The Dining Out Dilemma
Last week, The Globe and Mail ran an article on the perils of dining out with kids, and the war being waged between parents and restaurants when it comes to dining out ‘en famille’.
Sadly, it seems as though families are losing the battle, as last month a pizzeria in Atlanta posted a note on their menu banning crying children. Last summer, a restaurant in Pennsylvania banned all children under the age of six regardless of any teary outbursts.
My brother-in-law owns a popular sports bar in Toronto. He is a father and restaurateur, and completely supports the idea of keeping kids out of his establishment. He doesn’t allow anyone under the age of 19 in the space without an accompanying parent, and would prefer kids don’t come in at all, if possible. He says that the issue isn’t really with the kids, but more with the parenting (or lack thereof).
In his experience, many families come in for dinner, or to meet up with another family, and the parents get caught up in eating and drinking, while the kids carouse the small dance floor, play at the pool table or tour the restaurant with their siblings/friends. It all seems harmless, but servers carry trays of hot food and pitchers of beverages’it’s all just an accident waiting to happen. (Not to mention the fact that adult conversations carry on regardless of kids being within earshot, and there is no way to control what they might overhear.)
He suggests that if you decide to take your young kids into a restaurant, you should arrive with a bag of items that will keep them distracted while they wait for their meal’books, paper and pencils, iPads, etc. It’s not ideal, but it usually helps to keep the kids in their seats.
I’m curious: do you dine out with your kids? Do you stick to kid-friendly restaurants or do you choose fine-dining options as well? How do you feel about the idea of banning kids from restaurants? Let’s discuss!
