Posted on 04/01/2017 4:27:35 PM PDT by Trump20162020
This seems to be a perennial argument in the food service industry but it never fails to attract my interest. The Washington Post picked up the story of an an upscale Italian restaurant in North Carolina called Caruso’s. They had run into a number of issues with parents bringing young and too often horribly behaved children into the eatery for dinner who then wound up annoying the rest of the clientele. As they tell the story, the straw which broke the camel’s back was a young girl with an i-Pad who was playing videos at full volume despite being asked to turn it down (or off) and the parents were completely failing to discipline her or resolve the situation. Shortly after that they imposed a ban on bringing children under the age of five into the establishment.
The typical howls of outrage from some parents began immediately, but there was another reaction as well.
The ban — conceived by the restaurant’s owner, Pasquale Caruso — has led to a dramatic increase in reservations, said Nunez, who said Caruso’s has seen a spike in diners, from about 50 per day to around 80.
“Banning children has always been a topic in the industry and every owner says, ‘I wish I could do it,’” he said. “Our owner has the full support of the staff. We work here to make a living, too, and we support our owner 100 percent.”
Good for them. Too often you see only one side of this debate in the press and it centers on the parents who are complaining and saying that families are being stigmatized or punished or what have you.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
More people will show up.
In my opinion, it is important to bring kids to a variety of places to introduce them to environments to help them to expand their environment, and restaurants are one of those places.
As for the child-free environment, my wife and I go to an upscale restaurant once or twice a year, and it is a special occasion for us. We want to enjoy the quiet ambiance of an establishment that understands why people might pay a lot of money to enjoy a meal and quiet music.
Kids make it fun for you, and that is fine. However, there are a lot of people for whom it doesn’t make it better, simply because there are kids. There could be a lot of people who go to an environment to be alone and take a break from their kids for an evening.
You think it is pretentious for someone to go to an “upscale” environment that is quiet, has dim lighting, quiet music, and a subdued atmosphere, but I think is is very presumptuous of you to think that because you think having kids around in all situations, everyone would feel as you do.
If people would control their kids that would be okay. If restaurants could ask people to leave because their kids are running around the dining room, making noise, or otherwise misbehaving, that would be fine.
But there are people who won’t control their kids, and restaurants that won’t either ask them to or won’t ask them to leave. That is the reality of it.
And for a couple that might want to spend a special evening together on a special anniversary, eating a meal that is more expensive than they would normally pay for, or drinking a bottle of wine that would normally not be in their price range, to have it ruined because kids are playing tag, running around tables, or yelling or crying, do they have to suck it because a parent somehow feels that their kids are really cute, and everyone should just have to suck it up?
Sorry. I think there would be a party involved that would be extremely self centered and selfish, and it wouldn’t be adult diners trying to enjoy a quiet dinner.
You think a place that that is pretentious? That’s great. Why would you wan’t to bring your kids there?
GOOD!!! I don’t eat out often but when I do I prefer nicer restaurants. I will get up and leave if children show up. Especially babies.
This is not true at all. It has nothing to do with age. There are plenty of 10 year old noisy brats, and plenty of loud obnoxious adults.
Parents are responsible for their children and should be asked to leave if their children are disturbing other diners after 1 warning. One policy might be a deposit for families bringing children that would be applied to the meal or forfeit if they were asked to leave. That would weed out the ones who don’t belong there.
While reataraunts should be able to kick out any family who cannot raise children who cannot behave in public, it is dispicable for any public restaurant who’s primary business is meal service to blanket ban children. How can you raise the next versatile well if you cannot bring them into the public square. Too many Freepers embrace the a55hole snowflake attitude.
Is “ronniesgal” a slang word for “self-satisfied prick” on Urban Dictionary?
My wife worked at a restaurant-tavern in Sparta, NJ. I would get back from work as she started her shift and go sit at the bar. Have a couple beers while my 4-year-old chatted with the regulars at the bar. He made friends there, I was just the driver.
Amen to that. It is all about the parenting. Too many Freepers sound like spinster country-club Pepublicans (i.e. douche-canoes)on this thread.
I agree wholeheartedly with your post.
First, I took my daughter, now age 10, to a variety of restaurants and never once did I receive so much as a dirty look. I established with her early on the ground rules and my expectation that she follow said rules. I have a well behaved child now with a rather sophisticated palate. One of her favorite meals was at Spago in Beverly Hills at age 7.
Second, age has nothing to do with it. I see adults whose behavior is so unmannerly, so inappropriate and breath-takingly rude.
Restaurants should treat patrons on an individual basis. Toss the ones who are rotten, regardless of age, and welcome the opportunity to help shape the experience of well behaved children.
Governor Dinwiddie You sound lik an inflexible, leftie, twat. Ban children from libraries, what a putz! Please try to explain yourself.
Your wife is a lucky lady to have you say such kind words about her. Beautiful post.
Upscale, like Hometown Buffet or one those really high class joints like Olive Garden?
I flew business class with my three month old from Los Angeles to Melbourne Australia. 15 hours flight. Being in business allowed us to have a lie flat bed and a bassinet for her. Don’t like it? Too bad. That’s what noise cancelling headphones are for.
Don't hate kids, but I don't always find them fun either.
Indeed! It’s my favorite, too. Oh, and I know it’s actually .45 Colt, but that name was taken and since my father-in-law still says .45 Long Colt, I went with that.
Badly behaved children don’t make ANYTHING fun. There are lots of middle and low priced restaurants where families can enjoy dinner with their kids. Restaurant owners (of any price range) should be able to run an “adults only” business. Adults should be able to enjoy a nice, quiet dinner out, without having to deal with someone’s kids.
I was always able to take my kids (and now my grandkids) to a restaurant, as they were properly behaved. I still, however, enjoy a nice dinner out, while the kids stay home.
This discussion reminds me of the flaky parents who take offense when they’re invited to a wedding, but no children, please. As if the world revolves around their kids....and they don’t attend, because their kids weren’t invited.
Unlike a visit to Planned Parenthood, at least the Kid gets to leave for Home with his Parents instead of his remains being sold to the highest Bidder.
We must have done something right because she has 2 kids. They flew from Seattle to HSV from the time they were a few months old. She always took quiet things for them to do. When they were about 7 and 9 they flew by themselves. They knew how to act. My daughter gets very upset with parents who expect their kids to fly cross country with absolutely nothing to do. No wonder they are bored and act up. They moved back here years ago. God bless.
Going in with 4 we occasionally got a dirty look on the way in. At one Flamenco concert a woman seated near us made loud comments to her companion about how inconsiderate people were to bring children.
At the end of the performance she came up to us and said that she was so impressed with the children and how well they behaved had been. We thanked her without mentioning that her loud “Hola Jose” shouts throughout the performance had been distracting.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.