AITA? Teen at Bar

[Anonymous]

I'm in a "family" restaurant in NC. We asked, and they sat us at the bar. Myself and my 15 year old. We had expensive apps, steaks, and I ordered a bottle of wine for myself (took it home). Spent over $200 and always tip 20%.

The bartenders know and love us but I was definitely getting the side eye from another patron, let's call her "Karen". She and a friend of hers were near us at the bar. Apparently Karen complained about us. Not sure what she said.

AITA for having a teen at the bar? It's legal here and the bar keeps are always happy to see us and know us by name.

Thx

[Anonymous]

Totally fine

[Anonymous]

Fine. Ignore Karen.

[Anonymous]

They wouldn’t sit you in the bar if it wasn’t allowed. It is not your decision to make here, it would be the decision of the restaurant.

[Anonymous]

They probably thought you were a sugar momma or a Mary Kat Letourneau.

I would have called them out if they were blatant about it or made a highly offensive comment.

[Anonymous]

How do you know they complained?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you know they complained?

Patron on my other side and I had been chatting. She was really nice. She told me what she overheard.

Also it was me (F) and my daughter. So no weird Mary Kay Latourno vibes.

[Anonymous]

As long as your dd isn’t drinking alcohol, I don’t see the issue.

[Anonymous]

Having your daughter at the bar wasn’t a problem.

Assuming “Karen” is an appropriate label for the complainant, is a problem. For all you know, the friendly patron you were chatting with might have been named Karen, and the complainant might have shared your name. I realize it’s become common practice to call obnoxious women “Karen”, but it’s a bad practice.

[Anonymous]

I would have confronted: “hi, I notice you keep looking over here - do you need something? Are you alright?”

I hate passive-aggressiveness.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it was the bottle of wine (I would be concerned if I saw one adult, one teen, and a bottle of wine and hoped that the bartenders had it under control and wouldn't let you get wasted and drive).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know they complained?

Patron on my other side and I had been chatting. She was really nice. She told me what she overheard.

Also it was me (F) and my daughter. So no weird Mary Kay Latourno vibes.

What did they say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it was the bottle of wine (I would be concerned if I saw one adult, one teen, and a bottle of wine and hoped that the bartenders had it under control and wouldn't let you get wasted and drive).

This was probably the reason

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it was the bottle of wine (I would be concerned if I saw one adult, one teen, and a bottle of wine and hoped that the bartenders had it under control and wouldn't let you get wasted and drive).

This was probably the reason

Yeah, it might not make me blink an eye in a city where everyone walks, but if it's in a place where most people drive, it might concern me to see the only adult with a minor drinking a bottle of wine since no one knows how much of that bottle you're drinking.

Also to me it's a worrying sign that someone doesn't skip alcohol when the other person you're with can't drink. I'm not a teatotaller but I don't drink when I'm one-on-one with a child because it seems rude, among other things. After growing up with a parent with an alcohol problem, I empathize that it can feel uncomfortable for a kid to be with a parent drinking.

[Anonymous]

“Is that a baby….. at a bar?!”