That makes me happy, I have walked out a few times because of the smoke.

@CelticStorm : In your own home unless someone there says no. I'm only a smoker if someone else is smoking and I am drinking.

@carol888 : I thought you were one of the many who hated the food there! 🤣

@ladybeachbum : Well, they have $1 beers....! And now you won't be tempted to smoke! 😆

@ladybeachbum : oh, and I never smoke in my home. Always outside at the house. Which is why, when it is too friggin hot or North Pole cold, I like to enjoy a peaceful one or two after dinner and maybe a drink or three!

Honestly that's one of the last places around that I can think of that allowed it. 🤔

I hated when the City of Houston instituted it's ban as it forced business owners to possibly harm their own businesses - I know this because of the changes in places we went since we lived within a mile or two of the City/County line (i.e. ate at places in the county, not in the city limits {lost city sales tax income too!}).So I do respect an owner's wishes to operate their business as they see fit. But at some point, it almost feels discriminatory. It's not like they didn't serve alcohol on the larger, non-smoking side!Hell, from the times I've been in there, they can't fill up the NS side! Kinda reminds me of Bud Adams' demands before he took the Oilers to TN - couldn't fill the seats giving out free tickets!

FYI -Iguana Joe's still allows s.okwrs on Bat side- after Chilis and other places stopped the smoking I see a bunch of people there. Chilis lost a LOT of money over that.

It doesn't work to have both non-smoking and smoking sides in restaurants. The entire facility smells like a dirty ashtray full of wet stale cigarettes...restaurants lose business over that.

@Sammee : you have the right to think that way. But, restuarant owners know the drinkers which are usually smokers spend more money. Sitting at bar watching ballgames, conversating with strangers. So, they loose money by banning it. Non smokers spend about 45 minutes in a restuarant. Smokers (bar cusromers) spend 2.5 hours in same restaurant. So, Harris county has screwed them out of money.

@Sammee : Have you been to the one in Crosby? They installed a separate door for the bar. Solutions are out there. Cheap ones considering @MHodge 's analysis.

If the restaurants are changing their business models this drastically, there's a monetary reason why. They make more money off of non-smokers. If it was the other way around, they wouldn't eliminate their profit generator. It seems to be the chains doing this, maybe some mom and pop places around here still allow it.

@CelticStorm : my analysis is only from the years I worked my way through college and listened on the management meetings. Most people are going non smoking because the city/county said they HAD TO. Not because they want to. Yes everybody should quit smoming... blah blah...but even person that have quit will tell you if they drink they want a cigarette. Unfortunately that's the way it works. Drinkers, usually smokers, stay at restaurant longer and spend more money. Even band members.

In this case we are talking about Applebee's which is billed as a family restaurant, it is not a bar per say but has a bar in the restaurant. Now everybody is entitled to their opinion if going non smoking cost Applebee's a serious loss of revenue, I am quite sure they would of chose differently.However when you consider cleaning cost, shortened equipment cost, loss of family orientated customers (quite sure mom doesn't want little Johnny exposed to second hand smoke), babies, pregnant women, etc. employees that don't want to be exposed to second hand smoke. The majority of Americans are non smokers, does a national chain restaurant want to cater to the majority? I am quite sure, it's not like Applebee's is a local restaurant.Here is a website that claims the impact of local smoke-free ordinances found that smoke free laws had either positive or no effects on restaurant revenues and other economic indicators.
www.fightcancer.org/ policy-resources/smo ke-free-policies-goo d-businessBottom line is Applebee's made a business decision as is their right. There are many "local" bars in Atascocita that still allow smoking. In Atascocita going smoke free is a choice not the law.

They were trying to get NON smokers in the door. The NS section was always empty. Maybe 3 table per hour. However during the games (all games) the bar was FULL. Maybe thier issues are not having TVs on NS side. (But wives get made when their man is watching the game when having family time- me wanna go home watch game and have a beer in peace ). But they knew drinkers (mostly smokers) watch ballgames, talked to strangers being social, spent 2.5 hrs there and the "family" people were in and out in 45 mins. But each waiter got 1 table per 2 hrs. While the bar side was serving people quickly all night long. And usally drinker/smokers tip more. (That's actually a statistic). Think about it. Why would a sit down family environment advertise a burger/fries meal for less then BK or what a burger if they weren't losing money.?