Do better waitress/hostess, do better

[HopperFan]

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You did get answers. But most people thought there was really no exact set age.

Below are your questions from your original post. Again, I think many people addressed these questions In their replies to you.

My question for you is: what age ranges do you think that restaurant staff should assume that the family wants a kids menu and at what point should they ask the preference. Or should they ask at all and wait for the parents to ask?

Maybe next time, include a poll.

And the question doesn't even apply here because no one is providing ID of how old anyone is for menus. The staff just glances at the party, sees if there is anyone who may be within use of the kid's menu (many adults wish they could order the kids menu for volume and price) and they make a quick judgement on what menus to hand them. Nothing to do with actual age but with presentation of self.

Restaurant staff should not assume based on appearance. It is better to ask after seating the family or wait for the parents to inquire about a kids menu.

The only way to make a judgement is how do the guests present themselves? Menus should be in hand at seating so decisions on ordering can be made. I agree with you, a wait until parents ask policy but then you probably will upset those parents who weren't given from the moment they sat down and now have to wait. No win situation for servers.

The best way to resolve this is print the kids menu on all the regular menus and just stop giving out the activities unless a diner asks for them for the kids to do while waiting for food to come out. OR if it happens, put the kids menu to the side (that is what we do) and share the main menu and let it go.

As for the OP ~ if one really wants to address this and get change, write to corporate/owner of the restaurant. OR stop eating there or anywhere else that is offensive. I don't go back to places that I feel lack customer service.

 

[JLTraveling]

The best way to resolve this is print the kids menu on all the regular menus and just stop giving out the activities unless a diner asks for them for the kids to do while waiting for food to come out.

Or better yet, print the kids menu on the regular menu and make the activity sheet a non-menu separate thing. Include one activity sheet for each table. I bet tons of tweens, teens, and adults would grab for it if it wasn't related to the kids menu. Think about how many people at Cracker Barrel automatically reach for the peg game on the table (me as well).

 

[sam_gordon]

I have no problems with people providing opinions. That is what happens when you post on a public forum. I didn't really get answers to the questions I asked - which was what ages do other's feel is appropriate for kids menus. But that is neither here nor there.

I did get a little sensitive when the opinions strayed towards criticizing my daughter but that is what I opened myself up to when posting. I'm OK with that. I did not get sensitive when posters a few comments that were unflattering to me because I don't care enough about that stuff.

But as you say, I asked for opinions and opinions were provided, I can say, you gave opinions and if I slap back, don't be hurt about it. You never had to respond.

Lastly, I do not "have a bigger issue with it than my daughter" She was hurt (for a brief moment) and I felt sad that my child was sad. And then came here to have a conversation about it. Not the big deal that some are making it out to be. On this forum we have discussions about ridiculous, insignificant things, fun polls, random conversations and some serious discussions about big issues. If a particular thread does not interest me or I think that the OP is being ridiculous, I just scroll by. I don't try to make the OP feel bad about their feelings about a particular issue.

Now, on to amore serious issue... there were only four colors in the crayon pack. How were we supposed to color in the hamburger with only four colors?! And they didn't even include a brown. Aren't' hamburgers usually brown?

I think the title belays the "I just wanted opinions" claim. "Do better" means you think they need to be corrected. At least that's the way I read it.

 

[sk!mom]

My poor daughter wants to be tall so badly, It looks like she is going to top out at 4'11. We try to tell her that she will one day appreciate her youthful appearance but that message is not landing right now.

Friday night, we went to Outback for DS's birthday dinner. As we were called up fr our table, but not yet near the hostess stand, the hostess loudly asked us if we needed a children's menu. DD wasn't happy about that but shook it off.

Then Saturday night, we went out to dinner again (I know, we really should cook at home more). The hostess handed our waitress the menus and the waitress escorted us to our table and when we sat down, she handed us two menus and a folded up paper kids menu with games, coloring and two crayons. DS wanted to crawl under the table.

DD will be 19 in a few weeks.

I did not say anything because DD is very shy and would have been upset if I had made a comment to the waitress but, boy, did I want to.

My question for you is: what age ranges do you think that restaurant staff should assume that the family wants a kids menu and at what point should they ask the preference. Or should they ask at all and wait for the parents to ask?

Is this a joke? So she looks very young, one asked, and the other just left a kids menu but you think they need to “do better.” Something about this tells me that if you had a child and you had to ask for one you would be annoyed by that too.

In all honestly, this seems so minor in a world of real problems and that’s what I would tell my DD. “My wish for you is that your annoyances are never bigger than this.”

 

[Genie+]

Dine with the family upset when restaurants don’t want to give kids’ menu to their mature looking 12yo.

Recently at Home Depot I was checking out next to a couple in their 40s. The woman was turned to the side and getting stuff out of the cart while asking a question. The cashier politely responded with the answer and completed the sentence with sir. The husband goes off like a lunatic and this poor cashier is apologizing repeatedly and completely stressed out. Nothing was meant other than polite respect going through his daily grind. The couple continue making this huge loud aggresive ordeal out of the situation. It’s busy. Everybody is stopping and looking to see why this big commotion is happening. How many sincere apologies do they want? They’re ranting on and on whatever pops in to their heads. Over the top out of control accusations that it was intentional, wisecracker, what’s wrong with you, etc.

We can’t control others, only our reaction. People make mistakes. How bad is it to be worth your own frustration?

 

[MIGrandma]

Recently at Home Depot I was checking out next to a couple in their 40s. The woman was turned to the side and getting stuff out of the cart while asking a question. The cashier politely responded with the answer and completed the sentence with sir. The husband goes off like a lunatic and this poor cashier is apologizing repeatedly and completely stressed out. Nothing was meant other than polite respect going through his daily grind. The couple continue making this huge loud aggresive ordeal out of the situation. It’s busy. Everybody is stopping and looking to see why this big commotion is happening. How many sincere apologies do they want? They’re ranting on and on whatever pops in to their heads. Over the top out of control accusations that it was intentional, wisecracker, what’s wrong with you, etc.

We can’t control others, only our reaction. People make mistakes. How bad is it to be worth your own frustration?

Maybe this type of situation is why many people no longer want to work in the service industry, or anywhere that they have to work with the public. Too many people get nasty, like this couple you’re talking about at Home Depot.

I worked for several years in a restaurant, most people were great, but there were a few of “that type of customer” that nobody wanted to wait on. Maybe If every worked in the service industry for a bit they would understand what we have to put up with.