Petition to parents (out of control, pills, boys, appropriate)

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

This is the most bizarre way to do it, but I might hit jackpot coz (1) C/D is a good representation of the cross-section of America, and (2) C/D's been pretty good with google's search results, it always comes up on top, wonder if the two have a business deal. Anyway...

Moms and Dads, when you take your kids to Panera bread, please be considerate of your fellow human beings and clean up after yourselves. We're talking bread crumbs, soup spills, and stuff all over the place.

I see this bizarre behaviour in Panera bread widespread and it's pretty out of control. The kids are unruly and generate immense noise, but I don't mind that, I actually enjoy the presence of the children and their playfulness. But what makes the parents think it's okay to turn the place upside down and leave, given that the restaurant stuff have a really tough time, given that this is the most sought after "healthy" fast food breakfast, brunch, lunch, lounge, cafe, bakery destination for families and people in general.

The pattern is pretty uniform. Been to Panera's in NYC tri-state area, NC, TX, CO etc., and the parents and their kids are turn the place upside down, most of the time.

Now, again....... don't hurl a brick at the messenger. I'm hoping this is a reasonable request and I'm not the only one to have thought about it

[suedonym]

well, we dont eat at panera, but i can tell you MY kids know how to behave in a restaurant (no matter how casual) and clean up after themselves in a manner appropriate to the establishment.

there are lots of inconsiderate people (not only parents) out there though.... i dont really care to hear peoples cell phone conversations, personally, yet inevitably I am stuck listening to some twit talk about something totally inconsequential all the time...

[AnonChick]

Originally Posted by suedonym

well, we dont eat at panera, but i can tell you MY kids know how to behave in a restaurant (no matter how casual) and clean up after themselves in a manner appropriate to the establishment.

there are lots of inconsiderate people (not only parents) out there though.... i dont really care to hear peoples cell phone conversations, personally, yet inevitably I am stuck listening to some twit talk about something totally inconsequential all the time...

I'm guessing these inconsiderate twits were once children whose parents didn't make them clean up after themselves at Panera.

Panera just seems to attract families who are oblivious to their surroundings, AND to people with cell phones hard-wired to their skulls. Yes, you see it in McDonald's - just - for some reason, not nearly as often.

Also, another problem with Panera is the physical layout of the place. The walls and ceiling don't absorb sound well at all, so even when it's not very noisy, it sounds very noisy. I've gotten into the habit of making sure I'm wearing my hearing aids when I go there, and shutting them off while I eat. They act as earplugs and filter out a lot of the noise. I turn them back on when I'm ready to leave and the madness could knock me over. It's like a cafeteria with subdued lighting.

[suedonym]

maybe theres a link between twits and panera...LOL

i dunno... i happens everywhere, not just dining establishments- people let their kids run all over stores, dont discipline, dont seem to care about manners or rudeness.... all i can do is parent my own kids and praise the ones i see in public being good (I always give little boys LOTS of praise for holding a door open for me! Seeing their grins just makes my day!)

[no kudzu]

I think this is pretty much restaurant wide problem. There have been other threads about wild kids and blind parents in restaurants all over CD.

[AnonChick]

But the OP's specific gripe, is that Panera "seems" (as in, this is his perception - mine too) to attract, very specifically, that odd subset of "moms with kids, neither of whom clean up when they're done eating and leave their tables a mess for the next customer to deal with."

I know that this happens in a lot of places, but I agree with the perception that it's a more widespread phenomena at Panera than in any other place I frequent (including fast food joints that include children among their most profit-making demographic).

[chicagojlo]

Actually I witness it everywhere and it drives me crazy because it wasn't any work at all to raise my kids to behave appropriately in public places and clean up after themselves.

What drives me more crazy is students with their one cup of $2 coffee taking an entire table for 6 during a weekend lunch so they can spread their books out as they work with the free wifi. I get that you need the space for your books but please understand that I just paid $30 for food that I'm now having to eat off my lap because there aren't any tables big enough for me and my two kids to sit at anymore.

[AnonChick]

Originally Posted by chicagojlo

Actually I witness it everywhere and it drives me crazy because it wasn't any work at all to raise my kids to behave appropriately in public places and clean up after themselves.

What drives me more crazy is students with their one cup of $2 coffee taking an entire table for 6 during a weekend lunch so they can spread their books out as they work with the free wifi. I get that you need the space for your books but please understand that I just paid $30 for food that I'm now having to eat off my lap because there aren't any tables big enough for me and my two kids to sit at anymore.

When that happens, I just sit down next to them at the table. I make an assumption, that I don't have any "right" to make, but I do so anyway:

Any single person sitting at a table intended for more than 2 people, during the lunch rush, is by default inviting others to sit with them. The table is now a cafeteria table and is open to whoever sits down. Conversely, if I find the only avialable table left is a table for 6, and I'm all by myself, I will invite any other adult looking for a seat to share the table with me. So long as they're not interrupting my meal, not using a cell phone, don't smell repulsive or have bugs jumping off their skin on me, I don't care who I sit with.

[TakeAhike]

I can only speak for my local Panera in Atlanta but it seems to be primarily patronized by adults. Very clean.

I empathize with the OP's frustration. It is not that difficult to take the tray to the disposal area.

[LVKim8]

Haven't been to Panera since we moved but ours was always clean and had plenty of kids. Maybe it's an East Coast thing .
(Just kidding!)