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I think part of the problem is that managers need to hear from patrons who have their meal disrupted. The kids behavior was so disruptive you had to cut your meal short. Managers need to hear about it. Otherwise they feel its easier to cater to the disruptive customers
As Hedgehog_Mom said, sometimes you're just too tired to do that.
Airliners aren't non-kiddie establishments. They are non-whinging moaning complainers establishments though.
Do people really get that bothered by raucous people (of all ages) at a restaurant? I usually just consider it dinner and a show
Depends on how bad it is. Kids talking loudly doesn't bother me.
But kids getting up, running around, then running to our table, then going back to their parents, then STARING right at you two steps away from you while you try to eat, then screaming and laughing while running around some more, etc, YEAH that's annoying (and yes I've had it that bad).
I went to a restaurant once where I'm pretty sure the kid thought he was playing duck duck goose with everyone in the restaurant. No need for your kid to walk up to me and touch me...
Not trying to say kids shouldn't be allowed at restaurants, but parents need to either control/discipline their kids or know when their kids can or can't behave at a restaurant and not have to make others deal with it. That doesn't mean spanking per se, but at least knowing the consequences of their actions, which can include not going to eat at their favorite restaurant because they can't behave.
I've left restaurants and movie theaters because of misbehaving and unattended children.
First time I was out on a nice dinner date with a girlfriend and while we were deciding what we were going to order a family came in and was seated in our area. We heard the kids before we even saw them. They ranged in ages 3 to about 10. Loud, obnoxious family. The place had been so nice and quiet prior to their arrival and once they were seated it was like a playground atmosphere. Tried to get passed it but we couldn't even concentrate on the menu. When the server came by to take our order we just informed her that we would actually be dining somewhere a bit more quieter.
Another time we didn't even make it inside the place before we turned around and walked out. The level of noise you heard from the kids inside was crazy and it seemed like you were walking into a day care center instead of a restaurant.
I haven't been to the movies in years because of people bringing little kids into movies that are totally not age appropriate. They bring a toddler to an R rated movie with sex and violence. Even going to a really late show doesn't matter since people seem to think it's perfectly fine to have kids up at midnight or later. Once the movie started and the child started to disrupt the movie for whatever reason then I would leave and go get my refund for my ticket.
I have kids of my own and I know their limitations. I know where they can go and where they shouldn't go. Last family trip we took was to Las Vegas and the kids had a blast since we kept to the family friendly areas and never once imposed them on people looking for an adult escape. Even the pools at the hotel had an "adult only" area that we respected.
On the other hand, on those occasions when I am eating out in the evening, it is usually to eat and have a long conversation with people I don't otherwise often see. In this case, we pick a more upscale restaurant. I do not expect there to be any misbehaving youngsters there, and certainly no infants. If I walk in and within the first ten minutes there is some invasion of people with loud kids or someone with a crying baby; as long as I have not ordered dinner I pay for what we have had at that point and leave. These occasions have been very rare, and I am always asked what is wrong - and I always say that I do not want to dine with loud kids and infants, and I will come back some other night.
That said, there are places for evening dining where I have never ever seen a child or infant, and so it makes sense to go to these.
With one paragraph it is hard to tell the details. I would hope that the management politely asked the family to regain control before calling the police!
Shame on corporate for apologizing. I would imagine that the police were only called because the people had been asked to leave and refused (otherwise the police wouldn't have been called, they certainly wouldn't have still been there by the time the police arrived, and it wouldn't have been trespassing). I would actually be much more inclined to patronize a restaurant that asked parents to control their unruly children or leave. I hate going out for a meal and having it ruined because people can't or won't control their kids.
With one paragraph it is hard to tell the details. I would hope that the management politely asked the family to regain control before calling the police!
You have to click on the KHOU-tv link in the article to see the original interview.
You can see in the interview that those boys can't even stand still for what was probably 10 minutes talking to the reporter. You can see telltale signs of no discipline and no consequences: One is running out into the parking lot, and while the dad is talking, one kid is rifling through Dad's back pocket and taking things out.
The other big problem I have with this situation is the dad said they walked into Applebee's at 9 pm for dinner.
That is TOO LATE for toddlers to be out and about.
If we ever had occasion to be out that late with toddlers for whatever reason and we needed to eat, I never would have gone to a restaurant, but home and made eggs and toast.
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