My local board game spot, The Dice Cup, tried this last year with two tables. They called them "quiet tables" but it was the same idea, no devices. The problem was they didn't enforce it at all, so people would just sit there texting anyway. A rule like that only works if the staff is willing to remind people, which I guess is tough. It fell apart after a month because it was just a sign with no follow through.

Remember that time my friend's PowerPoint for her birthday party game show just vanished? We had to make up trivia questions about each other on the spot (like, "What is Steve's weirdest pizza topping?"). It was actually more fun than her planned stuff. Your book club might have stumbled into a better talk without the notes.

My friend Lisa spent 500 on a maybe, @iris_smith42. Total waste.