One San Antonio restaurant is already going fully phone-free — while others are just starting to experiment with unplugged dining.
Why it matters: In a city built around socializing, phones can quietly take over the table — and some venues are pushing back.
The big picture: Across the U.S., bars and restaurants are testing phone bans or incentives as part of a broader shift toward disconnecting and creating a more immersive dining experience.
Americans check their phones about 144 timesand spend roughly 4.5 hours on them —per day.
Younger diners are leading the pullback: 63% of Gen Z say they intentionally unplug, followed by millennials (57%).
Zoom in: San Antonio's version of the trend is small — but real.
Nicosi, the dessert bar at Pullman Market that has a Michelin star and is led by a James Beard finalist, requires guests to cover their phone cameras with a sticker, banning photos to maintain the surprise of its 8-course experience.
And while NoFi Slow Bar in Beacon Hill isn't phone-free, it is intentionally unplugged from WiFi (as the name suggests) to encourage offline connection.
The bottom line: San Antonio isn't broadly phone-free — but the idea is no longer hypothetical here.
