Restaurant Uproar

[ryan]

An Atlanta restaurant has caused a controversy because of a change to their policy about children. Because of complaints, they are asking people to tend to crying children outside the restaurant. They must feel like they're losing business because of the atmosphere. What would you have done in their position? Would you boycott a restaurant with this policy?

 

[Michael]

Eating out is an expensive luxury for many people, especially at fine restaurants. I have no qualms about expecting people with children to get a sitter and keep them out of other diners' space. If it's a family restaurant that caters to families, that's one thing. If it's a fine restaurant, it's not for children.

 

[Victor]

I don't know. I agree that children should behave in public and it's better to take them to family restaurants, but anti-children policies leave a bad taste in my mouth. I'm rather torn on this one.

 

[Bear]

Depending on the type of restaurant I think they are justified in their policy. Children should know how to behave in public, and to teach them how you must take them out in public. However, children don't belong in a five star restaurant either. Besides, in this case the way the OP reads anyway they don't have a no children policy. They are just asking that you take crying children outside.

 

[ryan]

I found a copy of the disclaimer the restaurant is including on the menu: Georgia Restaurant Disclaimer Says No Crying Kids Allowed | Fox News. If this article is correct, someone's kid hit one of the patrons in the head with a toy! I'm guessing they were just getting wild and it wasn't intentional. Nevertheless, the restaurant owner is being more than reasonable in my opinion. The wording that struck me was "unsupervised children." To me, it sounds like they are telling people, in a very tactful way, that the restaurant isn't a daycare center or a playground.

The restaurant is in a bad position either way. However, I wonder if they wouldn't have been better off to deal directly with the parents who caused the problem. But who knows how that might have turned out. If they let their kids run wild in a restaurant, they might have caused a scene themselves. I'm not sure what I have would done in the restaurant owner's place.

 

[Babar]

I definitely wouldn't boycott it. Other patrons don't deserve to be subjected to your child's meltdown. There are no free passes for common decency just because you have a kid.

 

[Salazar]

I think it is the restaurant owner's right to set whatever policy he wants regarding children. Unless you're at Chuck E Cheese, parents should know better than to let their kids act like that in a restaurant setting.

 

[Clay]

I kind of agree on this policy. If I am out and trying to enjoy a meal, and do not want to constantly hear a kid yelling or throwing toys. As a parent, you should take the kids to the car while the other parent asks for to go boxes. You know how your kid generally behaves, so you should avoid situations that are not appropriate for your kid.

 

[Andersson]

I think there is a big difference in a kid being that bad compared to someone that is just a little whiny. I mean honestly how does that work when its a single parent in the place and its freezing cold outside in the winter months?

 

[Bear]

Then the single parent should have better sense than to take a child to a restaurant like that. If you are just dying for the food from that particular place call in an order and go pick it up. I love my kids, but there are some places kids just don't need to be. Fancy restaurants are one of them.

 

[Michael]

I feel the same way about parents taking children into movie theaters. Unless it is a child's movie, parents should get baby sitters for their children rather than subject people who pay megabucks these days to attend a movie to their crying baby and all that distraction.