CAGLIARI, Italy — The new challenge at the dinner table is to look one another in the eyes instead of down at a smartphone, exchange a few words without stopping to answer messages, and disconnect long enough to share stories, dreams and even small worries.

Yet a glance at almost any family dining out tells a different story. While waiting for their food, parents check social media notifications as their children disappear into a stream of short smartphone videos known as reels.

What if that waiting time became an opportunity to talk, draw or challenge one another to a board game?

That simple idea is behind the “At the Table Pact,” a monthlong initiative involving 15 restaurants across Sardinia. The goal is to help parents and children rediscover the pleasure of spending time together, even if only for the duration of a meal.

The project, called “At the Table Without Screens,” was launched by Anna Cau, Sardinia’s children’s and adolescents’ ombudsman, in partnership with Fipe Confcommercio Sardegna, the regional restaurant industry association. The initiative brings together public institutions, pediatricians and restaurateurs to encourage families to take a more thoughtful approach to their digital habits.

“Even a simple gesture like this can offer practical support,” Cau says. “Technology needs to be managed responsibly. Children must be protected from excessive use of electronic devices and inappropriate content, while parents need greater awareness of both the risks and the opportunities of the digital world.”

There are no bans imposed from above, organizers emphasize. Instead, families are invited to try a different way of spending time together.

“At participating restaurants, families can receive a ‘Reconnect Kit’ containing board games suited to different age groups, pencils, informational materials and a practical guide to help parents navigate children’s and teenagers’ relationship with technology,” says Marco Mura, President of Fipe Confcommercio Gallura and owner of Terra Nostra, a creative trattoria in Olbia.

“The idea is not to ban smartphones and tablets, but to learn how to use them without letting them take over every spare moment, including those that could be devoted to connecting with other people,” he adds.

The change, however, cannot be expected of children alone.

“If mom and dad keep using their phones while telling their children to put theirs away, the message loses its effectiveness,” says Emanuele Frongia, President of Fipe Confcommercio Sardegna. “Restaurants have traditionally been places for meeting, listening and sharing. Our initiative aims to help people rediscover the pleasure of being together, starting with the time spent waiting for a meal.”

His message to parents is direct: “Asking our children to put away their phones makes sense only if we are the first to do so.”

That principle lies at the heart of the project: mealtimes should be an opportunity for connection, not a battleground between adults and children. A board game, a drawing or a conversation about the school day may seem like small things. But they create opportunities to listen, ask questions and share experiences without constant interruptions.

Initially planned for eight establishments, the experiment has expanded to 15 restaurants across Cagliari, Quartu Sant’Elena, Capoterra, Nuoro, Bari Sardo, Ussassai, Oristano, Alghero, Olbia and Santa Teresa Gallura.

The rules of the “At the Table Pact” are simple. “Adults and children put their phones away in a bag or a designated basket, and the meal becomes a chance to talk about the day,” Frongia says. “During the wait, families can play games or draw, but once the food arrives, the games are put away.”

Families also receive a leaflet with advice from pediatricians and a QR code linking to a more comprehensive guide. And what if an urgent phone call comes in? The solution is straightforward: step away from the table to take it.

“Our experience at the restaurant shows that the idea is generally well received,” Mura says. “When we bring children coloring sheets or suggest an activity, parents often look at us as if we’ve solved a problem. The child is occupied, and they can finally talk and enjoy their dinner.”

Sometimes, he adds, parents see their children absorbed in a game and put their own phones away without being asked.

The approach is deliberately gradual. This is not a war on technology, but an invitation to make room for something that screens too often crowd out: time spent together.