sarah bennett wrote:

> ~patches~ wrote:
>
>> Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>>> notbob wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> While I can sympathize with your frustration, you gotta admit it's a
>>>> bit silly to expect a controlled environment in a public place.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Wait a sec.... a 4 star restaurant should be a controlled environment.
>>> Screaming kids is what you have to tolerate when you go to family
>>> restaurants and fast food joints where the low lifes cannot control
>>> their
>>> brats.
>>
>>
>>
>> As empty nesters with adult children, I agree. OTOH, the parents
>> couldn't control their child's crying anymore than the manager or
>> owner. The responsible thing for the parents to do would be to leave
>> the restaurant. A 4 star restaurant is not the place for a tired
>> child that just won't settle and the parents should have realized that.
>>
>>
>> IMO, I think the OP has a valid complaint but I don't think he handled
>> it properly.
>>
>>>
>>> I can understand the owner not wanting to talk to the parents. They are
>>> the type of people who would bring their screaming brat into a nice
>>> restaurant and probably never even consider what a pain in the ass their
>>> little prince or princess is to people who do not appreciate. They
>>> offered to move you to another section. You should have moved, or you
>>> could have left and told the manager why. That would give him reason not
>>> to admit rowdy children in the future.
>>>
>>>
>>>> Next time you're looking for a romantic dinner, ask for some kinda
>>>> assurance you'll get some peace and quiet ...that and slip the host a
>>>> bigger tip.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I really hate the idea that you have to bribe a host or hostess to get
>>> what should be expected of a 4 star restaurant. I feel badly for the
>>> waiter who got stiffed for a tip, but then I have my own thing about
>>> being expected to pay a substantially higher tip for service because the
>>> food is so much more expensive. When you go to a nice place one of the
>>> reasons for the food being more expensive is the ambience. That ambience
>>> didn't do much for the OP because it was spoiled by the brat.
>>>
>>
>> At two years old, I hardly think the child was a spoiled brat. The
>> child was simply tired and had enough of life for that day.
>>
>
> any child whose parents can afford to take them to a 4-star restaurant,
> and are willing to inflict the inherent obnoxia of a preschooler on
> people expecting a relatively refined dining experience is likely a
> spoiled brat, yes.

I'm sorry but I disagree. You see we raised our kids and we exposed
them to the finer element in dining. But, we had the rule if they acted
up in any manner, they were out the door and that is how it should be.
They should not be allowed to disrupt other diners and there is a
certain decorum they needed to learn for public dining. So, spoiled
brat no. Perhaps the parents were doing exactly as we did, trying to
teach the kid manners. OTOH, if the kid doesn't want to comply, take
them out of the situation!

>
>> Correct me if I'm wrong but if we're paying for a romatic dinner we
>> expect a certain level of ambience and that doesn't include children.
>> If we wanted to be around children we would go to a fast food joint.
>> So, I think the owner was wrong in this case. I also think the OP and
>> his wife could have quietly told the owner they no longer desired
>> eating there and went on their merry way to enjoy the evening without
>> stiffing someone who had given them good service.
>>
>> Personally, had that happened to us, we would simply had told the
>> owner that if you can't give us the level of service we expect, we
>> will take our business elsewhere.
>
>
> this is what i would have done as well. staying for their meal only
> profited the owner. perhaps i have less tolerance for small children
> where they are not welcome because i have one myself

I just don't understand the OP. He was offered a different table and
compensation. Neither was good enough but perhaps he feels that kids
should not have been there at all. One thing I didn't mention, as empty
nesters we seem to attract kids, and sometimes that is good. But if I
dress up in a nice black classic and DH has a suit on, no I don't want't
them. Sorry, but that would have been the same when our kids were
young. They stayed at home when DH and I wanted a romatic evening out.
Otherwise, we may have had less kids, if you know what I mean

Here's a real pet peeve of ours. DH and I like casinos. We love Las
Vegas. We hate dealing with the kids there since they made it family
oriented. As if! IO(our)O, kids do not belong in casinos for any
reason. We go there to escape and we don't need kids to remind us of
anything, thank you very much! I especially detest kids at any of the
buffets like Harrah's! Great buffet but you can't enjoy your meal with
jr. behind pulling a number.
>
>