"Always on the Table": Revealing Smartphone Usages in everyday Eating Out Situations.

Research on food practices and technology use is becoming more common, albeit with a constant technological determinism with respect to the support of individual practices. Nevertheless, there are only a few empirical studies that outline the use of current technologies within eating contexts. We therefore conducted an empirical study on the practice of eating out and the use of mobile technologies before, during, and after eating. Our investigation consists of a qualitative interview study (n=29) complemented by a large observational study (n=458) within several restaurant settings. Our results indicate a strong reluctance to use technology while eating and highlights several design spaces focusing on before and after the actual eating. Within our paper, we uncover a strong relationship between smartphone use and the social settings in which the interaction takes place. We contribute to the emerging research field of Human-Food Interaction by outlining design spaces for supporting practices around food consumption when eating out.