Chick-fil-A is offering free ice cream to families who silence their phones and place them inside a box known as a “cell phone coop” for the entire meal.
The so-called challenge is available at more than 150 of the chain’s locations.
“We really want our restaurant to provide a sense of community for our customers, where family and friends can come together and share quality time with one another,” Brad Williams, a Chick-fil-A operator in Suwanee, Georgia, said in a statement. Williams is responsible for the coop.
Families who can complete the challenge get a free Chick-fil-A Icedream cone. “Turn all family cell phones to silent and place in this cell phone coop,” say the Chick-fil-A instructions. “Enjoy your Chik-fil-A meal and each other distraction free!”
Citing a figure from Mobile Intelligence, Chick-fil-A said Americans spend 4.7 hours per day on their phones.
“The challenge has completely taken off,” Williams added. “We have families who aren’t successful the first time and come back to try again. We even have people asking to take the boxes home with them! Our whole community is talking about it.”
In Los Angeles, the Eva restaurant offered customers 5 percent off their order if they checked in their phones before the meal.
