Parents upset by restaurant's notice to keep noisy children quiet

A restaurant has sparked controversy after issuing a notice to families asking them to keep children quiet [Photo: Getty]
A restaurant has sparked controversy after issuing a notice to families asking them to keep children quiet [Photo: Getty]

Parents are upset after a restaurant owner handed out notices asking them to keep their children quiet.

Staff at the Nepalise Chef restaurant in Gloucester gave out the laminated warnings to diners, asking families if they could ensure children kept noise to a reasonable level and didn’t run around the restaurant.

The notice reads: “We request any customers dining in with young children to keep noise at a reasonable level and to not let children run around the restaurant.

“It is dangerous as our staff are often walking around with hot food. Additionally, it is inconsiderate to other diners.

“In order to look after both our staff and customers, we reserve the right to refuse service. Thank you.”

The notice given to customers with children [Photo: SWNS]
The notice given to customers with children [Photo: SWNS]

But it didn’t go down well with some parents who objected to being told to keep their children quiet.

Sandeep Amin was visiting the restaurant with his family to celebrate his birthday and was “shocked” after a member of staff presented him with the notice.

“Once we got seated within two minutes our waiter turned up with this white laminated sheet on which it was written people with children should ask their children to be quiet and not disturb other guests,” he said.

“I was shocked as my daughter is seven years old and is in year two. She has no habit of creating chaos anywhere in public places.”

Sandeep was left feeling so embarrassed by the notice he decided to leave and celebrate his birthday at another restaurant.

Despite the upset, the restaurant’s owner Kashi Sharma said he stands by his policy, explaining that the decision to give out the notice was taken after he and his staff had encountered “a few issues” with diners.

“We decided to hand it to anyone that turns up with young children to remind them that they have to be seated and children should not run in the restaurant due to hot food,” he said.

He went on to say that the sign is given to any customer with young kids and claims that most people are “absolutely fine with it” because it fits in with their expectations of what a dining experience should be like.

The owner also added that he doesn’t distribute the warnings with rude intentions, but purely to try and maintain a welcoming atmosphere for all his customers.

Referring to the recent complaint he said: “When Sandeep and his family were given the notice with the menu they said it was rude and walked out. We said sorry and this a polite rule we give to everyone.

“Children are always welcome in the restaurant and we even give them lollipops.”

Should noisy children be banned from restaurants? [Photo: Getty]
Should noisy children be banned from restaurants? [Photo: Getty]

This isn’t the first time that the subject of children dining in restaurants has caused controversy.

Last October, Katy Hill sparked a parenting debate after taking to blast a “negative and mean hearted” couple who disapproved of noisy children being in Pizza Express.

It followed an earlier debate that was ignited after a mum shamed another mother for letting her kids use iPads in the pub.

The incident sparked a fierce parenting debate online about whether or not it was really fair to criticise another parent on how they choose to entertain their kids.

Yet another row emerged after a restaurant in the US added a mandatory 18% tip to bills to child customers.

The Wayne Hills Diner in New Jersey state that “gratuities are appreciated” but while adults are offered the opportunity to decide how much they’d like to tip, for children and teenagers a compulsory “tip-tax” has been put in place.

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