At a time when smartphones have become as prevalent as napkins and forks at the dinner table, stashing them may be the key to a cheaper bill.


The Bedivere Eatery & Tavern[1] in Lebanon is giving a 10 percent discount to patrons who surrender their mobile devices to the restaurant during their meal. The policy is designed to encourage diners to socialize with each other, rather than staring at their screens through a meal.


"Leave Your Phone in Our Custody And Get 10% DISCOUNT On food Menu!!" reads a scrolling message on the restaurant's website[2] .


Dining at this restaurant isn't the only way to monetarily incentivize unplugging at the dinner table. "Phone Stacking," a smartphone game that employs better tech etiquette[3] , makes the first person who checks their device the before the bill comes pay for the entire tab.


Check out the Bedivere flyer below:



(H/t BuzzFeed[4] )



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  • You Have To Respond... Immediately


    If an unanswered texts or emails gets your heart rate going, there's a good chance that your smartphone is adding stress to your life rather than making it easier. Constantly interrupting what you're doing -- whether it's writing a college essay or spending some quality time with your friends -- to check your phone might be an indication that your behavior has become compulsive. When you start getting anxious about your inbox, take a moment to step back and remind yourself that it's probably not as urgent as it seems. Sleeping with your phone away from your bed and keeping it in your backpack instead of your pocket during class can also gradually help to lessen your urge to be constantly checking for new messages.




  • You Have Phantom Cellphone Syndrome


    You could’ve sworn you felt your phone vibrating in your back pocket, but when you took it out, you saw that nothing had happened. <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9227184/Cellphone_vibration_syndrome_and_other_signs_of_tech_addiction" target="_blank">Phantom cellphone vibration syndrome</a> is a real sign of technology addiction -- and it's more common than you might think. A study conducted at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne found that a whopping<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563212000799" target="_blank"> 89 percent</a> of undergrads had experienced feeling nonexistent cellphone vibrations.




  • You Have A Bad Case Of FOMO


    Are you constantly thinking about what everyone else is doing and all the things you might be missing out on at any given moment? Does scrolling through party photos and enthusiastic weekend updates on your News Feed make you feel sad or anxious? Well, there's a name for that: FOMO. It's not uncommon for ocial media and smartphone users to experience a "fear of missing out" when they're unable to get to their phones or when they're getting updates about all the exciting things that everyone in their social network is doing. The best way to combat FOMO is to step back and say no sometimes, and just take sometime to do whatever <em>you </em>want -- not what other people are doing or telling you to do.




  • You're Not Paying Attention To Your Friends & Family


    We've all be there -- you're having dinner with friends or family with your phone sitting next to your plate, and instead of ignoring it, you turn your attention away from the conversation to respond to a text. While there's nothing wrong with picking up important calls or excusing yourself to answer messages when necessary -- but if you make a habit of giving only half your attention to the people you're with while the other half is busy checking Twitter, it might be time to rethink your phone habits. To avoid damaging your relationships, make a resolution to give your full attention to whoever you're with in person and save the screen time for later.




  • You Feel Restless When You're Away From Your Phone


    If you experience withdrawal when you can't check your phone or respond to messages, you might have a technology addiction. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8235302/Facebook-generation-suffer-information-withdrawal-syndrome.html" target="_blank">Studies have found</a> that turning off their phones can induce physical and mental withdrawal symptoms similar to those exhibited by drug addicts. If you feel yourself becoming nervous and antsy when you're away from your phone, take note of those feelings and find a coping mechanism -- taking deep breaths, going for a walk or exercising could help you get past the anxiety.




  • Poor Performance In School


    If you're having an increasingly difficult time focusing in class and eagerly await the ringing of the bell so that you can check your phone and return that unanswered text, an Internet or smartphone addiction <a href="http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237" target="_blank">may be partially to blame</a> for low grades. Although there may be many factors at play in decreasing academic performance, constant distraction and excessive time spent on your smartphone can easily interfere with your schoolwork. If the lure of your phone is too powerful for you to concentrate on homework,<a href="http://mashable.com/2012/01/03/block-internet-distractions-apps/" target="_blank"> try downloading an app </a>that blocks social media activity and online distractions.