By Mazoe Ford
We've become a nation obsessed with mobile phones, but have we got them glued to our ears and fingertips a little too often? Some small business owners think so, and they're fighting back.
Cosmopolitan Cafe in Brisbane's trendy Fortitude Valley has given customers an ultimatum — if they want good service, they should get off the phone.
They've put up signs requesting customers not to use mobile phones, in the hope of obtaining a respite from the incessant ringing and some old-fashioned respect.
The cafes at Brisbane's domestic airport are also making a stand, refusing to serve anyone who is talking on a mobile phone.
And restaurateur Paul Lynch, who runs a classy establishment in Melbourne, says he has a unique method for dealing with customers who talk on mobile phones.
"I get on to them pretty early and tell them we have a policy here (that) if the mobile phone goes off they have to shout the whole bar a drink," Paul says.
Etiquette expert Alex Travers thinks the service industry's tougher stance on mobiles is a brilliant idea.
Alex says if we respect other human beings and want to connect with them, the logical thing to do is not use our mobiles while talking to them.
"(You should) smile and say thank you, rather than talking on your mobile phone and having no connection," she says.
And you might soon find that servers won't accept anything less.
