Family kicked out of Applebee's due to unruly kids

[Imzadi]

Here is Applebee's "Contact Us" webpage. Type up a complaint on line where it would really count! (Or maybe just cut & paste your post?)

And under Server name, insert, "The manager in Katy, TX you didn't back"

http://www.applebees.com/about-us/contact-us


Applebee's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Applebees

Applebee's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/applebees?_fb_noscript=1

 

[EMom]

Katy, TX

 

[Imzadi]

Katy, TX

I copied the name from the OP. The article says Gaty, TX too.

Just did a Google search: it Is Katy, TX.

 

[cybrkitn]

I'm agreeing with you that they are most likely downplaying it. When DS11 was 2, we took him to a restaurant (which is now an Applebee's ). He was so cranky and out of sorts and was biting DH's hand. We had already ordered our food, but decided it would be in the best interest of everyone else as well as us to get it to go instead. So when our waiter came with our food, we explained the situation and he helped us getting it ready to go. I'm betting that everyone else around us was very relieved when we decided to take it to go. I just couldn't see subjecting everyone else to DS's unruly behavior. It wasn't fair to them. Needless to say, it was a while before we took DS out to another restaurant again.

 

[Sparkly]

And as usual, the FB comments on the story are full of "What if the kids had special needs??"

For goodness sake. That is NOT a excuse for bad behaviour. I was expected to sit in my chair, speak quietly and behave myself, special needs or not. And if I couldn't behave, I suffered the consequences- being removed from the area, not getting dessert, not being taken out to meals again if I could not behave myself.

 

[North of Mouse]

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.

Agree 100%! That's the way we have always been, but unfortunately we have seen some parents with their snowflakes at restaurants who think they can have full run of the place because 'children will be children' - NOT.

 

[worm761]

And as usual, the FB comments on the story are full of "What if the kids had special needs??"

For goodness sake. That is NOT a excuse for bad behaviour. I was expected to sit in my chair, speak quietly and behave myself, special needs or not. And if I couldn't behave, I suffered the consequences- being removed from the area, not getting dessert, not being taken out to meals again if I could not behave myself.

I have the perfect answer to that. You TEACH THEM HOW TO BEHAVE IN PUBLIC. Special needs is not an excuse to do what you want. Period. DS has ADHD and is on the Autism spectrum. We always have something for him to do that occupies him during the weight. Even at 17 it can still be hard for him. Sitting still isn't something he likes to do and he can get loud. We just reiterate to be not so loud and he calms down. If you have a special needs kid then you know how to handle dinner with them.

As for the booth idea, it doesn't always work. DD3 will climb and out of a booth constantly. And she is quick too. So I don't always catch her before she is on the floor. I learned that asking for a table is a much better bet. She sits in a chair and is happy to color. I have crayons and a coloring book in my purse for her. We try to eat at off times, usually breakfast, but she is learning.

 

[christineann]

A kid running around in restaurant is an accident (make that lawsuit) waiting to happen - either the child gets hurt, a server falls because of him and gets injured, or another patron falls and gets injured.

Come on, Applebee's. Show some backbone.....and consideration for the other customers and your staff!

 

[Diznygrl]

I would love to hear some more testimony from other restaurant patrons who were there.


And I wish more restaurants would stand up against this kind of behavior. It makes me mad that Applebee's corporate apologized and rewarded them with free meals. The ever growing problem of unruly children at restaurants is going to get worse before it gets better, because parents continue to get away with it.

 

[NFLDERS]

My DH, Dgs, & I had our worst restaurant dining rm experience this summer.
The children in a family allowed to run around the buffet area. I was concerned their youngest was going to get hurt, or injure someone else.

Dgs 7 at the time had never seen behavior like it. The next morning I was relieved as the one parent passed us going in to the buffet area, while we were leaving. Dgs made a comment to us later that he was happy we did not eat with them today.

 

[minkydog]

Try asking for a booth and then have the kiddo sit on the inside...voila no wandering from the table

I was just about the say this. We have taken our kids out to restaurants since they were in their infant carriers. They have been expected to sit still and behave, and on those occasions when they could not, we removed the child to the car while the other parent had the food boxed up and paid the bill. I do not believe in inflicting my caterwauling, rambunctious young'uns on other people.

My youngest son, Christian, is very mentally handicapped and autistic. He's much like a 1yr old in his manner. When we take him out, we always get a booth so can corral him in his seat. If he can no longer remain seated and calm, one of us gets up and takes him outside for a few laps around the parking lot. That's usually enough to change his mind and he's ready to sit down and resume his meal. Now...if an 18 year old with an IQ of 20 can learn to behave in a restaurant, SURELY those parents can figure out how to teach their boys some restaurant manners.

 

[PeterPanic]

I have the perfect answer to that. You TEACH THEM HOW TO BEHAVE IN PUBLIC. Special needs is not an excuse to do what you want. Period. DS has ADHD and is on the Autism spectrum. We always have something for him to do that occupies him during the weight. Even at 17 it can still be hard for him. Sitting still isn't something he likes to do and he can get loud. We just reiterate to be not so loud and he calms down. If you have a special needs kid then you know how to handle dinner with them.

As for the booth idea, it doesn't always work. DD3 will climb and out of a booth constantly. And she is quick too. So I don't always catch her before she is on the floor. I learned that asking for a table is a much better bet. She sits in a chair and is happy to color. I have crayons and a coloring book in my purse for her. We try to eat at off times, usually breakfast, but she is learning.

You beat me to it. I was going to post the following:

But my kid has Autism, are we supposed to just stay home...in 3 - 2 - 1.

Answer...Yes, you are until they can control their emotions to the point of not ruining everyone else's experience.

 

[Schmeck]

If the child had special needs, then it was doubly unsafe for him to be away from the parents. Instead of getting a free meal voucher, someone should be calling DSS. (That's my usual response for when people play the special needs card in this way)

 

[goofyintoronto]

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.

Yup. I agree. If your kids cant behave, then dont go out to eat. We didnt set foot in a restaurant when my son was a toddler, from 2 - 4 1/2 yrs old...we'd eat at home because i knew all my son wanted to do was run around the restaurant.

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

Oh please do share with us!

 

[Christine]

My kids didn't go to a restaurant for years once we quickly figured out they couldn't sit still and be quiet. My son especially liked to gather all the utensils and drop them on the table. No amount of shushing, time out, walking out, etc. would stop the behavior, so we just didn't go out.

I love how the term "family friendly" now seems to mean "I can take my kids there and they can act like hellions." No. A family friendly restaurant is one in which the waiters won't actually glare at you if you bring your children in and they offer a children's menu.

 

[Cindy B]

I was just about the say this. We have taken our kids out to restaurants since they were in their infant carriers. They have been expected to sit still and behave, and on those occasions when they could not, we removed the child to the car while the other parent had the food boxed up and paid the bill. I do not believe in inflicting my caterwauling, rambunctious young'uns on other people.

My youngest son, Christian, is very mentally handicapped and autistic. He's much like a 1yr old in his manner. When we take him out, we always get a booth so can corral him in his seat. If he can no longer remain seated and calm, one of us gets up and takes him outside for a few laps around the parking lot. That's usually enough to change his mind and he's ready to sit down and resume his meal. Now...if an 18 year old with an IQ of 20 can learn to behave in a restaurant, SURELY those parents can figure out how to teach their boys some restaurant manners.

As always you know what to say and how to say it!

 

[Cindy B]

I can't stand when little kids are obnoxious in a restaurant. We don't go out to eat much in family friendly restaurants. If we find ourselves there and we get a table near a small child that even looks "itchy", we move.

Our kids are 16 and 18 and they knew how to behave at a restaurant. at a early age. We didn't take them at 9 pm (was it a school night-kids need to be in bed), we didn't let them roam, we didn't let them peer over the edges, we didn't let them scream, we didn't let them crawl under.

Ok course they were kids.. they talked, they colored, sometimes they repeated themselves, but at the time it was one adult, one kid seating pattern. They never sat together without an adult.

I would never let my kids go anywhere (no matter how much I wanted to go out, how little food there was in the fridge) if they were a mess. I stayed home.

And for the record, one of my kids was diagnosed special needs. We never ever mislabel poor behavior as "special needs". There is a difference between the diagnosis and behavior. We didn't try to excuse his behavior behind his diagnosis. (And now as a young adult, when my child hears a news story like this or a parents saying special needs- he will even say- that isn't special needs, that's poor parenting!)

 

[mousey]

Unfortunately the restaurant staff has to walk on eggshells around these type of families that let their kids run wild and cause havoc with the serving staff and other diners. A few months ago we were at a pizza hut at lunch time and we had to deal with "one of these families". Grandma had brought 3 grandchildren for lunch and I witnessed one of the kids (about 8 yrs old) take his piece of pizza and put it back on the buffet! I immediately told our server and she pulled the whole pizza. This was just one of the annoying things this family did to ruin our lunch and many of the other patrons who watched in awe!

 

[Carl]

I'd like to see the word "disrespected" banned from the English language.

Almost. It is usually used in context of some really bad behavior to follow.

 

[Mkrop]

You know Applebees has that TO GO option....when my kids were little and were not up to eating out, we used that option A LOT. We had a list of places that we could get a different type of meal than pizza and cheesesteaks if we felt/needed to order out. We had a local Italian place that had awesome food, that we ordered take out from all the time, we got an awesome grownup meal at our own kitchen table!