I went out to lunch today. It was fast food. The food was not fast, nor was it food, per se. But that is not my distraction point. My dining pleasure was interrupted by CNN, on a now "convenient" flat screen in the dining area. Does the Colonel really need 2 TVs, one in each corner? Does John need to expand his Taco experience to include the Dow Jones Industrial Average looping across the bottom of a screen? LeeAnn Chin, Perkins, Chipotle, Burger King-they have better TVs and more TV than I will ever want.
I can't get away for even a moment anymore from the noise of the world. And noise it seems to be. Long ago in a McDonald's far away, I remember hearing music, or in some cases, Muzak. Even a crude makeover of a Billy Joel tune was better than the dire announcements of yet more layoffs, and failing banks.
I've seen televisions that blare to no one, soap operas that bore, and products advertised that spoil my lunch. Do you really want to see that feminine itch resolved over your mandarin orange chicken salad? Is the friendly dining experience of sitting in a booth and talking to the person you came with an antiquated ideal? Do they really think that they can compete with the sports bar/grills? Is it an attempt not to choose a type of music that will then label their restaurant as "Oldies, contemporary pop, country, or hip-hop"?
May I grouse about one more thing as long as I'm a curmudgeon today? The service is even more poor; the help is watching the TV. Turn on some tunes, friends, I want you to listen to music, and turn off the tube. Thanks, I feel better now. And I'll try not to stumble coming down off the soap box.
I agree .. I agree.. and I will see your grouse and raise you a gripe. Does anyone really WANT the person sitting next to them at lunch to talk on their cell phone at 'normal' or louder volume, complaining about their job, their spouse or heaven forbid describing in detail some really disgusting medical problem. Combine that with the televisions blaring commercials and the whole pleasant dining experience is right out the window! Feh! (I'm coming down with a cold, so I'm curmudgeonly right next to ya, sister) What happened to taking a nanosecond to be contemplative, to just pay attention to your food? Ooh maybe that's it .. the food really is lousy so they don't want you to focus on it... just shovel it down, and get on your way!
ReplyDeletetee hee, take care of your cold. Hot tea, soaker bath, a nap, vitamin C. Peace,
ReplyDeleteDo you think that they think that the TV will cause you to linger in the establishment longer and spend more $? I don't think this will help.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one-- some doctor's & dentist's offices my wife & I have been in over the past year or two also have been “decorated” with large flat screen tvs turned up a few notches too loud. Tho I must say that canned music can drive me pretty wild, too.
ReplyDeleteI used to hate the gym because CNN was always Blaring... I like reading on the treadmill ..I no longer go to the gym... which is fine.
ReplyDeleteWe have come far: dreaming of elevator music, like in the good old days, while being force-fed and bombarded with images and sounds.
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