Why doesn't restaurants allow photography?

[Nisa]

I don't understand why doesn't an restaurant allow photography?
There are alot of people who would like to take pictures of what they had ate.
I meant it's not as if ALL the ppl will walk around snapping pictures at their deco or their menu (though i am guilty of it, cause i don't remember the name of the dishes i had).

Personally if i know a restaurant doesn't allow photography, i would not go to it, regardless of the raves and praises it might have.

 

[Galdor]

Could be becos the other guests will not feel comfortable when you take pictures as they will think that you are taking pictures of them.

Another reason is that they will think that you are a spy from the same trade trying to take pictures of their dishes and sell them to a competitor who would try to emulate the same dishes.

 

[Godzilla Invades]

Then you don't have much restaurants to go to. It would be silly to miss out good food.

 

[deckard]

use handphone camera. so far no problem.

 

[Nisa]

:lovegrin:

Could be becos the other guests will not feel comfortable when you take pictures as they will think that you are taking pictures of them.

Another reason is that they will think that you are a spy from the same trade trying to take pictures of their dishes and sell them to a competitor who would try to emulate the same dishes.

Pointing downwards leh... the last place i went, i actually saw a minister and a minister's wife sitting just beside me. I didn't even take a picture nor was i told to keep my camera.
A bit paranoid right?

:bsmilie: if their dishes are so easy to "emulate" then they might not be such a good chef afterall... but then if i am a spy, i think i would use a smaller camera...

Then you don't have much restaurants to go to. It would be silly to miss out good food.

Good dining experience is very important. To me, food is one part of it.

use handphone camera. so far no problem.

Waiting for the Sony Ericisson to come up with K850!

 

[Sion]

Your flash will overcook the food.

 

[aeskywan]

I was from the hotel industry and maybe I can shed some light as to why?

1) Menus are closely guarded secrets, in the past, we were even instructed that menus could not be left out of our sight and we had to discretely make sure we collect back the menus. Reasoning being, there is some degree of planning into what goes into the menu, pricing etc. Hence its a simple case of you dont want your competitor to walk off with your menu and undercut you by coming out with a totally same or similarly menu.

2) Taking photos of food, normally restaurants will go into red alert if that happens as it could mean the person is a food critic. Esp if a SLR or in modern day DSLR is whipped out. Normally the manager or boss will come around and speak to the guest, ask if the food is okay and even try to find out if they are really food critics. If they say no no.. well perhaps they are particular about their presentation and is afraid that their competitor copies their ideas.

However frankly I personally think good chefs relish a challenge and wont be that uptight about people trying to imitate them as after all they should be reinventing themselves everyday.

Hope it helps.

 

[bowwow]

the last time i checked a restaurant was a place where one (hopefully) enjoys a dining experience. don't think it was a photography venue.

 

[CYRN]

2) Taking photos of food, normally restaurants will go into red alert if that happens as it could mean the person is a food critic. Esp if a SLR or in modern day DSLR is whipped out. Normally the manager or boss will come around and speak to the guest, ask if the food is okay and even try to find out if they are really food critics. If they say no no.. well perhaps they are particular about their presentation and is afraid that their competitor copies their ideas.

Hahaha... experienced this... took out my DSLR snap some pics... the next few dishes that arrived are very well presented... fully filled too. :thumbsup:;p

 

[bahibo]

I not comfortable when see people raise camera when i'm eating, the feeling got people take ur photo when u eating make u behave differently , although he not taking ur photo. And the restaurant menu should be kept secret , the pricing and menu is competitive factors.

 

[wrkshy]

Was this an upscale restaurant, with dim lights etc?

Could be they just don't want people snapping away with flash, and ruining the ambience. I've been in some restaurants overseas where talking on mobile phones isn't allowed (they'll ask you to take your call outside, or in one of their allocated booths).

Not implying that the original poster was disturbing others, but just wondering about the restaurant's policy. I don't think it's fear of competition stealing secrets - if I was a chef, I would dine out at rival restaurants regularly. It's a public place after all.

If you were stopped, perhaps it would be best just to clarify with the restaurant management.

 

[Lolrence]

I think it also has something to do with dining etiquette.. especially when you're in a restaurant, and not a hawker centre.

 

[jeanie]

strange.

most of the time for my family dinners, i will bring my cam and whip out to take shots.
nobody stop me so far.
:dunno:

 

[Deadpoet]

If you use a metz hammerhead and fire away, it is quite inconsiderate. However, if you are shooting the dishes with ambient light, what can they do?

I ate my way through some of the best and some of the most expansive restaurant all over the world, and only in Asia, and more specifically, Singapore did I ever run into this problem.

One restaurant in particular, it's now closed, I wonder why, was very insistant that I stop taking pictures of the dishes, and threatened to call the police if I do not stop. We walked before finsihing the meal. Guess what again, as we were waiting for our taxi, they had the audacity to come out to the street and present us the bill.

We did not pay. If the restaurant is still around, I would have named it. But no point flogging a dead horse.

 

[kiwi2]

There are no hard and fast rules about what you can or cannot photograph. As photogs, the best way is to be prepared for rejections. It's not just in Singapore... can happen anywhere.

If you are not happy with the ruling, simple. Just walk out or don't frequent the place.

Just like some restaurants will not serve you plain water but will want you to buy mineral water. I just ate at a restaurant yesterday that charged 50 cents for iced water!!! But I didn't walk out. I'm not some superstar with superstar attitude. Just move on... These are simple unimportant stuffs in life. Though I know people who will insist they will not frequent such restaurants.

Now for photograhy... If the restaurant doesn't want me to take their pics, so be it. I won't kick up a fuss or whatever. We all have our peeves. Some photographers may be pissed off with being told they can't even photograph a dish. But you have to empathize what the restaurant feel on their side. Sometimes, it's not No Photography per se. It's what kind of camera you use and how elaborate you are shooting.

Doesn't bother me if I'm told no photography is allowed. Can't photograph? So be it. If you look at it from their perspective, they might feel insecure cos you are sort of like using their dishes for pictures for other self-fulfilling purposes. To me, my main purpose is to go there to eat. So I will respect their culture.

 

[night86mare]

depends lor

i mean you go to school must obey school rules
go to restaurant obey rest rules lor

the fact is, sometimes people are anal and will complain that the guest opposite seems to be trying to upskirt them
then how
the rest try to avoid trouble by stopping it first lor
i think should be no problem if you ask waitress to take for you

 

[DeSwitch]

Not really true leh.. I had used my DSLR with Macro lens and even changed lens without issue in most of the restaurant i went. I do see the no photography signs sometimes but nobody stop me.


I even notice once at Viena where the no photography sign was clearly seen. The waitress even help a group of Dinners to take their group photos with flash on too..:lovegrin:

I even shot a video clips with a handycam once.

 

[arpinkor]

I think it depends on what kind of restaurant lor. For Chinese restaurants, people like to go there in big rowdy groups to celebrate birthdays or other happy occasions. Normally they don't mind people taking photos. For other restaurants where people go there for the ambience, esp. expensive high-class type, if you go around taking photos, the other diners who bring mistress or what think you are private detective or something, and the management won't be happy with you disrupting everyone's dinner with your flashing and moving around.