No you can't be half (or 3/4 naked) in the restaurant.

[wolfie]

It's a poor officer (or NCO) who shelters themselves from the wind while leaving the Privates exposed.

[Sparklyturtle]

At the restaurant where I worked lo these many years ago there was a sign on the door, "No shirt, no shoes, no service." Guy walked in wearing only cutoffs, and when he was stopped at the door by one of the older waitstaff, he said, "I just want to order some milkshakes (what our restaurant was known far and wide for)!" He was told to look at the sign on the door and was sent on his way. He came back in a few minutes layer wearing a dirty T-shirt, cutoffs, and flip-flops. He was then served. I can't imagine walking on any floor in a public place barefoot, especially restaurants, which might have glass etc. on the floor plus any number of other things.

[Marmalady]

I can't imagine walking on any floor in a public place barefoot, especially restaurants, which might have glass etc. on the floor plus any number of other things.

Every summer, I guarantee it, there will be people coming into the store with barefoot kids. Any gentle hint that this is a bad idea is met with 'They're only kids!' / 'We won't be more than a minute or two!' / 'He wouldn't let me put his shoes on and I haven't time to argue!' etc. Sure, and there's things crashing onto the floor here several times every day - we do our best but we can't be sure we get every tiny shard of glass.

Although one couple with a toddler did have the sense to grab a cart and sit the child in it, after I showed them the debris of the wine bottle I had only just finished clearing up.

[Sparklyturtle]

The kid refuses to put his shoes on, and you still let him come inside the store? If I'd refused to put shoes on when my mother told me to do so, I'd have been left at home or in the car. Or, my mom would have stayed home, and then I'd have heard for the next week about how we had to have cornflakes for dinner because I refused to put on my shoes.

[WishfulSpirit]

I agree, Sparkly, but it depends on the age of the kid. I apparently went through a no-shoes phase at the age of 2. No matter how hard you try you can't reason with a 2-year-old. Mom did have the sense to keep me in a cart, or at least if I did step on glass, I have no memory of it and no scars.

[Minflick]

It doesn't matter if the toddler can't be reasoned with. Any parent of a toddler knows when the 'might makes right' time rolls around. I don't mean punishment, either. Like a PP said - they do what they were told, or they got left behind somewhere. I had 3 daughters, and I concur with this. I've left entire filled shopping cart behind with the request to 'save it until 6 when my husband gets home and I can return without the monsters!' I've never had a problem with that, and neither has the store.

[WishfulSpirit]

Ordering groceries is another good option depending on where you are. That's what we do because hauling Hubby's walker around the grocery store is too much of a pain.

[notalwaysright]

Yup, parents who let their kids run the household. Making their kid put on shoes is "not worth" the time/effort, so they opt to risk an injury rather than try. I was at a local bookstore the other day with my mom, and these two little kids (somewhat older than toddler age) were laying across the walkway to get to the stairs, "reading." (I think they were just flipping pages, enjoying the attention) The only adults in the area were down at the end of the walkway. I did not give any reaction, I just stepped over them. As we went up the stairs you could see and hear the parents laughing about how "cute" their kids were. Yeah, when they go do that in the middle of the street, we'll see how cute it is.

[raw1989]

It depends my son is special needs so the fight impending melt down over shoes isn't worth it my son trying to take off all his cloths because they have a drop of water is the fight I pick to have and I used to have to carry him over my sholders like a sack because he would just lay on the floor screaming in walmart. We now have a adapted stroller.

[WishfulSpirit]

IMHO special needs kids are NOT the same as the spoiled brats of people who never wanted to be parents and just did it because they were supposed to.