Do you let your toddler walk around in the restaurant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

ITA! Again, a new poster, but this sums it up. As one PP stated, in this area especially there tends to be my-child-is-so-cute oblivion. Maybe the other diners are being polite to those children/parent who are "wandering" around, but -trust me - they're annoyed. It's downright rude to let your kid walk around and greet other people while they are eating. I cherish those kid-free evenings my DH and I can go out to dinner, even if it's at a moderately priced restaurant (not everyone can afford formal restaurants for date night).

Maybe, but you get what you pay for. If I go to dinner at a Friendly's, Silver Diner, IHOP, or Applebees, I expect there to be children there. And I might even have to hear them, too.

If you want a child-free evening, don't expect others to cater to you. Take a little responsibility for your own happiness and go somewhere less child friendly. Families aren't going to walk on pins and needles around you at the family friendly restaurants just because it is your big night away.

There's a difference between a "family-friendly" restaurant and a "moderately-priced" restaurant during the evening dinner hours (e.g., after 7:30/8 PM). E.g., Applebees, IHOP, etc. are child-friendly, whereas perhaps a place like Harry's or Cheesecake Factory or Olive Garden after 7:30 PM are moderately-priced, but could also make for a date-night destination where a couple may not like to be disrupted by wandering munchkins.

I wasn't asking for others to cater to me...I was asking for self-centered parents like you to get over your everyone-thinks-my-wandering-child-is-so-darn-cute oblivion and keep them behaved and not disrputive to others who may not appreciate it! Not EVERYONE thinks your child is cute. Yes, god forbid, someone might be irritated with your precious spawn who approaches them at their table at 8:30 PM at Harrys!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Exactly. A voice of reason amongst a whole bunch of insane people. Only once or twice in my restaurant going history, have I witnessed a seriously unruly child where the parents did nothing. Every other time, I've never had a problem with the presence of children. Me and DH went out to eat with our two kids and infant last week, and a little toddler girl walked up to us wanted to see the baby."

Your roots are showing. It's DH and I went out to eat.

Tanks fer pointing that ouut too me. i didunt no hou too right it becuz i dohnt no aneething. tanks fer helpping me sea that i'm loe class and no nutting.

You are sew smaret. can you teech mee more?

[Anonymous]

L

Anonymous wrote:"Exactly. A voice of reason amongst a whole bunch of insane people. Only once or twice in my restaurant going history, have I witnessed a seriously unruly child where the parents did nothing. Every other time, I've never had a problem with the presence of children. Me and DH went out to eat with our two kids and infant last week, and a little toddler girl walked up to us wanted to see the baby."

Your roots are showing. It's DH and I went out to eat.

Not the pp, but seriously? You are a bitch. (I hope my grammar is satisfactory.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Exactly. A voice of reason amongst a whole bunch of insane people. Only once or twice in my restaurant going history, have I witnessed a seriously unruly child where the parents did nothing. Every other time, I've never had a problem with the presence of children. Me and DH went out to eat with our two kids and infant last week, and a little toddler girl walked up to us wanted to see the baby."

Your roots are showing. It's DH and I went out to eat.

Tanks fer pointing that ouut too me. i didunt no hou too right it becuz i dohnt no aneething. tanks fer helpping me sea that i'm loe class and no nutting.

You are sew smaret. can you teech mee more?

Stupid is forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Exactly. A voice of reason amongst a whole bunch of insane people. Only once or twice in my restaurant going history, have I witnessed a seriously unruly child where the parents did nothing. Every other time, I've never had a problem with the presence of children. Me and DH went out to eat with our two kids and infant last week, and a little toddler girl walked up to us wanted to see the baby."

Your roots are showing. It's DH and I went out to eat.

Tanks fer pointing that ouut too me. i didunt no hou too right it becuz i dohnt no aneething. tanks fer helpping me sea that i'm loe class and no nutting.

You are sew smaret. can you teech mee more?

Stupid is forever.

dId you goe too an ivee leege collage? you hav a lots of wizdom. you are proborbly verry sexful at your job? I try not to bee stoopid forevar. i wil try too bee as smaret as yew. yew proborbly have riches. yew proborbly have a nices gudlooking boyfrend?

[Anonymous]

I wasn't asking for others to cater to me...I was asking for self-centered parents like you to get over your everyone-thinks-my-wandering-child-is-so-darn-cute oblivion and keep them behaved and not disrputive to others who may not appreciate it! Not EVERYONE thinks your child is cute. Yes, god forbid, someone might be irritated with your precious spawn who approaches them at their table at 8:30 PM at Harrys!

And I am asking for self-centered parents like YOU to get over your "oh I got a babysitter so everyone hide your children from my delicate eyes" mentality. If you want to escape children, you are going to lose out EVERY SINGLE TIME if you pick locations like IHOP, Applebees, Cheesecake Factory, and other such family friendly restaurants - and you will remain a bitter nasty woman because of it. There are no laws against children being out at 8:30, even at Harry's. If you want to avoid them, you will have to pick restaurants that don't allow children.

The reason restaurants don't ban children is because there isn't enough demand for it. Simple economics. Get over yourself or go back to your cave where you belong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I wasn't asking for others to cater to me...I was asking for self-centered parents like you to get over your everyone-thinks-my-wandering-child-is-so-darn-cute oblivion and keep them behaved and not disrputive to others who may not appreciate it! Not EVERYONE thinks your child is cute. Yes, god forbid, someone might be irritated with your precious spawn who approaches them at their table at 8:30 PM at Harrys!

And I am asking for self-centered parents like YOU to get over your "oh I got a babysitter so everyone hide your children from my delicate eyes" mentality. If you want to escape children, you are going to lose out EVERY SINGLE TIME if you pick locations like IHOP, Applebees, Cheesecake Factory, and other such family friendly restaurants - and you will remain a bitter nasty woman because of it. There are no laws against children being out at 8:30, even at Harry's. If you want to avoid them, you will have to pick restaurants that don't allow children.

The reason restaurants don't ban children is because there isn't enough demand for it. Simple economics. Get over yourself or go back to your cave where you belong.

Yes. Well said!

[Anonymous]

Why do so many people hate children on this board? I thought it was DC Urban MOMS AND DADS. Doesn't that sort of imply that people have actual children? Why the haters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many people hate children on this board? I thought it was DC Urban MOMS AND DADS. Doesn't that sort of imply that people have actual children? Why the haters?

I don't hate children, I dislike the chowder head parents who can't control their children in public.

[Anonymous]

^^ And walking with them while holding their hand = out of control in your world?

[Anonymous]

Yes, 15:34. read through the posts. It is clear that to most of these people, merely SEEING your child in public is proof that you don't know how to control your child in public. They'd rather you stay home with your children until your children go off to college.

[Anonymous]

How many of the parents who think a stroll through the restaurant is a good time-killer have worked in a restaurant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many of the parents who think a stroll through the restaurant is a good time-killer have worked in a restaurant?

I think that is a wonderful question. I am one of the posters who is adamently opposed to walking around in restaurants, other than for necessary trips to the bathroom, etc, and my feelings are very strongly guided by my experience in working in the industry.

[Anonymous]

So tired of seeing this thread near the top of the recent topics list. I haven't read anything beyond the OP's first posting, but seriously, can this discussion still be going on. Move on people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many of the parents who think a stroll through the restaurant is a good time-killer have worked in a restaurant?

ME! and at the time it was annoying because I was young and had no interest in kids, but equally as annoying was waiting on a bunch of old farts who leave $.10 for a tip. at least the families usually tipped well.