Last week, New York Times critic Frank Bruni broached the question of whether it's kosher to bring outside food or drink into restaurants [1]. I've noticed at some places — most recently at a popular neighborhood coffeehouse [2] — that a growing number of establishments have barred customers from bringing items (such as water) inside. Bruni cited an example of a friend getting turned away from brunch at a New York diner for arriving with a Starbucks [3] coffee in hand, and argued in favor of the establishment. "It strikes me as a measure of disrespect," he writes.

What are your thoughts on the issue? Is Bruni being too extreme when he calls it disrespectful behavior?