"Damages digestion"

Bar in Venice wants to ban children from using smartphones

The legendary Harry's Bar in Venice

(Bild: Wikipedia/John Bear)

The renowned restaurant "Harry's Bar" in Venice wants to ban children from using cell phones. "The use of cell phones and tablets under the age of eleven has unpredictable effects on the digestion of our courses," reads a joking warning on the menu, written by owner Arrigo Cipriani.

The 92-year-old Cipriani emphasized that he doesn't really strictly forbid anything. "I'm a free man and far be it from me to dictate anything to my customers, I've never done that. However, I do try to show humor." When cell phones came into fashion years ago, he put up a notice saying that their use would interfere with the preparation of his risotto. "Harry's Bar" was once famous as a meeting place for artists and Ernest Hemingway was a regular.

A growing aversion to smartphones in bars and restaurants
In Italy, there is a growing aversion to smartphones in bars and restaurants. A restaurant in Verona has recently started giving all guests a bottle of red wine if they hand in their cell phone before dinner. The owner of the "Al Condominio" restaurant, Angelo Lella, told Radio Number One: "There is no reason to look at your cell phone every five seconds. For some people, it's like a drug. This gives them the opportunity to put it aside and drink a good wine."

However, the bottle of wine is only available if the cell phone is actually handed in for safekeeping at the entrance before the meal. According to the landlord, 90 percent of guests make use of the offer. Other restaurants have been handing out vouchers to guests who voluntarily give up their cell phones for some time now.