Restaurant bans screaming children

The Olde Salty restaurant in Carolina Beach North Carolina put up a couple of signs, "Screaming children will not be tolerated." 
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13110788&sms_ss=facebook
The owner said it has brought them in more business than before.
They are not banned, merely told to take their child out of the restaurant so the other diners can have their meal in peace.
Sounds reasonable enough.

Wonderful. I'd have only liked her to add something to the effect of "remain seated".

DawnT


Wonderful. I'd have only liked her to add something to the effect of "remain seated".

Might I suggest a "d" between the "e" and the "a"?
 
Brad

Screaming children... that's what Denny's, Friendly's, etc are for. Take the screamers to the cheap places until they learn to behave.

Apizza Scholls, a local place here in Portland, Oregon with great pizza and attitude, has a policy of asking people  whose children are running around to control the children or be denied service.

Peg Leg Pete's Seafood in Pensacola Beach has a sign posted that pretty much expresses my wish for a calm dinner ambience!
 

mayor al


Peg Leg Pete's Seafood in Pensacola Beach has a sign posted that pretty much expresses my wish for a calm dinner ambience!

and I would put this sticker on that sign...

There must have been something wrong with our children and grandchildren. They sat and ate and carried on conversations with the people at our table, only. Oh, and they colored, if we were at a place that provided crayons and stuff to kids.

My kid is two. We go out to eat all the time. He does not scream. Rarely he gets loud with his chatter, but we curb that quickly. We always bring crayons and something to draw on to keep him occupied - although, he equally enjoys looking at the surroundings. Occasionally, he'll say "hi" to neighboring diners. We don't allow it to go any further.
 
For the most part, he's quiet, enjoys his meal, enjoys being out, enjoys his surroundings, and displays good behavior.
 
We don't go to Denny's, Perkins, Friendly's, etc because the food is bad and kids run around. By not going to those places, he hasn't learned bad table behavior. A quick way to teach him to act like a ****, is to take him places where kids act like that. So, we don't go to those places.
 
We went to McCormick and Schmick's and apparently he behaved so well, some older folks came over to tell us how unbelievably well mannered our son was at the table. They also mentioned how cute he was. And, he is cute, but I thought his behavior was normal.
 
However, I will note, that while I can appreciate the screaming kid problem, if a restaurant has a children's menu and booster seats, then expect children to be there, and don't expect 5 year olds to act like 55 year olds. And in today's age, changing tables should be stand faire in all restrooms - especially in restaurants with kids menus and highchairs.
 
BTW - fancy restaurants, have kids menus and highchairs, too.  
 
But, no, don't bring your kids to Denny's unless you want them to see unruly kids. If your kid is unruly, just don't take them out. If they behave at home, they'll behave out. If they run around at home, they'll run around when out. Believe me, those screaming kids are doing that same crap at home. Curb the behavior in the home to the point where they are acting civil, then go to a restaurant where people are acting civil, and the kids will follow suit.
 

Scorereader,
Sounds your child would not have any problems at any restaurant.
 

Monday we were in Annapolis eating lunch at Middleton Tavern (historic place that has been there since 1750). He was chattering quite loud, things like "Momma look! Fish!  Boat!" (these were things adorning the walls.)
 
We said, "Yes, fish, boat, that's right. shhh -use inside voice."
Didn't work too well, and he wasn't interested in coloring. But exclamations stopped when food arrived. It was the most embarassed we've ever been. I think it was because he had napped in the car en route to the restaurant, and he was full of energy. So, we made note that we need to be sure he's not fully rested when entering restaurant. He's at his calmest when he hasn't napped before lunch and is ready for said nap right after lunch.
 
My wife said that in retrospect, he wasn't all that loud - not compared to the person in the bar area in the next room, who was laughing like a hyena. THAT turned heads. Our son, not so much.

I do believe that parents of well-behaved kids tend to worry too much about their children making more noise than they believe proper. I've heard parents shush their kids because they are speaking in a normal tone of voice.
 
Lighten up, folks. Your kid's doing just fine.

I have a sign in my place which reads "Unattended Children Will Be Given An Expresso And A Free Puppy"
I also sell Tshirts with that on it...very popular!

My car dealer has that sign in his service waiting room.

We try not to interfer with the raising of the grandkids in their individual families. Some of our kids are doing quite well in the 'Law & order' area (IMHO) and others tend to be Denny's-style manners encouragers.  We have one family with three kids with whom we will not go out to dinner in public...ever! The reasons being everything that has been quoted or even alluded too in the above posts. The kids run wild and squabble like Lion Cubs all over the place. Shooting the straw covers as far as they can is a table-side activity they love, and the parents encourage them.  We tried a few times to get the adult parents to alter this pattern, only to be told that 'Our way is NOT Their Way'. So there are no more dinners out with them.
    Almost as bad are the 'fussy eaters' who demand everything be 'special', ordering a ton of food, then tasting and rejecting the dishes quickly, then settle in to the usual chicken parts and Spaghetti-O's.

Michael Hoffman


My car dealer has that sign in his service waiting room.

I saw it somewhere also, can't remember where, but folks laugh when they read it, than some let their kids go for the puppy!

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I went to a Red Robin for the first time (quality a bit better than Friendly's or IHOP, prices about the same, but VERY attentive and helpful waitstaff). Next to us was a table with two mothers about 5 kids. The kids were pretty quiet and well-behaved. The MOTHERS were screaming, however...
 
Bart

This was 20+ years ago, but my daughter was occasionally a "screaming baby in a restaurant". (My son, hardly ever, they are still different to this day). My wife or I would always take our daughter outside to cool down when that happened. It's just common courtesy to others, even if it would interrupt our meal. 
 
You bring your kids to a restuarant you take your chances is the way I always looked at it.  Most of the time she was OK, but we still talk about a few memorable blowups.

If the child is pretty young I am more tolerant. If the child seems old enough to know better I get irritated or figure the parents allow this behaviour at home and blame them.
 
I am more ticked off at adults on their cellphones talking loudly and ignoring the people they are with.