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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Family friendly pubs and restaurants

98 replies

crunchymint · 26/03/2018 10:36

AIBU to think all pubs that serve meals and restaurants are family friendly these days?

This is in answer to those saying if you don't want kids running about screaming, don't go to a family friendly pub. I literally can not think of one place where I live that serves food, that is not family friendly. These must be very rare. I enjoy going out for Sunday lunch, so this means going to a family friendly pub or restaurant.

OP posts:
Makingworkwork · 26/03/2018 10:37

I definitely know of non family friendly restaurants.

Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 10:42

In what way are they non family friendly?

OP posts:
PinkHeart5914 · 26/03/2018 10:52

I find posher restaurants aren’t really the place anyone takes dc, thank god! So I wouldn’t class them as family friendly

The little independent Italian in my village you see dc in at lunch time but never in the evening which is lovely as they have such a quite romantic theme in the evenings having dc around in the evening would ruin that.

Any harvester/Nando’s/Jamie’s Italian/Pizza Hut type place you always expect dc but I do think more expensive restaurants & posher places you won’t ever see dc or not many anyway.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve Nothing against dc, I’ve got my own after all but when they are playing up screaming/being naughty when your out for a meal it is bloody annoying and even more annoying are the certain type of parent that does nothing.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 26/03/2018 10:54

Find one that's so rough not even the worst parent would take their child in - problem solved Wink

YANBU, every pub round here has a children's menu, I guess there's a market for it. And yes, some parents do behave like arseholes and let their kids run riot, or worse, ignore them completely. My DS is 14 months, he throws food. A lot. So, as much as we miss it, we don't eat out any more with him. It's not hard to not be a twat!

I've also noticed that the more child-centred a place is, like ones with soft plays inside, the worse the food. We went to one in Harrogate with a soft play, my DH's poppadum was so soft it was like picking up a napkin Angry

Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 10:56

If you are talking about restaurants that are £50 plus per head that may be the case. But not all of us have the money to spend that amount. Anywhere I go has kids. The local Thai place, Nepalese place, Indian place all have kids there. Not all of us are dripping in money.

OP posts:
RedPandaMama · 26/03/2018 10:57

I feel like 'family friendly' and 'children allowed' are very different things. Aside from one burger restaurant in my town that is also a bar and nightclub and therefore doesn't allow children, everywhere 'accepts' DC. However, many of these places don't have a children's menu, don't have high chairs or proper baby changing facilities. Therefore I wouldn't class them as family friendly.

Family friendly would have kids menu, high chairs and baby change as a minimum, chatty atmosphere and music playing (think Pizza Hut or Harvester) and maybe crayons & colouring paper or even a play area outside and parent and child parking.

Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 10:57

So when we are told to go to a non family friendly place, what that really means is go to a very expensive place. Mumsnet is a head fuck sometimes.

OP posts:
PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 26/03/2018 11:00

Some Wetherspoons still don't allow children.

Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 11:00

I can't think of anywhere I can afford to eat that does not have children's menus. Not one place. And I think Jamies is expensive.

OP posts:
Idontdowindows · 26/03/2018 11:02

I don't think "family friendly" means "let your children behave like a troop of baboons on a rampage in your house" and that even in family friendly places you're well within your rights to complain about unruly children.

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 26/03/2018 11:02

Also, I know of one other pub that only allows children at weekends, and then only if they sit still and keep quiet, so probably from about 10yo upwards.

Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 11:03

Cherry Yes every single pub that does Sunday lunches here, also has a children's menu. Every one.

I don't eat at Pizza Hut, but every italian place that is not mega expensive, has kids menus.

Obviously the solution is to become richer.

OP posts:
Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 11:05

Perfectly Our local that serves food did not used to allow kids. It changed its policy last year. There is nowhere now where I live that serves food and does not allow kids. Yes some places that are purely beer and crisps do not allow kids.

OP posts:
PinkHeart5914 · 26/03/2018 11:06

You shouldn’t have to go to a non family friendly place though to be able to enjoy a meal out, just becuase somewhere is family friendly despite what some of mumsnet thinks that doesn’t make it ok for some dc to behave badly while the parents do nothing.

Your not the problem op so why should you be banished to a non family friendly place in order to enjoy a meal. The parents of unruly dc are the issue

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 26/03/2018 11:07

Yes, why not take in some ironing crunchy Wink

Some parents would take their kids to a strip club if the served chicken nuggets. I don't mind kids too much as long as they can behave like a human and not a wild animal, and as long as they don't have noisy bloody tablets (it's a cardinal sin on MN to deprive children of tablets in pubs though so I shall await my flaming)

Deshasafraisy · 26/03/2018 11:09

I think “family friendly” is often translated as “unruly kids tolerated”
I truly don’t understand why anyone would want to let their kids misbehave in any eatery. Table manners should be adhered to in any restaurant. My children know and have always known how to b have whilst eating out and as a result I can and have taken them to posh places as well as family friendly places. And I have a DC with ASN. There’s no excuse for letting your kids run around and upset other diners in any establishment

Creambun2 · 26/03/2018 11:11

All pubs that serve food are/should be family friendly? What rubbish op.

Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 11:12

Cherry Of course! I will take in ironing immediately so I can afford to eat at these non family friendly expensive restaurants.

OP posts:
Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 11:14

And I have been in pubs and restaurants with kids. In fact I was talking with a friend at the weekend about the time when we had to take turns standing outside with a screaming kid, while the other one was inside eating their meal and supervising the other kids. The kid was screaming because she did not want to sit at the table.

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squashyhat · 26/03/2018 11:15

If a pub has a play area in the garden it doesn't get my custom.

Jayne35 · 26/03/2018 11:16

Hungry Horse, although family friendly have a separate bar area where no children are allowed. I like the prices so we sit in the bar Smile

DancesWithOtters · 26/03/2018 11:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
crunchymint · 26/03/2018 11:18

I am saying that all pubs that serve food and restaurants that I can afford, have kids menus. They are all family friendly.
I would see Jamies as an expensive meal out.
Not all of us have the option of going to these expensive non family friendly places.

OP posts:
DancesWithOtters · 26/03/2018 11:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WonderLime · 26/03/2018 11:21

It clearly depends where you live. I know of several restaurants and bars that serve food that never have children in them. I’m not sure if it’s because they don’t accept children or it’s just not children-friendly (no kids’ menu, etc). But they are definitely more adult themed. I’m talking loads of variety too - Indian, Thai, Italian, French, Gastropub.

Move away from rubbish chain restaurants, go out in the evenings and research your local area.