As you may have noticed, there’s a big referendum coming up this Thursday.

You might be wondering what this has to do with the 5pm Food & Dining Blog. Don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you how to vote, we’re just here to let you know about a fascinating project at Glasgow’s Arches Cafe Bar, which is encouraging diners to bring politics to the table.

Please Wait To Be Seated

“Please Wait To Be Seated,” is an interactive exhibition encouraging restaurants diners to debate issues related to the referendum and analyse their decision making process.

Before their meal customers will be presented with a debate topic related to life in Scotland after the referendum, regardless of the outcome. Questions include “Should there be a monarchy?” “Should there be a minimum living salary given to every member of society?”  or “Should we pay for a tv license?”

Each table at the Arches Cafe Bar is split into four sections: yes, no, don’t know and don’t care. Throughout their meal diners will debate their topic before putting their plate on the square of the answer they have chosen.

The debate is accompanied by posters displaying marketing profiles of different income brackets, encouraging diners to think about the outside factors which frame their decisions.

At the end of the meal, diners are encouraged to take photos of their plates and tweet or instagram them with the hashtag #pleasewaittobeseated.

Decision Making

The exhibition was created by Glasgow based performance artist Adam J Scarborough.

He said: “The thing that interests me with the referendum is not whether you are going to vote yes or no – it’s how people are making those decisions and what’s framing those decisions.”

“I believe that every individual is capable of making a decision based on their own ideas and their own beliefs but I think sometimes we don’t think about the elements that do frame our decisions.”

“It’s a little bit goading – you are immediately presented with income brackets which a lot of people aren’t comfortable talking about. It’s invading someone’s privacy a little bit. People can engage with it or choose to ignore it.”

“The referendum is the perfect subject to debate as 97% of people are registered to vote compared to around 40% at the last election. It is clearly a decision that means a lot to people.”

Divisive

That’s all very well and good but the vote on Thursday certainly is a divisive one, with passionate feelings on both sides. Isn’t the Arches Cafe Bar worried about plates flying through the air?

“I think that would be great!” Georgia Riungu, Marketing Manager of the Arches said. “I’m really proud to have the Arches as a space to facilitate these sorts of debates and in the cafe bar, not just in a traditional arts setting.”

“Some of our audience only visit us as an arts setting, some only for gigs, or clubs or dining, and we are always striving to get more of a crossover.”

“So I think this project is fantastic, and I hope there are some plates flying (just don’t tell our bar manager.)

Please Wait To Be Seated is part of the Arches’ Referendum Festival. For restaurants offers at the Arches Cafe Bar, visit their profile on 5pm dining.