To think Ahhhhhh to loud phones and tablets in cafes and restaurants

[Isitthathardtobekind]

Have we reached a stage where restaurants and cafes need to put signs up to ask that families don’t allow their children to use loud phones and tablets that can be heard by other tables?

Last 3 times I’ve been out -
1st time - children watching Minions on a phone with volume turned up for the whole room to hear. Parent told them at one point to turn it down; they didn’t and it continued. Thought at least it would stop when their food came, but no- they propped it up and ate their food. No conversation or anything just loud Minions.

2nd time- 2 mum friends and 2 toddlers - one in a high chair. Phone on loud. Again thought at least it will stop when their food comes. No change when food arrives. The phone gets stuck in front of them while they eat. Again loud enough to impact on most tables in the room.

3rd time (today)- family arrive, including who I assume was the grandparent. No one spoke to the children. Very loud phone on playing music and talking, including while the waitress took their order (so loud I imagine it was tricky for the waitress to hear them). Luckily we were about to pay and leave.

Giving a tablet or phone to a child in a restaurant is one thing (although not something I do personally), but to not expect them to keep it no volume or with headphones so it doesn’t impact on others is surely totally selfish.
Are we really at a stage where adults can’t manage these things and have some respect for others and so restaurants and cafes need to set some rules around it?

like it was a fucking kazoo

Proper LOL.

I was thinking 'like she thinks she's in star trek'.

I tend to open my mouth and phrases like “Nobody else needs to listen to that noise, can you use headphones please?” fall out😳 My kids are often mortified at me confronting strangers but 9/10 times it works. Tutting and being annoyed doesn’t work though.

I haven’t been beaten up yet.

@TinyRebel I wish I could be a bit more like that. I hate any type of confrontation though so I’m not brave enough!

I agree with the tutting/looking. At the cafe the other day, I noticed at least one person on most tables look round towards the loud phone a few times, but they were oblivious or if they weren’t, they couldn’t care less!

Yes, and this is why signs would probably make no difference - cue the cries of "they'll melt down / scream / want to run around instead and that'll be worse"

I completely agree OP! I hate it so much, it really bothers me, I don’t understand how people don’t think it’s so rude.

i was waiting for an antenatal appointment in a hospital a few weeks ago and there was a male partner in the waiting room who was playing games on his phone with the volume up loud! Couldn’t believe it.

@Puzzledandpissedoff true, although I think it’s more about parenting in general and children in general. I don’t think it’s always just children with additional needs.

I can’t stand it. I work in a coffee shop and I have to tell parents not to because it sends me spiralling and I’m unable to concentrate on my customers. It has a rippling effect on the entire shop, the parents will instantly start chatting louder, the tables around them increase in volume too, then it just flows around the room until everyone is that little bit louder than usual and all of a sudden we can’t hear what customers are ordering and everybody being served or waiting is that tiny little bit more vexed because of Noise. Because of one toddler needing to stare at a screen rather than be talked to and played with.

There's a viewpoint next to me with lovely views and it's popular to sit there and watch the sunrise.

Was there last weekend with OH. Several other couples/family groups were there but it was very quiet.

All of a sudden there was a commotion when a couple with a teen girl and a younger boy turned up. The boy immediately whipped out a tablet and started watching cartoons at full volume. The girl had a half full wine glass with a strawberry on the rim and was standing in front of people trying to do arty Insta pics. The mother had a smear on her lens which made the sun look like a lightsabre on her pictures and she screamed loudly and laughed theatrically several times about her lightsabre pics. They all had to have a go having their picture taken with the lightsabre.

It properly ruined a romantic cuddle that did!

Honestly as a member of 'the staff' we can put up all the signs we like and ask people until we're blue in the face - if you're lucky you get ignored, if not then you end up with a confrontational situation and a scene that's worse than the original problem and makes everyone uncomfortable (who then complain and want compensation for their ruined meal, and somehow you get bollocked simultaneously for trying to keep it comfortable for everyone and not doing enough).

It drives me nuts as well both as a customer and as a member of staff, but people who behave like that don't care about the effect on other people in the first place and as 'the staff' we're bottom of the food chain and the least respected and least listened to in the whole situation, so they either ignore you or use it as a reason to make a big fuss and play the victim. And then there's the obligatory review which will paint you like a child hater.

But, the customer is always right and all that so......... 🤷🏼‍♀️.