I once dropped by a local grilled chicken restaurant for a bite to eat during my lunch break from work. I loved this place as I knew one of the members of the staff and the food is great. After having a little chat with the lady behind the counter, I gave my order and waited for it to arrive. There were only a few people waiting so it was really quiet. That was until the demon child was dragged into the restaurant.
A gentleman casually walked in dragging a little girl on one of those leash things for children. She was screaming and throwing a massive temper tantrum. Everyone nearby began shaking their heads and shooting dirty looks at the child and her father who seemed totally oblivious to his hellspawn’s howling. For the next few minutes the child continued to scream and shout and stomp in a huge tantrum. The father just stared at the menu waiting his turn and paid absolutely no attention to the child as she started to pull at her leash. After being given my meal, I walked past them and had to resist the urge to tell him that he had the worst behaved child I had ever seen. The father apparently decided the restaurant wasn’t good enough and walked out when it was their turn. You could still hear the child’s screaming tantrum outside. Everyone looked relieved when they left.
Tagged as:
babies & children
There was once an incident at the restaurant where I work where a waitress got into trouble for something she didn’t deserve in my opinion. The incident happened when a baby boy belonging to a couple sitting at one table started to cry. While the parents tried to calm the baby, a snooty man sitting next to them suddenly and very rudely demanded they make the baby shut up. The outraged parents told him to mind his own business and things soon escalated into a shouting match.
The mentioned waitress went over and told everyone to stop arguing as they were disturbing the other customers. Unfortunately the snooty man complained to the manager that she had been really rude to him, and as a result she got into big trouble and nearly lost her job. It’s people like that stuck up snob that really get on my nerves.
Tagged as:
babies & children,
owner/manager,
server
When I was in my late teens I used to frequently go to a local restaurant in my hometown in the UK to treat myself. Sometimes I brought my girlfriend with me. I new one of the members of staff at this restaurant so I really liked the place.
But one afternoon a family consisting of two women and two little girls sits at the table next to me. I have never felt comfortable around children and things were only going to get worse. The girls decided to constantly harass me by shouting at me. The women tried to get them to shut up and let me eat my dinner in peace but to little effect. The girls continued to shout “HELLO! HELLO! HELLO! over at me. I tried ignoring them but no luck. The women must have realised I was on the verge of loosing my cool as I was turning steadily more red and clutching my knife very hard and told the girls to shut up, still no effect. I restrained myself from saying anything to the family and left quietly. But now I wished I said something and showed the little brats some harassment of my own!
Tagged as:
babies & children
My husband and I spent our honeymoon over Christmas in London a few years ago. We had heard Christmas tea at the Ritz was (while of course a bit touristy) a special thing to do in London around the holidays. So I booked a champagne tea for two months in advance and swallowed our sticker shock at the price – it was $2 to the pound back then but we knew it would be a memorable treat.
Well, the tea was memorable, but for a different reason than we anticipated. The decorations were lovely, I do remember that. The service was mildly attentive but not what you’d expect from a hotel of this caliber. What we both vividly remember was the two year old at the table squarely in the center of the tearoom, behaving in a manner not suitable at any family-friendly restaurant, let alone the Ritz tearoom, where all men are expected to be in coat and tie and ladies in their smartest afternoon dress.
This child was not only screaming, he was climbing over his chair and pulling the hair of the lady behind him, messing with the delicately adorned Christmas tree, and I repeat, screaming at the top of his lungs repeatedly through the meal. The parents made no effort to remove him from the tearoom, there were no visible disciplinary measures taken other than “shushing,” which did not have any affect whatsoever. I felt for this kid, who was receiving his fair share of ugly looks thanks to his lack of parenting and need for attention.
I glared down the waiters, who appeared unfazed as the toddler continued to scream in the middle of the tearoom. Surely they will do something! Any place with a strict dress code should know that this is far more offensive than any jeans or trainers would be to one’s fellow diners, who are paying a high price for the privilege of being there. All the other patrons were visibly shocked and irritated as well – and the poor lady who was most affected deserved a medal for her patience (or perhaps should have been the one to say something on all of our behalf?). I don’t care if little Prince William is sitting in that chair, it was intolerably inconsiderate.
Shame on his parents for taking him to an expensive restaurant and expecting him to behave, and shame on the Ritz for not doing anything about the situation. Looking back, shame on us for not fighting them on the bill. I can’t believe we paid £100 to sit at TGI Fridays!
Tagged as:
babies & children,
holiday,
hotel
