging diners to turn off their devices in return for a generous 50 percent discount.

Run by Arab-Israeli millionaire Jawdat Ibrahim, the restaurant is situated in the village it takes its name from and is popular with the locals. However, Ibrahim has gradually seen customers talk to each other less and less during meals since the introduction of smartphones. According to reports, he has even had diners ask to reheat their meals because they’ve been too distracted by their phones. Now, any customer can benefit from 50 percent off their bill if they agree to switch off their phone while they eat. Almost every customer has taken Ibrahim up on his offer, and he believes that while the price cut has meant the restaurant has taken a financial hit, it will make the venue more popular in the long run.

While Abu Ghosh has offered one option to improve the experience of eating a meal, we have seen other projects such as Feedie actually encourage smartphone use by raising money for starving children when users post a food photo. Are there other alternatives that ensure mealtimes remain a social activity?

Spotted by Tracy Chong, written by Springwise