Put Away Your Smartphone and Get a Free Meal

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What would it take for you to stay off your phone for, say, a half-hour? Even an hour? Would a free lunch do it?

Well, Salvatore’s is going to test your cell addiction with their latest lunch offer. Starting on October 20, all of Salvatore’s five locations will offer a buy-one-entrée, get-one-free deal every Monday from noon until 3 p.m. if diners turn in their cell phones at the host stand. “The idea came to us from one of our general managers Denise Baker, who noticed people were literally not speaking to each other while dining. We like the idea of promoting people returning to the basic concept of sharing a meal untethered from emails, texts and calls,” said Sal Lupoli, owner of Salvatore’s Restaurants via a press release.

Every diner in a party must agree to turn over their devices before being seated. The phones will be tagged, stored, and returned when the group finishes their meal. Those dining alone are still eligible with a 50 percent discount on, what Salvatore’s has now dubbed, their “Off the Grid Mondays.”

Every Monday starting Oct. 20, noon – 3 p.m., 225 Northern Ave., Boston; 545 Washington St., Boston; 55 High St., Medford; 354 Merrimack St., Lawrence; 34 Park St., Andover. salvatoresrestaurants.com.