Abominable! Eating together is one of the most essentially human acts. This is a terrible testament to marketing's power: that people are so hooked on marketing they can't leave its influence even for a meal. Well, never mind the advertising on the tables in dinner houses like TGI Friday's and Chili's.
I could see why chains would want to put TVs on the tables. People tend to eat mindlessly when the TV is on and to eat more than they might if eating just in the company of others or in silence. They might linger at the table, ordering more food. This would definitely be a plus for the company.
Marketing people are also putting TVs in shopping carts so parents don't have to parent as they shop and kids can get even more intense cases of the "gimmes" as they browse the aisles. (You know: "Gimme that, Mom!")
Bah, humbug!
