so called family resturant!

Edinburghlass_2

From my time in the licensed trade, in Scotland I better point out, the family area has to conform to certain rules. It had to be away from the bar and in fact to start with I think they said it had to have a separate entrance so the "kiddies" didn't have to go past a bar area and see those bad adults actually drinking!

The fact that those bad adults then came back to the table with their drinks to drink in front of the "kiddies" didn't actually seem to come into the equation

It may well be different now but it certainly was the case that you had to apply for a family area license.

ping_2

Well during the visit all the children were seated and had taken toys?magazines to keep them entertained whilst waiting for our food. Once finished eating they went into the play area. Not all parents let their children run riot!!!

Bossyboots

ping wrote:

Well during the visit all the children were seated and had taken toys?magazines to keep them entertained whilst waiting for our food. Once finished eating they went into the play area. Not all parents let their children run riot!!!

Unfortunately enough do that people become wary. Congratulations to you that yours were well behaved. If only that was the case with other people you would not have been put in the position you were.

One thing that annoys me is when you have groups of children sitting beautifully behaved in a restaurant and another group creating havoc. Why don't the parents of the naughty children take the example of the others and keep their kids under control.

I don't really have a problem with babies crying and to a certain extent older children making a noise but it is poor table manners and letting children run around that makes me mad, particularly when those children are running up to people on other tables who are trying to have a quiet meal.

jockettuk

ping wrote:

Well during the visit all the children were seated and had taken toys?magazines to keep them entertained whilst waiting for our food. Once finished eating they went into the play area. Not all parents let their children run riot!!!

most family resturants will provide things for the kids to play with .. pizza hut do a goody bag.. harvester do a pens and colourings .. not sure abt others.. these should amuse the kids till there dinner comes

Poppy9

Bit of a novel idea here:idea: but instead of needing toys to keep kids amused at the table - Talk to them :eek: after all you wouldn't let them play with toys or read at the kitchen table so why should it be any different when you are out.

SidB_2

margaret wrote:

I know that I shall probably get flamed for this, but when we go out for a meal, we do appreciate an adults only area. If not, we would go to Macdonalds or somewhere like that, especially when we take our nieces out as we know that they cater for children and they don't have an 'adults only' area there.

Sorry but I've got to flame you, nicely I hope. If you want a nice quiet meal you don't go to a "family" restaurant. These places actively encourage kids to be noisy, with play areas, birthday parties, and characters walking around. If you want to avoid kids choose another place to eat. You wouldn't go to a greyhound track for dinner and gambling and complain about the barking would you ?

margaret_3

SidB wrote:

Sorry but I've got to flame you, nicely I hope. If you want a nice quiet meal you don't go to a "family" restaurant. These places actively encourage kids to be noisy, with play areas, birthday parties, and characters walking around. If you want to avoid kids choose another place to eat. You wouldn't go to a greyhound track for dinner and gambling and complain about the barking would you ?

That's okay. We all have our opinions. The only thing I would say is that families don't consist of a couple of girlfriends and and all their children.
Our family dinner on Saturday evening consisted of me, my husband, my sister and HER husband, my uncle and his wife and their 15 year old niece who was over here from Canada.
It was a real family gathering, ----not particularly quiet since we laughed a lot---but if you had your way, we would have had all the kiddies from our families.
Do you see my point?
:beer:
Margaret

SidB_2

margaret wrote:

--but if you had your way, we would have had all the kiddies from our families.
Do you see my point?
:beer:
Margaret

Sorry I don't understand that at all. How did you come to the conclusion that I wanted you to take your kids ?

If you go to a restaurant with a playpark, ice-cream factories, big furry characters and a big kids menu it's obvious the market it's aimed at. I simply don't understand why any group of adults would want to visit one of these restaurants.

margaret_3

SidB wrote:

Sorry I don't understand that at all. How did you come to the conclusion that I wanted you to take your kids ?

If you go to a restaurant with a playpark, ice-cream factories, big furry characters and a big kids menu it's obvious the market it's aimed at. I simply don't understand why any group of adults would want to visit one of these restaurants.

No Sid I didn't misunderstand you.
We often go to a restaurant that caters for families as it's the nearest one to us, and as other posters have pointed out, families don't mean children.
I've never been in one that has an ice-cream factory or large furry animals, but we don't live in a big city. The ones we go to have a section for folks with children only, and a special menu for them and that is what the op objected to, she wanted to take them into the adult section.
THAT was the problem!
Margaret

Gwenhwyfar_(Guinevere)

ping wrote:

Well during the visit all the children were seated and had taken toys?magazines to keep them entertained whilst waiting for our food. Once finished eating they went into the play area. Not all parents let their children run riot!!!

I'm glad your children behaved, I have 4 children, and, on the rare occassions that we do go out they sit at the table, talk and wait for their food, have table manners and are a joy, ask to go to the loo, and know how to place the cutlery when they have finished (and always say please and thank you) -(wish they behaved like that at home all the time! )
I do believe it is the parents to blame, how is a child going to learn to behave in certain situations if they are just allowed to do as they please.

And TABLE MANNERS!!!! :eek: why can't parents teach young ones, NOT TO EAT WITH THEIR MOUTH OPEN, NO ELBOWS AND ARMS ON TABLES, and HOLD THE CUTLERY PROPERLY, YOU KNOW A KNIFE AND A FORK!!!!

NO I'm not a tyrant but I think EVERYONE should have decent table manners while they are out. :rotfl: AND respect for the people who are waiting on you. :rotfl: