How Would Idaho Falls React to Kid-Free Restaurants?
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I recently came across a petition on petitionspot.com demanding “kid-free” zones in restaurants - the argument being that when we go out to a restaurant to eat, we don’t want to deal with screaming kids, noise, messy eating areas … if we wanted that, we’d stay home!
As many of you know, I work in a restaurant while I’m going to school. I’m a waiter in a mid-level eating establishment that caters a wide cross-section of Idaho Falls residents. Last week, we served the mayor. Earlier this week, none other than Mr. Vandersloot (junior) sat at one of my tables (he tips better than you would think). We also get kids - lots and lots of kids. More kids than a Tele-tubby Convention with free ice cream. In my experience, both personally and professionally, bringing your children out to lunch or dinner with you not only makes the experience less enjoyable for you, but for those around you.
My wife and I don’t have kids. It’s a choice we’ve made that we have a lot more fun to have, a lot more late-night martinis to drink, and a lot more quiet nights at home before we become responsible members of society and raise a child. However, it seems like every time we decide to hit the town for a meal at a restaurant, that choice is taken away from us - we have to endure screaming babies in movie theaters, listen to loud children at restaurants, all while trying to get away from the stresses of everyday life.
As a waiter, I’ve noticed a very distinct correlation between the time I have to spend cleaning up after a table and the number of children in attendance, and I cannot help but wonder if these parents allow their kids to throw food in a 25-foot radius around themselves when they eat at home. I certainly hope not.
Now, a national trend seems to be appearing - kid-free restaurants. I recall watching a segment on 20/20 not too long ago that featured a cafe in Chicago that banned unruly children, to the point where if a child misbehaved in any way, the manager asked the entire family to leave. Such shrewd business activity must have surely shut the place down, right? Not even close - the place earned far more business once the distraction of misbehaving children was eliminated!
These are just anecdotal observations, but why couldn’t this work in Idaho Falls? Sure, we live in a very family-centered city, but what about those times when you just don’t want to deal with other peoples’ children? My wife and I recently went out to a very upscale restaurant (think close to $40 a plate) here in town and were shocked at how many children were misbehaving.
I wonder how a kid-free zone might be received in our area - a place for a quiet, relaxing night on the town, where married couples might get a baby-sitter to get away from stressful family life for a few hours and just relax. A place where there is no kids menu. No changing stations in the bathrooms. No crying, no screaming, no throwing food … just the joy of good food and good company.
So what do you think, Idaho Falls? Is Idaho Falls ready for kid-free food?
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Comments
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0 
0 Look in the phone book under “any 14 year old girl who wants a cell phone”
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0 0 Can’t do it. I don’t believe in cell phone proliferation. . .
I agree kids are a distraction at restaurants. I have three, and there are times I dread taking them to any restaurant without a playground. Or big tables for us to hide under. I’m always amazed at how some let their kids just go nuts, making messes, et cetera, and then leave a few dollars for the waiter/waitress who has to clean up the mess. But I’m preaching to the choir on that one, eh?
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0 0 I used to feel the same way, until I had kids of my own and built up my chaos immunity. Ye shall also.
Of course we actually sometimes get compliments on how well our children behave in restaurants. Not always of course.
I recall a family got kicked off an airline a few months back because their kid was throwing a tantrum. Don’t know what happened after to the airline or whatnot.
I think it’s a fair request, and I would like to see a restaurant try a ‘kid-free’ zone like a smoking-free zone.
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0 0 THIS FROM THE PERSON WHO CRIES FOUL ABOUT A PUBLIC SMOKING BAN?
YOU THINK OTHERS SHOULD ENDURE DANGEROUS E.T.S. BUT YOU AND YOUR WIFE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ENDURE OTHER PEOPLE’S ANNOYING CHILDREN?
YOU DON’T HAVE A CHOICE?! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! IF YOU CAN’T FIND A RESTAURANT WHERE THERE ARE NO KIDS, TOUGH COOKIES!
GIVE ME A BREAK!
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0 0 Remember, Jeremy, you may have observed a correlation between the number of kids in attendance and the mess you have to clean up, but that doesn’t equal causation.
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0 0 I don’t see any reason why, if the market demands, there aren’t some restaurants that choose to cater to people who want a restaurant free of children. The same has happened to cranky codgers who want to wall themselves away in over-65 communities free of bicycles and skateboards and overflowing with people who understand the importance of ceramic lawn deer.
While restaurants can respond to market demand, I do think the other thing we can do without is the smarmy, anti-child, me-centric attitude that comes from people who want such bans. Ask for kid-free restaurants, but be polite about it and you will get more support.
It does seem too bad that this is just part of more movements for people to center more on themselves and their own pleasures and divorce themselves from the society around them. Seems we want more and more to be separated from ANY sort of “irritation” that others in society might cause. In enduring some of those irritations, we meet new people and make more friends, building stronger communities rather than becoming islands who are bound together only by shared tax burdens and the occasional natural disaster.
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0 0 Funny. The mess always increases at my house when my two oldest are out of school and at home, making messes with their younger brother. I’d call that causation. At the restaurant, it’s the same thing. Jeremy’s example of food flung 25 feet may be extreme — but then again he’s a waiter and has likely seen this. I’m a parent, and I know I’ve seen it. And we’re not exactly slobs at our house. . .
Also, this doesn’t have anything to do with “chaos immunity.” Jeremy just wants a kid-free restaurant, that’s all. I’ve developed immunity to my kids’ chaos, but that doesn’t mean I need to carry it with me everywhere I go. Two weekends ago, my wife and I had our first kid-free weekend in, lesseee, FIVE YEARS. We went to a kid-free bed and breakfast. What fun.
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0 0 Wasn’t there a post similar to this awhile ago (maybe part of the dinner and a movie thread)?
My first impression of this idea… give me a break! Really I believe the problem is the parents and not the children. The parents need to learn how to raise their children to act properly in public situations. Part of this process goes on at home but part of it in public, be it restaurants, movie theaters, stores, etc.
I have watched in amazement as kids will run up and down the isles in stores and restaurants. My first urge it to slap the parents and tell them to control their kids (of course I don’t act on that but it would be SOOOO nice).
I have two kids and I have NEVER let them behave this way. Only once has one of my children acted up in a restaurant and as soon as it was started he was taken out to the car for a little quiet time before he was brought back to the table to eat his meal with the rest of the group.
Whether I have my kids with me or not when I got to a restaurant, the mess I leave is usually the same, which means as little as possible. My mom worked as a waitress for several years so I have gotten in the habit of scraping all left over food on one plate and stacking the others under it so that it is is easier for the bus boy/waiter/waitress to clean up as well as making sure that we haven’t left a huge mess on the rest of the table.
Do we have any truly “high scale” restaurants locally? Maybe I just don’t get out enough but I am not aware of any other then possible the Sandpiper but I have never eaten there. But still, is banning the kids the right answer?
I truly wish that you could say something to parents with unruly children to make them control their kids so that those of us with kids that have been taught proper manners and people without children can still enjoy these places.
(On a side note I don’t understand taking an infant to the movies, its not like they will enjoy it anyway. Children I can totally understand at age appropriate movies, if you got to watch the new Shrek movie, expect kids to be there as well!)
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0 0 I’ve lived in Idaho for twelve and a half years and have NEVER found an upscale eatery anywhere in the area. The Old Yellowstone Garage in Jackson Wy is the closest I’ve found - and when I was there there WAS a small child, well-behaved.
(That part was for Roxy. The rest of this is for y-all.)
I am forty-two years old and have never had kids. Most of my in-laws have had kids, who I have joined with in public eating. SOME of those people I refused to go out with more than once because their kids were extremely rowdy and ruined my meal (throwing food, jumping on the seat, running down the aisles - that kind of thing).
The rest of the in-laws have really well-behaved kids. Not “perfectly” behaved kids, but - well behaved.
I’ve noticed this to be the trend in places like Johnny Carinos, Chilis, The Brownstone. Most peoples’ children are well-behaved. I do not in any way mind them being around ME, in fact I think it’s cool that a family goes through the extra trouble to take their kids out to a place where the food doesn’t come wtih a toy surprise and a medium drink.
It is hideous when children ehaved nastily and the parents permit it. Remember though that you’re reading the words of me, Gypsy, the one who doesn’t feel any need to not speak her mind, so when a table is filled with seriously awful behavior I will ask to be moved away from it. It’s a pain to move - but usually it happens before the food arrives so the pain is worth the desire to get away.
I think “child free” restaurants in general isn’t a bad idea - I don’t know if our local market would support it, but some gutsy business owner could give it a try.
Would I go? Yes I would. Why not? I have tried almost all resturants in the area.
I, as an adult with no children, I’m okay with kids in restaurants though, in fact if a parent takes it upon him/herself to integrate a child into such an environment @ a young age, then that is great practice for the kid.
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0 0 I’m not so sure about this post. Sure I like to enjoy a nice dinner out without having to deal with kids screaming and throwing food. But honestly, how often does that really happen? (ASIDE from being at Mcdonalds or other fast food places) I’ve eaten at The Cellar and the Sandpiper a number of times and have NEVER seen kids acting up there. There have only been a couple of instances at the Sandpiper where kids were even there, let alone behaving unruly. And I’ve never seen any children at The Cellar.
If you go to say Sizzler or Applebees, I’m sure it happens on occasion. But does it happen enough to warrant a child-free restaraunt?
I personally don’t eat out enough for it to bother me I guess. (more often it’s because I know how dirty restaruants really are) So when I do decide to go out for a meal, I’ll spend the extra money and go somewhere I know I will enjoy my meal without having to worry about the quality or cleanliness, let alone children running around.
Seriously though, children are a part of life and if you eat out THAT much to the point that it bothers you enough to make a post online regarding having a child-free restaruant, perhaps you should spend more time at home cooking with your wife and enjoying each others company. Otherwise, I say spend a little more money and eat at a finer restaraunt. (Not that there’s an abundance of them in IF, but there are a few that are worth going to where you won’t have this problem.)
What you should have made this post about is children at the movies. We went to see Premonition this past weekend and this lady brought her child in with her and this kid would not stop crying and acting up. This has happened the last 3 or 4 times we’ve gone. Usually the parent has the common courtesy to get up and go into the lobby until the child settles down. But this particular time the parent would not do anything. This kid must have cried for a good 5-6 minutes a half a dozen times throughout the movie. People finally started standing up at the end and turning around and staring at them. You want to stand up and say something, but I honestly thought the parents would get a clue.
I wouldn’t dream of bringing my child to a movie unless its an animated or Disney movie where there other children her age.
The time before that we went to see Saw 3 and a couple brought their children! I can’t even imagine someone being that ignorant! I think if the parents cant afford a baby sitter for 3 hours or can’t find a friend or family memeber to watch them, they need to stay home and rent a movie. It’s so disrespectful to make everyone else have to deal with that.
Aside from having to pay 20 bucks for popcorn and soda and listening to people talk all around you, we have to deal with kids crying and acting up. I’d rather stay home. I get a better surround sound experience at home anyways. It’s just sometimes you don’t want to wait 6 months for a movie to come out on DVD.
As for restaraunts, you take your chances there. I honestly don’t think it happens THAT much.
But I do believe it’s the parents responsibility to teach their children how to behave BEFORE taking them to restaruants and the movies. I’m sure sometimes its unavoidable, but I’ve seen my share of kids kicking and screaming in the middle of the ailes at WalMart and its those parents that have no control whatsoever over their children.
It all comes back to the “discipline debate”. Discipline your children otherwise they’ll walk all over you.
Or you can just expect that you’re going to have this problem each time you eat out at Artic Circle or BillyBobsBBQ. 
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0 0 I agree with the kids in movie theater’s part. We overpay for it anyways, then have to put up with the crying kids in adult movies, because the theater owner doesn’t have the spine to turn down a few bucks.
And the MPAA wonders why movie piracy is so popular.
Jeremy, have you tried pitching this idea of a kids-free section to your boss? You alone are in a unique position to sell the idea to the owner.
Please do ask your boss, and respond back what they said. Even if they say no (which I imagine they will), maybe they have a flawed logic that we can talk about here and work up a solution.
Despite the valid points on both sides of this debate, I would like to see it tried somewhere in town.
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0 0 And what would be the age limit for such a place. I have been many restraunts where the worst behaved “kids” are the table of 18-20 year olds.
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0 0 Now I know why I attend something like one movie a year @ the local Big Theatre.
Did somebody say they witnessed small children in SAW? Isn’t SAW a horrific, scary movie? WHAT mentality takes a small child to a blood and gore movie???????????? When I was a tiny bit of a thing my family members took my cousin and I to a DRIVE-IN theatre and I remembered being scared half senseless by the horrible sights I saw, and this was just “Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry”. NOTHING by today’s standards of violence.
Little kids usually can’t sit through a boring adult film, often they have trouble sitting through a loud, colorful, kid film. I think it is torturous to the kid AND potentially to the moviegoers that there be a small child in attendance @ an adult movie. It’s not necessarily all that spiffy for the adult who rings the kid either - most adults do know to leave when their kid makes a scene in a theatre, so the adult could end up missing a substantial portion of the movie (which probably cost twelve dollars to see).
I’ve yet to meet a kid who would gladly sit through “Pride and Prejudice”. I’m sure there is one out there somewhere, but my guess is there are one HUNDRED in a five mile radius who would enjoy such an experience.
I used to do community theatre and every parent I saw whose kid started acting up left. I’m sure there are some parents who don’t take the hint - for the record I would assume it’s perfectly okay to tap the adult of such a kid on the shoulder and say “Excuse me, please take your child out of the room”. If a person can’t figure it out for him / herself, then I think we have a right to speak up.
Kids in restaurants is okay with me. Kids in adult movies - not so okay. It’s probably unfair to everybody.
I think the person above who made the comment about “ceramic yard deer” has a good point. Sometimes we DO want more than is probably reasonable in a community - but I also believe that sometimes we DO want to have a right to state our boundaries - and really horrible behaving ANYTHINGS have a time and a place, and it’s not always in a place where people congregate for movie viewing or relaxing social / food time.
BALANCE - it’s still all about balance to me. I like balance, balance is good, balance is smart, alance is wise, balance allows for all to be reasonable, if they choose to be.
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0 0 A few replies:
Uncle Buck - Note I didn’t call for the government to ban children in restaurants, but a private business catering to a growing demand. It’s see a need fill a need, not a mommy state.
J.H. Vance - Yep, I sure am me-centric, and to paraphrase the man in the mask, anyone who says differently is selling something. We’re selfish beings, us humans, simply because we’re subject to our own experience. I’m not anti-child, I’m anti-being bothered by other peoples’ children when I’ve chosen not to have my own. Children are great, but I don’t want to have to talk over some screaming baby when I’m trying to enjoy a glass of wine. Call me smarmy, or whatever insult you choose necessary, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m a consumer and that makes me king in America. Same for you.
Roxy - the specific restaurant I had in mind was the Sandpiper. Sure, it’s not Spago, but it’s upscale compared to most anything else around here.
Joe - Your idea for a kid-free section is a good idea, though it would never fly in my particular business. Without giving too much away, there are too many kids and not enough space to pull off such a thing. However, it might be a stellar idea for a place like Chilis, Fridays, or another such place, right?
Chris - I hear ya about the movies. I think they should enforce, of their own will, the pg-13 rule - nobody under 13 allowed, dangitt. yeah, if I go see a Disney flick, I expect kids to be there - heck, it even adds to the experience. But if I want to see a drama or action movie, nothing gets more annoying than crying babies or noisy children. I’ve learned to go to the matinee when there are usually only 2-3 other couples there.
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0 0 Jeremy, thank you for posting this again, and yes, the issue has been visited before.
There is need for a specialty restaurant like this. Doesn’t happen that much? HA! What is that much? How often do you go out to eat? My fiancé and I eat out at least four times a week and this happens 50% off the time.
Last Tuesday, we were having lunch at Johnny Carino’s. The table on the other side of the partition was filled with children under the age of 6. (Filled=5, yes I counted) Before we received bread at our table, one little girl started to scream. My fiancé looked at me and asked if I wanted to leave. We decided to stay because our drinks arrived. Before our salads hit the table, another child THREW HIS CUP OVER THE PARTITION and it landed on the floor behind me and splashed lemonade all over the back of my legs. I was livid. If I was the child’s mother I would have been mortified. I looked at the mother, waiting for the embarrassment to set in and then she told her child to sit back in his seat. THAT’S IT! No apology or even acknowledgement that her child just ruined my lunch. NOTHING! If it hadn’t been for the fantastic server we would have walked out and never returned.
No, it isn’t the child, it is the parenting or lack of parenting that is the problem. You ban children, you ban parents. I am MORE than ok with that.
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0 0 Exactly what I’m saying! See, when I go to J. Carino’s, I want to drink some wine, eat some good Italian food, maybe even indulge in some Tiramisu with my lady. Eating out should be romantic and engaging, and children really, honestly ruin that experience. I really do not see the appeal in taking kids to a place like Carino’s - it’s not too ritzy, but c’mon. Kids should be in places like Leo’s Place or McDonald’s. Not our havens to get tipsy and eat brandy-soaked cookies!
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0 0 If a business wants to institute an age requirement, that is their prerogative. I can think of only a couple places that would benefit from that. Collage, Sato’s, and possibly The Cellar.
Many places already have age restricted areas. They are called “The Bar” or “The Lounge”.
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0 0 I’m not sure where I stand on this issue. I have 5 boys, and we eat out on occasion. I think the difference is that we actually discipline our children and expect them to behave. To this point, we have even had complete strangers come up to our table and give each child a dollar because their behavior was so good.
The key is discipline, which (sadly) many parents lack. If parents are letting the kids run wild, ask them to control their kids. Tell them the kid’s behavior is rude and is ruining YOUR experience. When they refuse, speak to the manager. For example, you could explain to the manager that if you threw your drink into the next section, he/she would certainly ask you to leave. Move your table, or leave the restaraunt.
I do think that you can do something about it, it just takes some initiative on your part. I know that actually speaking up can be difficult, but sometimes that what it takes.
I know that some restaurants in town already have a tendency to sit parties with kids in particular sections only. (One example is Texas Roadhouse, my wife and I’s favorite place.) I certainly don’t see a problem with someone opening a business to cater to a particular type of customer, I would even eat there if the food was good and the service was better.
A quick comment about the movies: my wife and I don’t take our youngest to the movies with us ever for one simple reason. The sound is so loud that it could damage his hearing, it nearly damages mine… I am horrified that parents would take their kids to a horror movie. That scares me more than any movie actually could. Talk about emotional trauma! So, my wife and I make it a point to not take our kids except to kids movies, I wish more parents would do the same!
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0 0 I recently moved from Californnia, a place where families with children are not welcomed in homes (rentals), restaurants, etc. I’m very astonished to see that IF is apparently as liberal and anti-child as California.
I agree that children should not be taken to certain eating establishments / movies. However, the general attitute of most posts clearly indicates the anti-child / anti-family attitude that exists with many of you.
Finally, you are right. It is the parent’s responsibility to discipline their children and help them make correct decisions. However, it wasn’t that long ago that each of you were screaming, throwing food, and bothering those around you.
God Bless.
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0 0 Now wait a minute, Conservative in IF, Jeremy was just saying that many people would like an area of restaurants reserved for adults only. Nobody is saying get rid of all children, or drive the families out of restaurants entirely.
Let’s remember it is important to take kids out to eateries so they learn the proper behaviors. If kids were never taken to restaurants, you would have teens/adults just learning how to behave there, and they would be even harder to control.
In fact the ‘adults-only’ section could work better for families also by keeping cursing adults away from our kids.
I also believe in the parent’s responsibility to discipline their kids, but how do you force it if the parent’s won’t?
I think if you have to tell a parent to discipline their child, it’s obvious they will not anyways. Or their efforts will be half-hearted, just for your show, and the kids will know it and continue with bad behavior.
I think the idea of an ‘adults-only’ section for over 18-ers will be a more successful proposition than a ‘kids-only’ section.
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0 0 What is so liberal about allowing businesses to cater to its patrons? It’s actually a very classic conservative belief.
Again, I’m amazed at the amount of baseless insults that have come as a result of this post. Suddenly I’m anti-child? Please explain your logic here. I feel a bit like I’ve stepped onto the set of The Factor, where you’re either black or white, there is no compromise, and you’re either with us or against us. Look, I wish life were that simple - that you were either anti-child or pro-child, but I think we’re old enough to realize that’s all just smoke and mirrors. Life is complex, and our view of it should not be so simple.
I am not, again, anti-child. I would just love a night out without having to deal with other peoples’ kids. When I have kids, I would feel awful if my children were the cause of ruining someone else’s evening, and I will discipline my kids as such. Other parents don’t seem to care, so this is why I think kid-free restaurants is a good idea.
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0 0 Joe, I’ve got to dissagree with you on your third paragraph. If you’re an ADULT out eating in a restaruant and you’re swearing loud enough for other patrons to hear you, then you yourself have not learned proper etiquite while out in public.
Most of the resturants stated here ie: J Corrinos, Chili’s, Applebees,etc are all family friendly. They all have baskets of crayons as soon as you walk in the doors for the kids to play with and people need to recognize this when frequenting these places. If you’re going to visit a restaraunt from 5-8 pm, you’re more apt to find families there with their kids. So the easist solution would be go after 8pm.
It all comes down to parents not disciplining their children. We as patrons DO need to speak up when somebody’s kid is running rampant through that particular dining establishment.
I do like the idea of the wait staff putting families together in one section and couples or groups of couples in another. That should go without saying in my book. But there will be times when that’s not feasible and is something we all need to accept and stop whining about. Todays generation is all about ME ME ME! There is no understanding and/or respect towards our fellow man/family these days.
imo
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0 0 Wait, MY generation is all about me, me me? I didn’t want this to get personal, but you guys were the ones who started crapping on me here.
My generation is not called the “ME Generation”. That was, oh right - the Baby-Boomers! Oh, shoot, here we go. Right, it was the Boomer generation that gained a stellar reputation for being utterly selfish, shallow, and self-obsessed. And there is no better example of this than the current crisis in Social Security - people are living longer now, and there just isn’t enough money to keep the Social Security boat afloat. And yet, the Boomers, who are now retiring 25-30 years before they are dying, refuse to let the Social Security horse die because they’re benefiting from it. They’re all for shutting it down, but only after they’ve milked it for every dang penny they can get.
So don’t lecture me about selfishness. I could easily swing the judgment door back the other way and say it’s self-obsessive to let your children ruin other peoples’ nights out. So get off your high horse and speak with reason, not slander.
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0 0 Chrisr67, I see your point and I agree with your point, but we can admit we do not live in a perfect world and adults swearing in family restaurants still happen, right?
Year ago I went out to dinner with my new wife and a bunch of old buddies in Boise. One of my buddies was/is the kind who swears every other word and can be loud and obnoxious about it.
Within five minutes of us sitting there, a lady in the next booth turned around and yelled at my friend that she had heard him saying the f-word loudly more than ten times already and she did not want to hear it anymore.
The entire restaurant was quiet and staring at us, and I could see my buddy about to lash back at this lady. I told him I thought he had been swearing loudly also, and he kind of deflated, and apologized. The restaurant turned back to their dinners, and our table was quiet and embarrassed. I was mortified with my new wife there.
When the ladies left, our server gave us a note from them thanking us for minding our manners.
However, it was a fluke. My buddy admitted he was about to launch into that lady, and what he was going to say would have made a bigger scene and probably would have gotten us kicked out of the restaurant. It was only a fluke that I said the right thing at the right second to deflate his attack.
I’ve been in restaurants many times where adults are swearing away, the restaurant staff do nothing, and I don’t feel like getting into an argument with a bunch of white trash. We just finish our meals quickly, meekly leave and do not go back to that restaurant again.
I think we do have a ME culture, and that is another issue. However the businesses that learn to cater to the ME-focused people (like a small section for adults only) will reap benefits.
So is this really a problem with irresponsible patrons or with restaurant managers who cannot find the backbone to enforce rules in their eateries?
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0 0 Um.. I am anti-child. You can beat on me for a bit if you want, and give JeremyPlo time to heal.
I don’t get to eat out much, but when I do, I expect to have a nice evening with good food and good conversation, in a relaxing atmosphere for my money.
I can make restaurant-quality food at home if I wish. It’s not my only motivation when I go out to eat to just be fed.
I think it’s frankly, classless, to take young kids out to nicer restaurants, (such as Sandpiper, Jakers). I thankfully usually go to the Cellar, which is the best restaurant in town. I’ve never seen a kid there, and am thankful for it. They don’t cater to kids, and I think it’s rare that a parent will spring $20+ a pop per kid for a meal there.
I never go to Olive Garden, Roadhouse, Corinos, etc… any more. And one of the biggest reasons, is too many loud families.
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0 0 There is nothing “anti” about this discussion. Period.
If I were the owner of a high end fine dining establishment that wanted to provide a elegant, quiet, and sophisticated atmosphere, I would adopt a policy like this:
Anyone ages 13 - 17 must be accompanied by an adult and under 13 are not allowed. Children are wonderful, but are also very unpredictable and outspoken about how they are feeling at the moment. My business could suffer because the atmosphere I want to optain could be compromised.
The debate isn’t really about existing family establishments and how people parent. People will always parent poorly and will always take their kids out to eat. The debate is about a business catering to a certain crowd that would enjoy an adult atmosphere.
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0 0 Davin, why do you want the terrorists to win?
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0 0 You hit the nail on the head Joe. It is about “white trash”. People who can’t control their language in public are pathetic. I swear just as much as the next guy, but there’s a time and place for it. If you can’t carry on a normal conversation without every other word being a swear word, then you’ve got problems. It’s one thing if you’re at the Frosty Gator drinking with your buddies, but when your at a family restaruant, that’s a different story.
I don’t know what kind of restaruants you’re going to where customers are swearing away, but I rarely see/hear it myself. (Unless I’m out having a drink with friends) But then again, I don’t go to Chili’s or Applebees to have a drink with friends.
Jeremy, I didn’t mean to offend you personally but this generation IS all about ME. Ask anybody older than 25 and they’ll tell you the same.
A most recent example, went to Olive Garden with my g/f’s family and we had a 10-15 minute wait. So we’re sitting there and this young guy comes in with his g/f, dressed nicely, yuppie type and goes up and asks for a table. The woman at the front desk tells him no problem it will be a short 10-15 minute wait and to please have a seat. He then proceeds to tell her “I don’t wait anywhere, especially not for a meal”, “I want a seat NOW”. The woman was taken aback, just as we all were. Who did this guy think he was? He continued to rant and rave and the woman telling her he wanted a table NOW otherwise he wanted to speak with the manager. The manager comes out, apologizes to the man and says “please come with me”. He then sat the man and his g/f down ahead of 3 other parties!
Well that did it for me. I don’t even like Olive Garden as it is, but I can promise you one thing, I’ll never go back there again. The manager was a putz and had no backbone and I wrote him a letter telling him so.
This is just one example, but I see it all the time. When this generation doesn’t get their way, they whine and complain until they do. They want everything and everybody to cater to them.
I’m not saying you’re this way Jeremy, but the fact that your complaining about kids in a restaraunt does say something about you. There are a number of places to have a nice quiet dinner with your girl. Like I stated earlier, either go to those restaraunts after 8 when the family crowd has left or learn to deal with it. A lot of times its as simple as asking for a quiet table for two in the corner.
I’m with WOwmv…..go to The Cellar. They’ve got the best food in town in the most romantic setting. I too have never seen children there. Try it sometime, you’ll agree.
I just don’t see anybody making a adult only restaruant around here, not in a family friendly town like IF at least. Bigger cities have dress codes in the more upscale establishments and that keeps the kids out, but until we get some of those here, we just need to deal with it.
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0 0 Well, that’s where we disagree, on your last point. I strongly believe an adult-only restaurant would be wildly successful. Most people I’ve talked to agree with me.
And I object to the use of the “family friendly” terminology. My wife and I are a family, we just don’t have kids. See, I’m totally not against families - I love families! I love hanging out with my niece and my buddy’s little boy (who really likes coffee beans). Kids are awesome, and we could learn a lot from them. Just not how to enjoy a glass of wine and a quiet dinner. For everything a place and time. That’s all I’m proposing.
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0 0 I am a mom of 4 kids under the age of 8. Sometimes, I don’t want to or just don’t have time to cook, and clean up after them! And yes, you can teach manners, but there is definitely a learning curve. Just expect some food on the floor when a highchair is present. We always tip well. That was the point of us going out! I don’t have to clean it up!
Yes, I could get a babysitter and go out. But, funny thing about kids, they still need to eat! So now, I am supposed to cook and clean, and pay a sitter?
Places like Applebees, Chilis, Jonny Carinos, Texas Roadhouse- all FAMILY RESTAURANTS- hence the crayons and kids menus. We don’t make more noise than is appropriate.
Good point about the hour. My kids are in bed by 8pm. When my husband and I go out on a date, we get a sitter, and make it a point to go later. I have not ever had a problem with other people kids bothering me. Maybe I am immune to kids, but even at Sandpiper, Jakers… I have always managed to enjoy my evening!
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0 0 Aha, that’s the secret to avoiding the Olive Garden wait, be a huge jerk and demand your bottle now!
Yet another reason I won’t be going there anytime soon, if they cannot even stick to their ‘first come first serve’ policy.
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0 0 Two points:
I think JeremyPlo’s consumer demand approach would go a long way to convincing some restaurants that are local - not chains - to having a 22 and older section or a 22 (college students and teenagers are far more annoying than toddlers) and over only night. I didn’t call you smarmy or anything else, J-Plo, but I have met many people that are very offensive regarding children, and that approach isn’t going to win over anybody to supporting an adults-only section.
My second point is this: I can’t believe that the only thing keeping you out of Olive Garden is the line…what keeps me out of there is the food! That there is even a line at that place only screams that IF needs better restaurants. Go for it, J-Plo.
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0 0 I agree with the food comment regarding Olive Garden. I’m Italian and for that place to even THINK they have good Italian food is quite funny. I have yet to find a decent Italian rest in this town. J.Corrinos is better than OG, but it’s still lacking in good Italian cuisine with genuine flavor. But it’s kind of like Chinese food….it’s hard to find decent Chinese food in this town as well. Oh well….to give up big city living, one must sacrifice certain things. I can deal with it.
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0 0 Jeremy -
I HAD to laugh (sympathetically) with your assertion that you were labeled anti-child by stating an opinion that maybe kids shouldn’t be in adult restaurants.
I was also labeled on this forum - I was called a rancher hater. THIS because I am pro-wolf.
Somtimes, Jeremy, responders attack the person instead of the content of a argument.
I say - when somebody does that, IGNORE THEM. They are most likely trying to get under you skin - so blow it off as the pathetic personal attack it probably is.
You already know my view on this topic - I think it’s okay, even perfectly wonderful, for well-behaved kids to be in adult restauants. That means - if your kid acts up, take care of it please. People are buying an atmosphere when they go to dinner @ a decent (non-Denny’s style) restaurant.
CHEEKY-MONKEY -
If you want pretty darned GOOD Italian, try Old Yellowstone Garage in Jackson. It’s the closest thinkg to Italian I’ve tasted since I was in Boston’s Little Italy.
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0 0 Thanks Gypsy, I’ll have to remember that. We ate at the “Calico” (Italian) this past January while in Jackson and were really dissapointed. Very bland and overpriced. We can always count on excellent food from The Cadillac Grill though, as thats one of our favorite restaraunts to hit each time we go to Jackson. The Silver Dollar has decent food as well, but we’re always looking for good Italian so I’ll definately write this one down for next time.
I’ve always gone for the seafood in Boston as you just can’t beat a good lobster roll there, but I’ll have to remember their little Italy. I always loved the restaraunts in NYC’s little Italy though. It’s hard to find that kind of Italian anywhere else in the country.
Thanks again!
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0 0 I am a gay man living with a partner and we have a plant for a child. We decided long ago that we would rather not have any kids (through adoption), but if we do, I’m sure there is a nice child that would be happy to come to our home.
We are also, as JermyPlo stated, a family. I don’t appreciate anyone saying otherwise. Besides, a family can be whatever you want it to be, right?
When I go out to eat, I expect my plant to obey all the rules I have taught it, especially when in public. My plant has a tendency to swear, but thanks to free speach, it can say whatever it wants. I don’t care if my plant offends other people.
It is each parent’s responsibility to teach their plant, dog, cat, lover, etc. how to behave. In addition, I think we should ask for a plant only section at food joints so that they don’t have to put up with all the humans.
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0 0 Gee, I’m really glad we were able to have an adult, reasonable conversation about this without someone trying to be witty but only coming off as a complete self-righteous jerk.
Really glad that didn’t happen.
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0 0 Now who’s calling names? Funny how Jeremy always seems to come full circle in these posts.
As for the gay man and his partner. It’s really special that you consider yourself a family, but basically you’re “a couple”. A “family” according to Merriam Webster, is “a basic unit in society traditionally consisting of one or two parents rearing their children”
I’m with the other posters, if you don’t want to deal with children in restaraunts, don’t eat there before 8pm. Most families don’t take their kids out to eat after 8pm so you’re not going to have a problem.
This town is too small for an “adults only” restaraunt. Plus I’ve never seen kids at “The Cellar”. Great food and atmosphere for couples!
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0 0 What name did I call? I said he was being self-righteous. Wasn’t he? I don’t see myself calling names anywhere. Okay, so jerk might be considered a name, but wasn’t that a jerky post? Taking a real conversation about real issues and coming up with some absurd analogy that really doesn’t relate to what we’re really talking about?
His entire post was aimed at undermining my view that two people can be a family - not the actual issue at hand. Tell me that’s not a scummy move.
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0 0 I agree about have a kids free section, I would also love to see a no fat people section. I would like to be able to go to a nice place to eat and not look across the room and see a 300lbs + person shoving in the food like there was no tomorrow. It really spoils a nice meal. Jeremy if you are a waiter I’m sure you see them all the time.
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0 0 Ugh. I was afraid of this.
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0 0 Well when I go to a restaraunt, I wanna just be able to eat my meal without looking over and seeing somebody eating with their mouth open! How about having a section only for people with manners? I mean if we’re going to go as far as to propose a seperate section in restaraunts for the over 21 crowd, where will it stop? We all deal with things we don’t like each and every day, but we learn to live with them. We don’t beat our hands on the table and say “I want it THIS way”! I think we could all learn to respect our fellow man a little bit more and stop sweatin the small stuff. Life’s too short to be worried about something so trivial!
If you don’t like eating around children, go to the restaraunt later when their all in bed. Or go to a more upscale establishment.
OR get this….you could even smile at those kids sitting next to you and think about when YOU used to be that age and how much fun it was when YOUR parents took YOU out to eat! Imagine THAT if you will!
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0 0 I’m on the side of “kids should be allowed in restaurants”, but I am finding myself more turned off by this “side” of things. Attacking a person by belittling their argument with sarcasm is crappy strategy in my opinion.
Jeremy makes a decent point in this thread - and I say that as one who disagrees with his arguments in general more than I agree with them.
He makes some really decent arguments. I think this argument started out as a decent argument. Not a PERFECT argument perhaps, but an argument fueled with personal opinion, thought food, and reason. EXACTLY the sort of stuff the moderator of this board says he would like to see in our articles!
Jeremy works in a restaurant, he might very well see a side of “kids in restaurants” that we don’t see on a daily basis. I don’t agree wholeheartedly with his argument but I don’t belittle it either. He made some valid points. Could I or anybody else here have written it better? Who knows, becaue none of us DID. Jeremy did.
I don’t understand why so many people on earth feel that the most courageous way to argue is to attack. (Visions of a poorly run war comes to mind.)
Here’s a suggestion that’s up for grabs. If, for example, somebody hates to see fat people or burping people or plants, or families who aren’t traditional in restaurants - why not be courageous and start your own argument? If one gets started, I hope the respondants argue for or against without attacking the arguers choices - things are so much more fun when everybody involved doesn’t feel the need to defend, counter-attack, etc.
I don’t agree that a child free restaurant in a town like IF would be a great money-maker but I could be wrong, such a place could be fabulous for the community. The argument CAN be made that being in a family oriented city leaves FEWER places for those without children. In my experience it does - I’m a child-free adult who has lived in many places and I absolutely believe there are fewer adult-oriented spots to go for adults. So MAYBE - just MAYBE - Jeremy’s idea could be picked up by an entrepenteur who likes to gamble on such things.
Why not? Instead of ridiculing the argument, a smart and able person might pick up on it and start doing research. In fact, Jeremy himself might consider doing this when he and his wife graduate college.
Okay, feel free to flame the snot out of me now, call me anti-child - I am one of those people who can take a lot of verbal crap. Have fun. Or not. Either way, thanks for reading vmy thoughts.
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Sign me up. And help me find a baby-sitter.