Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Refused a table at restaurant for having kids

308 replies

marissac · 02/02/2011 21:23

I'm thinking of going to my local news paper to name and shame this restaurant, but would like your wise opinion on it before I do.

Today was the eve of Chinese New Year, my friends decided we should have lunch at a certain Chinese restaurant in Canary Wharf to celebrate. They et extremely busy at lunchtimes so I phoned ahead to make a reservation. Greeted by the maitre d with usual formalities, asked me what time I would like the table for etc. Then when I said it was for a party of 4 adults and 3 kids he paused. Then proceeded to tell mr they were fully booked for lunch today and that they will jot be able to fit us in AT ALL (which was strange since he was asking for my name time and phone number just a minute ago). Then I heard a female voice in the background say that there is a table free until 2, to which I immediately replied I'll take it, we will be done and your table vacated no later than 1:30.

Lo and behold this male waiter then said "don't take this the wrong way, but many customers have complained about noisy children during lunch like it's a party. We get a lot of business people here at lunchtimes. We don't mind children on the weekends, just not during the week." (please note these aren't his EXACT words in the exact order)

I could NOT believe what I heard. And to paint a clearer picture, this is our local Chinese restaurant which we have frequented roughly once a week for the past 3 yrs. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. I will sure be taking my business elsewhere, but would like everyone to be aware of the appalling attitude and service. My kids are never rowdy or unruly, yet they are being talked about like they animals that should be left on a leash tied to a lamppost.

Sorry for the rant. I'm still fuming. Do you think it's worth going to local press? Thanks for listening and for any input.

OP posts:
CockularDepravity · 02/02/2011 21:50

Children should only be allowed in restaurants where there are other parents and other children to annoy. A restaurant that caters for mainly business people at the time you wish to dine is not one of those places.

Vallhala · 02/02/2011 21:52

"Much muh dearer but if a quiet environment is what they want, then they can GO TO that environment instead of expecting a restaurant to change to suit their needs" Hmm

The restaurant has a policy. It does not cater for children during the week. And you expect/want the restaurant to change to suit YOUR needs?

And diners who wish to eat in peace, away from children, should go elsewhere and pay more for the privilidge?

pigletmania · 02/02/2011 21:52

This is a restarurant not a pub or a gastropub, so is meant to be inclusive of everybody. why is a business persons money more important than the ops. She is still a customer like the business person. Some can be worse than children when eating and drinking, raucous and loud, dont thing all adults have impeccable manners.

BlackSwan · 02/02/2011 21:52

Grown ups can behave pretty badly at lunch too. Anyone at a work function will tell you that.

thefurryone · 02/02/2011 21:55

I get that you're annoyed but I don't quite understand why you don't see that it's perfectly logical for them to do business this way, weekends and week days in areas like canary wharf are very different.

pigletmania · 02/02/2011 21:55

Why should people with children be confined to eating at certain times of the week Hmm just shows how anti children this country can be.

Vallhala · 02/02/2011 21:55

PS milleniumbug I think you should name that holiday camp with the sign "No children, dogs welcome"....

... because if I ever fancy going to a holiday park that one will be top of my list. :o

MadamDeathstare · 02/02/2011 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CHOOGIRL · 02/02/2011 21:56

Yanbu to be upset but this is not a newsworthy story.

The hand that feeds this restaurant (RC?)is the business customers in the week and tbh I don't want to have business lunches surrounded by noisy children. It's the reason I generally avoid Jamies' at lunchtime.

pigletmania · 02/02/2011 21:56

Thefurryone, they should then be prepared for the backlash to this, people with children taking their business elesewhere. So we should all be confined to KFC and Mds during the week, how healthy is that Hmm

CockularDepravity · 02/02/2011 21:58

They can refuse whoever they want. Why is this even a discussion apart from showing up those whose sense of self-entitlement is alarmingly high?

BuzzLightBeer · 02/02/2011 21:58

look around at a few family friendly restaurants, your kids might be well behaved but lets not pretend there aren't pleny of rude loud horrors in restaurants too.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 02/02/2011 21:59

For the posters who think this is unreasonable and appalling of the restaurant, if you've ever had a business lunch you'd understand why it's not the right environment for children.

The waiter was very polite and gave a full explanation. The OP was upset and cross, fair enough, but her custom isn't what's keeping the restaurant going. I think it's a bit daft to cut your nose off to spite your face by not going again but entirely up to the individual.

Kids don't belong everywhere and not everybody wants to be around them all the time. From the kid's point of view, surely they would prefer a venue suited to their chatter and play with other kids in a less formal environment rather than being constantly told to behave and watched like a hawk to make sure they do.

pigletmania · 02/02/2011 22:01

And that goes for the adults too Buzz Grin. Its not a sense of entitlement at all! I bet you would be pissed off, if you went into a restaurant [not a pub] and was told that you could not eat there if you have children

MadamDeathstare · 02/02/2011 22:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BuzzLightBeer · 02/02/2011 22:03

I've been told that plenty of times, I just go somewhere else.

I don't know any adults that run around tables screaming, crying and demanding stuff. Not at lunch anyway.....

pigletmania · 02/02/2011 22:03

So LWITW all kids whoudl be confined to the fast food outlets Hmm, thats really healthy now isent it.

MadamDeathstare · 02/02/2011 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lobsters · 02/02/2011 22:03

LyingWitch - I've had enough business lunches in Canary Wharf disturbed by the obnosious tables of adults next to me, that a load of kids really wouldn't bother me, and would make a nice change, at least they wouldn't be drunk and chauvanistic (hopefuilly) or thining there in a audition for the "the only way is essex".

Where was it in CW? the only chinese I can think of is in the North colonnade, was it that one? Will aviod. I have to say Pizza Express in CW were lovely the one time I brought DD to CW

pigletmania · 02/02/2011 22:04

Well some can be very loud, very raucous especially after a few drinks and yes i have experienced it.

MadamDeathstare · 02/02/2011 22:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyBiscuit · 02/02/2011 22:05

I would accept that they didn't want me there. I've never taken my DS to the nice restaurants where I live - they aren't child-friendly and I'd rather take him somewhere where I could relax

pigletmania · 02/02/2011 22:06

There is a lovely pub near me but its adults only, thats fare enough, and i only go there if i dont have dd with me. I respect that not all adults want to be around kids and thats why some pubs/bars dont take children, but this is a restaurant and should be open to everyone.

bubblewrapped · 02/02/2011 22:07

I can totally understand a restaurant operating on those terms, if they have built up a good reputation for business lunches.

Canary Wharf, Monday to Friday is a business environment. China Town in Central London, is not.

RIZZ0 · 02/02/2011 22:08

Look, you like this restaurant, so naming and shaming without giving the owner a chance to make amends for the mistake by one member of staff might be a little short-sighted.

This idiot on the phone might learn a lesson if you do, and then you might get great treatment going forward. Why not try it, and if the manager denies knowledge or agrees with the man you spoke to, then name and shame.