9/10/08

Am I the only one?

Who doesn't understand why restaurants and bars have TV's on the wall with the sound muted, and then music playing in the background!?

Actually I know I am not the only one, as the hubster and I regularly comment on this when eating out.

I am sorry but what exactly is the point of this strange practice. And it's not just in the USA, I have seen this in pretty much every country I have been in.

I mean if what's on TV is worth watching then lets get to watch it with sound. If the restaurant likes to set it's ambience with music, then why have the distraction of a muted TV!? I find it even more bizarre when a music channel is showing on the TV and it's muted.

I am sorry but to us it's just crazy. But we also suspect it's a trend they all follow thinking 'how cool are we' having flatscreen plasma's all over the place! Or then again is there some strange law that doesn't allow them to have the sound on?

15 comments:

Mare said...

I guess that the world has become so used to multitasking, multi media,multi sensory,...that the number of cases of attention deficit disorder in adults has advanced to the point of mass hysteria!![I guess.]

Janet said...

Honestly, I don't think I've EVER been to a restaurant where that happened. When I've been somewhere with a TV, it's been tuned into a sports event with sound up.

However, I have to say that I do that at home quite a lot. I will have a 24-hour news channel on TV while playing the stereo or listening to a radio program - especially while I'm in the kitchen. I think it's the old oil trader in me, needing to know what's happening in the news all the time.

Janet

Expat mum said...

It used to be just sports game, which you can pretty much follow while pretending to listen to someone else's conversation (she says, thinking back to our dating days.)

Anonymous said...

You know I've never really thought about that! I guess it's so the husband can "listen" to you while he can watch the game!

Anonymous said...

Indeed, a strange practice! Although I do see more of it here than back in London.

Connie said...

I find it very distracting. I mean generally I want to talk to whomever I am dining with but then there are those work lunches where the CNN crawl saves me everytime!

Your British Back In Rule post ROCKS!

Glad I stopped in to meet another SITSta!

Julie said...

Me EITHER! It is so dang distracting. Sure, have a TV in a sports bar...but seriously....Are we all just a little ADD and get bored taht fast?

Danyele Easterhaus said...

no strange law...just weirdness on their part. good thought though.

Liz Hinds said...

You're right. It is very stupid! And do we really need either in pubs or restaurants? well, maybe a bit of background music, tunred way down low, but not so you can't hear what anyone is saying to you. Or maybe that's my age and I'm going deaf. yeah, that could be it.

Pam said...

Oh yes, I am sure it is so the sportsaholics can watch while eating. And I have known places to turn down the music and up the TV when a particular game was on. I agree - turn the bloody thing off, if we wanted to eat in front of the tv, we could have stayed home!

Anonymous said...

Just popping in to say hi from SITS!

I never thought about the TVS and music in restaurants, just used to it I guess.

Rhea said...

That's pretty weird. Then there are the places with a million TV's all on different channels. I find myself totally distracted. Turning my head this way and that. Forget conversation. lol

Gill - That British Woman said...

its common here to have the music blaring so loud you can't hear a conversation opposite you, and of course the tv is on with no volume.


Gill in Canada

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Television irritates me no end, especially in restaurants.

And I am so sorry about your toe! Feel Better!!

Sandra Dodd said...

I think they try to keep those on news, sports or weather, and often the captioning is on. I try to ignore them, but I think that's the idea... so people know whether the Broncos won or a tornado is coming, or so they'll know their drunken friend isn't just joking about who's been chosen as a vice-presidential running mate, but it's true.