Child only area in restaurant- discriminatory?

[Buyalot]

I’ve returned from a carvery lunch with DH and DD (14 months).

On arrival, despite there being a lot of seats spare in every area, we were told we had to be seated in the dedicated children’s area - an
absolute racket with soft play etc.

AIBU to find this ridiculous?

Huh? You took a CHILD/BABY and are upset you were seated in the family area?! I must be thick because it seems obvious this is where they’d ideally want to seat you.

I don’t think she was surprised they’d ideally want to seat them there, I think she was surprised it was non optional, I think OP is BU but there is a difference between preference and compulsory

I highly suspect it's a public house, a primarily adult environment.

Around half of such didn't allow children in when I was a child.

It's somewhere for grown ups to let their hair down. Nice that they've catered for those with children but let's remember what the primary function of a public house or "pub" is.

You wouldn't expect to go to a soft play centre and be served wine or have fruit machines. I think OP should be grateful that the business has made accommodation for them.

I think a child friendly area would be amazing. It means I won’t be on edge while we’re having our meal because I don’t have to worry people who don’t want to breathe the same air as families.
Child friendly flights would be amazing too because all the people who don’t like kids can fuck off on to those far away from us.

You had a small child with you, you were put in the children’s area.

If you’d had a dog with you at a restaurant where they have a separate dog area, you’d have been put in the dog area.

Yabu.

You are being deliberately obtuse. It says right there in the OP that it’s a carvery restaurant with a soft play. That is very clearly designed with a family area for kids and an adult only area, so clearly not a place designed for adults only. You can google the difference between pubs and restaurants.

Yes and board a bus in a wheelchair and the driver will direct you to the wheelchair area. At train stations and airports, we're directed to use elevators rather than escalators with pushchairs/luggage.

Whatever next, children being referred to the children's hospital rather than the adult ones? Outrageous! ;)

The line between the two tends to be blurred these days.

Some places refer to themselves as a bar & restaurant.

It's not as though they went to McDonald's or such a place where the marketing is aimed at children.

I think that was terrible. Your money is as good as anyone's and the customer should always be right. That never happened to us when we had small children.

How do you know they don’t market their place at children when is a family friendly restaurant with a children’s play area? She hasn’t said what the place is called.

So you don't want to be disturbed by other people's children, but they can be disturbed by yours... 🤔

It's an excellent idea, especially for those with small children. Nice for the children too.

We have an access pass we can show any venue should they require proof of disability, and a child capable of sitting fairly quietly as long as reasonable adjustments are made. I have never had any problem with taking my child to a restaurant, my child’s needs have always been happily accommodated.

“Your money is as good as anyone's” - they weren’t refusing her custom!

Surely the customer who doesn’t want to be seated near children is also right then?

you can’t please all the people all the time!

I've changed tables or, even walked out of restaurants before eating because of other people's screaming children. It didn't always be like this but in all honestly, parenting has gone downhill for a fair few.. Quite a few times I have seen children running around the restaurant and the parents not blink an eye or think it's ok to shout and scream. Sorry you're upset OP, but not everyone wants to eat next to a baby or a child. To me, it's the same as the old days - smoking and non-smoking areas!!

With the best will in the world…

I think you finding the policy odd is odder.

The policy sounds like a great idea that I imagine brings in more custom both from people who do not have younger children with them and would prefer a ‘quieter’ area and also families who know they have a specific area to cater for their needs.

Sounds like a win win to me.

Basically that is it in a nutshell!

But she had as much right to choose her seating area. If child had then misbehaved it would have been reasonable to ask them to move, but not giving them any choice to begin with was unfair.

It doesn't say "family" restaurant in the original post. It just says "restaurant with a carvery". It tends to be public houses that have the dedicated children's areas. I've not seen any play centres in the children's restaurants I've been in.

The OP remains ambiguous about it...if it was a chain, it would be beneficial for the name of the chain to be made known.

My children are grown up but we were never directed to a child area, even when there was one.

Not odd. This is weird to even question it!

They had an area for people with kids. You had a kid with you, so you sit in that area.

Adults can eat in peace in their kid free area without kids running around or bothering them.

Win, win. You're being unreasonable.

She didn't have to stay if didn't like it and she has no right to demand where to sit, or even eat there. It's a private business, it's their choice.

Sounds marvellous. I wish more places did this. We went out for lunch yesterday (to a smart bar type place, really not aimed at families) and there was a table with 3 women and several very noisy kids. After about an hour, one of the women took the kids out. She returned, and I’m still incredulous, having bought them WHISTLES. 🤪