Interesting article. Definitely a debate with staunch supporters on both sides.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/food/how-loud-is-too-loud-for-a-restaurant-baby-93333846746.html

 

Is the message on this sign outside Old Fisherman’s Grotto, a Monterey, California restaurant, clear enough for you? In case you’re confused, it’s nice and specific: “Children crying or making loud noises are a distraction to other diners, and as such are not allowed in the dining room.”

 

Cue the controversy.

Interesting article. Definitely a debate with staunch supporters on both sides.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/food/how-loud-is-too-loud-for-a-restaurant-baby-93333846746.html

 

Is the message on this sign outside Old Fisherman’s Grotto, a Monterey, California restaurant, clear enough for you? In case you’re confused, it’s nice and specific: “Children crying or making loud noises are a distraction to other diners, and as such are not allowed in the dining room.”

 

Cue the controversy.

 

If you are wanting a nice quiet dinner then go to an expensive restaurant where parents couldn't afford to take their children, or stay at home.

 

I'd rather listen to babies crying than see an extremely obese person wearing Daisy Duke shorts and a tank top at a restaurant. And trust me I see plenty of those.

How ridiculous! Yeah, crying babies annoy me sometimes but hey, we were all crying babies at one time!

I would think that it is a business decision that is risky, but still up to the business.

I don't have an issue with it.

 

It's their business, they can run it how they see fit.

 

I'm also inclined to believe this wasn't just a random decision. There has to have been quite a few complaints for them to enact this policy.

I'm ok with it as it is a risk the business owner is willing to take. I would expect it to occur more in upscale restaurants though. Most times I wouldn't care but there are times I would seek out such a place for dinner.

How is this any different than a bar that only allows 21 and up entry? That is basically saying no kids.

I don't have an issue with it. It's their business' date=' they can run it how they see fit. I'm also inclined to believe this wasn't just a random decision. There has to have been quite a few complaints for them to enact this policy.[/quote']

 

Agreed.

 

I see no problem with it.

Put me with UK and Clyde, I have no problem with it.

If I were a parent with small children at the age where they're capable of getting wound up or going on crying jags, I'd think twice about which establishments I'd take them too.

 

I'm not too keen on restaurants laying down hard fast rules about it, and wish that they didn't feel the need to, but parents themselves need to have the good sense to know which places make better sense when eating out with their kids. More casual places like Frisch's would be more appropriate as they encourage it with a child's menu and available high chairs.

 

For example, I wouldn't take them out on a Saturday night to an obvious adult diner's, date night sort of place as it's just the wrong mix of folks and their reasons for being there where the ambience, beverage offerings or quiet music are compatible with the majority of the diner's intent to have an enjoyable or more romantic night out with like minded folks to let their hair down, or relax away from the chaos of the general public.

 

This brings to mind when once I was dining on a Saturday night where the restaurant was predominately filled with adults in an 8:00 p.m. setting and there was a mother there with a couple of small children that cried loudly the entire time.

 

It seemed apparent that the crying was because perhaps the children were bored and tired, and out too late and really should have been home getting ready for bed. It was not a pleasant distraction for anyone there, and the parent too looked embarrassed and uneasy making it obvious that the solution was to not bring the kids to this sort of place to begin with, especially on a Saturday night.

 

There's a time and a place for everything. I'd like to believe that most can understand that with an unspoken rule where a restaurant wouldn't have to go so far as to point it out.

 

Another example might be, would you take a small child not capable of understanding the content to a play where it's expected of the audience to remain quiet while the actors are delivering their lines? Of course not, You'd wait until the kid is old enough to understand the content, and that it's expected of them to sit quietly.

 

When you're with kids too young to comprehend the sort of social graces required, be it a restaurant, theatre or any other place, then it's probably not a good idea to take them there until they they can comprehend this.

 

Even at the theatre, frequently before shows they'll ask of the patrons to turn off their devices, or to not create any crackling noises with candy wrappers during the show. No one is offended by this, but they routinely politely give this reminder because unfortunately there seems to be one in every crowd that doesn't quite understand that which ought not really have to be spoken anyhow.

 

I understand the need for parents of small children to have a chance to let their hair down once in awhile, so when they do they might want to have a babysitter planned on such given evening. It would make for a much more pleasant evening for them, as well as all the other guests wherever they visit.

 

Again, there's a time and a place for everything and although there might be a fine line about just what that is by various people, it would be nice if most can get with the program and understand this without having to be told.

 

On a side note about loud unruly children, some seem to think that it's just a given that kids will be kids and it's unavoidable that you can keep kids quiet. I used to think this way too until I spent some time in Duluth, MN around many folks of a Scandinavian background. Scandinavians in general are known to be a quiet people. I noticed too that the small children were also very quiet, which displayed to me that through early development, even very small children can be trained not to be wild little monkeys when from the time of their birth when they are given examples by very quiet type adults. It was amazing to witness and quite the eye opener.

I would think that it is a business decision that is risky, but still up to the business.

 

Put me with UK and Clyde, I have no problem with it.

Bueller?

 

Bueller?

 

Bueller?

 

:lol2:

How ridiculous! Yeah, crying babies annoy me sometimes but hey, we were all crying babies at one time!

 

Doesn't make them any less annoying when you're out with your buddies and the parents at the table next to you make zero effort to discipline their unruly brood.

I have no problem with the business doing this. They can do what they want.

 

I have an issue with a majority of people's parenting style. The lack of discipline, and in this instance, common courtesy drives me crazy. If my 4 month old is screaming in a restaurant (any restaurant), we're doing everything we can to calm him down. If he doesn't, we take our food to go. Luckily, we haven't had to do that with any of our 3 kids.

Doesn't make them any less annoying when you're out with your buddies and the parents at the table next to you make zero effort to discipline their unruly brood.

Bingo! The problem isn't the babies crying or kids acting up, it's parents that don't know how to parent.

If you are wanting a nice quiet dinner then go to an expensive restaurant where parents couldn't afford to take their children, or stay at home.

 

I'd rather listen to babies crying than see an extremely obese person wearing Daisy Duke shorts and a tank top at a restaurant. And trust me I see plenty of those.

 

Is the mirror that unkind?