Upscale Eatery Offers Diners A Discount To Ditch Their Cell Phones

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A local restaurant has come up with a way to curb cell phone use in the dining room.

Eva Restaurant, located on Beverly Boulevard, is offering customers a 5-percent discount when they leave their cell phones with the staff and dine phone-free.

Chef Mark Gold opened the high-end eatery with his wife in 2009.

He tells CBSLA.com that the discount at the small and intimate restaurant was implemented about two months ago "for people to connect again and really be in the moment and not distracted by their phone."

"It's for the guests and their experience," he said, adding that the eatery wants to give their guests the best experience possible.

Diners wishing to take advantage of the discount may either leave their phones with the hostess upon entering or surrender it to their server. At the conclusion of the meal, patrons get their cell phones back.

"We want people to really be in the moment and not be distracted by their phone," Gold said. "Probably more than half of our diners hand in their cell phones, which I consider successful."

He says that he understands the discount may not be ideal for everyone (such as doctors on call) and is geared toward families with children.