Definition: The instantaneous, reflex question barked by restaurant hostesses in the 80s/90s upon your arrival. A jarring reminder that half the dining room was a primordial cloud of Marlboro Light farts and stale smoke, while the “Non” section was merely downwind of it. A cultural relic as extinct as the dodo.
Example: “Went out for pancakes. The hostess didn’t ask ‘Smoking or Non?’ Felt weirdly disappointed, then remembered I can actually breathe indoors now. Progress smells like syrup, not ashtrays.” Context: Pre-indoor smoking bans. Choosing “Smoking” meant sacrificing lung capacity for potentially shorter wait times or cooler ambiance (if you were 16 and thought it was edgy). Hearing it meant you were definitely over 30 or in a very questionable establishment.