Originally Posted by
Pausanias
At the Lanesborough, London, we were dining at the ** Michelin restaurant and made an effort to dress up little. Not a tie for me, but smart casual with Ferragano flooring, And at the next table was a couple in T-shirts, shorts and sneakers drinking Coke.
I have similar issues when I dine at fine restaurants. My wife and I enjoyed an anniversary dinner at the French Laundry. There was a couple across from us staring at their cell phones for most of the meal. They barely made eye contact. I ate at another Bay Area Michelin starred restaurant where there were a group of men dressed casually, also using their mobiles to take selfies, etc. I realize that's a culturally new thing, but restraint is a strong enough virtue that it should always prevail. My read on this kind of behavior is that it's selfish and that it sends a message that devalues the experience for fellow diners. The analogy is a loudmouth in a movie theater. You're ruining the experience for others.