David Lebovitz mentioned that France is supposed to ban smoking in restaurants on January 1st, 2007, though the law would still permit smoking in casinos and nightclubs. As happens in every city, state and country that tried to enact such a ban, restaurant and cafe owners argue that it will hurt business, presumably because they think people want cigarettes more than they want food, but studies have shown that a ban is actually good for business. As David pointed out, tables in restaurants turn over slightly more quickly and virtually all customers and employees enjoy a smoke free environment, where it is easier to even smokers to breathe. One more important reason is that food tastes better in a room with cleaner air, where the taste of cigarette smoke is not touching to tongue at every bite.
France is hardy the first country to enact such a ban and it seems extremely unlikely that their restaurant and cafe business would suffer when it has not in so many other countries around the world.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-29-2006 @ 10:22AM
RecipeNick said...
I bet that there will still be considerable smoking that happens in restaurants. People still light up in CDG airport, and no one bats an eye. Likely no one will pay any attention to the new legislation.
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8-29-2006 @ 1:02PM
RWD fan said...
If this is so good for business why does it need to be enforced? Shouldn't every place have already figured out that they make more money with a smoking ban?
I guess they should be banning fois gras (spelling?)there soon too?
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8-29-2006 @ 5:41PM
calamari said...
It has to be enforced because if only a few restaurants banned smoking, they wouldn't make more money -- they'd lose customers to the restaurants that customers feel make them comfortable. It's when diners don't have a choice that the smoking ban increases revenues -- and then only if the tables turn fast enough to pick up a full extra seating. The ideal would be that smokers in a non-smoking restaurant order dessert and coffee (high profit margin) but don't linger over it (slow table turn).
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9-02-2006 @ 2:09AM
sheila said...
I love #2 RWD fan's comment! Personally, I think that there should be smoking and non smoking restaurants so people can choose where to eat and feel comfortable about it.
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