Restaurants' ban on kids

Some casual eateries are adopting a ban practiced by upscale restaurants. A ban on kids to be specific, in order to avoid rowdy behavior that disturbs other guests. Does this ban offend you as a parent?

Restaurant bans kids

Readers on straitstimes.com, Facebook and Twitter were polarised in their views.

Here are a few views shared by the readers:

Andy Pollard wrote: ‘To me it seems extreme. A proactive policy of removing hooligans when they start to cause problems may prove more effective and less isolationist (than an outright ban).

Cindy Low, who felt that restaurants could set aside special areas for families, wrote: ‘These restaurants can always have children corners.’

Khunying wrote: ‘How about upon entering a restaurant, a staff member can remind them to ensure their kids are quiet – which is more palatable than a stern ‘No Kids Allowed’.’

Khunying felt that it is the parents, not restaurants, who need a lesson – in managing their children in public.

‘Most parents only start to shout at their kids when they are already misbehaving – which is too late,’ wrote Khunying.

mkan39 wrote: ‘It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that their children behave and not cause a nuisance in public places like restaurants.

‘Unfortunately many parents simply ‘ignore’ their children when they are in restaurants and let their kids run wild. Don’t blame the restaurant for arriving at this decision.’

What constitutes a ‘child’ and where to draw the line was another concern some readers expressed.

Sidhanth Melvani wrote: ‘I’m 15. Am I considered a child?’

Others felt that while it was the call of the eateries, they should be prepared for the consequences.

Explaining another impact that the ban may have on business, Smiling-Guy wrote: ‘People dining with children finish their food quickly and leave, rather than loiter around and ‘chope-ing’ (reserving) seats.’

For parents who would like to know of some pro-child restaurants, below are a few restaurants that are extremely family friendly as kids dine free for every paying adult.

Family-friendly restaurants

Brussels Sprouts

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, children 10 years and below eat for free from 12pm to 3pm. They can choose from the kids’ menu plus get free flow of soft drinks and one scoop of ice cream. The childrens’ menu includes items like fish sticks with fries and salad, and meatball with fries or toast and salad ($9). The offer is applicable to one child per paying adult who orders a dish from the ‘big eat’ (mains) or ‘moules fites’ (mussels and fries) sections of the menu.

For more information,visit www.brusselssprouts.com.sg/

Hogs Breath

The Kids Eat Free promotion at Hog’s Breath Cafe (Chijmes and Toa Payoh) is available every Sunday from 12pm to 8pm. For every adult meal ordered, one child under 12 eats free of charge. Kids can dig into burger and hogtail fries ($9.50) or battered fish fillet with tomato sauce and hog tail fries ($9.50) from the kids’ menu which comes with a free glass of Coke, Lift or Sprite, and two free scoops of ice cream for dessert.

For more information, visit www.hogsbreath.com.sg/

La Nonna

Located at Holland Village, this warm family-style eatery serves unpretentious, homey Italian fare – oven-baked dishes, freshly-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas. Signatures include caprese or mozzarella with tomatoes ($16), agnello ($28) or tender lamb rump with mixed vegetables and prosciutto e rucola ($18), thin-crusted pizza topped with prosciutto and rucola salad. Kids under 12 years old and below will enjoy a complimentary pizza (of their choice).

For more information,visit www.lanonna.sg/

Source: Straits Times, Insing.com

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Written by

Miss Vanda

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