Restaurant Bans Kids 5 & Under Here is what the owner of this upper-scale Italian Restaurant says: Italian restaurant owner in Mooresville, NC says the ban had nothing to do with disliking children, and everything to do with the atmosphere he’s trying to create for the establishment. He said that he was “starting to lose money and customers, because I had very young children coming in, throwing food, running around and screaming.” “I had several customers complain, get up and leave because children were bothering them, and the parents were doing nothing,” he said. “People don’t want to come in and spend money on a nice meal and an evening out, when there’s constantly food on the floor, loud electronic devices keeping kids entertained, and small children screaming,” he said. “It was just the right decision for my business. Wife and I agree. Come to find out, there are some restaurants in America where children are not allowed at all. What do you think?
That's a toughie but I agree even though I love kids. If the restaurant is an expensive one... definitely but if it's a family restaurant, maybe not. I just think that if you have kids and are out eating with them, if they can't be made to act half way decent then the parents should just get the food to go and leave. I'm pretty good at tuning out crying but it's annoying. I've been on planes where I was lucky enough to sit behind a crying baby all flight but what can you do? The poor mom was frustrated also. But to simply answer the question...expensive restaurant...leave the crying child home with a sitter.
While I agree with the fact that some couples do want to eat out without having to deal with the "noisiness and energy spurts" of children"...I'm also waiting to hear some family is going to sue that Restaurant for discriminating against children and families. If I want a nice romantic meal or just a nice quiet meal out with my Honey then I would not like it if this outing was disturbed by children who are just being their normal selves for the most part. I think more restaurants should have a Family dining room and a couples dining room with a wall between them that is sound proof. But then again someone might take offense at this and sue because they want to choose which room they want to eat in regardless of whether they have children along or not. I did not take my children out to nicer restaurants until we had practiced how to "behave" when eating out and I knew they would beable to do this. But many parents think everyone should just cater to their little "darlings!" like they do. I don't happen to agree with this and think everyone should beable to enjoy a meal in peace and quiet if that's what they want.
Unfortunately, a lot of folks today just love yelling the word "discrimination" when they don't like something or get what they want. Heck, I remember, years ago, when a lot of apartment complex's had a family section and an adult section. There were also those where it was adults only. Today, most, if not all, are combined, like in our complex. I also know that some folks say 55+ communities are "discrimination". Heck, we even have some buildings in our complex that are "No Smoking". A prospective resident is told about those buildings. People can get a "warning" or even evicted if caught smoking in one of those buildings.
Just kidding but this site discriminates also, you can't join if you're under 55 or 50. I just looked and it's 50+....think it should be 55+...my daughter is almost 50 so really not the same generation. @Ken Anderson.
I think as you age noise in general can become more disturbing, if/when you have a young family you acclimatise to the noise and energy that children make. I must admit I don't like screaming children in planes, I know one UK airline was considering putting families at the rear of the aircraft, because noisy children is evidently the most complained about issue on flights. If I wanted to have a quiet meal I would avoid family restaurants these days, because parents seem to allow children to be noisy as a form of free expression I guess as a last resort you can always turn off your hearing aid
That's a good idea to put families in the back, it's already the noisiest part of the plane. I sat there on occasion and it was like the plane was breaking apart the whole time.
I think that there is nothing wrong with a restaurant not accepting little children in cases like this. This restaurant is obviously not a family restaurant, so it is intended for adult diners, not families with children. All kinds of businesses have rules, like the no shoes/no service rule. that is certainly not any kind of discrimination against any person, just a sensible rule for a business. If you take your kids to a family park or playground, there are rules about using the playground equipment, at the beach , there are swimming rules. Even if you go to a carnival, circus, or Disneyland, there are going to be rules that say children under a certain age/height can't go on the ride. So, I do not see any problem with an eating establishment having rules, too. We do still have apartments that are just for seniors, and even other adults can't live there unless they meet the age requirements. In Western Washington, there are actually two small towns south of Seattle that only allow seniors to live in the town or own property there. (Actually, they might be able to own property; but can't live there unless they are over 55)
I would also think that the parents of these crying children would rather be out alone at an expensive restaurant also. My son and DIL take their boys to family style places but they always get a sitter if it's an adult type restaurant. With 3 boys they're happy for some time alone and still do date nights or a Friday afternoon date when both are off work and the kids are in school.
I wish more restaurants here would adopt this policy. I am sick and tired of an expensive meal being ruined by children whose parents simply allow them to be 'entitled' to freedom of expression regardless of where they are or whom they may be upsetting. Once upon a time pubs here were for adults only...no kids....nowadays they're all family orientated so people can take their children into a pub until 9pm in the evening... and they do...even babies in prams inside a pub on a friday and Saturday nights and toddlers running around very tired and fractious I don't hate kids, but I really yearn for at least one place where adults can go to escape other people's unruly children We find ourselves now, having to go to restaurants and pubs during the day on our days off work, while children at school, or if we do choose to go out in the evening we tend to use high end more pricey venues because they are less likely to have children in them, so we can enjoy a meal in relative peace..
I agree @Yvonne Smith that there should be nothing wrong with this. But the way things are changing now all it will take is one person who feels they are being "discriminated" against to cause trouble for these places. And that kind of stuff is happening all over right now and in my opinion will continue to worsen.
Thing is, lawsuits cost money. Getting a lawyer isn't cheap and if the person doesn't win the lawsuit, that money is gone. Some lawyers will even tell a potential client, "don't think you have much of a chance to win, but it's your money."
Alot of times Agenda groups will decide to sue...they have their own lawyers often within the group and will sue just to further their Agendas @Cody Fousnaugh It's happening so often now days and the Agenda has been winning more often than not.