TV's in restaurants.

Sparky · #1 01-05-2011, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chemical Dave

Oh Bella, I hope poor Davide does not read this forum!

Adios

Dave

PS Your recent posts mention TV's in restaurants. On my last trip out they were everywhere has it got worse?. Is it worth a new thread?

Dave, re TV's in restaurants...they nearly all installed TV's for the World Cup and it was a safe bet that they would remain. I guess we just have to hope that they are careful about when they turn them on and what they show.

cumberland8 · #2 01-05-2011, 22:45

Interesting point Dave, this is worth a new thread, whilst sat at the Hotel bar next to the Chinese run eatery on the Pine Walk last year they whacked on the TV playing Ragga tunes at a high level, totally spoiling the ambiance, I duly approached the manager & requested a tone down which he applied most apologetically.
But he seemed to think that people wanted loud music & that it attracted buisness.
Some of you may remember a simular incident at the Lemon Bar last year, there were enough complaints about the noise to warrent immediate action , so I arranged a personal meeting with the manager who again seemed to understand our feelings & within a week this was dealt with.
I think at the end of the day Majorcan people just want to attract & please people so any help is appreciated.

Belladonna · #3 02-05-2011, 09:03

This was a bit of an issue on this break I have to admit.
If I am in a bar, sportsbar or not, I would expect a TV to be on somewhere showing the latest sport - its acceptable.
BUT when I go out for a meal to a restaurant, which involves sitting down at a table and being able to talk to people, and not have to wait for the waiters to finish looking at the tv before I am served, then I am not a happy bunny.
TV's are a distraction and you find yourselve talking to someone who is constantly flicking their eyes to the tv, and the sound is not as pleasant as music being played either.

In Little Italy I stood up to say goodbye to a friends father (who is a charmer by the way cd!) and we were promptly shouted at for being in the way of a football supporter's view of the tv screen. I must admit I felt a little intimidated by him - not what I want when out for a meal.

If I am out with friends for a meal surely we are all out to talk to each other, not look at the tv, if we are all out for a drink, then bring it on by all means.
Horses for courses, but my personal opinion is that TVs are popping up in far too many restaurants.

I do appreciate that football is one addiction that cannot be cured, but I didn't notice any tvs on when it was the Big Brother final!

snowy2007 · #4 02-05-2011, 09:55

Quote "I do appreciate that football is one addiction that cannot be cured, but I didn't notice any tvs on when it was the Big Brother final!"

Now that must tell you something.

Belladonna · #5 02-05-2011, 10:13

My money's not as good as a football supporter's??!!
No, I am not going to start a for and against debate, thats not what I am intending at all. I just want to say that there are far too many "restaurants" who are cashing in on the "bar" side of things.
I appreciate there are probably more football supporters than not, but its very annoying for those of us who search for a non tv restaurant for a civilised meal!! (

)

eleanor · #6 02-05-2011, 11:37

I agree with Bella. There is nothing more annoying than trying to have a conversation with someone who is not listening and has their eye on the screen.
Having a meal is a sociable time to share small talk or debate the issues of the day. A dining room is an area usually cut off from the backdrop of a television to allow conversation to flow.
Personally I would rather eat at home and at least have the opportunity of changing the station than go to a nice restaurant to find a large screen in the background. Obviously for main events such as Royal weddings or major sports etc then rules can be changed but for good reason. This is my opinion which may differ from others.

Sparky · #7 02-05-2011, 12:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by eleanor

Obviously for main events such as Royal weddings or major sports etc then rules can be changed but for good reason. This is my opinion which may differ from others.

I agree Eleanor and here it is a very major sporting event when Barcelona are playing Real Madrid. After all, it doesn't happen that often and of course customers should be warned in advance to give them the option of going elsewhere if they don't like it.

eleanor · #8 02-05-2011, 16:26

Agreed Sparky. If people are pre-warned that the tv will be on then they have the choice.
Certainly wasn't any need for Bella to be shouted at so rudely by someone watching tv when she was leaving the restaurant. That really was not on! People never cease to amaze!

snowy2007 · #9 02-05-2011, 17:12

Right guys I am all for NO TVs it kills the art of conversation, of which there's far to little theses days.

BonysLad · #10 02-05-2011, 21:31

Not really sure if this thread is really about TVs or anti footie ??

As Sparky has said the el classicos are more than a game of football here , you have two cultures with loads of history between them , not of course , all good that clash a couple of times a year. As the late ,great Bill Shankly said "some people think that footba ' is a more important than life or death !, well I can assure you it is more important than that !! "

Know that sounds strange to some people but that is actually the fact and embedded in the lives of men, women and kids here. The Spanish football paper had actually no less than 40 pages dedicated to the match last Wed night between Real and Barca.

Am sure Tvs on any other night would be fairly unobtrusive and just a background light with nobody paying them any attention. We all actually went out on the Final of the World Cup last year insisting that the restaurants had their tellies on with seats near them at a premium when Spain won.

Of course you can do both i.e still have pleasant conversation and keep an eye on the Telly, just go to some of the best boxes at our finest race tracks in the UK . It's perfectly acceptable behaviour .

Bring on tomorrow's rematch !!

BonysLad

Sparky · #11 02-05-2011, 22:31

BL as far as i am concerned the thread title says it all, i am and always have been against TVs in restaurants but the World Cup last year changed everything, because every business was struggling, most installed TVs. Like it or not we have to accept change however the football season is almost over, hopefully the restaurants will turn their screens off and the status quo will be restored.

Chemical Dave · #12 03-05-2011, 13:01

The thread is about TV's whether Coronation street or footie is on. No matter what is showing, look around and most folk will be watching the TV. It's a distraction and conversation killer. TV's belong in bars and cafe's not restaurants. If a TV program is so important, meals can be planned round these. In the case of football the atmosphere would be far better in a bar than a restaurant anyway.

In the UK, restaurants with TV are few and far between and we like our football as much as the next hombre, or are we behind the times?.
And as for waiters watching TV while working, If I was running a restaurant I would be paying my staff to serve customers not watch TV!.

I for one will not be patronising restaurants with TV's when I am out next. It will be the thin edge of the wedge when Stay or O'Lume have TV blaring out while dining. Rant over.

Adios

Dave

Belladonna · #13 03-05-2011, 14:23

CD, thank you for putting it so clearly. I am not anti anything people choose as their hobby or spare time interest, I was just fed up with it being nearly everywhere we went and changing the ambience of what we had expected for evenings out. As said, hopefully it will be different next time we are out.

debz1 · #14 03-05-2011, 14:32

As the other half of one the 'perpetrators' whose eyes would have most certainly been ' flickering' towards the screen on the night in question and who unashamedly holds his hands up and says 'Guilty as charged'.

Real Madrid V Barca....C'mon give him a break

Im his defense Little Italy cannot be compared to Stay or O Lume. Great pizzas but this is not the place to go for a quiet evening of uniterrupted chit chat and fine dining! The tv is always blaring...normally with cartoons for the numerous kids that go there in the Summer months, and who race around between the tables or back and forth to the beach. It's a noisy, chaotic and fun place..as you say Belladona horses for courses, but we love it and had a fun evening

BonysLad · #15 03-05-2011, 15:20

[QUOTE=Chemical Dave;57829]The thread is about TV's whether Coronation street or footie is on. No matter what is showing, look around and most folk will be watching the TV. It's a distraction and conversation killer. TV's belong in bars and cafe's not restaurants.

Think we all agree but so far on this thread I haven't heard of one 'restaurant' being mentioned which I think is Debs point .

They are basically cafeterias , Imo, who often serve pretty good food .

BonysLad