Talking on cell phone during dinner date rude?

Absolutely it was rude.

Cell phones should be off during dinner dates.

If one expects they may have to receive an important call (say, from a babysitter), one should advise one's date that they will have to keep their cell phone on for that purpose. Then put it on silent/vibrate, and ONLY answer that urgent call. If you find yourself answering a call just in case, that turns out not to be urgent, simply explain tot he caller that "I'm sorry, this is not a good time for me to speak. You can try me...." and suggest a better time, say good-bye, and hang up.

Simple, isn't it?

2

I believe it is rude for anyone to be on a cell phone during a date, or a meeting. That is what voice mail is for. Society is going down the drain when it comes to etiquette. Between the internet and cell phones, I'm not sure which is worse. It's not the technology that is bad, it's the people that are operating it that are the problem. The only exception may be, if there is a crisis, say a medical emergency and someone is waiting to hear information, but only as an emergency, not to chit chat. How disprespectful to the other party!

She was very rude and discourteous to her date. If she had an emergency and needed to talk on her cell, then she should have gotten up and gone outside the restaurant to talk. Someone from one of the neighboring tables should have alerted the staff that she was disrupting everyone's dinner. Sometimes people like her need to be "shamed" into behaving correctly. I hope that guy dumped her by the way...

Yes it is very rude. I really dislike it even when I go to Olive Garden and there is a cell phone that goes off. It is very distracting and rude not only to others, but the person you are with. It is saying, "The person on the phone is more important than you."

I think she was extremely rude. I am surprised that the eating place did not ask her to leave the table with her call and return only after she was finished talking!!...She was obviously distubing may eaters.

Personally I think the phones should be turned off in public places. Maybe that will come now that people can not complain of smokers they may start on cell phone users...

I can only hope....

i could have not dealt with that for long she would have been eating alone had i driven she would also be walking home if she showed up at my door she would have been given a quarter and told to call someone who cares cell phones are cool but people tend to use them to much we have signs all over the place i work asking customers not to use their cell phones but no one reads the signs and i got tired of arguing with people over their using them this is a service station were talking about and the static electricity could cause an explosion

What she did was quite rude indeed. I wouldn't want anyone who is supposed to be spending time with me talking on his/her cell phone(except emergencies). The emphasis, in that situation, is on the person/people you are with. Plus, if it is loud enough it can bother others in the room.

That was really rude. Next time you see a person like that at a quiet place tell the person that works there or tell the lady off.

Yes, she was being rude. But thankfully, cell phone etiquette is becoming more and more well-observed in general. I'm glad that people like her are so few and far between.