Here's an update
Restaurant Owner's Decision to Ban Young Children Provokes Strong Reactions Published July 13, 2011
A restaurant owner in Pennsylvania says his decision to ban kids under 6 from his business has drawn a generally positive reaction, but some parents are crying foul.
Mike Vuick, the owner of McDain’s
Restaurant in Monroeville, told the Wall Street Journal that he’s received 2,000 emails in regards to the announcement, with the favorable outnumbering the unfavorable 11-to-1.
The ban takes effect Saturday, but restaurant traffic was already up 20 percent on Tuesday.
There’s "nothing wrong with babies,” Vuick said, “but the fact is you can't control their volume." He said all that screaming and crying disturbs many of his customers.
Vuick added that children might be the center of their parents' universe, as it should be. But he says they're not the center of everyone else's universe too.
One regular customer, though, told the Wall Street Journal that she was upset with the decision.
"All children do not have meltdowns, and I don't feel I should have to suffer the repercussions," said Stephanie Kelley, who has a 13-month old son.
The above is from FoxNews.com.
By
KRIS MAHER WSJ
The owner of a small restaurant outside Pittsburgh is banning children under the age of 6, saying they regularly disrupted other customers' meals.
The move has touched a nerve and led to television and radio interviews from as far away as New Zealand and Australia for Mike Vuick, owner of McDain's Restaurant and Golf Center in Monroeville, Pa.
It has also sparked strong opinions among those who applaud his decision and those against it. Mr. Vuick said he had received 2,000 emails, running 11-to-1 in favor of his decision.
"I'm doing this on behalf of all the kind, refined people who have emailed me who have had meals ruined," said Mr. Vuick, a former high-school sociology and psychology teacher. "I've decided someone in our society had to dig their heels in on this issue."
One regular patron, Stephanie Kelley, said she was upset her 13-month-old son, Jamison, would no longer be welcome as of Saturday, the day the ban takes effect. She said she emailed Mr. Vuick to suggest he ban kids after a certain hour or partition off a kids-only area, but he said he wouldn't budge.
"All children do not have meltdowns, and I don't feel I should have to suffer the repercussions," she said.
Ms. Kelley, who said she has dined at the restaurant weekly for the past three years, was set to bring 20 relatives, including cousins from North Carolina, there on Saturday. Now they plan to have a picnic at her home in Level Green, Pa., and she doesn't plan to eat there again.
She may be the exception. On Tuesday night, receipts at the 60-seat restaurant, which is attached to a golf-training facility with a driving range and putting greens, were up 20%.
A couple from Cleveland made a reservation for this coming weekend to show their support.
Mr. Vuick's story spread after he emailed regular customers about the ban last week, and a customer phoned a local TV station.
A poll on the website of a Pittsburgh TV news channel found 64% supported the under-six ban, compared with 26% who said it was a bad idea. About 10% said they didn't care. More than 10,000 people voted.
Industry officials don't expect a stampede of similar bans. "Most restaurants embrace families and appreciate the business they bring in the door," said Patrick Conway, president and chief executive of the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, which has 7,000 member restaurants. "I'm sure this policy makes sense for his restaurant."
On Wednesday, the National Restaurant Association, a separate organization, launched a "Kids Live Well" program to offer healthier menu options to children, with 15,000 restaurants participating.
Click here to read more on this story from the Wall Street Journal.
