[magnusss]

Yes, Radio Shack was often the only place you could find the odd resistor, vacuum tube (for an audiophile-grade amp, what else?), or coax signal splitter. But they always asked for your phone number on checkout -- why? It's not like they ever called you or anything (thankfully).

[tomwheeler]

Obviously so they could track your purchases. Thankfully, I learned a valuable lesson as a kid when my parents told them "None of your business."

Too bad this question has become so commonplace that few people seem to challenge it anymore.

[bsimpson]

In NYC, even if you walk in to a restaurant with open tables, they'll often insist on taking your number before you can be seated. It goes through a platform called Resy.

[soylentcola]

And then (at least around here) they often make you scan a QR code in order to see the menu. It's often not a direct link to the menu, but rather a third party site or a link shortener that tracks traffic for marketing data.

[bsimpson]

Oh shit - I never thought about the privacy ramifications about the death of paper menus.

I get that it's more eco friendly, and that it allows each dish to have more space for a photo and detailed description; but I hate the experience of staring at my phone to try to pick a meal.

[michaelcampbell]

Unless they're going to text me when my table is ready, I give them my first phone # that I grew up with.

[tomwheeler]

It happened to me last week at a small Thai restaurant in Las Vegas.

[magnusss]

Yes, but they asked even if you were paying with a credit card! I guess it was "separate systems."