Duhok restaurant finds a unique way to curb mobile usage

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A restaurant in Duhok has instituted a 15 percent discount to its customers who refrain from using their cell phones while dining. 

All customers are offered a rectangular box to leave their phones while dining in the restaurant, to receive a discount on their meal. After their meal, their cell phones are returned to them.  

“We want people to interact with each other and not be distracted by their cell phones,” Sipan Mohammad, the restaurant’s owner, told Kurdistan 24.

Mohammad’s restaurant is the first-of-its-kind to incentivize customers to limit phone usage while dining.  

“To be honest, it is very good. Friends and families often spend most of their time on their phones,” Nawzad Kazim, a customer, told Kurdistan 24, complaining that social interactions have decreased due to increased phone usage. 

On average, people are on their cell phones nearly 5 hours a day, according to an App monitoring firm, App Annie.

The American Psychology Association (APA) recently announced it cannot say if social media is helpful or harmful to young people, given the available research. 

“Social media is neither inherently harmful nor beneficial to our youth,” Dr. Thema Bryant, the APA’s president, said, recommending “training” for social media use among the youth to avoid adverse effects.

Additional reporting by Kurdistan 24 Duhok reporter Masoud Warmaly