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Monday, January 13, 2003

By Sally Kalson, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Business did not suffer at Gullifty's Restaurant after the eatery banned smoking in its dining room 2 1/2 years ago, according to its manager.

"Most of the response was very positive," said Genie Rogers, who has worked at the Squirrel Hill establishment for 15 years.

"We used to have smoking on the lower balcony and the smoke would drift, even with ceiling fans for ventilation. There was no way around it, and people would complain."

The waitstaff -- including those who smoke -- liked the ban because it evened out the section assignments, she said.

"A lot of times no one wanted to sit in smoking so the staff there wasn't very busy. Most of my employees are college students who need the tips. They like it that there are no 'bad' sections now. Everyone has a level playing field."

Rogers' experience could prove instructive for other proprietors, some of whom have expressed fears that a proposed countywide ban on restaurant smoking would drive customers away and hurt their bottom line.

The Allegheny County Health Department is considering such a ban, already in force in Boston, New York City and seven other states.

Dr. Bruce Dixon, director of the department, told the county Health Board last week that he would begin working with attorneys to draft a restaurant smoking ban.

It appears the key to such a ban would be to change state law, which now prohibits local governments from banning smoking in restaurants outright.

The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association and the tobacco lobby have both successfully fought previous attempts to ban smoking in restaurants and bars altogether.

Pennsylvania's Clean Indoor Air Act, passed in 1988, requires restaurants with 75 or more seats to provide a nonsmoking section. Restaurants with fewer seats either must provide a nonsmoking section or post signs saying there is no such section.

Pittsburgh, however, was allowed to keep a tougher ordinance that predated the state law. In the city, restaurants with 50 or more table seats must have a no-smoking section. But the ordinance only applies when food sales equal 80 percent of the total revenue.

The Star of India, a small, one-room restaurant in Oakland, banned smoking in 1998 and never looked back, said manager Navin Kohli.

"Indian food does not go well with smoking," Kohli said. "A lot of customers would complain if somebody lit a cigarette. We'd ask them to put it out and they were always understanding.

"We want to have a healthy atmosphere," he continued. "If somebody feels they need to smoke, we offer them tea masala (a hot and spicy blend).

"There's no scientific evidence, but it seems to relieve their desire to smoke."

One of the newest entries to the no-smoking list is Rotelli Pizza Pasta Perfect in Pine, featuring Italian food.

"We just opened on Dec. 3 and we never gave any thought to allowing smoking -- not even in the bar," said general manager Mike Alder.

"I've been in the business for 23 years, and smoking has become less and less of a priority for customers. People are accepting this as a way of going out now."

As for the idea that smoking bans hurt business, Alder said, "I'd say the opposite is true. Rather than upset the 90 percent of people who don't like smoke, I'd rather dissatisfy the 2 or 3 who do."

Alder noted that he used to manage the Home Plate Club at PNC Park, where no smoking is allowed.

"We had people with season tickets who paid a lot of money. When they wanted to light up a cigar after a meal, we just invited them to step outside. It was never much of a problem."