Eating out in restaurants and noise levels

[Grabaspoon]

Popped into Nandos last night with a friend for a quick bite to eat. It was pretty packed for 5ish and so we were happy to grab a table.

We got a table for 2 next to a group of 16 year old girls celebrating a birthday. Understanding that teenage girls can be loud, we just got on with ordering and chatting. The girls were a little loud but it was manageable. As our dinner arrived the girls decided this would be a good time to take a group photo so stood the otherside of our table and took photos - so we just sat there and waited as they took ages to take a shot - again we understood that teenage girls are like this - friend and I are in our mid 20's.

The girls finally sat down and so we were able to start our dinner. Then the girls decided to get drinks. To explain the girls were sat in a tunnel table under the stairs so on benches which they can get of either side. Yet once again 4 of the 8 decided to get out our way, again this was fine until they came back and then took another several minutes to sit down, they literally just stood at the end of the table. After almost 10 minutes of this I told the girls to sit down as I was trying to eat, thus came a lot of "brave teenage girls" saying to each other "Oh we can't go to the toilet as we can't stand up" etc etc for the remainder of the meal.

Again we just ignored. However when they were served their meal they bitched to the waiter who rolled his eyes at us.

I then decided to complain to the manager who didn't seem to think that there was any problem regarding the noise despite other tables all tutting at the girls, or that his waiter had rolled his eyes and given us a dirty look.

So in the end we left and decided to pop to Zizzi's for pudding where there was a table of 15 10 year old girls and boys with 2 adults. Although a little loud at times, they were extremely well behaved so I spoke to the adult as they left and told them that we had left the 1st restaurant due to noisy teenagers and was impressed with the children's behaviour and noise level.

So was Ibu

a) to tell the girls to sit down
b) to complain to the manager
c) to praise the children in the second restaurant
d) to take a group of 2 year olds to Nando's next week and let them make as much noise as possible as according to the manager they are a family restaurant and would be happy with us to make as much noise as the teenagers made.

Ooops didn't realise it was this long!

Exactly, Hammy. Table manners shouldn't just be reserved for dinky restaurants. I've been to Nando's and seen toddlers behaving better than some of the belching adult sweaties in there, acting like it's a chimp's tea party. Stay at home if you can't behave yourself.

Those quiet well behaved 10 yr olds will be exactly the same as the Nandos girls in a few years.

What did you expect in a shit hole like Nando's?

It's an over priced fast food chicken and chips resturant. The food is lousy, there is very little to choose from, the seating is uncomfortable and it's permantly packed and noisy.

Zizzi's is a little more upmarket. You should have gone there for your meal.

YABU to even go to nando's in the forst place and expect a decent dining experience.

Have never heard the words "Zizzi" and "upmarket" in the same sentence before.

Dd is 16 and I'd be mortified if she behaved like those girls in Nandos whilst out with her mates. You expect a bit of volume and excitement but they were rude.

I expect all kids to behave in restaurants. Mine sat at the table to eat and didn't run amok in the kitchen when they were little and so they knew that was unacceptable if we were out.

bupcakesandcunting Sat 19-Feb-11 21:19:36
"Have never heard the words "Zizzi" and "upmarket" in the same sentence before."

You have to put it in context- with Nando's in the previous sentence.

Teenagers can be a pain... as can noisy toddlers, as can complaining elderly people. Fortunately folks in good mental health between the ages of 21 and 85 usually behave in a socially acceptable way, so if I were you, OP I would pick your eatery with more care in the future.

I did say a little more upmarket I was being ironic really but it's hard to convey that with the written word.

Yes: as lynette said, I meant compared to Nando's, Zizzi seems a little bettter.

Yeah I was being flippant rather than dense

Zizzi is worse than Nando's, in my opinion. At least you know where you stand with Nando's. Zizzi is all mouth. £11 for a weak pasta dish = kiss my arse, mate.

i was a waitress for years and if i gave a customer a dirty look and rolled my eyes i would definitely be expecting a complaint and a bollocking from the manager! YANBU. parties of teenagers were always a complete pain in the arse unless there were adults with them, urgh, it's all coming flooding back!

bupcakes I am such a tight arse that I never ever go to Zizzi's without vouchers. So I only pay half price for their very ordinary food.

I love Nando's but it's the type of place people are up and down in their seats all the time as you have to order your own food, get your own cutlery, sauces and drinks which can be annoying if the tables are too close together. Arses in faces is not nice but it's an ideal place for groups of teenagers as it's cheap and cheerful so it happens.

I think it doesn't matter where you go - if you're disturbing other diners, they won't want to eat their meal and shouldn't have to pay. That goes for whether the disturbance is 16 year old girls, toddlers, screaming babies, drunken businessmen or a hen night.

Unfortunately some parents seem to think family friendly = I can do whatever I like, and then threaten the restaurant with labelling them as child haters if they are asked to leave. And that's why these no-children policies are brought in.

I must say that I've been disturbed more often by screaming babies/toddlers than teenagers/adults in restaurants. Possibly that's due to our choice of restaurant, but I also suspect that this kind of behaviour is tolerated from kids whereas from adults they'd be asked to leave.