Why do staff not intervene?

Is it really reasonable to expect staff to challenge parents on their children's behaviour ?

I'm not sure it is "Safe" or reasonable to expect staff - often young people on minimum wage - to intervene.

I think the reasons they don't are 1) not wanting to be the recipient of abuse and 2) fear of being sacked if there are complaints about any intervention they dared to make.

I also wonder how many workers in difficult situations know what they can do, are expected to do and what backing they'd get from management if they did get involved.

I know as a customer I would be very careful about speaking to the parents about their children's behaviour for fear of being attacked.

I'm not so bothered about any verbal come back there are other forms of reprisals and for staff they still have to carry on with their job after any abuse. May be that's why they don't get involve.

Would it be worth be physical abuse or having your business/ property damaged ? Something that has to be considered in situations such as this.

If children are that badly behaved what are the parents really like ?

Too many unknowns these days I don't blame the staff for not getting involved.

It's sad, it's annoying and some behaviours may even put other people in danger but there would have to be a real chance of someone being hurt before I said anything.

Are those parents/Adults being unreasonable in allowing disruptive behaviours? Yes, IMO they are.

Would I stick my neck out? Only in exceptional circumstances.

Therefore, I would Not expect staff to make challenges that I wouldn't make.

The staff have to be in their place of work every shift not just for the duration of any group of customers and may have had to endure worse behaviour than disrupts our visits.

So as annoying as disruptive behaviour is I don't think it is "Safe" or reasonable to expect "staff" to address the behaviour of others. Too many risks these days.

Now I remember why I prefer takeaways!

True. But then they are making it the problem of their other paying customers, which also isn't fair.

I have had so many meals out ruined by screaming babies, unruly children, loud drunk adults, screechy hen parties etc.

I would imagine that the staff would have learnt by now that the kind of parents who allow their children to behave in such a selfish way are also likely to be extremely unpleasant when asked to do something about it.

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

Maybe they’re afraid of the mouthful of abuse they might receive? I’ve read about parents going into schools, for example, to upbraid teachers for simply telling their children off.