27th APRIL, NEW DELHI: In a world of constant notifications, 72% of people admit to reaching for their phones during time spent with family and friends, even in moments meant for genuine connection. To address this, Vivo, in association with Andaz Delhi by Hyatt, launched Switch Off, a slice-of-life social experiment designed to inspire more mindful, phone-free dining. The initiative is anchored by a campaign film, shot together by Vivo and Andaz Delhi, documenting the social experiment as it unfolded in real time. The on-ground activation began on 16th April’ 2026, at Soul Pantry, Andaz Delhi, by Hyatt.
The setting is familiar: friends scrolling mid-conversation, families checking notifications between bites, couples glancing at screens across the table. Real moments are being lost to digital reflex.
Then comes a gentle intervention. Placed on every table at Soul Pantry, Andaz Delhi’s mindful eatery, is a simple note: “To the ones who chose this table.” Guests are invited to set their phones on a wooden box and walk to the live pizza station, where they can craft their own dishes with one rule: leave the phone behind.
There is hesitation at first. But once the devices are set aside, something shifts.
Guests knead dough, debate toppings, and laugh over flavour disagreements. Eye contact returns. Conversations stretch longer. Stories grow. The activity, simple on the surface, becomes a container for the kind of shared, uninterrupted time that increasingly feels rare.
Switch Off is not a campaign against technology. Smartphones are woven into daily life, helping us connect, create, and stay informed. This experiment is a quieter message: that some moments deserve our full attention. That a small, conscious pause from screens can create space for more meaningful time together.
What strikes guests most is not the revelation itself; many already know about their phone habits. What stands out is the act of doing something about it. The evening feels lighter, more engaging, and intentionally present.
THE ONGOING EXPERIENCE
With the activation having gone live on 16th April 2026, Switch Off is now an ongoing dining concept. Guests can create their own pizzas, flatbreads, salads, and burgers, adding personalisation and engagement to every meal. Tables that remain phone-free for 30 minutes are rewarded with a complimentary dessert. Additional thoughtful touches throughout the experience gently encourage guests to stay present, making the philosophy feel intuitive rather than imposed.
Soul Pantry, already known for its wellness-driven philosophy and ingredients inspired by India’s forgotten nutrition-dense grains, provides a natural home for the initiative, a space where food, conversation, and community have always taken centre stage.
VOICES
At Vivo, we believe technology should strengthen real relationships, not replace them. Through Switch Off, we are encouraging people to use technology mindfully, to build deeper connections with the people sitting right in front of them. Partnering with Andaz Delhi, by Hyatt, brings this idea to life at the most natural setting we could imagine: the dining table. It was genuinely heartening to see how setting a phone aside for an hour could lead to warmer, more present interactions.
– Geetaj Channana, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Vivo India
We live in an age of endless connectivity, yet genuine togetherness has never felt more elusive. When we came together with Vivo on Switch Off, the idea resonated immediately, because at Soul Pantry, we have always believed the best meals nourish more than just the body. Watching guests set down their phones, roll up their sleeves at the pizza station, and simply laugh together is a quiet but powerful thing. It reminds us why we do what we do: to create moments worth being fully present for.
– Hardip Marwah, Cluster General Manager
Vivo X Andaz Collaboration: ” https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXL_sLtDGtm/ “.
