Restaurant bans kids under 6

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

http://consumerist.com/2011/07/resta...n-under-6.html

You know I actually agree with this for two main reasons:

1) I know there's a market for it.
2) There are plenty of places that still accept young kids that those families can go to

I was at Olive Garden last Friday for a family dinner and had to endure a screaming baby for at least 20 minutes. I KNOW babies scream, I'm not blaming the kid. But parents, when a child is screaming that is your cue to take them to the bathroom or outside and calm them down or attend to whatever needs they may have. I know it's not always possible, but I also know it's usually possible.

[tropicsgoddess]

On mother of a 13-month-old says she's enjoyed eating at McDain's previously but thinks the ban on little kids is hypocritical: "If they're so concerned about noise, what do they plan to do about the loud people at the bar?"

Hypocritcal my ass. Patrons want to relax and have a good time without worry about screaming noisy kids. Huge difference on noisy bar versus screaming shrilly kids parents won't/refuse to console or take outside to calm them down.

[mattm04]

Hypocritcal my ass. Patrons want to relax and have a good time without worry about screaming noisy kids. Huge difference on noisy bar versus screaming shrilly kids parents won't/refuse to console or take outside to calm them down.

The noise for the bar is not a high pitched screaming. In many places, the bar is some what separate from the regular dining area, so at most you will maybe hear a cheer, boo or groan as patrons react to a sporting event.

Also, if a bar patron is out of control and bothering other patrons, it is ok to deal with the situation, however according to the quoted mother, they shouldn't;t deal whiht a screaming child also upsetting patrons.

[Kisa]

Once, I sat behing a table of 4 screamers at SubWay. One of them choked me ans secreamed IN MY EAR. I made a post about them

[AccountingDrone]

LOL if I get pissed off at a loud drunk it is probably because he has been making lewd suggestions at me, or rude statements at/about me, and I can slap him silly, you cant slap a kid for crying ... though I suppose I could slap the stupid parents that are not taking it out to quiet it down...

[drunkenwildmage]

Hmm..The next time I visit my family in PA, I'm going to have to visit that place.. That's not to far from them.

[Kanalah]

I have 2 small kiddos, and I agree with the owner. People who teach thier children to behave in public at a young age are few and far between.

Heck on Sunday we had 2 tantrums. We were going to get some lunch and daughter threw a fit in the car before we left our neighborhood. We turned the car around and hubby took her inside. So it was me and son then to go get some lunch. We did okay until we got to the counter to order. He started running off/fighting me and I picked him up, apologized to the worker at the counter and took him home. He didn't like it, but you know what? They know if they act up in public they will be taken home. I know parents who just don't care and let thier kids run wild. They call me abusive because I actually discipline my children.

[taxguykarl]

The noise for the bar is not a high pitched screaming.

Agreed. For a place like this (yes, it's the place in the OP). I would not want my meal interrupted by the high-pitched squeal that only small kids can produce.
For that matter, I wonder about parents who bring kids there in the first place.

[bhskittykatt]

I see nothing wrong with it. I say more power to the restaurant owner. Some kids are well behaved, but the ones that aren't always ruin it for everyone.

When Hubs and I go out, we tend to gravitate towards 21+, or restaurants with a separate 21+ lounge area, and this is one reason. And when we someday have kids, I'm not going to get butthurt about not being able to take them to these places (I wouldn't want to anyways).

[CaroPhoenix]

Every other month, the ARC has a "Parents Night Out" where they provide 5 hours of respite care for your child (members of the ARC pay $2.50/hour non-members pay $5.00/hour). Anyway, when we drop off Child Rum, Mr. Rum & I myself are usually dressed up 'cos we're going to some adult restaurant with nice wines and awesome food. It's a lot of fun. And we enjoy ourselves.

Don't get me wrong. Child Rum, for the most part, can behave herself when went out in public, but sometimes I just want to be with Mr. Rum and other adults for a few hours.

And any parent who doesn't understand that ... Just blows my mind.

[Javarod]

Unless this is the only restaurant in town, i don't see a problem, if everyone hates the idea, then they don't have to go. Seriously, i think its great, i agree with everyone here, if i wanted to hear a baby screaming, i'd get one of my own (yeah, had to put it that way ). Its his restaurant, he makes the decisions that he feels will bring in the customers, so i wish him the best of luck with this idea.

[emax4]

It's not, as there are other restaurants nearby, further down the road. I can see customer's complaints, but unless they've dealt with the issue themselves, they won't understand the reasoning. I wonder how they would react if they held a viewing for a deceased relative, while a family nearby had their 12-month old crying in the room next to theirs while the original family wanted peace and quiet.

[PepperElf]

mom would possibly love that idea.

she purposefully sits on the bar side of some restaurants to avoid kids when she doesn't want to be near any.


she & dad were visiting once and took me out to dinner. the server tried to place us next to a family with very young children. mom didn't want that - but was nice about it and said that it would make her miss her grandkids, as her reason to ask for a different table.