The fact that the restaurant did nothing demonstrates that they encourage people to enjoy fine dining with their infants. It boggles my mind how these people themselves with their screaming infant showed no consideration to other people.

I love these threads. It is always the same people that chime in, and it is always obvious who has kids, and who does not

Okay, I'll bite...which of the posters have kids and which don't? Feel free to add how many kids each one has.

Nah, that would take my fun out of the thread. Do a search on threads about crying kids and you'll see who thinks they always have to give their opinion

what would the SuperNanny do and say?

As for me......I wouldn't put up with having a meal ruined.

No crying children in restaurants, no children in F, all people in F must be wearing pants, closed toe shoes and well ironed shirts and make at least $100K a year. If you are not exactly like me, I don't want to be around you. Blah blah blah.

Why do you people travel when you want everyone to be just like you ?

I'm curious how long those opposed to children in "fine" restaurants are willing to let a child fuss before it should be taken outside, or are they just completely opposed to a child being allowed into a restaurant as much as they would a monkey or a goat?

What do you get then is THIS and THIS

Uh, we're really veeeeeeering off-topic here....

This is the original poster's question: "I'd be curious to know what people think Navio should have done here."

cblaisd
Senior Moderator

In my experience, young children (todlers and pre-school age kids) don't enjoy fine dining. They don't like the unfamiliar food and being constantly told to keep quiet and sit still. Instead, they are more comfortable in a resturant which is more family orientated, with activities and games provided to them by the resturant and has a kids menu with food they enjoy. Also, patrons at such a resturant are fairly tolerant of the behaviors of young kids, since there are other families there as well.

I suppose I�m not real clear on what the restaurant is allowed to do. Children are not cell phones. Can a restaurant tell parents their child is disruptive they need to take the child outside? What if it is Hot/Cold/Raining/Hailing outside? Are restaurants even allowed to ban people of a certain age in the US?

I guess this is my punishment for the many times I've steered a topic off course.

Has there ever been a FT thread about children that did not go off course?

Nah



Seems like the patrons may have been vacationing and had little dining choices (though we've ALL heard of room service).

If a 2 month old cried for half of a 2 hour meal and was not removed from the table, you can bet the baby was crying due to a wet diaper at the very least.

Sometimes more upscale restaurants will not say anything to patrons for fear of turning them off.

If the disturbance was such that it was really ruining the dining experience (and it sure seems that it was), maybe the maitre'd could have first suggested to the patrons "if you need a bottle warmed or directions to a changing area, we can help you with that". Failing that, I'd love to see the manager come over, pick up the dinner plates, and say "we'd be more than pleased to keep your dinner warm in the kitchen while you tend to your baby's needs". And then, remove the food.

Parent of 3 here. And I would never take an infant to a fine restaurant. Could anyone have possibly enjoyed this meal, parents included????

Personally, I'd be much happier dining with a monkey or goat.... They're not as messy or smelly.

My gf's parents have a capucian monkey who's more behaved than most young humans.