When Crying Children Disrupt Dinner, Who Pays The Price?

[tropicsgoddess]

This article basically is about how some restaurants have moved to either ban children under 6 years of age and/or ask that parents take children outside if they're crying or screaming. Quite a bit of customers have been thankful that some of the restaurants they have patronized have done that while some customers were offended. Regardless if I was a parent or not, I sure as hell don't want to go out to eat and deal with somebody's kid screaming and crying and the parent won't take control of the situation or at least be respectful enough to take the kid outside and calm the kid down. Wanna let the kids scream and run around like banshees? Take them to the park or Chuck E. Cheese FFS! Not a sit down restaurant! Doesn't matter if it's a little pizzeria joint or some fancy restaurant, nobody wants to have hear some kid screaming or crying while they're trying to relax and have breakfast, lunch or dinner!


Link!

[jackfaire]

I think outright banning is a step too far however I believe that every restaurant should have the right to ask any party no matter the age to leave if they have a disruptive member.

No one would bat an eye if a group of 20 somethings were asked to leave because their drunk friend was being obnoxious but if it's a kid being that bad suddenly we are all supposed to feel it's okay that the parents won't do anything.

[SongsOfDragons]

It's just nice to have somewhere to go where you don't have to worry about disturbance, tripping over little'uns, glarey parents and etc.

In my old hometown there was an establishment that did not allow anyone in who was under 25. At all. They were very strict about it.

Me and Housemate are going to an adults-only planetarium show next week. It's going to be AWESOME. ^^ It helps that it goes on until 10pm. We also have adults-only screenings at our local cinema.

[Boozy]

I'm a big proponent of allowing and encouraging children to participate in as many social activities with adults as possible. It's how they learn to behave appropriately.

But I really don't have a problem with restaurants having these kinds of policies. I'm not usually one to simplify an issue like this, but -- If a parent doesn't like it, they can eat elsewhere.

There are hundreds of restaurants in my city that not only allow children, but market to them with kids menus. These are the restaurants parents have to choose from on nights they are without a babysitter. They won't starve.

[anakhouri]

I figure restaurants can do as they please. If I go to an upscale place on a date with my husband, I would be annoyed if I had to deal with other people's brats, so I might choose one with a ban. If I go to Applebee's, I expect there to be kids (though I've noticed lots of places tend to seat families in the same area, which can also be a pain in the ass when Khan is behaving nicely and other people's kids are acting like berserkers) .

[guywithashovel]

Banning kids is probably a step too far, but some people need to get it through their heads that not everyone thinks their kid is adorable when he or she does all sorts of obnoxious things.

Of course, if you say anything about kids acting disruptive, you're accused of being one of those "people without kids" who just doesn't get it. First of all, not having kids does not mean having to put up with kids whose parents can't be bothered to control them. Second of all, it's not always "people without kids" who say something in these situations, either.

A while ago at work, we were having orientation, and someone brought in her two kids, and those kids were running around, being disruptive, etc. Eventually, one of us said something about it. Guess what? The person who said something had five kids.

[AdminAssistant]

I recently read about a pizzeria that added a policy in their menu that screaming children had to be taken outside. Now, if a child is disruptive, all a waiter has to do is approach and point out the policy on the menu. Seems like a good plan to me.

[bara]

I think its a good policy. Some establishments are simply not family themed and other customers shouldnt have to worry about children being present. Others that are not adult themed should have the no screaming policy in place.


I know for a fact that me and my siblings never behaved in a disruptive manner. We might have when we were really young, but by the age of five we damn well knew better than to throw a fit. I wouldnt say any of us were genius children, we simply knew the expectations and followed them.

[blas87]

Banning kids from more swanky or adult-themed places is a great idea, and should be more common practice.

If a 19 year old can't be in a bar, then neither should a 2 year old.

[Greenday]

Banning kids from more swanky or adult-themed places is a great idea, and should be more common practice.

If a 19 year old can't be in a bar, then neither should a 2 year old.

Eh, I was always in the bar as a kid. My dad was the head of a classic rock cover band and I went to a fair amount of gigs. But then again, I stayed by the band, wasn't disruptive, was very good making me the exception, not the rule.

I agree with Boozy in that how are kids supposed to learn how to behave in a restaurant if they are never exposed to one.

But yea, when I go out for a nice dinner at an expensive fancy restaurant, loud/disruptive children have no place there.

[Hyena Dandy]

See, the whole "This is Chuck-E-Cheese" thing makes me think there's more to it. Because, well, this is Chuck-E-Cheese. It's a FUCKING LOUD place. If a kid is 'being disruptive' there, he's gotta be pretty damn disruptive.

[Amanita]

I've always believed that when it comes to kids and learning to behave in public, it starts at home. If the parents insist on civilized behavior, food appreciation,good table manners, and such at home, then they are more likely to have a good outcome when they go out to a restaurant. On the other hand, if they do none of those things, no amount of exposure to fine dining will magically civilize their children.

[Peppergirl]

. But then again, I stayed by the band, wasn't disruptive, was very good making me the exception, not the rule.

At the risk of sounding like an old fogie here, kids today seem to be a lot diffferent..at least the ones I'm exposed to.

When you were a kid, a badly behaved kid was the exception rather than the rule. You were well behaved, and were treated accordingly. I applaud that.

However, nowadays it seems to be the opposite, because parenting seems to be so much more of the attitude of: 'my kid can do whatever, even if it disturbs others'.

At least that's my perception.

When my kids were growing up, one was well behaved in public and the other wasnt. Simple solution: I didn't subject the badly behaved one to others in nice, adult themed restaurants. We went to chuck-e-cheese or McDonalds or some other kid-centric place. Seems like nowadays, many parents think that other patrons should redefine THEIR thinking, simply because little Junior should be able to behave however he likes, and whereever he likes.

It's really unfortunate.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I've always believed that when it comes to kids and learning to behave in public, it starts at home. If the parents insist on civilized behavior, food appreciation,good table manners, and such at home, then they are more likely to have a good outcome when they go out to a restaurant. On the other hand, if they do none of those things, no amount of exposure to fine dining will magically civilize their children.

Agreed. My parents always insisted on good manners at the table. My three brothers and I were never allowed to scream and shout at the table, reach over for what we wanted (we had to ask someone politely to pass the item), use proper cutlery (definitely NOT fingers) and couldn't get down from the table til we were given permission. Sounds strict... sure, but when we were taken to restaurants, it was second nature to us to behave at the table, and not act like little savages.

I'm all for having adults only places; one thing that bugs me is the way that a lot of people seem to think that everywhere must be "child friendly". Look, some of us go to certain places to escape from children; yes, even parents want to get rid of the kids sometimes and go to a nice restaurant or bar sometimes. Yet at a lot of places that used to be barred from child presences (bars, posh restaurants, cinemas screening 15+ films), I see people bringing their badly behaved, screeching kids along and ruining the good time for everyone around them. -.-

Yes, it's sometimes difficult to get a babysitter, but part of being a parent is that you're just not going to be able to do all the things that you used to be able to do, or go everywhere you went back when you were childfree. If you can't get a babysitter the night you and the other half want to go eat at El Posho Restaurant, then either don't go or take the kids someplace family friendly. Don't drag little Bratleigh and Cznoflayke along too and ruin someone else's perfect evening.

[Seshat]

When we were children, we had 'at-home' manners and 'fancy restaurant' manners. At-home manners still involved asking for things to be passed, using cutlery (unless dinner was hot dogs - a rare treat), and so on.
'Fancy restaurant' manners absolutely required utmost care. Act as if the cutlery is precious, the tablecloth not to ever be spilled on, the glassware is precious. Never slurp. Speak in quiet (audible, but quiet) tones.

Occasionally we'd have a 'fancy restaurant' meal at home. We'd get out the nice lace tablecloth, the special crockery and cutlery and glassware. We almost always had one of these practice sessions before going somewhere fancy to eat.

And yes, sometimes we stayed home with a babysitter, or went to Auntie Julie's for the night.