Texting at the dinner table...

Contributor: Greenleaf Greenleaf
It's generally rude imo - but it depends on who you're with and what kind of a gathering it is - and also how much texting you're doing.
03/07/2012
Contributor: curious kitten curious kitten
if it is necessary, briefly, otherwise rude.
03/08/2012
Contributor: Jake'n'bake Jake'n'bake
Depends on what's going on. If you're with a group who doesn't care; not rude. If you're out for a special dinner with someone, ruuuude.
03/08/2012
Contributor: K101 K101
Quote:
Originally posted by BlooJay
How do you feel about texting at the dinner table (either at home or eating out at a restaurant)?
No sir! It is rude! If we're not eating together I wouldn't mind, but there's no way our kids or we would text during a family dinner. That's really disrespectful.
03/09/2012
Contributor: plaidvulva plaidvulva
It depends the situation and the company. If I'm dining out with my lover's parents or something, I'd consider it rude and stupid. But, if it's me and friends, then it doesn't matter.
03/09/2012
Contributor: loveshocks loveshocks
Quote:
Originally posted by DeliciousSurprise
I have a little game I've instituted for when I'm out to dinner with a group of people. We all put our phones face down in a stack in the middle of the table--whoever touches their phone before the meal's over pays for dinner. ... more
This is an interesting game!

What if it's a phone call though - would that be allowed? Would they be allowed to see who is calling and then decide if they can take the call?

Last time I was out with friends, one of them would constantly check his phone. We asked him about it and it turned out that he doesn't often leave his kid with a babysitter and kept checking to see if the sitter had called or texted and was also trying to refrain from calling to check up.

Overall though, I find texting at the dinner table, especially for a special occasion, rude. Although I've done it before, but it does depend on what kind of dinner it is.
03/09/2012
Contributor: Alx Alx
voted other, as it really depends. if it's at home I don't see the problem. but if it's at a restaurant, I think the least you can do is wait for in between the meals etc.
03/09/2012
Contributor: married with children married with children
i think it is rude. but will let it happen when it is work related.
03/09/2012
Contributor: Lover of Leather Lover of Leather
Turn off the phones and concentrate on enjoying a meal with your family and/or friends.
03/10/2012
Contributor: Stinkytofu10 Stinkytofu10
If you have to text, excuse yourself first from the dinner table then text.
03/10/2012
Contributor: T&A1987 T&A1987
it's a malletable offense. someone texts, you take out your mallet (come on, everyone has one) and you smash the phone. to bits. to little, little bits. Unless it's a nokia, but I don't think those can text.
03/10/2012
Contributor: C-Rae C-Rae
Depends on te occasion
03/10/2012
Contributor: Falsepast Falsepast
Depends on who youre with & how often youre texting.
03/11/2012
Contributor: bsgs bsgs
my wife has a 'no phones at the table' rule
03/11/2012
Contributor: clp clp
It honestly depends on where and with whom. If I'm getting to know someone, I think its terribly rude; I also wouldn't do this while I'm out with family members. I don't think its a big deal at all if my friends want to, though.
03/11/2012
Contributor: Lady Bear Lady Bear
SO RUDE
03/11/2012
Contributor: MissCandyland MissCandyland
03/14/2012
Contributor: DeliciousSurprise DeliciousSurprise
Quote:
Originally posted by loveshocks
This is an interesting game!

What if it's a phone call though - would that be allowed? Would they be allowed to see who is calling and then decide if they can take the call?

Last time I was out with friends, one of them would ... more
No touching your phone; texting or calls.

Generally, we've found that if something is seriously wrong (for example, one person in our circle does something something who knows what with servers so he's gotta be constantly plugged in in case they go down) whoever it is just keeps calling til they answer--and if someone's calling that much, it's usually worth the cost of dinner.

And sometimes we'll make exceptions.
03/14/2012
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Quote:
Originally posted by BlooJay
How do you feel about texting at the dinner table (either at home or eating out at a restaurant)?
When it's just a normal night, we don't really have a "dinner table". I fix something, and we eat sitting in front of some kind of screen. So texting during this time is fine.
When I go out and eat, I am either with my boyfriend, my friends or my parents. All of them are fine with me texting. I try to keep it at minimal though. I'd reply to messages and say "I am having dinner, I will get back to you".
04/03/2012