Enjoyed SMOKE-FREE Dining in NJ Today!!!

[disneysteve]

As of midnite, NJ is smoke-free!! We are thrilled. We made it a point to go out to dinner. We specifically asked to be seated in what used to be the smoking section. Actually, that was DD's idea because that section has booths and the former non-smoking section only has tables. We also made sure to tell the hostess, the waitress and the manager how happy we were that the place was now smoke-free and that we would certainly be dining out a lot more now. My wife and I keep thinking of places we could never go that we will be able to try now. Can you tell we're excited?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I long for the day of a state-wide ban here too, Steve, that's great. We have a hodge podge of local laws.

 

[Big Dude]

That is great for you. Now, if only the NJ politicos can find a way to ban that carcinogenic activity from the Atlantic City gambling floors......I would be totally amazed!!!!

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[kydisneyfans]

We went bowling for the first time in years a month ago because our town went smoke free!!!!!

There are only 4 restaurants outside of the city limits but within our county that allow smoking-guess where we don't eat.

The ironic thing is KY is a large tobacco growing state, I can see tobacco fields out my back window.

 

[NJBlackBerry]

We walked in Houlihan's (in NJ) and the greeter asked if we wanted to sit at the bar or in the dining room. No more smoking

 

[disneysteve]

That is great for you. Now, if only the NJ politicos can find a way to ban that carcinogenic activity from the Atlantic City gambling floors......I would be totally amazed!!!!

Adam aka Big Dude

I agree! I'd love to see the casinos smoke-free. Of course, that could get expensive as the sole reason we stay out of them now is the smoking. DW and I both enjoy playing now and then, but never ever go because of the smoke.

And yes, kydisneyfans, we are looking forward to being able to go bowling. Something all 3 of us love but have been unable to do for many years.

 

[disneysteve]

We walked in Houlihan's (in NJ) and the greeter asked if we wanted to sit at the bar or in the dining room. No more smoking

DD asked if we could go to a diner and sit at the counter. She's always wanted to do that but we were never able to before.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I'm in NY where its been smoke free for a while now. A few weeks ago we visited Baltimore. The first night we went to The Cheesecake factory for dinner and as we were served my son smelled smoke. I kept telling him it must be on someones clothes. Finally we saw the women right next to us smoking. My husband said "they must not be from around here and dont know they cant smoke in restaurants". It tooke a brick over the head before we all realized it was allowed! Boy what you take for granted when its what you're used to.

Glad NJ is part of it now too!

That is great for you. Now, if only the NJ politicos can find a way to ban that carcinogenic activity from the Atlantic City gambling floors......I would be totally amazed!!!!

Are any of the AC casinos smoke free?

 

[disykat]

We've been enjoying smokefree dining for several months here. It's nice to be able to go back to some places we hadn't been in a long time due to the smell. I still prefer to sit in the "non-smoking" section though because of lingering odors in the old smoking areas.

 

[drakethib]

Man I hope that happens here in Texas.

 

[pearlieq]

I'm SO jealous! We can't go to bingo, the local comedy club, or even a good portion of the mom & pop restaurants out here because of the smoke.

I can only hope something similar is coming for IL. It would be so nice! Enjoy your newfound freedom!

 

[CookieGVB]

I think there are smoke-free "sections" in the casinos...but they're few and far in between.

Of course you have to travel through the smoking sections to get to them, too.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Very happy to be in smoke free NJ too.

I did hear the funniest thing on Fox 5's 10pm news tonight. They were in Hoboken interviewing people about the smoking ban. They spoke to one guy (who was a smoker) and he said that it would be nice to go home without clothes reaking of smoke.

then they spoke to a young women who said the ban was silly, after all everyone smokes and if you don't smoke you are a loser. She said everyone wants to smoke!

Even the newscasters laughed at that one.

 

[olena]

It is great. We've been smoke-free for a while now. I love going into a restaurant and actually being able to smell the food.

I've seen news articles about it and they don't mention Georgia as being one of those states. I wonder why.

 

[froglady]

Man I hope that happens here in Texas.

Oh dear! Texas isn't smokefree? I'll be visiting Dallas in a couple of weeks; I'd better double check my hotel reservation and STRESS that I will not accept a smoking room! (I'm pretty sure I requested non-smoking) I was forced into one on a recent trip to Chicago, and was ill for the first day until we could be moved. I had to speak to the manager to get it changed, and it was a real hassle. Smokers seem to think that as long as no one is actively smoking in the room, it'll be fine for a non-smoker. Even the sheets and towels reeked of smoke, nevermind the carpet and curtains. When we changed rooms (to one that was exactly the same, just non-smoking) DH remarked that it looked so much brighter. That's because the walls, etc weren't coated with soot!

Since I'm going to a wedding, I only have to eat one meal out of 5 in a restaurant, as the rest are provided to out of town guests.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Makes me curious -- how many states allow smoking?

 

[disneysteve]

Makes me curious -- how many states allow smoking?

I believe there are now either 10 or 11 states that are smoke-free.

We just got back from Seaside Heights, a shore resort. It was WONDERFUL. The arcades are all smoke-free. The restaurants/bars are all smoke-free. We didn't come home smelling like ashtrays with sore throats and headaches like we usually do.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Illinois, as a state, has no rules (other than the obvious fire hazard stuff). Chicago just passed a fairly good, but still with bar concessions that pretty much go away in early '08. Cook County just passed another, though different. Then individual cities, towns, villages have various laws, from very strict (not even smoking outside in parks and the like), to ones that are truly a joke. Sure wish the state would get its head on straight.

 

[shoes99]

We ate at Perkin's Pancake House in Hazlet, NJ today. It was wonderful. We sat in the former smoking section and it was fresh and clean. Place was very busy.

 

[disneysteve]

We ate at Perkin's Pancake House in Hazlet, NJ today. It was wonderful. We sat in the former smoking section and it was fresh and clean. Place was very busy.

Of course it was busy. Every restaurant we passed today had a packed parking lot. The smoking ban will have absolutely no negative effect on business. In fact, it might improve business because lots of people like us wouldn't go to smoking restaurants and bars before and now we can and will.