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Original poster

Anyone Else Experienced This Taking Child To Restaurant

46 replies

Celine2015 · 08/07/2017 12:18

Just come back from a lovely relaxing week away in the Lake District and sadly one experience I wonder if anyone else has suffered. My partner is a celiac and so looks for gluten free food and noticed in Ambleside a Japanese restaurant serving gluten free food. Excited about trying it, we went along on Thursday evening and walked in with his parents and our two year 8 month old daughter.

The lady gave us a strange look and we asked for a table for four plus our daughter chair or high chair both fine. She said sorry there is no availability so my partner asked for when the next available table was taking into account it was only 7:15pm, she said there is nothing for you you have to go somewhere else.

Immediately when we walked out he said I suspect from her body language she is discriminating against us for having a child with us(very well behaved one) and so he asked me as I had not spoken to the lady to call in ten minutes and ask if a table was available. When I rang she said yes there is a table available straight away then asked me to hold the line, she came back and said if you have a child under 10 years old this restaurant is not suitable for them. I was stunned and close to tears that someone would treat us like this for having a well behaved child with us.

All over the Lake District we had no problems with taking our child into nice restaurants, I am so appalled that she had to lie to us and would not say inside that they don't want children in the restaurant, to lie is unforgivable. I hope anyone else visiting the Lake District avoids this Japanese restaurant in Ambleside and doesn't have to experience the same situation.

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 08/07/2017 14:22

I think you've over reacted OP , they have a policy perhaps they thought you looked like you'd create a scene if they told you you couldn't dine because of your child , it's a small fib no real issue . No small children would be a selling point for me as well .

pigeondujour · 08/07/2017 14:23

That isn't discrimination if you have a two year old and a coeliac in your party I'd try to book places ahead and make sure they'll cater for you. I'd always book in Ambleside anyway if I was particularly wanting to go somewhere.

Floggingmolly · 08/07/2017 14:27

They don't know your child is "well behaved", how could they? Some people allow their children to screech, scream and rampage around restaurants, and other diners don't like it...
They can't tell if you're one of them until it's too late.

spiney · 08/07/2017 14:32

Horses for courses OP. It wasn't the restaurant for you. It would have been easier if the no under 10s policy was displayed outside.

I really wouldn't take it personally though. The owners weren't giving a thought to the behaviour of your child. They just don't let younger kids in . Their choice. Not worth crying over OP.

gandalfspants · 08/07/2017 15:33

There's a ye olde pub that does food near me, it's dog friendly but not child friendly, fair enough.

Their way of telling you this is a ranty poem on the back of the menu, along the lines of 'we don't have high chairs, we don't have a children's menu, we don't like kids, they pick our flowers and make a mess, one looked at me once, it was horrible, and if you don't like it we don't care'.

But they let you come in and sit down with a baby/toddler, when you ask if they have a high chair (before reading the menu) suggest you bring the pushchair in, and then let you sit down and read the poem that basically says 'go away'.

Surely 'sorry no under x age' would be politer than letting you in and then telling you you aren't welcome? (We left)

Just weird.

allegretto · 08/07/2017 16:25

That isn't discrimination Well it obviously is. You might agree with the rule but it's still discrimination by definition.

WillRikersExtraNipple · 08/07/2017 16:31

Only in the very broadest terms. Is not letting a drunk man buy more booze discrimination?

allegretto · 08/07/2017 20:22

What's that got to do with anything? It's discrimination because you are excluding a whole group of people because sometimes some children misbehave. You couldn't do this with any other group.

WillRikersExtraNipple · 08/07/2017 20:24

In the same way as you are excluding all drunk people because sometimes they misbehave.

Being a child is not a protected characteristic. Nobody has to welcome your toddlers, nobody has to take your business. You aren't being discriminated against in any meaningful sense.

allegretto · 08/07/2017 20:28

Being drunk is not an innate characteristic, it is a consequence of your actions. Not the same at all.

WillRikersExtraNipple · 08/07/2017 20:31

No, and being a child is not a minority condition, everyone was one.
If a business doesn't want children, they don't have to have them. End of story.

allegretto · 08/07/2017 20:32

It's still discrimination, just discrimination that you happen to approve of. End of story.

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 08/07/2017 20:35

I am sick of going to expensive restaurants and someone has thought it acceptable to bring their children and I have to listen to someones 'little darling' shrieking or running around.

There are places where children don't belong. There is places that are not for children. Accept it.

allegretto · 08/07/2017 20:37

Well the rule should be "no shrieking or running around" not no children.

WestmorlandSausage · 08/07/2017 20:39

Thanks for your post OP I live fairly locally to Ambleside and wasn't aware that a Japanese place had opened up. It has very good reviews on trip advisor so I think will be trying it out the next time I can get babysitters. Sounds lovely!

MozzchopsThirty · 08/07/2017 20:47

Really you were 'teary' because a restaurant wouldn't let you eat there with your 2 year old????

How do you manage in day to day life when tiny things don't go your way?

It's not like you were marooned on a desert island with only one place to eat

Stop being so dramatic

ellenripleysbiceps · 08/07/2017 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WillRikersExtraNipple · 08/07/2017 20:58

It's still discrimination, just discrimination that you happen to approve of. End of story

I dont' agree at all, unless you are using a very literal, and in this instance meaningless, definition of discrimination.

It's perfectly normal to not allow children. Are nightclubs discriminating against children?

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 08/07/2017 21:54

I dont' agree at all, unless you are using a very literal, and in this instance meaningless, definition of discrimination.

It's perfectly normal to not allow children. Are nightclubs discriminating against children?

^ This...

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 08/07/2017 22:02

Oh for heaven's sake! Not accepting toddlers is not discrimination!

Restaurants & other establishments are absolutely entitled to accept over 10's, over 14's or adults only - as they wish! When I was a child it was the norm to not allow children into lots of places ("family room" in the pub outhouse anyone?)

That said I don't understand why they wouldn't make the age restrictions clear somewhere. Maybe on the door, or printed menu outside etc. If only to make life easier for themselves.

TestTubeTeen · 09/07/2017 00:01

A well behaved 2 or 3 year old is still a toddler. They don't (and shouldn't) have adult manners, decibel control, etc. Even the most charming children in a restaurant in the evening change the vibe.

It is clearly a small place too. Their business model may not work if they get known as child friendly and then every table has a place taken up with a high chair and parents saying 'he'll just have some of ours', losing the mark up on the alcohol etc.

They need to handle the way they convey their policy better, but thanks for bringing this place to my attention: looking forward to it when I visit the Lakes next year!

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