I can’t stop thinking about this article. A NYC restaurant wanted to understand more about why recent customer reviews included long wait times for service and food, so they watched video footage from today compared to 10 years ago. The incredible answer has nothing to do with the restaurant. The “wait” times are due to a dramatic shift in smartphone culture. As guests focus more on their phones, their time to decide what to order, when they begin eating, time to pay, etc., changes dramatically. Adding almost an additional hour to visits. But the restaurant has maintained delivery times for service and food.

Many responses to this revelation have included a call for greater consideration (as mentioned in the article) and mindfulness of the moment. Yes, maybe patrons could be more considerate and not use their phones as much, but considerate to whom? I feel like this is a response similar to “get off my lawn” or “pull up your pants.” The request benefits one person, usually older, that is frustrated by the behavior of another person, often younger, that does not necessarily have a direct impact on the first person.

Instead, we are living a true cultural shift. I do not foresee people putting down their smartphones anytime soon. The phones, and the usage behaviors, are now a part of who many people are and who they want to be, just like wearing pants low.

So what is to be done? I don’t know that I have the answer. It depends on the situation and the reputation one wants to foster. One response is similar to the Alamo Drafthouse that has strict rules about phone etiquette. A patron will be banned for life if they use their phone during a movie. I must admit that I dislike the distraction of mobile phones during a movie. But do I dislike it when the table next to me at a restaurant is so excited about their food they want to take photos? Nope. This seems like a good thing.

If our cultural shift in smartphone use is causing change, how could this change actually help? For a restaurant, maybe the answer lies in helping patrons be excited by encouraging the food photos be shared in the restaurant social media spaces. What about creating a digital menu patrons can access ahead of time and order through their smartphone to reduce ordering time? How about using Square Order, or similar technology, to electronically push costs directly to a smartphone and let the patron decide how long they want to take to pay. There are lots of opportunities to embrace the shift and reduce perceived negative impacts while also improving experiences for all customers.