Smoking in Restaurants
Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
there are lots of non-smoking places to go to in every city...with that being said, why do some non-smokers go to places that allow smoking and complain about it and keep going back there. i dont see smokers going into a non-smoking establishment and complaining that they cannot smoke. it's choices that smokers and non-smokers have. i dont see whats wrong with that. smokers drive around and look for a smoking environment, while non-smokers drive around and go to the non-smoking establishments. all about choices that we all can make. businesses should have these choices too. non-smokers who complain....what's the big deal about that???
Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Saint Peters MO
A few random thoughts...
20% of all lung cancer patients don't smoke nor live with smokers (Christopher Reeves' wife would be a prominent example, she died of lung cancer a year or so after his death).
My father and grandmother have over 100 years of smoking between them....neither has ever had a smoking related illness, and have spent far less time and money in even typical medical care than almost anyone I know.
I passed through Louisville KY back in March on my cycle...thought I'd warm up and grab a bite/smoke at Appleby's as I had done the night before in Carlisle PA. Walked into the emptiest Appleby's I've ever seen (more staff than customers, 8pm on a Tuesday), and noticed a "Smoke-Free Restaurant" plaque. When I asked about it, they said that the city had an ordinance regarding smoking in restaurants. They mentioned that O'Charlies still allowed smoking however, as they chose to pay the daily fine levied for flouting the law.
I walked back out and decided to head over to O'Charlies next door, but the packing lot was jam packed with customers and I couldn't find a spot to park the bike, so I headed on to Indiana.....
Local BBQ joint (Bandana's) informed us when we arrived a few weeks ago that they had gone smoke-free as of Nov. 1 (they advertise that they smoke meat 24/7, ironically....AND they have a bar). The 4 of us (2 smokers, 2 smoke-tolerant non's) walked back out and headed to a more reasonable establishment.
I've eaten at Red Robin once....(nationally smoke free) - that's all it took for me to find out that I wouldn't return.
I don't stay at Marriott hotels anymore...they went smoke free 9/1/06(in the middle of one of my stays).
The zealots tried to get a 470% increase in tobacco taxes through this Nov...earmarked 17% of the money for smoking cessation, the rest to increase Medicaid for those making 200% of the federal poverty number. Remember...only 25% of the population smokes. But 55% of Missourians voted down the tax.
The reason most restaurants don't go smoke free is because they know that 25% smoke, 50% don't care, and the remainder are people who will bitch, **** and moan about anything they can, so why cater to them? And ask any server, smokers typically tip better than non-smokers.
So legislation is the only way to get all of the restaurants to participate. They know that they won't GAIN any business, just lose it, with smoke-free. Fast food joints don't have a problem with it, the bulk of their business is drivethru. But a large number of smokers will drive to the next municipality, or drive thru a fast food joint, or eat at home. And this not only reduces income for the restaurants from smokers, but also from the non-smokers who accompany them many times.
The zealots like to think they're doing 'good', but they really are just selfish nut jobs with their own very specific agenda. There are dozens of areas where their efforts would bring greater results and enrich far more lives and health if their time was spent there instead. They're not fooling anyone.
BTW...one of the reasons I enjoy the smoking area of a restaurant is that there are usually fewer screaming smelly children running around there. Unfortunately some folks still insist on sitting there with their runny-nosed shrieking offspring, but it's less typical than in the non-smoking areas.
So if you could...while you're deciding who can and can't do what and when in the restaurant, I'd appreciate it if you could add the cell-phone talkers (thanks, but I didn't come to listen to you yammer with your buddies at high volume), the morbidly obese (unless they're eating from the Weight Watchers portion of the menu, of course), those drenched in perfume or cologne, really ugly/redneck folk (sorry, a dirty ball cap and sweats really isn't dining out apparel), and children under 10. Hell, if you get those groups out of the establishment, I might just keep dining out even WITH a smoke free mandate.
20% of all lung cancer patients don't smoke nor live with smokers (Christopher Reeves' wife would be a prominent example, she died of lung cancer a year or so after his death).
My father and grandmother have over 100 years of smoking between them....neither has ever had a smoking related illness, and have spent far less time and money in even typical medical care than almost anyone I know.
I passed through Louisville KY back in March on my cycle...thought I'd warm up and grab a bite/smoke at Appleby's as I had done the night before in Carlisle PA. Walked into the emptiest Appleby's I've ever seen (more staff than customers, 8pm on a Tuesday), and noticed a "Smoke-Free Restaurant" plaque. When I asked about it, they said that the city had an ordinance regarding smoking in restaurants. They mentioned that O'Charlies still allowed smoking however, as they chose to pay the daily fine levied for flouting the law.
I walked back out and decided to head over to O'Charlies next door, but the packing lot was jam packed with customers and I couldn't find a spot to park the bike, so I headed on to Indiana.....
Local BBQ joint (Bandana's) informed us when we arrived a few weeks ago that they had gone smoke-free as of Nov. 1 (they advertise that they smoke meat 24/7, ironically....AND they have a bar). The 4 of us (2 smokers, 2 smoke-tolerant non's) walked back out and headed to a more reasonable establishment.
I've eaten at Red Robin once....(nationally smoke free) - that's all it took for me to find out that I wouldn't return.
I don't stay at Marriott hotels anymore...they went smoke free 9/1/06(in the middle of one of my stays).
The zealots tried to get a 470% increase in tobacco taxes through this Nov...earmarked 17% of the money for smoking cessation, the rest to increase Medicaid for those making 200% of the federal poverty number. Remember...only 25% of the population smokes. But 55% of Missourians voted down the tax.
The reason most restaurants don't go smoke free is because they know that 25% smoke, 50% don't care, and the remainder are people who will bitch, **** and moan about anything they can, so why cater to them? And ask any server, smokers typically tip better than non-smokers.
So legislation is the only way to get all of the restaurants to participate. They know that they won't GAIN any business, just lose it, with smoke-free. Fast food joints don't have a problem with it, the bulk of their business is drivethru. But a large number of smokers will drive to the next municipality, or drive thru a fast food joint, or eat at home. And this not only reduces income for the restaurants from smokers, but also from the non-smokers who accompany them many times.
The zealots like to think they're doing 'good', but they really are just selfish nut jobs with their own very specific agenda. There are dozens of areas where their efforts would bring greater results and enrich far more lives and health if their time was spent there instead. They're not fooling anyone.
BTW...one of the reasons I enjoy the smoking area of a restaurant is that there are usually fewer screaming smelly children running around there. Unfortunately some folks still insist on sitting there with their runny-nosed shrieking offspring, but it's less typical than in the non-smoking areas.
So if you could...while you're deciding who can and can't do what and when in the restaurant, I'd appreciate it if you could add the cell-phone talkers (thanks, but I didn't come to listen to you yammer with your buddies at high volume), the morbidly obese (unless they're eating from the Weight Watchers portion of the menu, of course), those drenched in perfume or cologne, really ugly/redneck folk (sorry, a dirty ball cap and sweats really isn't dining out apparel), and children under 10. Hell, if you get those groups out of the establishment, I might just keep dining out even WITH a smoke free mandate.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Brandon, MS
I'm not a fan of places that allow smoking inside because I think that I'm allergic to tobacco smoke, or at least highly sensitive. Everytime that I go to a place that allows smoking, I have a hard time enjoying my food and my drinks because I eventually start having problems breathing and get severe headaches. Also, I really can't stand the smell of smoke on my clothes. The only reason I still go to some of these places is that's where someone else suggests to go and everyone else agrees.