Should fine dining establishments go out of their way to accomodate toddlers?

[agzg]

I think the problem lies with the parents. They should be practicing how to eat out, AT HOME, with their kids. How to order. How to behave. How to ask for extra something-or-other, POLITELY. But, the vast majority of families that I see in restaurants (and yes, some of these include highly-zagat rated restaurants here in Chicgao), DON'T do that.

Some kids can handle it, others can't, but that has much to do with the age of the child and how much practice they've had at home. Unfortunately, we can't count on the majority of these families to be well-prepared.

And if I see ONE MORE portable DVD player pulled out in a mid-level to fine dining establishment, I'm seriously going to lose my shit. If I wanted to eat in front of the TV I'd have stayed at home.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by agzg

I think the problem lies with the parents. They should be practicing how to eat out, AT HOME, with their kids. How to order. How to behave. How to ask for extra something-or-other, POLITELY. But, the vast majority of families that I see in restaurants (and yes, some of these include highly-zagat rated restaurants here in Chicgao), DON'T do that.

Agree.

I think it's fine to bring babies, toddlers and children to fine dining restaurants if they are quiet and well-mannered. My family took my brother and I with them to fine restaurants when we were very little because we were taught that going out to a restaurant - any restaurant - was a big deal. They taught us table manners at home and expected us to behave nicely at every meal. When it came to restaurants, they started small - McDonald's, IHOP, Red Robin - and gradually moved us up to "adult" restaurants they enjoyed. We always dressed up, because going out to eat was "special." And if we acted up, we got one (quiet) warning that we would have to leave if we didn't stop. The one time I threw a fit about no grilled cheese sandwich on the menu, WE ALL LEFT AND WENT HOME. I never acted up in a restaurant again.

Far too many ADULTS, let alone children, in this country don't know how to handle themselves in a nice, adult setting. They go to a French restaurant and then won't try anything "foreign" on the menu, they talk on their cell phone at the table, they annoy other diners by laughing loudly and drunkingly with their group of friends, they go to the theatre when they've got a terrible cough, etc. They likely were never taught how to behave in a grown-up setting, and so I'm in favor of teaching children when they are just babes. As long as one can be truthful with him/herself with regard to what the child is ready for, and is willing to remove the child from the situation when it becomes inappropriate.

[GMUBunny]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

And if we acted up, we got one (quiet) warning that we would have to leave if we didn't stop. The one time I threw a fit about no grilled cheese sandwich on the menu, WE ALL LEFT AND WENT HOME. I never acted up in a restaurant again.

We got "Do you need to go to the ladies' room?" That meant something less-than-pleasant was on the way, and we straightened up immediately. People couldn't believe that my parents would bring their 6-year-old into a French restaurant. At the end of the night though, they almost always complimented my parents on how well-behaved we were.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by GMUBunny

We got "Do you need to go to the ladies' room?" That meant something less-than-pleasant was on the way, and we straightened up immediately. People couldn't believe that my parents would bring their 6-year-old into a French restaurant. At the end of the night though, they almost always complimented my parents on how well-behaved we were.

HA. My parents' favorite line was "do we need to go outside?"

I think people should start their kids out at kid-friendly places if they've never dined out before, so they can learn. As they become older/better mannered it's ok to move up. But far too many people don't bother to teach manners and expect them to behave in a fine dining setting. That doesn't happen.