Family kicked out of Applebee's due to unruly kids

[Heidict]

I have a feeling the family is downplaying just how bad the boys were. I can't see the the restaurant kicking them out for nothing more then a 3 year old running away from the table.

Texas family kicked out of "family-friendly" Applebee's

The parents of Ryan and Ethan Gau say they feel "heartbroken" and "disrespected" after being kicked out of an Applebee's in Gaty, Texas, over their children's behavior.

Eli Gau and his wife Lillian Maliti brought their 3-year-old and 1-year-old sons there for dinner Sunday night.

"They're kind of active," Gau said. "They act like children. They're not adults."

When his three-year-old wandered off, Gau went to get him.

"As I was grabbing him and coming back, the manager was walking to me," said Gau.

Gau said the manager told him that the children were making too much noise, and then called the authorities and told the entire family to leave.

When they walked outside, they were confronted by a Harris County Sheriff's Deputy, who gave them a notice warning them for criminal trespassing.

The restaurant, that markets itself as a "family-friendly" place, has apologized for the incident.

An Applebee's spokesperson said the management team had mishandled the situation.

The restaurant also invited the family to come back and offered them free passes for dinner, but Gau said his family will not be returning.

"I feel very sad," Gau said.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57603719/texas-family-kicked-out-of-family-friendly-applebees/

 

[mnrose]

I'm guessing you are right. I can't imagine the family being evicted because the kid wandered away from the table one time.

That being said, I've also never understood how a kid is allowed to wander away even a SINGLE time. My kids certainly never did. They were made to stay at the table. They were made to behave. If they didn't, no manager would have to ask us to leave. We would pick them up immediately and leave on our own accord. One of us would stay behind to get the food packed up/bill paid. But, kids wandering around the restaurant? Never happened to us.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I will also agree that you are right. Just with the line that says "When his three year old wandered off, Gau went to get him."

Why is a 3 yo "wandering off"? My kids know that they sit at the table. If I had a child that could not understand that they need to sit and not "wander off" then I would not be bringing them to ANY restaurant at all.

 

[trip]

I agree - there must be more to the story. They won't have been kicked out for just wandering off for a moment. Anyway, a 3 year old shouldn't have been allowed to wander off at all.

 

[sunshinehighway]

"Kind of active" and "act like children" means they were unruly. Its the parents way of downplaying the bad behavior.

 

[suzannews]

I work at a Disney restaurant and the stories I could tell....

 

[Lilliputian]

I have 5 sons, ages 10 and under. They're kind of active. They act like children. They are not active or acting like children while we're eating at restaurants. They sit in their chairs and don't bother people. I don't allow them to stand in their seats, turn around and bother the people behind them, or talk loudly. (Sometimes they get loud once, but that's stopped immediately.)

I understand that the parents were hurt by getting kicked out. No one likes it when they get called out for not doing something correctly, especially when it involves your kids. But I'm glad the manager did it if there were grounds for it (and I really think there must have been). It makes it harder for those of us trying to do a good job when they're asking why all the other kids are running around and acting crazy.

 

[minnie mum]

I also agree with the OP. I'm sick and tired of seeing parents who allow their children to misbehave and/or run around in restaurants. If your children don't know how to behave at the table, don't take them out to eat.

However, I have to say that calling the cops seems a bit over the top.

 

[Mkrop]

There is definitely more to this story...

I have 2 boys who managed to stay in their seats when we ate out, even as toddlers. Try asking for a booth and then have the kiddo sit on the inside...voila no wandering from the table

 

[EMom]

The parents said they were "disrespected." I think that is code for, "Someone DARED criticize how I parent my snowflakes."

I am dead certain those kids were acting like hellions and that the other patrons were being made miserable. We saw the story and I said to DH, "How many times were WE asked to leave a restaurant because of DD? None. Not once." He replied, "What I remember is people coming to our table to compliment us on how well behaved she was." True.

I am not saying this to say we were perfect parents or had the perfect child. (Although she was close. ) We fully expected her to behave herself, just as our parents expected us to behave ourselves. We taught her what was/was not acceptable. Had she ever acted up, we would have left so as to not inconvenience others. That's what good parents and good people do.

You do not let your children act like heathens and then get offended when management makes you leave.

 

[EMom]

I also agree with the OP. I'm sick and tired of seeing parents who allow their children to misbehave and/or run around in restaurants. If your children don't know how to behave at the table, don't take them out to eat.

However, I have to say that calling the cops seems a bit over the top.

I wonder if the police were called because the family may have (at least at first) refused to leave.

 

[crashbb]

And they were so embarrassed by what the restaurant did that they had to alert the national media...

 

[aaarcher86]

I wonder if the police were called because the family may have (at least at first) refused to leave.

I was wondering the same. If you're asked to leave, you just leave. There isn't even time for the cops to get there if you aren't making a scene.

ETA: I love how it looks like that kid is acting out during the picture in the News report and mom is gripping him for dear life.

 

[ImDMous]

Reminds me of Talladega Nights

Reese Bobby: Yep, I guess things are just about perfect... it's making me feel kind of itchy...
Ricky Bobby: How 'bout we go get kicked out of an Applebee's?

 

[superme80]

My kids act pretty bad at restaurants. Because I know how they act we don't go. We just do take out most of the time. My oldest has gotten better, but my 2 year old is a pill. I have removed both of them countless times. I understand kids being active, but if they can't behave don't take them out to eat.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

In one interview he said they were there at 9 at night. @@ Unless their kids get up at noon, 9 pm is not a good time to bring young kids to a restaurant where they are expected to sit and behave.

 

[HannaBelle]

I work at a Disney restaurant and the stories I could tell....

Okay, spill it...give us your best story...

I have seen some really bad behavior and if it is bad enough for a manager to step in, it had to be BAD... The pic of the family is pretty telling though, that kid is ready to run.

 

[Arielle22]

In the picture the 3 year old is pulling away from his mother. If she can't get him to stand still for 30 seconds, what are the odds he wandered away only once?

Children wandering in restaurants is a pet peeve of mine. My DDs were never allowed to get up unless it was to go to the bathroom. DH and I entertained them with "I spy" games and coloring.

I have a nephew who is almost 8. When he was younger, my sister would let him get up in restaurants. I was notified the few times I went with them and would try to get him to sit near me and color.

I don't think the restaurant should have apologized. Other diners were probably thrilled they got the boot.

 

[Wishing on a star]

My kid knew 'BUTT on your seat' from the time he was very little.

I agree with those who believe that this family was disruptive.

Sorry, family friendly in this case means that they do serve chicken nuggets/strips... Not that the entire place is a designated McPlayPlace.

 

[Colleen27]

I have three kids. They're all "kind of active" and "act like children". When they were that age I had to correct them fairly often in restaurants, for bouncing in the booth, using a louder voice than is appropriate, crawling under the table after a dropped crayon (I could kiss the person who came up with triangle crayons!), etc. At no time have I ever had to chase after/retrieve them in a restaurant. So my guess is there's more to the kids' behaviour (or the parents' failure to address it) than the family will own up to.

But even if the kid only got away once, that's enough for me. It is a safety issue to have kids underfoot when servers are carrying big, heavy trays of hot food and IMO the manager is well within reason to ask them to leave if they cannot keep their kids safely at their own table.