Posted by: bh'sLeanne (Australia)

I have a 3-yr-old and a 1-yr-old and even though we do go out to dinner from time to time (when my hubby and I are feeling brave - or desperate!) we would only ever go to a restaurant that we felt was 'child-friendly'. You know the big, noisy restaurants that have open space and other families tend to frequent. I think the owner of McDains may have a misconception about how his restaurant is viewed by the general public.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 11:46am)

Posted by: Kayla Beauty (Australia)

Family restaurants are more likely for kids to be at most of the time yu don't see a toddler in a nice restaurant unless it's a birthday celebration for a older relative.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:06pm)

Posted by: April99 (Australia)

I don't mind if certain restaurants ban children. I have a four yr old and a three yr old and all the restaurants around where I live allow children.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:06pm)

Posted by: Beautifulnightmarex (Australia)

maybe they could have a separate area for the kids, i dont think its appropriate, what if you didnt know and the rock up and your kids arent allowed inside...?
obviously if its adults only they can charge more because on a date usually people indulge more and with kids they dont indulge on the more pricey stuff.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:07pm)

Posted by: Gorjus (Australia)

We should go were we feel we want to go and not worry about what others think. That is THEIR problem. If a child is misbehaving , there is always a reason for that. We all must remember that it is the behaviour we don't like and not the child. They are just adjusting to a world we have brought them into. You can't control kids. They are not robots that can be programmed. I sympathize with the poor parents.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:08pm)

Posted by: Anita87 (Australia)

I think parents should be allow to go wherever they please. It is their choice whether they bring their kids with them or not..I think a ban is ridiculous

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:17pm)

Posted by: softness (Member since 2007, Australia)

My six year old (7 years old tomorrow) just came up to me while I was reading this! She asked me what that symbol meant! I told her it meant "No little Kids". She said, "Why can't kids come to the cafe? That's mean." So there it is - well atleast from her perspective!

From the adults perspective I can certainly appreciate people wanting to get out without the 'noise' that they have just left behind at home!! It's always nice to have a break from them. Though it may seem harsh to some I can understand the reasoning behind this sign. Thing is though, if I went out to a restaurant with just my hubby and left the kids at home - for some 'us' time - I'd probably pick a fancy restaurant where generally kids don't tend to want to go anyhow. They generally love the more exciting, colourful ones with playgrounds attached which are geared for them. I don't see it as discrimination at all - just an attempt by some to try and get some peace.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:28pm)

Posted by: Shull87 (Australia)

Hmmm well me and hubby dont eat out much as we dont like babyhsitters as we have no family here. So we just eat in alot i love eating in i can be such a homebody and enjoy my creature comforts at home. Anyway if we do go out we book a dinner for 5:30pm and it is dead where we go we are really the only ones there with bubz and she is always happy there and the staff love her to bits :D and i love the food there it is awesome. Bubz doesnt ever really play up there but maybe at a posh place she might where we go it is smart casual ....still pricey but well worth it....it is a beautiful establishment that has all recently be redone and it is fab!

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:47pm)

Posted by: bh'sLeanne (Australia)

Oh Softness, that's so cute!
Shull87, I hear you - my hubby and I don't have family here either so we rarely get a night to ourselves and just like you if we take the kids to dinner we go early (5.30 or 6pm).
Thanks for the comments everyone and don't forget to cast your vote on facebook x

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 3:58pm)

Posted by: Hooha (Australia)

My four year old has been going to cafes and restaurants since he was born. I took him to lunch at a really pricey and fancy place when he was four months old and the staff could not have been nicer. They even found me a nice room to breast feed in and brought me water. However, I would not take my son to a really expensive place at the moment (especially at night) as I think that if you are paying a lot of money for a meal it should be a peaceful one. I must admit that his behaviour is better than a lot of adults just the same.

It sounds like that restaurant is not that great anyway, maybe he shouldn't be ignoring the fact that parents have money to spend on meals too? There is a really nice place near me that just has a child free room so they can cater for everyone. Maybe that would be more sensible?

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 4:12pm)

Posted by: MissChriss (Australia)

My hubby and I have a 3.5yr old and a nearly 18month old and we only ever go out for dinner together as a family if it is a child-friendly place.. There's one restraunt we like cos we can sit outside and there is a playground for the kids right there!! I think it's terrible to actually ban kids though..
My hubby and I only get one dinner out alone a year on our anniversary, otherwise we always take the kiddies with us. When we do go out to other restraunts we always take a coulouring book and crayons so they can entertain themselves for a while.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 4:56pm)

Posted by: pinkheart (Australia)

I've never heard of such a thing! It's pretty outrageous!

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 5:06pm)

Posted by: BasicallyBeauty (Australia)

I agree with the what Leanne said in the post - It's nice to be able to dine in peace, but also parents are that stupid to take their toddlers to fancy restaurants. I have no kids - just neices and nephews, and i know my brother and my sister in law never take their kids to a fancy restaurant (only time they are at a family restaurant is for special occasions - anniversaries and all that) Apart from that they go to family restaurant where it's not unusual to be surrounded by noise - kids/ adults/ tv/ music etc. I think it should depend on the surroundings and ambience of the restaurant, if it's mainly couples dining out then of course you wouldn't take your kids.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 5:25pm)

Posted by: Beautybabe111 (Australia)

Personally I HATE going out to a restuarant for a relaxing dinner only for someone to come in with a screaming child and it goes on for about 10 minutes and the parent doesn't make much of an attempt to help the kid calm down. However I do not agree with banning children from a restuarant, instead of banning kids from a resturant I think that the resturant should make more of an effort to make the area child friendly and to make it relaxing enough that kids will not feel the need to get upset and stressed, but they should still keep it proffesional. I don't think they should be banning children but I don't see anything wrong with their being a sign up on the door, which asks people not to be to loud and for parents to try and keep their children's noise to low to moderate. Whenever I go out for dinner and don't want to be around children I just ask to be seated somewhere that's quiet.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 6:13pm)

Posted by: Beauty Bee (Member since 2008, Australia)

I am a mother of two children and to be respectful to other diners, I wouldn't be offended by a "no kids allowed" policy. The other diners are likely to be the parents of children wanting a quiet night out. If you want to dine out with children then a child friendly restaurant should be the choice made. To me this policy is being put in place because there are parents out there that aren't respectful of other peoples needs - it is really common sense.

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 6:28pm)

Posted by: melmeko (Member since 2007, Australia)

I simply don't go out to dinner with my two children aged three and four, coz they would just run amok. Its takeaway or nothing for us, lol, I can understand where they are coming from with the ban and as a parent am not offended by it at all :)

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 9:26pm)

Posted by: Lana Lang (Australia)

I personally cannot stand dining in at a restaurant and having my meal interrupted by screaming babies or little children running around the tables bumping everything over. Samantha had the right idea in Sex and the City!

Posted on: July 13, 2011 (Jul 13, 2011 11:22pm)

Posted by: Cinta9 (Australia)

As Leanne said parents aren't stupid and will usually take their family out to a restaurant that is more child friendly. I think today's society needs to become more tolerant overall. We were all children once and I'm sure most of us had a little cry or tantrum out in public once or twice :P If people are looking for a quiet meal go somewhere a little more fancier and where you expect children aren't going to be.

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 8:15am)

Posted by: Spunkx (Australia)

I have to admit that I do find it annoying when there are unruly young children crying, screaming and running around restaurants (the worst) when I'm trying to have a nice relaxing evening.

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 8:52am)

Posted by: Jenniqua (Australia)

I am sorry but I agree with him. If you are looking for a fine dining experience, you dont want screaming kids right at the table next to you. This might sound awful but there are more kid friendly restaurants out there and parents arent stupid, so just avoid the ones that arent kid friendly.

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 9:09am)

Posted by: bh'sLeanne (Australia)

A great mix of comments and opinions. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts x

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 9:41am)

Posted by: Delicious Girl (Australia)

My kid is very well behaved. That gives me the right to judge other kids who are being rowdy LOL

Jokes apart, our lives as parents revolves around our kids. I think when you have kids, you are giving up a part of your social life. Leave the kids with the sitter. It is not only annoying for others but equally embarrassing for us parents when I our kids misbehave.

We would be too old for dining and drinking at the poshest pub when we actually have the liberty to do, which after about 18 years when the kids move out!

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 9:54am)

Posted by: dancr (Member since 2008, Australia)

I'm abit mixed. I can see both sides.

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 11:06am)

Posted by: Snazzie (Member since 2008, Australia)

I think it's a great idea. There are plenty of places where parents CAN take their children for a meal, and it'd be nice to have some places where those of us without children do not have to bothered by them. Parents can choose to be sensible and take their children only the 'family friendly' venues, but not all of them do. Mostly, parents can take their kids wherever they want, but the rest of us don't get a choice. Options for all, I say!

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 11:47am)

Posted by: Sashapet (Australia)

BeautyBabe111 - you are onto it! Its when the parents do nothing to even try and stop their child from screaming and being naughty! I generally dont have a problem with going to a nice place for a meal and kids are there, providing the parents are taking efforts to control them, i've got no worries. That aside, I dont think parents should take small children to restaurants where the wine flows just as much as water resulting in the atmosphere being rather colourful!

Posted on: July 14, 2011 (Jul 14, 2011 12:38pm)