Why do staff not intervene?

It's dangerous to have children running a mock in restaurants.

What happens if they run into a waitress and get hot food tipped over them? No doubt the parents would try and sue the restaurant.

If children can't behave appropriately when out for a meal then they shouldn't be taken.

We were often praised for our boys' good behaviour when out for meals and I always tell the parents of well behaved children we've been impressed by their behaviour.

We don’t go to restaurants that have children running around and when we used to go on cruises we chose the ones that don’t allow children on board. Much more relaxing. Wahay for Viking cruises, what a good idea whoever thought of child free cruises. I love kids but not when I want to relax and when we are paying a lot for the privilege! There are restaurants that encourage family dining and they are wonderful if you have young children. Avoid them at all costs !

I sorted my childhood out properly in how to behave at restaurants and cafes. We went to a cafe for tea as we had just moved house and cooker was being connected next day. Ordered dinner, ice creams, squash etc, and paid for it at the counter. 4 children decided to play up, throwing salt and sauce packets, standing up shouting etc.
Told them once to behave to no effect so we left there and then.
Went home, sent to bed and I took up cheese sandwiches and breakers of water. So quiet they couldn't believe it had happened.
Yes it cost me a lot of money but I could take them to any restaurant and hotel dining room after that. They behaved perfectly.

It's often the noise as well as the running around. A lot of parents are so used to eating meals accompanied by the racket and clatter of young children that they don't even really hear it anymore.

I have to admit my heart sinks when a young family are seated beside me in a restaurant. It seems to be a 50 50 chance whether you'll get parents who are aware that they're not at home at the kitchen table now and will have to act accordingly, or ones who just don't realise that their wailing baby, toddler repeatedly banging cutlery off the table and whinging to get down, and older children shouting over each other to get their parents attention are ruining a meal out for customers at adjacent tables

We always took ours to Pizza Express when they were children, instilling in them this was a treat so make sure you behave and don't upset other customers by being noisy. We did take books, crayons and paper to keep them amused and they never let us down. Now we are taking the grandchildren every so often. PE tend to be geared up for children and do supply them with drawing materials, so again, that keeps them amused in between their studying the menu for favourite foods. It can be a joy to take children out to eat and good practice for them, but only if they can be taught restaurants are places where they need to stay sitting at the table and keep the noise level down.

fiorentina51

A few of these, strategically placed, might do the trick.

Love these!

A sign outside a shop I once saw said,

‘Unaccompanied children will be sold as slaves.’ ?

Maybe the staff have been told that the customer is always right

Many years ago I was waiting to buy fabric in the John Lewis flagship store in Oxford street. A very grand old lady was being served with many yards of expensive brocade. A young man came to the front of the queue and began to address the assistant, diverting her attention from the task.

In a cut glass accent the old lady rebuked him "Young man, this assistant is attending to ME. Kindly go to the back of the queue and await your turn." Her manner was so frosty and intimidating that the rude customer slunk off, humiliated.

When it was my turn to be served, I told the assistant that I had trained my staff such that if anyone jumped the line or interrupted they were to say something like. "Im afraid Im attending to this lady/gentleman at present so can you please ask another asssitant or wait until Im free." Rude customers should ne put in their place by staff, as it is not the responsibility of the public to police their behaviour.

The girl replied "Customers may not always be right but in this store they are never wrong!"