Beirut Restaurant Offers 10% Discount to Diners Who Surrender Their Phones and Socialize

Here's how one restaurant is keeping cell-phone addiction at bay: Bedivere Eatery & Tavern in Beirut is offering its guests a 10% discount on food if they leave their phones in the restaurant's possession for the meal and "socialize." News of the promotion spread after a photograph of Bedivere's promotional sign was posted to Reddit. The restaurant's website promotes their anti-phone stance: "Tired from going out to places where people are just sitting with a drink and socializing with their mobile phone? If YES is your answer, Bedivere is your place!" On Facebook, Bedivere calls the policy "socially forward." The deal has been active since at least March.

This isn't the first time a restaurant has used discounts to incentivize customers to keep phones off the table. Last year Eva Restaurant in Los Angeles offered a 5% discount to guests who "checked" their phones. Similarly, LA restaurant Bucato has created outdoor "designated cell phone areas." While no phone incentives and policies still seem to be rare, several restaurant have adopted no camera policies.

· Good Restaurant Policy in Beirut [Reddit via Gawker]
· All Marketing Gimmicks Coverage on Eater [-E-]