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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are restaurant customers with children less appreciated than those without?

127 replies

BloggingAboutTediousThings · 16/04/2013 18:19

I mad a very horrible experience today at a Brighton Pier restaurant today. I heard so many good things about their food and my friend's daughter loves fish and chips. The restaurant was huge but had only a few tables occupied. We wanted to sit at the window to enjoy the view and the waitress placed us at a table four four with our three children. No problem as my friend's DC sit next to her on the bench and I had the highchair next to me chair. We therefore didn't use more space than somebody with four persons.

Right away we noticed the couple next to us on a table for four complaining about the children. We take our children regularly for lunch to restaurants, they are quiet and well-behaved.

We just sat down, got the children undressed and were ready to order food when a waiter came over and asked the people next to us if they would like to go to another table but their simply replied 'No we were here first.'

The waiter went away, spoke to a colleague and we were asked to leave.

I couldn't believe it. It's a children's friendly restaurant, there were a few families with small children. I was so angry and just said of course, it is your loss not ours.

What would you have done? Shall I send an email to the manager?

OP posts:
Alligatorpie · 17/04/2013 11:03

I agree, there must be some mssing details.

scarredpierced · 17/04/2013 11:15

Definitely doesn't all add up Hmm

LaMaga · 17/04/2013 11:37

YANBU. Complain.

Bridgetbidet · 17/04/2013 14:11

I don't think it was PITA behaviour on the OPs part. I suspect that what happened was that the dickhead couple may well have complained and completely overstated the behaviour of the children purely because they're the kind of wankers who don't want to sit near any children well behaved or not.

Even if the children were being a bit PITA any normal person would simply move away, not demand they were ejected from the restaurant altogether. Anyway, a restaurant that advertises itself as family should be prepared for a certain amount of noise or boisterousness from families.

Anyway, the OP can contact the manager via the following method:

01273 609361 and ask to speak to our Restaurant Manger David Cockayne.

I would be interested to hear his explanation.

Original poster
BloggingAboutTediousThings · 17/04/2013 14:59

Thanks bridgetbidet and loa. There are no missing parts on my side. Our children were sitting nicely and quiet at the table. My LO was in a highchair while her children sat next to her on the bench unable to get out.

We go to restaurants a lot, even those were you wouldn't assume that they like children like Nobu, Hakkasan etc. and they always comment on their good behaviour.

OP posts:
Floggingmolly · 17/04/2013 15:04

Didn't you ask what the problem was? Most people would have.

DontSHOUTTTTTT · 17/04/2013 15:28

It still sounds really odd. You mention that the waitress had taken your orders. I still don't understand why you think you were asked to leave and why neither you nor your friend questioned it? It seems incomprehensible that they simply asked you to leave with no explanation and that you then just got up and left without saying anything Confused.

It is clearly a kid friendly restaurant and your kids were not playing up. It sounds like it was nothing to do with the kids and yet this thread is about the restaurant being anti kids

Ps, Nobu with Kids is very impressive Smile and expensive Grin

NewStartInSpring · 17/04/2013 15:50

I've never been asked to leave a restaurant before and if I was asked and there was no obvious reason (i.e my children jumping on tables and throwing food around) then I would at least ask why ....

To be honest I think the vast majority of people would.

And if they said it was because of space, then surely you'd question you were allowed to sit down and have your order taken.

There has to be some details missing surely.

kawliga · 17/04/2013 16:22

What exactly did the waiter say, did he say 'get up and leave right now' or did he say something else which you didn't like and decided you might as well leave as you didn't feel welcome? Sounds like a problem of unbothered staff - you decided to leave as you were hungry, people were complaining and staff were being unhelpful and you're the paying customer so it's not up to you to organise tables if you don't feel like it.

jacks365 · 17/04/2013 16:30

Some people have a problem full stop. Last year celebrating dd3's birthday we went to a family friendly restaurant, myself and 4 dd 18, 16, 15 and 9 months. The baby is very happy and contented and was happily eating when an older couple were shown to the next table. They took one look and refused the table, bit pathetic if you ask me and totally uncalled for. No matter how good some children are some people will think they are brats simply because they are children. Sorry you went through this

Lazyjaney · 17/04/2013 16:35

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DontSHOUTTTTTT · 17/04/2013 17:13

Blush jacks365. I would always ask to be seated as far away from little kids as possible too, however,I would only ever do it very subtly and I would never let anyone know I was avoiding them.

We have always eaten out a lot with our kids but I do prefer to avoid other people's if possible. Blush I know most kids are well behaved but I rather not take the risk if I can quietly arrange to sit somewhere further away.
I would do the same thing if it was a noisy group of adults too.
The behaviour of the customers that complained about the OPs kids sounds totally out of order though, especially as the OP says her kids were being quiet.

NewStartInSpring · 17/04/2013 18:08

The baby is very happy and contented and was happily eating when an older couple were shown to the next table. They took one look and refused the table, bit pathetic if you ask me and totally uncalled for

Hmm, I wouldn't call it pathetic. Meals out sometimes people just want a quiet and relaxed evening. It's just each to their own really.

Original poster
BloggingAboutTediousThings · 17/04/2013 19:29

There was an explanation given from the restaurant. No table for four and we were five. It is not my fault that we had to leave and the Brighton Pier manager has contacted me today with a big apology and invitation back to the Brighton Pier covered for by them.

OP posts:
DontSHOUTTTTTT · 17/04/2013 19:33

I am glad it was nothing to do with you having children. I was surprised when i read your OP.
Glad it is sorted.

Floggingmolly · 17/04/2013 19:36

But you'd been seated at a table for 4 with a highchair at the side Confused. If you were happy with that, what was the problem?
He didn't actually mention your children at all then? Double Confused

QuintessentialOHara · 17/04/2013 20:29

Rather disappointing result.

Why would they think you would have ANY inclination to come back and visit a restaurant that treat their guest like utter trash?

realtalk · 17/04/2013 20:38

So you just invented the bit about it being the kids then? nice touch.

TolliverGroat · 17/04/2013 20:39

In what way was the OP quick to mention who the restaurant was? In fact, she hasn't mentioned it at all on here. One poster assumed it was the Palm Court, but then another poster assumed it was a different restaurant and the OP didn't comment on either of those. In fact I was the first person to confirm the name on this thread, having read the OP's blog (and she didn't link to her blog either).

SantanaLopez · 17/04/2013 21:00

I don't buy this at all.

NewStartInSpring · 17/04/2013 21:22

Very true Tolliver

There's just parts that don't quite add up. The not questioning it at all and the fact that it had nothing to do with children.

Meh. Glad it's all sorted regardless.

DontSHOUTTTTTT · 17/04/2013 21:29

I think your trip advisor review is unfair. You have confirmed on this forum that you were not asked to leave because of your children but this completely contradicts what you say on Tripadvisor.

SirBoobAlot · 17/04/2013 21:31

We went a few weeks ago, the food was crap, the service was worse. Wasn't even busy, so no excuse. We won't be going again. So don't worry, OP, you didn't miss anything.

sudaname · 17/04/2013 21:33

sorry cant be much help as cant get past bit about getting the children undressed Confused Grin

jacks365 · 17/04/2013 22:05

Newstatinspring it wasn't an evening though it was a lunchtime in the school holidays. They were far from tactful about it and we were on deserts so left about 10 mins later.

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