Do you turn off your cell phone when you are eating in a restaurant?

Question

nothing worse than someone yapping on their cell phone at a nice restaurant. Mostly young women do this I have found. And most the time they ignore their family or their boyfriend at the table. If this isn't the rudest thing ever, I don't know what it?

Answer 1

I don't turn it off but I do turn it to vibrate. If I get a call then I step outside. I agree. Super rude.

Answer 2

I don't turn my cell phone completely off because I stay paranoid that someone will call me with an emergency and I won't be able to get to it in time. Instead, I simply put my phone on vibrate and when someone DOES call, I let them know what I'm doing and that I'll call them back later. I also can't stand people who yap on their phones at restaurants.

EDIT: After reading a couple of the other answers, I now see that apprently it makes me a bad person because I'm constantly concerned about the well-being of my family/friends and I answer my phone while I'm eating out. Even though I said that when it's apprent that the call isn't urgent, I hang up. On occasion, I will let the phone vibrate away and let whether they left a message or not determine if there was/is an emergency.
I've noticed a few people saying emergency calls from hospitals and the police don't happen too often. Yes, this is true, but that's the whole point. I'm sorry if I "offend" people around me by answering my phone, but I just want to make sure the people I love are all right. Thanks.

Answer 3

I usually put it on vibrate when i go in a restaurant or a quiet store. If i dont want to be bothered with any calls, i'll put it on silent. I do this because if i turn it off i wont see whether or not i had a missed call.

Yes, I agree that it is very rude to others when someone is on thier phone in a restaurant. It is not the place to be on the phone. At least they could excuse themselves and step outside or go into the bathroom if it's too cold outside.

But i have to disagree with it being the rudest thing ever. I would say that is chewing with one's mouth open. I dont know what it is about that, but that can make me instantly hate, or lose all respect for, someone. I dont even like when I can hear myself chew. lol.

Answer 4

I don't turn mine off but I keep it in a homemade case that helps muffle the sound. I ignore it until I have left unless I am expecting an important call. I look to see who it is and then excuse myself from the table to take the call out in the lobby or outside. (Important calls would be from family, son in Army on readiness to deploy, or family who normally doesn't call my cell unless it's an emergency.)
I agree, taking a call at the table is very rude. I always let the people I am eating with know if I am expecting a call. When I am finished eating, I will excuse myself from the table to check the missed calls, if it's important, I go back and inform others there is a call I must make and arrange whether to go do it now or wait until they are finished and do it as we leave,

Answer 5

I think it's rude to talk on the cell phone in a restaurant. You are there to eat not use the cell phone. Put it on vibrate if you are expecting an important call. Then if it rings, excuse yourself and either go outside to talk or in the restroom. So many people don't have manners anymore. I can't stand ignorant people.

Answer 6

I never carry my cell phone with me because I never thought of myself as being that important to need a phone "all the time".

This is not to bash anyone, since I know that some people are on call for work. You do what your boss tells you, of course. But if you go out with others and leave your phone on when you don't expect "emergencies" from work or the hospital, then you are suggesting to your friends that they are only important enough until someone better calls you.

Again, this is not a bash, unless you feel guilty. If this sounds too unreasonable, then you aren't giving your dinner companions your total attention when you go out. You are probably just caught up in your own little world of self-arrogance....I guess that would be a bash.

C'mon, how important are you really that you can't turn it off and check messages later?

Answer 7

Even if my phone is on, I won't answer it (I wouldn't hear it anyway - if it's not off, it's on vibrate). I'll let it roll to voice mail. I don't want to be interrupted when I'm spending time with an actual human being whose company I enjoy. It's rude to ignore the person you're with to talk on the phone. It's kinda like a rule one is taught if you're working retail: if you have a customer in the store, and a customer on the phone, the customer in the store gets your attention. Anything else would be - you guessed it, RUDE.

And let's be real. Very few phone calls are true emergencies. Just because the phone rings doesn't mean you have to answer it immediately. Let it roll to voice mail if you're with someone else.

Answer 8

No, I do not turn off my phone.

As for there being nothing worse, I'm sure that many would agree to me that a crying/screaming baby is worse, or someone with some bratty kid running around the restaurant.

As for the cell phones, most people talk in the phone and don't yell into them, so my talking on my phone would be the same as me conversing with someone sitting at my table. And I'm sure that you have conversed with others while at a restaurant, so if people speaking on their phones bothers you then you should probably stop having conversations with others at your table when you go out to eat.

Now, all that being said, I would have agreed totally with you had you said people that use those annoyingly loud walkee talkee phones.

Answer 9

No I don't turn off my cel if I'm at a restaurant. I have a elderly members in my family and need to keep it on in case they need to contact me. I won't however sit at the table and have my conversation. I always excuse myself and go to the lobby area or outside. I agree with you that sitting at the table chatting on the phone is very rude.

Answer 10

I always turn off my cell - well it's on silent and in my purse... My attention is on my dinner companion. We decided to have dinner together so we could spend time together. Can't do that if you're on the phone can you I check for messages though in case something is going on at home. But I don't ever pick up.

Answer 11

I turn it on vibrate and if someone calls, I look to see who it is. If it is someone that I know is only calling to talk about something that can wait, I'll ignore it. But if it is someone I suspect is calling because of an emergency, I will excuse myself and see what they wanted. If it was nothing, I tell them that I am eating and I will call back later.