A New Jersey restaurant is refusing service to children 10 and under

[Algernon Moncrieff]

Nettie's House of Spaghetti in Tinton Falls, NJ has made the following statement via social media:

We love kids. We really, truly, do. But lately, it’s been extremely challenging to accommodate children at Nettie’s. Between noise levels, lack of space for high chairs, cleaning up crazy messes, and the liability of kids running around the restaurant, we have decided that it’s time to take control of the situation. This wasn’t a decision that was made lightly, but some recent events have pushed us to implement this new policy. As of March 8, the day we return from our winter break, we will no longer allow children under 10 to dine in the restaurant.

We know that this is going to make some of you very upset, especially those of you with very well-behaved kids, but we believe this is the right decision for our business moving forward.

Thank you for understanding ?️

Question: Assuming they are licensed to operate as a restaurant open to the public (as opposed to a private club) would this discriminatory based on being an arbitrary refusal of service?

[GreenWave]

1. What about RWNJs in NJ who think like little children?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

29. They dine in Bedminster, no?

I'm told there is some kind of golf club there and it has no classified documents whatsoever.

[tritsofme]

2. Children under 10 are not a protected class.

So it may be discriminatory, but not illegal.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

6. So, in theory, I could say no one 55 or older can come into my restaurant

Devil's advocate for a moment: suppose myself and my spouse are observant members of a faith that prohibits the use of birth control, and have a bunch of kids ranging in age from 2 - 20. Couldn't I argue that this is, in essence, discrimination based on my religion?

[ripcord]

10. Actually senior citizens are a protected class

There is nothing wrong with this policy, a number of bad parents have let their kids ruin it for others.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

19. For employment purposes, I'd agree. In terms of public accommodation, that is less clear.

All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin. |TITLE II OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT (PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS)

https://www.justice.gov/crt/title-ii-civil-rights-act-public-accommodations


Also, I might argue that 10 year old American citizens fall under the category of "all persons" as much as a 55 year old does. A restaurant, of course, has the right to tell any unruly patron to leave - whether they are 10 or 70.

[ripcord]

28. There are plenty of places that cater to families and children

What exactly is wrong with people wanting a child free dining experience?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

36. If the operation is principally a bar, most would certainly allow a restriction

Same in a gambling establishment or one featuring "adult entertainment."

The problem I see here is two-fold. One is that restaurants are licensed by local government as public accommodations and that children are part of the public. The other is that this places an undue burden on young parents.

Nobody likes unruly patrons - be they loud drunks or loud kids. Nobody I know particularly likes to be seated near hearing impaired seniors who speak loudly and often without an appropriate filter.

[ripcord]

41. Public accommodation doesn't mean they gave to include everyone

Businesses can choose not to deal with people not wearing masks even though there is no mandate. As long as they aren't a protected class they can be excluded.

[Effete Snob]

62. Hey, you got something there

We gotta get more nude dancing in restaurants.

TBH, there are no good dining options in my area that have nude dancing.

[yagotme]

97. Business opportunity????

[treestar]

112. True

Wouldn't the parents prefer to take children where the atmosphere is friendly for them?

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

75. I suggest that a venue is free, other than restrictions to a protected class...

...to apply whatever reasonable restrictions it deems fit to maintain an atmosphere conducive to its business.

My daughter managed an auto repair shop for several years and often had to handle customers and their unruly young children. It is unacceptable to tie up employees being rugrat wranglers or cleaning unreasonable. That service is unpaid and takes time away from other reasonable respectful customers. At least a few times I told her to post a sign saying that 'unsupervised children will be given a chocolate bar and an espresso; unruly children will be given a drum set and a puppy.'

[Effete Snob]

55. No, they can vote

The minimum requirement for any proposed protected class is "Can they vote?"

[DBoon]

3. only if children under 10 are a protected class

.. as specified in non-discrimination laws

A restaurant may find it less offensive to bar an entire group from entering than kicking out those who are disruptive while already seated. If they did not bar all families with small children, they would have to escort out those with disruptive children.

[TheBlackAdder]

58. In NJ, this will be allowed. I took my kids to several restaurants that catered to adults and teens.

.

I used to go to one place and thought I would take my kids there. It was a place in Cherry Hill. Ownership changed and they had a policy not to serve families with younger children. I walked in there and they told me that children are not allowed. So, I just left. A few years later, the place closed down, this was pre-COVID.

We went to an Italian restaurant in Chambersburg section of Trenton and was told the same thing.

We went to a seafood restaurant in Cape May and were denied.

We went to a restaurant in Atlantic Highlands, and a few other shore towns and were also turned away.

.

[Effete Snob]

4. .

/insert witty popcorn reference/

Kids don't vote, so it will always be legal to discriminate on the basis of age.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

11. My small ladies are grown now

But were they this age, my wife/their mother (who has a long memory) would never eat there again.

[Bettie]

64. I would do the same as the wife/mother in my family

I have had more meals disrupted by loud drunks and extremely loud MAGAts than I have small kids.

We always made an effort to leave the table as clean as we could when we went out when our kids were small, but kids do talk, which seems to be the chief complaint people have about small humans....them being able to talk and the suggestion that they be treated like human beings.

Kids can't learn about the world unless they are exposed to it.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Surely they consulted counsel

about the wee tyrants in New Jersey.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

8. You'd think

But their thinking may not have gone further than " We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone."

I'll say this - if they want to limit their clientele to the middle-aged and older, then they are essentially saying they want the business to wind down in 10 years. In my experience, couples go (except on fancy date-like occasions) to restaurants with their kids. Their kids grow up thinking fondly of that place, and take their dates - one or more of whom becomes a spouse or a SO - and then their kids.

[wnylib]

46. You assume that not allowing children under 10

means that the restaurant only wants to cater to people who are middle aged or older. But young parents can go out for dinner and leave their kids with a babysitter. Parents in their 30s or 40s (not yet middle aged) are likely to have kids over 10 who can join them.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

115. If the couple has money and can find a sitter - sure

We had family around when the ladies were small. That was fortunate because it's not like the 70s when that was how many teenage girls made pocket money.High school kids in areas where we lived were very programmed - sports and other extra curriculars.

[wnylib]

117. If parents can afford to buy dinners for themselves and

for children, I think they can also afford a babysitter.

Some restaurants cater to families. Others do not. So parents can choose a family restaurant for a family meal away from home.

[ripcord]

7. I for one would enjoy child free dining options

I used to love going to Sizzler but too many families let their kids run free play and be loud.

[Xavier Breath]

15. Agreed. I hope that this is a trend

that begins to spread throughout the country. We childless adults can eat in peace, and there will still be plenty of "family" dining options available.

[edisdead]

43. You could always eat at home

Last edited Fri Feb 10, 2023, 11:42 PM - Edit history (1)

You vould always eat at home instead of in public.

[2naSalit]

57. ?

[Xavier Breath]

81. I'm hearing it in Frau Blucher's voice.

[2naSalit]

86. ...

[jmowreader]

60. And so can people with under-10 children

You mean there can't be ONE restaurant that I can go to without screaming kids running around? And I checked their menu - this is definitely NOT a place you'd want to bring kids to anyway!

[BannonsLiver]

107. So could people with kids.

That’s not really the flex you thought it was.

[edisdead]

111. I am not flexing anything but cool buzzword

Look people have children. Thats the thing about living in society and going to places that serve the public. Most people aren’t interested in shrinking their customer base by limiting who can enter. So either deal with it or open a restaurant that caters to folks who want to dine in an establishment without kids. But I’d caution against that as many restaurants fail in their first year of opening. I will say that if someone is being completely unruly that sure it is an issue and should be addressed, but in my experience I have had more, MANY more negative experiences with drunk, or unruly adults at establishments than children.

[BannonsLiver]

118. Way to miss the point.

[edisdead]

119. What point was missed?

People are claiming they want something that very few (almost nil) business owners want to provide. So what is the point?

[Amishman]

70. Agreed

My youngest doesn't do well at places with slower service, and can be loud. We choose where we eat out with him carefully.

Some parents are absolutely terrible and irresponsible.

[Coventina]

18. YES! I would definitely patronize child-free restaurants.

I applaud this move!!!!

[lindysalsagal]

104. I left a restaurant once because of a screaming infant

Plopped on top of a table in a carrier, in the middle of a huge restaurant. Went on for 5 minutes. Parents ignored it. Restaurant said they would allow it. We had paid for a sitter just to enjoy going out. So we left the wine on the table and went elsewhere and never returned.

We've all endured the ignored kids screaming and running, out of control. They make everyone else into babysitters.

I think restaurants should be allowed minimum age requirements.

[we can do it]

26. Same. Take the kiddos to chukkie cheese.

[2naSalit]

47. Same here.

I am not a fan of looking up from my food to see some unknown to me child breathing on me and my food while hanging on to my chair.

People, a large number of them, do not keep their kids from running around or bothering other patrons. They let them trash the place and expect the "help" to clean it up with little or no tip.

It's nice to have places that are child free.

[Raine1967]

9. I used to live in Del Ray -- a neighborhood in Alexandria, VA. 10 years ago

a local restauranteur opened a sushi bar that was 18 and over. It caused controversy, but the owner stood to his idea. (for the record, I know the owners. They had 2 other restaurants on the same block and they were very family friendly)

Here is the story https://www.wusa9.com/article/money/consumer/restaurant-owner-defends-no-kids-policy-at-del-ray-sushi-spot/65-314979997

It's a policy that's been compared to "apartheid" by some angry parents, but well known Alexandria restaurateur Mike Anderson is standing by his plan for a "no kids" sushi restaurant in the Del Ray section of town to open in May.

"It's not like were saying we hate kids, we don't want kids," Anderson told WUSA9. "I love kids. I have three great girls. But you have to find a niche."

It's a policy that's been compared to "apartheid" by some angry parents, but well known Alexandria restaurateur Mike Anderson is standing by his plan for a "no kids" sushi restaurant in the Del Ray section of town to open in May.

It was a great place. Del Ray is super family-friendly. My husband and I knew that when we moved there and we don't have kids. It was nice to go there.

I have no problem with what this restaurant chooses to do with its business.

[Coventina]

20. My favorite Japanese place has been RUINED by little kids.

Any given Friday night the place is overrun with kids running around, screaming their heads off.

It's gotten unbearable, especially during happy hour.

I've told the management why I no longer go for my weekly bowl of vegan ramen.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

38. I'm sorry your favorite place was ruined for you.

[betsuni]

49. +1

[AllTooEasy]

12. Good. NJ parents should tell their kids to sit down, eat, and STFU in restaurants

My parents, family members, friends, etc. didn't and still don't tolerate their kids acting like damn fools in restaurants, stores, airports, etc. What's wrong with these parents who just let their kids disturb other patrons? I would prefer that restaurants just unceremoniously kicked out the families with rowdy children or rowdy adults, but that subjective practice would warrant lawsuits. I sympathize with restaurant's predicament within this context, and I respect Nettie's response. I guess some incompetent parents just have to ruin it for everyone.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

13. I hear you. Here is the solution.

Throw the parents with the unruly kids out. Leave the parents with good kids alone.

[Bev54]

16. The problem with kicking them out, those would be the very parents to make a big stink and

performance which will be on social media immediately calling them a Karen.

[blue neen]

17. Agreed.

That would end up being an even more disruptive situation.

[edisdead]

45. You tell your kids to STFU?

[FoxNewsSucks]

56. some need to be told that.

[edisdead]

89. Actually, no they do not

Actually, no they do not need to be told to shut the fuck up.

There are a great many other ways to handle it than that.

[GusBob]

101. NJ parents

I think you have discovered the root of the issue

[Bev54]

14. I have two minds on this, I have grandchildren and like to dine out with them,

but they are well behaved and not allowed to run around. I do not want to dine where parents do not keep control of their children and let them run around bothering other diners. Going to a restaurant should be a teaching experience for children on how to behave in a public place but it seems it is the parents that often need the teaching.

[secondwind]

23. Same here........ and besides, we need to teach the children how to behave in public.

[Bev54]

27. Unfortunately it seems it is the parents that need to be taught.

[Raine1967]

21. I would also like to point out that parents sometimes get babysitters to go out alone.

As I stated in my response above, I am not a parent, but many of my friends are. They sometimes want to go out without having to be around children.

I don't see anything wrong with this concept.

There is a reason why I don't always go to family-friendly restaurants. They have that right, I don't go unless it's for a party or something like that. This is not discrimination, IMO. It's choosing clientele.

[Coventina]

22. FOR THOSE OF YOU ANGERED BY THIS: Consider this - what is the restaurant's

liability if a kid were to be injured due to parental negligence?

Those parents would sue the pants off the restaurant, because their precious angel collided with waitstaff!!!!

[Algernon Moncrieff]

24. It would be an insurance matter.

It would pale in significance to, for example, allowing an adult to leave after having been overserved and that individual subsequently killing someone in a wreck.

[Effete Snob]

25. I don't see anyone in the thread who is at all angered by this

I would be equally shocked that any restaurant does not have liability insurance. That would be really stupid.

[Coventina]

30. I believe liability insurance is required. But why should a restaurant have to be liable

for misbehaving children?

[Effete Snob]

50. Lol - Good thing no adult ever got drunk and crashed their car

Because in a society without some sort of universal healthcare coverage, that is how insurance companies decide which one has to pay for the inevitable injuries which occur in that society.

All kinds of mayhem happens in restaurants, and businesses of all sorts.

YOUR health insurance company is going to refuse to cover you if some other insurer can be stuck with the tab.

That is the basis for the vast majority of personal injury lawsuits - it is someone's health insurance company setting off to pin the tail on someone else's donkey.

That's all it is. Someone's going to pay for injuries. The court system just decides who.

I don't give a shit whether restaurants admit children or not. But your point seems to be "ban all children from all restaurants because there might be lawsuits." Is that it? If that's not your point, then how does your objection to having to deal with customer injuries arising from children apply to some restaurants and not others?

[Coventina]

84. No, my point is that I've seen children create safety hazards in restaurants.

Therefore, I think restaurants should be allowed to ban them, if they choose to do so.

It seems like *some* parents take personal offense at that.

There was a fun one on Nextdoor recently:

A woman angrily posted about another patron in the restaurant filming the poster's kid having a temper tantrum while in the restaurant. She posted a photo of the patron and basically asked Nextdoor to identify her and *dox* her for filming her child throwing a fit. Ummmmm.... why not just remove your tantrum-throwing kid????

It did not go well for for poster......

[Effete Snob]

87. And, yet, drunk patrons generate more claims

I once saw an alligator catch a bird.

The things one sees in a lifetime are precious. Hold them close.

[Phoenix61]

31. The more claims the higher the rates. nt

[Effete Snob]

51. Yes, and?

We seem to have mastered how insurance works, yes.

[Phoenix61]

67. And what? nt

[Effete Snob]

69. These are the top five reasons restaurants get sued

https://bizcounsel.com/articles/The-5-Most-Common-Reasons-Restaurants-Get-Sued

1. Employment and Wage & Hour Lawsuits


2. “Dram Shop” Laws


3. Premises Liability Claims (Slip-and-Falls)

In-fact, a 2016 report published in QSR found that 60% of Workers’ Compensation claims involve fryer oil, and that half of slip-and-fall incidents occur near sinks or fryer vats. Remember, owners are vulnerable to legal action from both patrons and employees; many slip-and-fall cases are actually filed by restaurant workers.

4. Health Code Violations


5. Claims Related to Food-Bourne Illnesses

----------

Since the Top #2 spot is taken by over-serving alcohol, then restaurants would reduce their liability claims by refusing to admit adults and ONLY serving children.

[Phoenix61]

71. How many of those slip and falls were due to a child

spilling their drink or running in front of someone? It’s risk vs benefit. If the owner sees children as a risk that provides little benefit then it makes sense to them. Profit per seat is lower for every seat a child fills.

[Effete Snob]

76. Near the fryer?

Did you notice that it said most were near the fryer? Most of the slip and falls are kitchen workers.

If they focused on not poisoning or intoxicating their customers, their insurance rates would be better.

[Phoenix61]

85. I noticed it said workers comp claims which wouldn't include

any injuries to patrons. And it still leaves the ones that aren’t kitchen workers.

[old as dirt]

79. This is true of airlines, as well.

Profit per seat is lower for every seat a child fills.

For restaurants, profit per seat for my seat is considerably higher than it is for my wife's seat.

There's quite a bit of variation, even among adults.

[Phoenix61]

83. There's no such thing as a child's seat on a domestic flight.nt

[old as dirt]

88. I rarely fly domestically, except to connect with international flights. (nt)

[shrike3]

99. A hair salon and day spa in my area was sued by a parent. A young child was running around

while Mom's hair was getting cut. Child grabbed a canister of green liquid. Tipped it up so she could drink it, I presume. Spilled it all over herself. Don't know exactly what it was, but she was burned. Mom sued the owner, who was a personal friend at the time. After a settlement was reached, children were barred from the salon work area. Don't know if they lost any business. It was a popular salon.

[SYFROYH]

32. Seems reasonable. I remember places in NYC didn't serve kids.

There is always a Chucky Cheese for the rug rat crowd.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

33. Legal, at least federally. State or local laws could vary

Children aren't a protected class so its not illegal, federally, for businesses to bar their entry.

[Phoenix61]

34. As an ex-waitress I would have loved to work someplace

like that. You would not believe what some parents allow their children to do. As far as teaching children how to behave in a restaurant it’s the same as how you behave at home while at the table.

[2naSalit]

54. +1

After over a decade in tourist town and holding many restaurant positions, mostly in the kitchen thankfully, I agree. There is a place for kids and places that needs to not have them.

Even when I was a kid with table manners I rarely ate at a sit down place with table cloths. I have always felt for the waitstaff, I do not have their skills, yet I can't imagine how they deal with the people that they have to deal with these days. It wasn't a picnic in years prior but the public have become awful in the past ten years and make people who work in the service industries suffer every day.

[betsuni]

61. I suddenly remembered a story my sister told me when she was a waitress.

While clearing a table near a couple with a loud obnoxious kid, found "Keep your miracle of life to yourself" or something similar written on a napkin.

[Scrivener7]

95. OMG. I waitressed through high school and college. I have a thousand

horror stories about kids I served (and adults.)

One: carrying a tray of ten lobster dinners (I was stronger then) from a kitchen to a tent where a wedding was happening. The kids playing tag on the patio decided I was "base." Luckily, none of the plates fell on the kids and I didn't murder any of them.

But that was a thousand years ago.

[Effete Snob]

96. Why do people bring children to weddings?

[Peacetrain]

35. I loved my child and nieces and nephews when they were little..

but I don't enjoy other peoples kids.. especially when I go to a restaurant for a meal.. We always try and plan our meals outside of the usual hours of 2 to 6 years old.. and before the teens turn up ..

Little kids screaming and running around are cute to their parents and family members..

[Algernon Moncrieff]

37. Is this a frequent problem?

I'm reading other posts in the thread. How often does this come up? I eat out a fair amount, and this just isn't a problem I encounter with any frequency.

[Coventina]

39. Rarely do I eat a meal without at least one child screaming.

Running around is less common, but still not unusual.

I eat at a neighborhood diner quite a bit. Disruptions there I can tolerate, it's a diner, not a French bistro.

Still, waitstaff are walking around with pots of coffee and hot plates.

My neighborhood Japanese restaurant used to be a place that was dominated by adults, but lately has been taken over by young families who just let their kids run wild. It's getting to the point where happy hour is more like hellscape hour.

The adult crowd is definitely being chased away.

All I can report is what I experience. Maybe other neighborhoods are different.

[shrike3]

100. Try a whole table full of screaming children right next to ours.

The louder they screamed, the more their parents (two couples and their combined children) had to talk. It was cacophony.

Even the other children in the restaurant, and there were several, were disturbed by the noise; I could tell.

In the screamers' defense, they were obviously exhausted and needed to go home. Why the couples just didn't get takeout, I don't know.

[demmiblue]

44. I don't eat out frequently, but I can't remember the last time I experienced this issue.

[Scrivener7]

94. Depends on the restaurant. I eat out a few times a week. Some restaurants

are lousy with kids, and enough obnoxious ones that it ruins the experience. It tends to be more reasonably priced restaurants. I don't go near them, especially on weekends.

Higher priced places don't tend to have the problem.

But I'd like to have a reasonably priced option where I know I won't run into obnoxious kids. I'd totally go to the restaurant described in the OP.

[edisdead]

48. Same

I eat at restaurants frequently. Like more than I would like to admit and I just don’t see this massive issue that others do apparently. And I have kids, but they are very well behaved. But honestly we eat at places from fairly low end all the way up to pretty expensive and dancy and I just don’t see things like “kids running around screaming their heads off” or any of the other comments. I guess I am pretty lucky? Or desensitized maybe? I don’t know.

[Effete Snob]

52. I know right?

I eat out several times a month at all kinds of restaurants.

Clearly, I'm not making it to the epicurean tasting menu hours at Chuck E. Cheese or whatever.

[Raine1967]

53. It's not about a problem, it is about choice.

Some places still as for a dress code.

Some people would like to not eat with children.

I don't see why this is an issue. The restaurant you mentioned in your OP made a choice. Let the market sort it out.

[Effete Snob]

78. Yup

But for some reason, people go nuts on this one.

As long as the kids are still breastfeeding, and unable to walk around, I’m fine.

[GenThePerservering]

40. I suspect that this is a last ditch effort

to keep their clientele. The restaurant business is tough to begin with without alienating a lot of their public because some parents can't seem to control their children. Enough is enough.

[brooklynite]

42. No: not arbitrary.

Age is not a protected civil rights class

[FoxNewsSucks]

59. I wish more places would do that

And hotels should start charging extra for kids, not dogs.

[Torchlight]

63. I would think no more discriminatory than age/height requirements at amusement parks

on particular rides.

[JoanofArgh]

65. We have one of these in a Charlotte suburb and it is popular. People love them.

[haele]

66. Liability issues. A local restaurant was sued because someone's "little angel" tripped a server

And a huge cast iron plate of sizzling hot fajitas was dumped on him and an elderly man seated right next to the incident got splattered with the contents other ceramic plates she was carrying on her tray.
The 7 year old kid and the server ended up with third degree burns, the server threw out her back trying keep the kid from getting hit in the head with the fajitas plate. The old man was bruised, but luckily, his clothes too most of the possible damage from the hot food.
The parents were the ones who sued for over $100k, which would have bankrupted the family owned restaurant, which already paid out a significant amount of insurance deductable and faced an increase in their premium for their server's worker's comp and everyone else's medical bills.
"How dare the restaurant try to blame their child for the accident and not cover more than the medical expenses his burns? Obviously, the server wasn't paying enough attention..."

Of course, they lost the suit, but in other states, that might not be the case.

Haele

[shrike3]

102. Same thing in our area, except at a hair salon.

And the mother who sued had been a good friend of the owner until the incident happened.

[ecstatic]

68. I dunno. Spaghetti is pretty messy but isn't it like

the top choice for kids? Will adults be interested in a spaghetti restaurant when kids are not part of the equation?

[Samrob]

72. Every kind of discrimination is on the legal table with this SCOTUS! nt

[betsuni]

73. Cheapest spaghetti is twenty dollars a plate. Unless child appreciates $18 parmigiana reggiano

marinated for 24 months in something, braised fennel, monkfish saltimbocca and the like, doesn't seem like a child-friendly menu. Kitchen might not appreciate having to cater to special orders.

[DenaliDemocrat]

74. It's because parents let their crotch goblins

Run around the restaurant. My dad would never let us do that. Parents today think everyone loves their kids. You’re reproductive organs worked. You’re not special. Make those kids behave or stay home. I don’t like your kids. I barely liked my own 😂

[Effete Snob]

80. If the kids are still breastfeeding it's okay

Since they won’t run around the restaurant.

I only go to restaurants which allow dogs, so my pitbull keeps the kids in line.

[Coventina]

82. Crotch goblins!!!! I am so stealing that!!!

[3catwoman3]

77. When our kids were young, a friend of ours, whose...

…kids were the same age, once said, “It’s your job as a parent to civilize your children so other people can stand to be around them.” I agree with her. She is one of 11 children. I suspect her mom didn’t take any crap.

Parents have many jobs. This is one of them.

(I’m happy to say that she was not directing her remarks specially to me.)

[ripcord]

90. I'm not sure why anyone would be bothered by child free restuarants

It isn't like there aren't plenty of places that cater to families with kids, why can't there be places that cater to adults without kids?

[RockRaven]

91. I would have been much more explicit about how shitty other parents were ruining things for

whoever is reading the sign... Like intemperately and unwisely explicit. So it probably a good thing I don't own a restaurant.

[phylny]

92. I live on a lake in a resort town, so we get plenty of families with young

children visiting and eating out. I don't encounter screaming children running around in restaurants. I can't remember a single time in 15 years of living here where kids have interrupted our dining. I guess I'm just lucky.

My husband and I have three children, all grown now, and we brought them to restaurants from the time they were little. We never had a problem with them and now our granddaughter accompanies our family to restaurants (she's 18 months old) and she isn't screaming, either.

Having said all that, I have no problem with a restaurant making rules that suit them, as long as it's legal.

[BannonsLiver]

108. You've just gotten lucky.

That explains it.

[JCMach1]

93. The worst behaved people I ever saw in restaurants were all adults

...

Typical American response. We really don't as a country actually like children very much.

The restaurant owners have obviously never visited countries where children actually are spoiled and allowed to run roughshod.

[demmiblue]

98. +1

[shrike3]

103. Actually, when we were in Guadalajara, we were impressed at how well behaved

the children were.

[nini]

114. Most don't like out of control children

American or not. Most others countries have higher standards than what we put up with here.

[GusBob]

105. If children are not a protected class without rights

Does that mean the GOP is correct in denying gender affirming care to Trans kids under 18?

Does that mean disabled kids don’t have ADA rights?

In this country it seems liberals hate the fetus, conservatives any poor or colored child
And clearly the grumpy old fucks hate children too

[Hotler]

106. A couple of days ago during the Hunter laptop hearings Joey the scar said that twitter was a

private business and could refuse service to anyone (MTG, and BoBo,), Isn't this the same? Remember during the 1970's when RWNJ's hated hippies and put up signs saying 'No shirt, no shoes, no service'.

No shirt
No shoes
No little bastards under 10
No service

[Hekate]

109. My goodness, an Olive Garden thread

[Algernon Moncrieff]

116. When you are at DU, you're family

Except Earl G needs to provide breadsticks.

[nini]

113. I looked this place up..I don't blame them

It’s a higher end place people go to enjoy a good dinner and drinks. Kids aren’t wired for multi course meals in a quiet atmosphere.

I’d be pissed If I was planning a nice quiet dinner and parents were letting their brats run around like maniacs etc ruining my evening. What the hell happened to parents getting babysitters ? Order them a pizza and let them stay home.

[Meowmee]

122. I don't remember

Being turned away from restaurants when we were children. We were trained to be well behaved in restaurants. I worked in one briefly but I don’t remember lots of children there although it was a semi family oriented one. I don’t eat out anymore at all due to of a lot of health reasons, now pandemic and even before etc. and the last time I did I was poisoned or glutened or given a stomach virus from someone not washing their hands- so you really can’t trust what they do with the food anymore anywhere in my experience.

I guess it’s the choice of the restaurant since it doesn’t seem to be illegal to do this…if it’s a high-end restaurant I can understand that. It’s not fair to people whose children are well behaved though. I think there are a lot of family oriented restaurants so you can choose to go there instead.

The main places I encounter unruly, screeching children are usually when I am shopping either in the general stores or sometimes clothing stores, and food stores. I try to go everywhere at hours when I don’t really encounter very many people at all because I just don’t want to deal with it no matter what their ages, lol. I do feel sorry for parents whose child is having a terrible tantrum, but I just don’t want to deal with it, I have enough stress. Since the pandemic I hardly go out and always masked anyway. I am often the person who comes to a store 1/2 hr before they close at places that stay open late. The worst were people who bring an infant to a movie theater and baby starts crying etc. and they don’t leave.

I once saw a child who was lost, the parents were screeching at each other, the mom was verbally abusive to the father and then to the child when they found her. I saw another one screaming for her mom in another clothing store, mom found her eventually and then 5 minutes later she was running off on her own again. If I had had children of that age I think they would have been on a leash with all the possible safety issues.

[friend of a friend]

123. Would it turn people off if the sign read, "The only children allowed in are those on the menu."

Now where did I put my meds?