PA restaurant bans kids under 6yrs old

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Beginning Saturday, children 6 and under are no longer welcome at the restaurant in Monroeville, Pa., just outside of Pittsburgh. They’ve just become too much of a bother for the other customers.

Owner Mike Vuick built the neighboring golf center 22 years ago, then opened the restaurant nine years ago. Young children have become an increasing issue in that time, he says. But don’t accuse Vuick of hating kids — his problem is mostly with the parents.

“Parents have gradually diminished their cooperation,” he said, adding that the new policy is strictly in response to customer complaints.

“This is a three-part issue. One is the increasing number of small babies that can’t be controlled. They can’t be quiet and really they can’t be expected to.”

The second factor is kindergarten-aged kids who “have shown increasingly poor manners.” And lastly he blames parents, who “act like we’re the ones being offensive” when staff members ask them to calm their children down.

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Restaurant has heard enough, bans kids - TODAY News - TODAY.com

I'd go there.


I understand it's hard for parents to keep their kids under control 24/7 BUT....the business owner is right. Many parents do nothing to control their kids.

Kids will be kids but when they start interacting with other diners, a line needs to be drawn. It irritates the heck out of me for parents to allow their kids to run around the restaurant and it particularly annoys me that they allow the kids to come up to other diners tables and interact with them. It's not cute, it is annoying. Want your kids to run free in a restaurant? There are McDonalds on every corner. Don't bring them to a decent, adult restaurant and let them run wild.

A little noise, the occasional dropped or banged utensil is understandable but allowing a child to roam and interrupt other diners meals is not acceptable in my book. And yes, I raised two that did not leave the table at a restaurant.

I've always had standards of behavior for my children, especially at restaurants. It is not difficult to implement. It's simply called parenting and if you do it all the time your kids won't ruin everyone else's meals when they go to a restaurant. It's sad that people come tell us they thought our kids were well behaved because it's such a basic level of behavior and it shouldn't be such an anomaly that people thank you for it.

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Originally Posted by Cidp24

Kids will be kids but when they start interacting with other diners, a line needs to be drawn. It irritates the heck out of me for parents to allow their kids to run around the restaurant and it particularly annoys me that they allow the kids to come up to other diners tables and interact with them. It's not cute, it is annoying. Want your kids to run free in a restaurant? There are McDonalds on every corner. Don't bring them to a decent, adult restaurant and let the run wild.

A little noise, the occasional dropped or banged utensil is understandable but allowing a child to roam and interrupt other diners meals is not acceptable in my book. And yes, I raised two that did not leave the table at a restaurant.

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This. I've seen it more often than I can count, kids in the 4-6 year range wandering around, talking to random people, being an honest nuisance. Saw one kid walk out the door, only to have Mommy FINALLY realize the kid maybe should be supervised. The parents seem to want to treat the staff as babysitters. Wait staff tripping over rugrats who should be safely seated, kids who have NO public manners, parents who let their little ones scream and/or be completely obnoxious (throwing food in the floor, singing LOUDLY, etc).. I mean, seriously, WTF??? Who in their right mind thinks this shit is acceptable??

I love this. I have kids, but if they are a problem I get our stuff and we leave. It has only happened once when by daughter was an infant. The manager told us to wait. He boxed up our order and gave it to my wife and I on the house. Said he appreciated the gesture and courtesy.

These days I would only punish those who are the violators.

All of the "good parents" with kids can enjoy food and beverage anytime.

6? Make it 26 I say. Suppose we must start somewhere.

Get some Alamo Draft House bouncers to start enforcing cell phone courtesy as well.

I don't have a problem with it. We pick restaurants when my brother's family (with a 5 year old) and mine (with a 2 year old) go out with an eye towards being "kid friendly" -- or at least having something to occupy the kids when they get bored. If I want a nice night out with my wife or the like -- our options change. Sometimes, you just want a break, y'know! And I don't always want to deal with other people's little monsters.

Tell people the rules, stick to them... and I bet he does good business.

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Originally Posted by Five-0

I love this. I have kids, but if they are a problem I get our stuff and we leave. It has only happened once when by daughter was an infant. The manager told us to wait. He boxed up our order and gave it to my wife and I on the house. Said he appreciated the gesture and courtesy.

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This, too. Not that I've had that from the manager -- but I have taken my son out of a restaurant because he was acting up. And I've taken my son & niece out and basically let them run around the parking lot for 15 or 20 minutes when they weren't able to sit still any longer...

If more parents were as responsible as those of you who have posted in this thread, I'll bet that restaurant owner wouldn't have changed his policy. If he implemented that policy in response to customer feedback, I hope he enjoys a great deal of success and I'll make a point of going there when I'm in that area.

I'm in restaurants quite a bit and if I'm in a fast casual or family-type restaurant I expect and I don't mind seeing children...I don't even mind hearing them cry or fuss, as long as it's not prolonged and the parents are handling the situation appropriately. I've even engaged a few children in brief conversation when their little heads have popped up and looked at me from the other side of a booth, and I have no problem sidestepping the inevitable Cheerios on the floor when I walk through the restaurant. What I cannot stand is watching parents do nothing as their children are screaming, crying, and running around a restaurant - in addition to being annoying, a child tearing around a restaurant is hazardous to the staff as well as to the children themselves.

I have complimented parents of well-behaved children in restaurants (and on airplanes), on some occasions within earshot of bad parents, lol.

If I want to be fairly confident that I can enjoy a meal in a restaurant without worrying about noise from children I will make the decision to go somewhere that doesn't have a children's menu or cater specifically to families.

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Originally Posted by Jks9199

And I've taken my son & niece out and basically let them run around the parking lot for 15 or 20 minutes when they weren't able to sit still any longer...

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One of my friends does that with her son.

Can we implement this policy everywhere for bad parents?? Please?

Another common courtesy that seems to be going by the wayside is a simple "please and thank you". Someone actually complimented me and my 4 year old (then 2) because he gave him a magnet and Orion said thank you. He said it was nice to see people raising children with manners. How sad is it that we get complimented because my son said what he was supposed to?

In the fast food places -- especially the ones with play areas -- I've seen some horrible stuff. My wife took my son to one a few weeks back while I was sleeping during the day (I was on nights, obviously). She sets him loose in the play area, turns around, and some one's little brat is starting to eat from my kid's lunch! :mad: With his parent watching!!:jaw::confused:

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Originally Posted by Jks9199

In the fast food places -- especially the ones with play areas -- I've seen some horrible stuff. My wife took my son to one a few weeks back while I was sleeping during the day (I was on nights, obviously). She sets him loose in the play area, turns around, and some one's little brat is starting to eat from my kid's lunch! :mad: With his parent watching!!:jaw::confused:

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I bet the parents steal other people's lunches from the communal work fridge, too.

ROAD TRIP!!!, Wait, this place is only 20 minutes from me. I might hit it up soon.