Here’s a situation you’ve come across many times while eating outside. You sit down with your meal with your parents and sister, and then you suddenly remember that you want to check your Facebook notifications and updates.

You flip your phone out and start scrolling down. You change to Twitter. Before you know it, you’re on Instagram.

Fifteen minutes have passed by and you’re semi-consciously eating your fries and burger, without even noticing the people around you. Suddenly you remember and you look up – all you see around you are three more people who are equally engrossed on their phones.

Sad, right? Meal times are usually the only time people can catch up with one another, and now it seems that even that is lost, thanks to social media and apps.

McDonald’s has decided to break the barrier of online communication with, well, face-to-face conversations.

And it’s happening right here in Singapore’s Marine Cove!

(P.S. If that sounds unfamiliar, this should help: It’s the McDonald’s outlet in East Coast Park. There, much better.)

Why Implement This Change?

The brand new change at this particular McDonald’s outlet sounds a bit crazy, but hey, they have their reasons for doing it.

The company wants kids and parents to set aside their gadgets in a place that’s secure, and concentrate on bonding instead. Ms Linda Ming, McDonald’s director of brand communications and customer care said that while McDonald’s is a favourite eating place for families, they did notice that using phones when it’s time to actually eat was indeed causing an invisible wall in family bonding.

A survey conducted last month showed that a crazy-ass large percentage of parents and kids – we’re talking 91 per cent for kids and 98 for adults (I KNOW, your jaw just dropped, right?) keep on using their smartphones when they’re together as a family.

To add salt to the wound, a whopping MORE THAN 66.7 percent use their phones WHILE eating.

Okay, we’re probably guilty of doing it too, but you know how serious the numbers actually are now.

Phone Off, Fun On!

There’s a clear cube of many little cubicles with its own designated key (for each locker) to keep your mobile devices inside.

On top of that, there’s table service too! This will be done by “guest experience leaders” who have one primary focus; to connect with the families.

The table service feature can be selected as an option when you place your order at the self-ordering section.

The best part of it all? No need to pay any extra money for the table service thing! AND it’s not just strictly for families – the service is extended to pretty much everyone.

As keeping your phone locked is bound to make some people forget about it and step out of the restaurant minus their mobile phones, there are also staff from McDonald’s to remind you about taking your phone before you leave the place.

You don’t want to be halfway home in the MRT before you finally realize that you don’t have your phone with you, especially after all the fantastic time spent, right?

So make your way to East Coast Park now. And did you know that the outlet there has special items that’s not available in other outlets?

Another reason for you to take the journey to the east!

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This article was first published on goodyfeed.com

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