Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
More Restaurants Inviting Big Brother to Dinner
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 2, 2008
Modified Apr 2, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 2, 2008
Modified Apr 2, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
In addition to taking your money, an increasing number restaurants are also taking video of your dining experience, at least according to the Post’s trend-spotting Carla Spartos. She notes five Manhattan restaurants that use closed-circuit video cameras to record customers in their dining rooms: Boqueria, the four star Daniel, Dos Caminos, Philippe, and Momofuku Noodle Bar.
The article features anecdotal evidence from a security consultant, who believes that restaurants are no longer worried that diners will be offended by cameras recording their feeding hour, because, lucky for him, “people have become oblivious to them now. Cameras are everywhere.” Christian Rodriguez, an assistant manager at Boqueria, concurs: “No one's ever complained. Everyone's used to being watched.” He says the cameras afford “peace of mind,” to ward off employee theft.
They might also come in handy when a diner tries to claim a cockroach fell in her hair, or if someone says they fell on a slippery floor. A spokeswoman for Daniel insists their cameras don’t record anything and they’re not spying on people; the chefs just watch video monitors in the kitchen to “observe the rhythm of the service for extensive menus.” Nobody knows what the Momofuku cameras are for, but at Phillipe employees have been rumored to gather for screenings of surveillance videotapes starring personalities like Diddy and Sienna Miller, just hanging out – which sounds more compelling than Factory Girl, at least.
Photo: excard1970.
Tagged
big brother
boqueria
camera
daniel
Momofuku Noodle Bar
Phillipe
restaurant
surveillance
video
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .