Anyone Else Experienced This Taking Child To Restaurant

[Celine2015]

Just come back from a lovely relaxing week away in the Lake District and sadly one experience I wonder if anyone else has suffered. My partner is a celiac and so looks for gluten free food and noticed in Ambleside a Japanese restaurant serving gluten free food. Excited about trying it, we went along on Thursday evening and walked in with his parents and our two year 8 month old daughter.

The lady gave us a strange look and we asked for a table for four plus our daughter chair or high chair both fine. She said sorry there is no availability so my partner asked for when the next available table was taking into account it was only 7:15pm, she said there is nothing for you you have to go somewhere else.

Immediately when we walked out he said I suspect from her body language she is discriminating against us for having a child with us(very well behaved one) and so he asked me as I had not spoken to the lady to call in ten minutes and ask if a table was available. When I rang she said yes there is a table available straight away then asked me to hold the line, she came back and said if you have a child under 10 years old this restaurant is not suitable for them. I was stunned and close to tears that someone would treat us like this for having a well behaved child with us.

All over the Lake District we had no problems with taking our child into nice restaurants, I am so appalled that she had to lie to us and would not say inside that they don't want children in the restaurant, to lie is unforgivable. I hope anyone else visiting the Lake District avoids this Japanese restaurant in Ambleside and doesn't have to experience the same situation.

[sparechange]

Was it a teppenyaki restaurant?
I can see how that wouldn't be suitable for children in case they touch the hot plate

Or maybe they are just fed up of badly behaved children and badly behaved parents not clearing up their mess, so have implemented the rule?

[sparechange]

Just found the restaurant... it does clearly say in their 'about us' section that due to the layout of the restaurant, they can't rake tables of more than 5, and no children under 10

Some restaurants have dress codes, some don't take children.
Ambleside isn't short of restaurants so I hope you found somewhere else to eat

[Celine2015]

Do you have a link to the website you found? They would be wise to put the comment about children on the menu they had up outside the restaurant but nothing at all on there about that. Would also be wise to of just told us in there and not lied. And no it's not teppanyaki it's sushi and ramen.

[cowgirlsareforever]

That is ridiculous.
I love the vegetarian restaurant in Ambleside. There were lots of children in there the last time we were in. Maybe try there next time?

[Ilovewillow]

Crazy but true sadly! Our village has two pubs, one is lovely and the other doesn't allow children unless you want to sit in the garden - when it was first refurbished we were offered a lovely garden table in October!! I can see both sides though some peoples children behave appallingly!

[allegretto]

That's ridiculous but has happened a few times to us in the UK where it seems discrimination is acceptable.

[pinkmagic1]

It is up to the restaurant if they want to except children. I understand yours is well behaved but many aren't and would not make for a relaxing evening for the customers.
The lady should have explained why though, rather than just telling you there was no availability. That was quite rude.

[Birdsbeesandtrees]

Sometimes people want a child free space.

It's a business they can serve who they wish within the law.

[Sirzy]

I have no issue with some places being child free. Not everyone wants to dine with children around and that is fine.

It is up to businesses to decide who they want as their target market.

It should be clearly signed though.

[FilledSoda]

That would be a selling point for me to be honest.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Some people just want an evening out in an adult environment. It's good that people have the choice.

[ememem84]

One of our local Thai restaurants is like this. No kids after 7pm. Of any age. We'd booked a table with friends who had their niece with them. Niece is 14. We weren't aware of their policy.

The restaurant said no when we turned up. Because she's still a child and it was 730. I understand maybe no toddlers/babies etc but a teenager...? They said it was due to space. They needed to accommodate adults only after 7. And although they'd accepted the booking and the deposit they still wouldn't honour it and then got funny when I asked for a refund of the deposit.

We called up other Thai place who were most helpful. Found us a table. And actually we had better food and it was about £50 cheaper than the first place.

[centreyourself]

It's pretty much a waste of a babysitter if you've taken one with you just so that you can have a proper night out, then you get to the restaurant and it contains other people's screaming kids bitter, me?
Before anyone cites the continent as an example of more child-friendly cultures, their standards of behaviour are waaaay higher than ours.

[sparechange]

emem
It could be a licence condition

I worked in a couple of pub/restaurants where the licence said under 18s weren't allowed after 7pm. It was the council's rule, but the restaurant had to stick to it

[drinkingtea]

Restaurants are allowed to be child free or only admit over 10s/ over 12s. It's idiotic not to have that information clearly displayed outside though, especially if they have a menu on display. Lying about not having a table instead of just telling you their no under 10s policy pleasantly is plain stupid and bad customer relations.

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

I'm another one that has no issue with some restaurants being child free. When I eat out with Ds I choose somewhere child friendly but on the rare occasions dp and I get sone time together it's nice for it to be child free.

It's not good that she wasn't up front about why you weren't welcome but it's not discrimination.

[Lokisglowstickofdestiny]

I think as long as the place is clear that they don't take children that's fair enough. It's nice to have child free places, unfortunately not everyone's children behave well, even if yours do.

[listsandbudgets]

Restaurant near us only allows over 8s. However since their most basic lunch menu is £45 a person and evening £65 a person I wouldn't be taking the children there anyway - in fact we've never even made it there ourselves :)

[chickenowner]

I love the idea of being able to eat an evening meal without children.

And I think being stunned and close to tears is a major overreaction. Just go somewhere else!

[sparechange]

Here you go, OP...

[Crispbutty]

There is no shortage of family friendly restaurants in the Lake District. If myself and dp go out to dinner as a couple though we would choose an adults only restaurant if we can. Nothing more annoying than paying ££s for a nice meal but having it ruined by a screaming child who is bored or tired or throwing food around at the next table.

[SallyGinnamon]

Another one unsure why you'd be close to tears. Ambleside is full of restaurants and pubs lots of which are child (and sometimes dog) friendly. Also, nowadays lots of places offer gluten free options.

Your DC might be we'll behaved but many are a PITA and parents don't rein them in so they can spoil a night out.

[WillRikersExtraNipple]

You sound hugely overdramatic. Reading from her body language that she was discriminating about you *? Stunned, teary and appalled about your terrible experience?

Some restaurants don't serve kids. Get over yourself.

[ememem84]

spare Hadnt thought of licensing actually. Good point. I know here though in pubs (Channel Islands) that children under 16 have to be out by 9/930. Or at least out of the main bar area.

I also know there are different types of licence so maybe this place has a different one. Totally their choice of course. Still think they should have made it clear upon booking. And actually, if they'd said it was a condition of their licence instead of a "no children" just repeated over and over I think I'd have been ok with it.

We know now though so just will make sure it's adults only in future.