They ate in silence ... dead silence

The Dining Dead. They sit among us, eyes cast down, chins touching their chests, a soft, electric glow on their faces, communicating in grunts.

[A thought]

Are these 'dining dead' young? If so, they grew up on being entertained from a box. Now that they are grown, they still rely on a 'box' for entertainment. They do not have the social skills to communicate face to face.

One more reason not to let go the 'older' generation at work - they have experience with in-person-communications.

[hmm]

since when did was eating defined as talking. i was always taught it was rude to talk with your mouth full of food. eating is a necessity, not an event.

[Karl Marx-I oughtta know]

Well, instead of piped in "music" perhaps piped in talking will become available.

Hopefully nobody talking with their mouth full.

[Marc]

Really, what is wrong with being quiet? Frankly, I think chattering away about nothing is more annoying than not talking at all. Some like to people watch, some have to talk all day at work... when you go out, maybe you just need a mental break. Maybe it's nice to be able to comfortably share silence with another person. Much ado about nothing, I suppose.

[Riot G]

My parents believed in good table manners. My Dad was adament about dining etiquette! Whether at the kitchen dinner table or when my parents took me and my 7 siblings out for a special occasion dinner. Restaurant staff were always amazed about how well behaved we all were! It was please, thank you, excuse me, no elbows on the table & absolutely No Phone Calls at dinner time! Because of this, we learned the art of good conversation and with 10 people at the table there was always something to talk & laugh about. To this day I'm the same way when my husband & I go out for dinner. Cell phones are turned off and even though my husband and I have been married for 11 years, we always find something to talk about at dinner. Usually its whose calls and emails we're missing on our cell phones and who's beating who in Warcraft. All restaurants should BAN cell phone calls. It's rude and maybe dinner companions would actually talk to each other!

[Thonin]

Well - if you got nothing to say, who do you tell?

[Joe Mama]

"For the time being, there is no cure for the Dining Dead -- no silver bullet, no stake through the heart."

Sure there is. There is a device that blocks cell phone signals. Unfortunately it is illegal to own in the US, but certain places can get permits to install one. I am trying to convince a friend from europe to send me one so I can install it in my car. Then when some idiot in front of me is blabbing on their phone instead of driving, I can hit a switch and kill their call. I cannot wait until it arrives!!

Plus, the restaurant could always post a message that says no cell phones allowed.

[A thought]

Riot G wrote:

My parents believed in good table manners. My Dad was adament about dining etiquette! Whether at the kitchen dinner table or when my parents took me and my 7 siblings out for a special occasion dinner. Restaurant staff were always amazed about how well behaved we all were! It was please, thank you, excuse me, no elbows on the table & absolutely No Phone Calls at dinner time! Because of this, we learned the art of good conversation and with 10 people at the table there was always something to talk & laugh about. To this day I'm the same way when my husband & I go out for dinner. Cell phones are turned off and even though my husband and I have been married for 11 years, we always find something to talk about at dinner. Usually its whose calls and emails we're missing on our cell phones and who's beating who in Warcraft. All restaurants should BAN cell phone calls. It's rude and maybe dinner companions would actually talk to each other!

How nice to hear that someone else was raised correctly and raised their children to have manners. I think that a lot of people nowadays have 'given up' on manners because it takes too much time and effort. Yes, it does, but the payoff is worth it.

[FatNSassy]

Well at least they are not being obnoxious health police. and commenting on the calories other diners are consuming. Someone call that budinsky Michael Jacobson, perhaps he can text them and ruin their dinners.

[tom]

Thanks for wasting my time with this article. Who cares if people don't speak when they're out to dinner? Please, there have to be more important things to worry about than a couple strangers not speaking over a dinner.

[dr j]

F--k them, what about all the losers with the blue tooths attached permanently to their f--king bone heads. we don't care to hear what you are talking about.

[Dining Alive]

Cigarette smoking is forbidden in restaurants now. Why not cell phones and the like as well? That's one of the reasons I don't like to go out to eat anymore. It's too depressing.

[bobby the g]

I don't frequent places where dorks hang out!

[roth]

tom - only big news for you! nothing observational? good luck with life

[Moral decay of our world]

We're going to hell in a hand basket.
People don't speak with others anymore.
We want everyting instantly.
The younger generation cannot communicate unless the are typing into a PC/laptop/cell phone.
When my wife and son are dining, we do not even bring our cell phones with us. There is nobody in the world we would want to talk to other than the people sitting at the table with us.

[momo]

parents need to prohibit texting at the dinner table.