Resaturants Banning E-Cigs

[QB]

I was in Olive Garden last weekend and a friend of mine was using an e-cigarette. Even though these are "vapor inhaler nicotine" systems, they are made to look like a cigarette (sort of) and the vapor that you exhale resembles smoke (but it's a vapor, an e-cig has a battery and an atomizer). The vapor goes into the air very briefly but dissipates almost immediately and certainly doesn't stay in the air like smoke does.

Anyway, to make a long story short, a sheeple (OK, strike the term sheeple and substitute "confused guest") reported someone "smoking" and the manager came over and told my friend that smoking was prohibited. She said it wasn't a cigarette banned under the "no smoking" law and the manager said it didn't matter, that anything resembling a cigarette was banned because it was too much trouble to deal with the issue (other people thinking it was a tobacco cigagette).

Needless to say, our food arrived about that time and I stood up and said "cancel our order" and we went next door and ate at a different restaurant. My friend was shocked that I took her side and stood up for her (she knows I HATE cigarette smoke) but I told her that I'd had enough of sheeple (oops, strike sheeple again and replace with "people") running my life based on their ignorant "perception" or "confusion".

(Edit: by the way, the manager and Mildred and I had a pleasant chat for about 5 minutes at the table. She said she wouldn't have come in if she knew that e-cigs were prohibited. He said he was sorry the policy wasn't posted but said he'd take that into consideration so that customers wouldn't have to be "confronted". He told he it wasn't the e-cig (i.e. smell or anything like that) but the perception that it might be a lit cigarette. She was upset and wanted to leave (she's 83 and this just upset her) and he said he'd take care of the cokes and since the salad and soup were already pre-made and not yet served that we could leave without any charges. So when the waiter brought the salad bowl we stood up and I said we were canceling our order and we left. It was all very civil and polite. We even left a tip for the waiter. Thanks to e-cigs, she's nearly off of nicotine, she's on the very lowest level and will be going to no nicotine in about a week. Now she just needs to try to work on the physical side of the addiction, holding something, etc. Still won't help her in OG or other restaurants that prohibit e-cigs because the fact that there's no nicotine in the inhaler doesn't matter, it's that people think it might be cigarette smoke. But I'm proud of her quitting at age 83 after smoking a zillion years. And I felt bad that she was so upset. As much as some would like to think there was a scene or anyone had a fit, that's not what happened. This post was a rant as indicated below because prohibiting something based on perception of it being something it's not just riled me up for awhile).

I emailed my concerns to the OLIVE GARDEN corporate office and received this response:

"As a business owner, we have made the decision to treat all cigarettes, electronic or otherwise, the same. This consistent approach helps us avoid confusion among our guests and employees in distinguishing electronic cigarettes from traditional cigarettes where smoking is legally prohibited."

They closed by saying "You are a valued guest, and we look forward to serving you again soon."

I won't bother repeating my response to them other than to say that they would NEVER serve me, my friends or my family again. I also gave them some easy tips to "distinguish" between the two, one of them being the smell of TOBACCO SMOKE radiating from the table that has a smoker sitting at it.

I'm a non-smoker but this is just ridiculous in my opinion. Their management and guests are "confused" between an e-cig and a lit tobacco cigarette? You've got to be kidding.

I refuse to spend my money at establishments that cater to SHEEPLE (OMG, again, strike SHEEPLE and substitute "confused guests"....) rather than to educate them (didn't mean to say "educate", really just meant that the manager could tell the customer that the other customer isn't smoking....so actually it's a correction to the person's "perception"). Olive Garden is putting the "confused guests" rights above my friends right. They have the right to do so and my friend has the right to go somewhere else. She is trying to do the right thing by stopping smoking cigarettes, using a vapor nicotine inhaler occassionally, and this is the slap in the face she gets.........because management can't do their job and let a "complaining" customer know that she's not smoking!!!!

Well, just my rant for today. This really bothers me on many levels. I'd like to go to Olive Garden and complain about the sceaming child next to me that is causing havoc, complain about the over powering perfume the lady next to me has on, etc. But of course I won't since I'm never stepping foot in there again.

By the way, Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurant Group who also owns Red Lobster so I would imagine that all those restaurants have the same policy.

[WildBill]

QB - Interesting story. I haven't heard of this happening and wondered if it would. Even though it isn't legally smoking, I suppose they have the right to ban it. A couple of months ago, one of my friends was using one inside a chain restaurant. The servers saw, but didn't mention it. Incidently, there is a brand of e-cig with a blue LED at the tip so that nobody could confuse it with a real cigarette.

I am wondering also about offices banning them, also. At my company, some people complained about second hand smoke so they built an outside smoking area away from the back entrance. Now, the same people complain when others go out for smoke breaks. As far as I know, nobody has started to use e-cigs inside work, but I am sure that the time will come when they would ban it inside the office.

[PUCKER]

QB - by not going to Olive Garden, well, you are not missing out on what I would call "good food." I've got the belly to prove I eat the good food...LOL

I hear you on the e-cig thing. I smoke cigars and I get the same treatment your friend does, but IN a cigarette SMOKING section...funny, eh?

OK, back to why I wouldn't worry about Olive Garden...a few years back I was having their Chicken Balsamic whatever...it was tasty, but I wanted some more balsamic vinegar (I could drink that stuff, seriously!), asked the waitress for it, she came back and said they didn't have any of it....I countered with, "well how do you make the balsamic reduction/sauce for this chicken if you don't have any balsamic vinegar?" Her reply was that everything was pre-packaged/pre-made and that they didn't have the basic ingredients....her words, not mine, that was my last trip there.

[WildBill]

Her reply was that everything was pre-packaged/pre-made and that they didn't have the basic ingredients....her words, not mine, that was my last trip there.

So basically you are going out to eat a TV dinner. Yum!

[Oldgringo]

QB - Interesting story. I haven't heard of this happening and wondered if it would. Even though it isn't legally smoking, I suppose they have the right to ban it. A couple of months ago, one of my friends was using one inside a chain restaurant. The servers saw, but didn't mention it. Incidently, there is a brand of e-cig with a blue LED at the tip so that nobody could confuse it with a real cigarette.

I am wondering also about offices banning them, also. At my company, some people complained about second hand smoke so they built an outside smoking area away from the back entrance. Now, the same people complain when others go out for smoke breaks. As far as I know, nobody has started to use e-cigs inside work, but I am sure that the time will come when they would ban it inside the office.

A couple of questions, if you please:

1. Why would anyone want to pretend they're smoking; and,
2. Shouldn't non-smokers get the same "work breaks" that smokers get?

BTW, I smoked a pipe for 30+ years, I'm just askin'...

[WildBill]

A couple of questions, if you please:

1. Why would anyone want to pretend they're smoking; and,
2. Shouldn't non-smokers get the same "work breaks" that smokers get?

1. E-cigs are not "pretend smoking" in that you get a hit of nicotine with each puff, but without the tar and other chemicals in tobacco smoke. Even though E-cigs can't be legally sold to people under 18, there is some argument that teenagers would use e-cigs because they are "cool".

2. Yes they should, but oftentimes, it's a matter of perception. It's more PC to have a "coffee break" rather than a "cigarette break".

BTW - They sell e-Pipes too.

[KC5AV]

QB - Interesting story. I haven't heard of this happening and wondered if it would. Even though it isn't legally smoking, I suppose they have the right to ban it. A couple of months ago, one of my friends was using one inside a chain restaurant. The servers saw, but didn't mention it. Incidently, there is a brand of e-cig with a blue LED at the tip so that nobody could confuse it with a real cigarette.

I am wondering also about offices banning them, also. At my company, some people complained about second hand smoke so they built an outside smoking area away from the back entrance. Now, the same people complain when others go out for smoke breaks. As far as I know, nobody has started to use e-cigs inside work, but I am sure that the time will come when they would ban it inside the office.

A couple of questions, if you please:

1. Why would anyone want to pretend they're smoking; and,
2. Shouldn't non-smokers get the same "work breaks" that smokers get?

BTW, I smoked a pipe for 30+ years, I'm just askin'...

1. A lot of smokers have a psychological dependence on having something in their mouth... almost an oral fixation, if you will. One of my brother attempted to quit smoking years ago, and as long as he had a peppermint to suck on, her was fine.
2. Most businesses allow everyone certain breaks during the day. I know that where I work (a hospital, oh the irony), most smokers can be found out by the dock several time a day. At least in my observation, they take more than their fair share of breaks.

[WildBill]

1. A lot of smokers have a psychological dependence on having something in their mouth... almost an oral fixation, if you will. One of my brother attempted to quit smoking years ago, and as long as he had a peppermint to suck on, her was fine.
2. Most businesses allow everyone certain breaks during the day. I know that where I work (a hospital, oh the irony), most smokers can be found out by the dock several time a day. At least in my observation, they take more than their fair share of breaks.

Even though he had quit smoking for many years, one of my former bosses would constantly chew on toothpicks. Remember Kojak and his lollipops?

A hospital near where I work has a totally smoke-free facility so the smokers walk to a near-by restaurant parking lot to have their cigarette breaks. I am sure that isn't a very good use of their break time.

[Pawpaw]

I've been using E-Cigs for the last year and a half and have never run into that problem. I have had a few quizzical looks from the wait staff, but it has always ended with a laugh when they tell me about how confused they were by the "red cigarette with a blue flame".

None of my e-cigs look like a real cigarette. I have several different colors and they are mostly WAY longer than a real cig. Most of the LEDs are blue or green, but a few are orange. For the most part, they just don't quite look like the real deal.

As for "why"... My e-cigs contain nicotine and I can order whatever strength I want. I have slowly dialed the nicotine content back from 24mg down to 4mg. I believe I will go to zero or completely stop soon.

For me, they have been a godsend. I smoked for over 40 years and all of my attempts at quitting failed. E-cigs got me off analogs (slang term for real cigs) almost by accident. Even if a person stays on e-cigs with a high nic content forever, they have eliminated over 4,000 chemical compounds (~400 of which are known carcinogens). That is a BIG WIN in anyone's book!

[G26ster]

I have a black e-cig, but I don't use it in areas that prohibit smoking. It's all about "general public" perception. That said, I'm always amazed by those who strongly defend the 2A who will out of hand, and with no facts whatsoever, blow off my rights even though I'm causing no harm to anyone. It's the same mindset considering an e-cig the same as one of those Glocks "that spray bullets everywhere with just a slight touch of the trigger." No facts - just personal perception and opinion.

[MoJo]

most smokers can be found out by the dock several time a day. At least in my observation, they take more than their fair share of breaks.

I can vouch for that - - - before I retired I had an apprentice working with me who was gone at least 25% of the time smoking. After counceling him, having the job steward councel him, and the apprenticeship director (his uncle) councel him all to no avail - - - I fired him! Smoking is an addiction just like cocane, alcohol, etc. It's hard to beat but, I know it can be beaten I haven't smoked in over 15 years.

[texanron]

Hopefully others find out about Olive Gardens stance on E-Cigs and decide to spend their money elsewhere. That way the wait time for the wife and I to get our Chicken & Gnocchi soup is shorter. Three bowl minimum everytime I go.

[Oldgringo]

I'm not familiar with e-cigs. I smoked a pipe for almost 40 years and a pipe gives off a most pleasant aroma. Cigarettes, real cigarettes, give a most noxious fume that can be smelled miles away.

Yep, that's my opinion on the subject...as if anyone asked.

[G26ster]

Hopefully others find out about Olive Gardens stance on E-Cigs and decide to spend their money elsewhere. That way the wait time for the wife and I to get our Chicken & Gnocchi soup is shorter. Three bowl minimum everytime I go.

What if they had a legal 30.06 sign? Would you still get 3 bowls?

[Keith B]

While e-cigs don't have the same smell as regular cigarettes, their effects on 2nd hand 'smoke' from them is still not clear. Many use propylene glycol (same stuff used in theatrical fog machines) as the smoke agent, and I know of individuals who have allergies to it. While the levels of exposure may or may not trigger any reaction, I don't think we still know the potential effects on the user or others.

My company has left the decision to allow e-cigs in the workplace up to the individual business units at this time, but really expect them to say anything resembling a cigarette has to be used outside. And I understand the Olive Garden manager's decision to say the same thing and that way they don't have to make a decision of real or e-cig and who can and can't 'smoke' in the restaurant.