No Kids Allowed

[U2_rocks!]

I would be all for it, and I have three kids. Just last week we were on vacation in the Smoky Mountains and ate at a fairly nice barbecue restaurant. We were seated next to a family with a boy about 7 or 8 years old, and an infant daughter, about 9-10 months old. The son was encouraging the little girl to shriek at the top of her lungs every 30 seconds, and then laughed hysterically when she did it. After about 15 minutes of this, everyone else in the place was making nasty comments about this family, and turning around and staring at them, but the parents were either totally oblivious to the chaos around them, or just didn't care. Either way, it was really aggravating for the rest of us trying to eat and have a conversation with our tablemates.

In the case of the restaurant though, I was wondering what the owner would do if a group of obnoxious, loud adults came in and distubred the peace. Would he ban them too?

To answer your question, it would depend on if obnoxious adults are the norm or more of a one-off - I suspect the latter. I think that restaurant had just had enough of disruptive little kids because they had to deal with them so regularly, wheras disruptive older kids and adults are perhaps less frequent? You can't avoid all disruption in public places, but when disruption becomes the norm you really have to do something about it or you'll lose some of your regulars.

 

[Wendy31]

I'm all for it!

Earlier in June, DH & I had a "date night" at lovely little restaurant near St. Augustine called "Cap's on the Water".

The following is copied from their website in regards to their policy for children:

Q: Is your restaurant child friendly?
A: Yes and we have a Kid’s Menu. There is a beach with an old cedar tree to climb on and a tire swing. We do request to keep an eye on your children. Please, do not let them run around on the dining deck. We use glass, forks and other sharp objects that can cause serious injury to your child and other patrons, as well as our staff. We do not allow children in “The Inside” dining room or, by Florida law, at any bar.

So, at this particular restaurant, children could not eat in the inside dining area and diners w/ children were instructed to "keep an eye on your children". The website does not say what ages are considered to be children, &, since we didn't have ours w/ us, it didn't matter to me!

Because the weather was really nice, DH & I ate outside, & I did notice a few children - but not many. The children that were there were well behaved, & it was so nice!!

(Thanks to my parents who went to Florida w/ us & took our 3 children to another restaurant on this particular evening so that DH & I could have a date night! Incidentally, the server at the restaurant where my parents & children ate sent our kids home with a note - telling us how well behaved & polite they were...)

 

[tlbwriter]

Can we make it all obnoxious people?

I think we need an obnoxious section and a non-obnoxious section. When you enter, you'll be asked one question:

"True or False: This is your night out, and you're paying for it, and that gives you the right to do whatever you want."

Answer "true," and you go straight to the obnoxious section. Answer "false," and you go to the non-obnoxious section. But you're always in probationary status. You can be moved to the obnoxious section at any time.

 

[Mkrop]

I don't think it is bad to have a no kids place to eat. I just think a 6 and under rule is stupid. No kids is one thing, a selrct group is another. FTR- I have seen more ill behaved over 6ers than little ones. Of course I blame the parents.

This is what I was thinking, I dont think 6 is a good age, I think they should go higher. Although my 8 year old is very well behaved I know this is not always the case.

I have no problem with the owner doing this. I think many people will flock there.

It is a shame, there are so many good kids who know how to dine in public, or parents who know how to react if say the baby starts acting up, they know to take them outside until the settle. It is the few parents and kids who act like total animals tht have ruined it for so many others.

 

[snapppyd]

I think we need an obnoxious section and a non-obnoxious section. When you enter, you'll be asked one question:

"True or False: This is your night out, and you're paying for it, and that gives you the right to do whatever you want."

Answer "true," and you go straight to the obnoxious section. Answer "false," and you go to the non-obnoxious section. But you're always in probationary status. You can be moved to the obnoxious section at any time.

 

[HannaBelle]

I think we need an obnoxious section and a non-obnoxious section. When you enter, you'll be asked one question:

"True or False: This is your night out, and you're paying for it, and that gives you the right to do whatever you want."

Answer "true," and you go straight to the obnoxious section. Answer "false," and you go to the non-obnoxious section. But you're always in probationary status. You can be moved to the obnoxious section at any time.

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[Arielle22]

I have no problem with this restaurant and I have children. My daughters are now 16 and almost 18. DH and I enjoy going by ourselves to dinner and entertainment (even twice to Disney). I do not enjoy having misbehaving children around me.

Last weekend DH and I went to the movies. We paid extra for the Lux level which is restricted to adults over 21 as alcohol is served. We wanted that level because we were seeing Transformers and knew there would be lots of kids. While we were in the same theater as the kids, we were far back and couldn't really hear or see them.

For those who suggest we would feel differently if a restaurant banned those over 60; I think those people naturally weed themselves out so a ban like that isn't needed. How many times have you gone to Chucky Cheese and seeing a 65 year old (or even a 45 year old) hogging a game or bothering a child? There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that some people don't fit in at certain places.

I have a 2.5 year old nephew who was a micro premie. As a result he eats mostly via a tube and is never calm. My sister made the decision to avoid any restaurant that is not naturally noisy and kid oriented because she knows it will not be a good meal for her or for him and she won't inflict him on other diners. She won't even consider taking him on a plane or long car trip. She knows his limitations and works around them.

 

[fireflymedic]

I just read this weekend about another restaurant that is forbidding young children (this restaurant forbids kids under 6). A couple weeks ago it was Malaysia airlines forbidding kids on some of its routes. Not sure what to make of this. What do you think? Is it okay to ban kids or is it simply wrong?

I realy dont mind, it probobly was priced to were it was to expensive for me to take my 2 kids too anyway.

If I go to a resteraunt I try to get there by 5 so I'm in and out before the couples start showing up. and my kids are pretty well behaved most of the time.