As everyone knows I don’t have a car and therefore, I rarely drive and therefore, I rarely listen to the radio. But the other day I was driving and therefore, listening to the radio. The disc jockey mentioned something interesting just before fading into a top 40 hit song… he said that a Houston restaurant had banned children from their establishment and wanted to know the listeners thoughts.

It got me thinking…

When I got home I looked up the story on Google and watched it in its entirety. You can watch the news coverage here. Now I know we are AUSTIN MOMS BLOG not HOUSTON, but “nonetheless” (which I was told I say a lot this past weekend by Vanessa), here’s my two cents.

The mom in me says “What the Hell???????” I know my personality and if my husband and I took the time to agree on a place to eat, drive there, park the truck, get Lincoln out of the car, and then walked into a restaurant smelling the delicious aroma of Mexican food and we were then turned away because of my most adorable, brown haired, Bambi eyed, perfect creation, I’d be PISSED! I think I would literally throw a tantrum in the middle of the restaurant that someone was turning MY Lincoln away! The audacity!

Okay, I think I’ve calmed down now…

The non-mommy Allison, the one that I was for 28 years, says “THANK GOD!!!!!!!” There is absolutely nothing worse than planning a date night away from the kiddos, planning the perfect spot to go, getting all dolled up, driving, parking the truck, getting excited to relax a little with your husband, and then you get seated next to the relaxed, beer guzzling Bob with his stressed out wife who is trying to enjoy a glass of wine while wrangling their squirmy, macaroni and cheese throwing, snotty, whiny, fussy 18 month old that just turned bright red at their table trying to push out a turd. And yes, for those that know me well, Bob is actually Wesley and the stressed out wife is me… yes, this is my life and why I’m putting a personal ban on eating out until Lincoln can wipe his own butt and place his own food order!

In short, I applaud this Houston restaurant for banning children. I think many establishments are fearful of banning children, because let’s face it it’s not the best marketing tactic. Most people know the type of restaurants you should and shouldn’t take children to, but NONETHELESS, we are “technically” still allowed to take our kids there. When Lincoln was a few months old Wesley and I took Lincoln to a high end restaurant for dinner even though it is “technically” the type of place young children shouldn’t be at. Fortunately he didn’t make a peep and just laid there sleeping while we enjoyed dinner, but had he woken up crying, we would have ruined all of the date night couples that were there enjoying their night away from their own children or worse we would have ruined a couple’s night that doesn’t have children and therefore, has zero tolerance or empathy for a crying kid.

I wish more Austin restaurants did this so that when we (parents) do have an escape from our amazing little bundles, we can be guaranteed to not have to see one single child… if only for a couple of hours. And I get it, places like Applebee’s wouldn’t survive with a ban on kids; however, places like Uchi would definitely still thrive.

What do our readers think of the ban on kids at certain restaurants?

4 COMMENTS

  1. Despite their coupon for a free kids meal with children’s museum receipt, Maria Maria cantina downtown gave me the WORST service ever when I took my little one for a quick lunch after the museum. Worst EVER, like we were a huge inconvenience, despite the fact that she’s precious and I always pick up after her. Trust me, I am banning myself from that place!!!

  2. I wish a few restaurants WOULD ban.  Matt and I always get stuck next to the family with kids when we’re trying to escape sippy cup talk and chicken nugget throwing.  It would be refreshing to know that there are five to ten places a couple could go to get some REAL alone time.  

  3. As a “non-mom,” I have to say I like the idea of banning kids in CERTAIN restaurants. I know when my friends and I go to a nice restaurant (which isn’t that often so maybe that is why I get more annoyed by it….) it can be incredibly annoying to have a toddler screaming at the table next to me, or screaming so loud that it can be heard across the restaurant. And nothing drives me more crazy than when those parents try the “ignore him and he’ll stop” game, because in reality that doesn’t work. Simple, everyday restaurants like Chili’s, Olive Garden, a local mexican restaurant shouldn’t have the ban, but definitely places that are considered “date spots” should consider it. 

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