A high-end restaurant group in New York and London has officially started a "Phone-Lock" policy. When you arrive, your phone is placed in a small timed safe at the center of the table. If you want to unlock it before the bill is paid, you have to pay a "distraction surcharge" of 15% on top of your meal. The owners say it’s the only way to get people to actually talk to each other again.

If you were at dinner with your partner or friends, would you be willing to lock your phone away for two hours for a discount? Or is having your phone on the table a "basic right" in 2026?