On the days when my wife teaches late classes at the university, we usually go for supper at a nearby mall, which boasts a massive “dining hall” (once a “food court”) and which features a wide range of exotic menus to choose from. It is immensely popular, seating hundreds of diners at any one time, some in company, others peering into their smart phones, a few reading books, some attending to baby carriages, most clearly enjoying themselves under ample lighting in a mainly festive atmosphere.