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Restaurant Bans Young Children
McDain's in Monroeville, Pa., plans to close its doors to children younger than 6 years old, due to overwhelming customer complaints about unruly youngsters.
Posted 7/ 12 11 at 1:30 PM | News, Legal Issues, Consumer Products & Services, Food & Beverage
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Mike Vuick has made the decision to ban children younger than 6 years old from his Monroeville, Pa., restaurant.Beginning Saturday, the "upscale casual" McDain's will no longer accept young children, a policy that's getting Vuick a lot of attention.
Vuick's decision is driven by a host of customer complaints, although his biggest issue isn't with the children, but their parents. "Their child -- maybe as it should be -- is the center of their universe," Vuick told Pittsburgh TV station WTAE. "But they don't realize it's not the center of the universe."
The small restaurant, in which a third of the seats are at the bar, is described by Vuick as "a very genteel, quiet place; very adult."
The ban on children is completely legal. While senior citizens are in a legally protected class and cannot be banned from establishments, existing laws do not protect children from being denied service.
Vuick notified customers of the impending policy change via e-mail, and most of the reactions were positive, with customers responding, "Thank you," and "Nice job."
Vuick said he doesn't expect the decision to affect his 9-year-old restaurant.
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Comments (Page 4 of 16)
I applaud Mr. Vuick and his decision! I hope more follow in this decision. How nice it would be to go and enjoy a nice meal and adult conversation without a screaming child ruining an otherwise pleasant evening. I remember as a child having dinner with my father at Morrison's restaurant in Pensacola, FL. And although it was a "cafeteria" the tables were set with linens and silverwear. Dinner was enjoyable with nice background music and the soft tinkling sounds of silverwear and water glasses. For many years I've longed to find aplace that could recreate that wonderful atmosphere. Add to the ban on children....cell phones, LOUD people, and annoying loud noises that some call music!
YOUR grandgirl, not even grandchild? Wow! I'm sure your GRANDGIRL is the smartest, besteses, most behaveded, purtiest kid in the whole wide universe and everbuddy that meets her says she's gonna be a movie star! Now we know why the owner had to make a rule.
My grandgirl was a beautifully behaved toddler. We took her to many upscale restaurants in the DC area. Never once were we refused entrance.
Parents are responsible for their children and, if the little ones misbehave, the parents should take them out. My grandson traveled all over Europe with his parents and never had a problem. Mr. Vuick has the right to do whatever he wants with his business but he was once a child himself and he should remember this. Children learn to behave in public places by being there and having parents who are interested in teaching them to behave.
Those kids on the planes, can make your flight hell. Even when asking the parent to have the child stop kicking the seat, with no response from her. You have to get the steward to intervene.
Right on! We love kids but please - especially since this place is 1/3 bar. Next: Movie theaters... And maybe... someday, some kind of barrier wall on planes!
Fine with me...and I have small kids (4 little ones ages 7 down to 5 months). I remember when my two year old daughter threw a fit and ended up throwing a french fry onto the plate of another customer...I was mortified! We paid for the man's dinner and hustled on out of there, and now we only go to more kid friendly places as a family and we leave the more mature places for date night...People go out to get away from their own screaming kids, and they don't want to put up with yours when they go out...I learned the hard way.
What BS!!! No, not because this place is banning young kids but rather because it's come to that at all! If "parents" would actually PARENT their kids, this kind of ban wouldn't have happened at all!!! In todays times, so many of these so-called "parents" do nothing to their kids, letting them cry throwing some kind of tanturm becuase they hapen to want something. Then and God forbid, soemone actually SAY SOMETHING to these so-called parents they get all bent out of shape saying "they are kids, it's how kids act" or something just as stupid. No, I don't blame this guy at all, I'm actually very happy he's got the balls to do it! One more thing, it doesn't matter what kind of place it is either! Be it McDonalds or a really nice place, parents should keep their kids under control or LEAVE with them...PERIOD!!! Of course, kids will be kids, cry and carry on only when that DOES HAPPEN and it happens to all parents, take them OUTSIDE, away from all the others who are PAYING to sit and enjoy their food, yes even in McDonalds!
The child abuse nuts are everywhere.It has gotten so bad that if you spank your child in public some one will call the cops on you.If the child acts up the only choice you have is to leave the resturant.I don't go out to eat that often but when I do it is usually ruined but someones little darling who would be better off playing with an old tire and a piece of Samaonite luggage than being in a restaurant.I like kids but parents please controll them!
I've been in some places where the adults act worse then the kids.Can they be banned too?
Great comment! If that restaurant were anywhere near Durham, North Carolina, they would get some serious business from my wife and I. Like I said in an earlier comment, some restaurants proposed having "kids free zones," sort of like smoking and no-smoking areas, but there was so much outrage from people that the idea didn't take off.......what a pity.
I'm so glad to hear someone is finally realizing that not everyone wants to be in a restaurant with noisy, unruly kids. If I go to a place like Applebee's or TGIF I have made a decision knowing those places are geared toward families with kids. If it's a more mature restaurant, for want of a better term, then I don't think kids should be allowed unless they are old enough to behave. Or should I say that the parents should be old enough to behave like responsible parents! I have always wished that restaurants DID have different seating areas for people with kids and people who want to sit with adults only. My only regret is that Monroeville, Pa, isn't closer to my home or I'd be visiting this restaurant!
Want to bet that the ACLU gets involved and files suit on behalf of some parents who were denied access with their screaming child? Then the guy will have to close his restaurant, rather than pay the legal fees to defend himself.
As a retired restaurant owner I lift my hat to this guy in praise of his bold stand. There are kiddie food places everywhere you look and those are the places to take kids this age. I hope NYC retauranteurs follow suit
If only sporting events would do this.
Whoopie. I am soooo glad that this man had the nerve to speak out. So many times children have ruined our meals, with screeching and crying. I have nothing against kids, but when I am out in the evening, it is to relax and enjoy dinner. The weird thing is, their parents think they are so cute. I don't go to their special places, and I don't want them at mine.
wish there were more like you...children can behave if they know what is expected of them, you sound as if you have taught yours how to behave
So what your saying is, parents with young children shouldn't be allowed to take them nice restaurants, sporting events, movies or on airplanes. So those of us who are making the world go on by having children should be shut in our houses with them? i think that is complete BS...damn right i'm taking my children every place i go..i don't have a built in baby sitter, i'm RAISING my boys and i intend to let them experience everything i possibly can. And that means that sometimes my 3 year old is going to cry and throw a fit, sometimes my 8 year old is gonna get angry and talk back, they are CHILDREN and thats what kids do. It doesn't mean i or any other person with a child is doing something wrong, kids learn this way. Keep suggesting people take their kids to Micky d's and feeding them crap so the obesity rate keeps going up, instead of taking them somewhere that the food might be semi healthy. I think this guy should rot and honestly..so should the rest of you ME generation idiots...your all gonna be old and lonely someday.
Pa. rednecks don't get it. If your kids are assholes keep them at home.
It's about time someone decided to cater to the primadona adults who think that they are the center of the universe! I am serious. I am sick and tired of the child-haters, who are selfish children themselves who never grew up. I know so many of the type. In fact, I wish that more restaurants would do this, so that all of the jerks who think that restaurants are only for *their* hard-working money and enjoyment--who think that those of us with kids should only go to McDonalds. You are the same ones who in another conversation will say that McDonalds makes kids obese when you think that it will affect your wallets. I have been taking my 3 1/2 year old out to restaurants since he was a baby, and he behaves better than a lot of adults who swear loudly or share their obscene or just rudely loud conversations with the whole establishment. Frankly, I cringe when I have to be seated anywhere teenagers or young adults, but I would not dream of being as obnoxious as this restaurant owner and some of you to believe that they should be banned from an establishment. I absolutely do not believe that parents should allow their kids to misbehave or disrupt others' meals, but decisions like this should include all rude behavior instead of assuming that every child will be disruptive. I live in Pittsburgh, and I will patronize those places that realize that my dollar is as good as the emotionally stunted children who never grew up who think that they world revolves around them. I hadn't heard of this restaurant until today, but I wish that I had visited it before so that I could say that they were losing my business. Still, I encourage the rest of you who hate kids to hang out there, so that I don't have to put up with you rolling your eyes and glaring upon ***the sight*** of a child at a restaurant.
MAZ2298.....is upset, because, we want to enjoy a meal without it being ruined by some unruly child/children. I bet with your attitude, your children are the very ones that we are talking about. If you cannot afford a baby sitter, stay home with them. Don't bring them out to ruin someone else's evening. It's just not fair.