These Sardinian Restaurants Want Phones Off the Table. Could It Make Dinner Better?

These Sardinian Restaurants Want Phones Off the Table. Could It Make Dinner Better?

A monthlong pilot in Sardinia invites families to try a phone-free meal, with games and coloring activities to get kids and parents talking.

Key points

Fifteen restaurants in Sardinia, Italy, are participating in a voluntary, monthlong initiative encouraging families to put away their phones during meals and use games and activities to spark conversation.

Research suggests that using phones during meals can increase distractions, reduce enjoyment, and contribute to feelings of disconnection.

To try it at home, psychologist Thea Gallagher suggests starting with one phone-free meal a day or 15 to 20 minutes of uninterrupted family time, with the same rules for adults and kids.

Having a phone out at the dinner table can be seen as a major social faux pas, but it's now so common that some restaurants in Sardinia are taking a stand. Fifteen restaurants across the Italian island are encouraging families to ditch their devices while dining out. The monthlong pilot, called a tavola senza schermi ("at the table without screens"), is voluntary. Families who participate will be handed screen-free activities to...