Several years ago, I went on a trip to Savannah with one of my younger cousins, and I'll admit that it wasn't the best. We both wanted to do different things, and we grew up basically like siblings, so we often argued as such.
On the very last day, we sort of made amends, and we both agreed we could have done things differently. Before we hit the road to head back to Atlanta, we decided to stop and get some lunch. I was looking forward to trying a new restaurant and finally having a nice conversation, given how the previous couple of days had gone, but from the moment we sat down until the moment we went back to the car, he had his phone in his face. I may as well have been dining out alone.
Before I go any further, I want to add that he and I are good friends now and actually live next door to each other and share everything from eggs from my ducks and chickens to flowers and plants from our gardens. This is not a knock against him as a person — he was quite young at the time, maybe 18 or 19.
But ever since then, I've tried to make it a point not to use my phone while I'm dining out with someone. Other people have not been so kind. I've been on dates, out with friends, and even at family gatherings where people couldn't stay off their phones for an hour or two to enjoy a meal and the company of myself and whoever else happened to be there. It's annoying. And I'm not saying I'm perfect — there have been times I've had things going on at work or messages that were somewhat urgent and required a response, but I try to apologize to the person/people I'm with and handle it quickly. It's just a major pet peeve of mine.
Apparently, it's a pet peeve of some Chick-fil-A franchise owners as well.
Chick-fil-A is offering free ice cream to families who agree to put their phones away during their meal, as part of an effort to encourage more face-to-face time and less screen use at the table. pic.twitter.com/YaoMc6emzq
— Complex (@Complex) March 30, 2026
According to ABC News, it all started when Brad Williams, who owns two Chick-fil-A restaurants in Georgia, saw a mother spend an entire meal with her two kids on her phone.
"It just got me thinking how to get people to disconnect in order to connect and to take a technology timeout," Williams said. "Be present where your feet are."
So, in January, Williams offered his diners some incentive to be present with their families and friends instead of on their phones. He designed a "coop" using a Chick-fil-A-branded box and some chicken wire, and put one in the center of his tables. Each one instructs diners to put their phones inside for the duration of their meal, and if they manage to pull it off, they can get free ice cream afterward.
The idea became so popular that in two months, "more than 10,000 coops have been made and nearly 200 independent Chick-fil-A operators are using the idea in their own restaurants."
"We’re trying to slowly create rituals that create disciplines and will slowly create habits. It’s almost like we’re starting to create a no-cellphone zone," Williams said. "There’s more conversation and chatter. It’s hard to sit with your family and not do the challenge now."
I'll admit that I like the idea. It's not mandatory, so it's not forcing or hurting anyone. And as often as some of us down here in Georgia eat at Chick-fil-A, I think it could have some positive long-term effects on relationships, mental health, and child development.
But it's also kind of depressing that these measures are necessary. A survey conducted by Home Run Inn a couple of years ago suggests that 60% of millennials and a whopping 81% of Gen Z admit to using their phone while eating a meal, whether they're at home or at a restaurant. And never mind the mental and social impacts — another study found that using your phone while you eat often leads to overeating, as well as digestion issues, because while you're doom-scrolling, you tend to chew less.
Mindless eating in general can cause stress and anxiety and harm your relationship with food. Engaging with and enjoying a meal is difficult when your mind is somewhere else. And meals should be enjoyable and a moment to sit down and relax. According to Famedico, engaging with news and social media content can prevent that.
What Chick-fil-A is doing doesn't just extend to restaurants. Last weekend, I went to an "unplugged" wedding, which basically means the bride and groom ask you not to use your phone, camera, or any other device while you're there. This keeps guests engaged with the ceremony and prevents them from putting something out on social media that is unflattering or spills any beans. Apparently, this is quite popular these days.
The bride and groom at this wedding were in their twenties, but the guests ranged from toddlers to senior citizens, and the whole "unplugged" thing didn't exactly work. I saw people whipping out their phones constantly to take pictures or videos or to just look at their screens mindlessly while they were bored. And I'll admit that I did find myself doing the same when there was a lull between the ceremony and the reception. Some of it was boredom, but some of it was pure habit.
I know many comedians, like Chris Rock, have their audience members lock their phones up during their shows, too. You keep your phone, but it's locked in a pouch. If you need to use it for emergency reasons, you can only do so with the help of a security member in a designated area. The move ensures audience engagement and prevents people from posting his new material online.
Again, I totally understand the reasoning for these things, but I just wonder what it says about us as a society that we have to resort to it.
