Leave your damned screaming kids at home

[CoolBreeze]

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WECT) - A restaurant in Carolina Beach is stirring up controversy over a couple of signs reading, "Screaming children will not be tolerated."

The owner of the Olde Salty restaurant, Brenda Armes, is tired of having her customers complain to her about children misbehaving and screaming when others are trying to enjoy a quiet meal.

Armes says the signs have worked.

"It has been a good thing for us," Armes said. "It has brought us in more customers than it has ever kept away."

Gary Gibson was dining at the restaurant for the first time and agrees with Armes.

"It's not very enjoyable when you hear a bunch of kids screaming. It's nice to see a sign like that up," Gibson said.

While many are for the rule, some families are against it.

"I've never seen a restaurant say, don't bring your screaming kids in here," said Ashley Heflin, who is a mom of two. "You can't help it if your kids scream."

Armes says that if a child is screaming, a restaurant employee will ask the parent to take them outside to calm down. They will not be asked to leave the restaurant for good.

"We want to attract the type of people that come in knowing they aren't going to have to sit behind a table with a bunch of screaming children," Armes said.

For two decades, I have always changed seating when the hostess attempts to seat me near kids. If I wanted a family of screaming kids, I would have gotten married. (again)

[Big Media]

I have been on both sides of this debate and I can certainly understand the restaurant's position. I typically take my kids only to places that I know are relatively kid friendly and we are usually seated with other families with children so as to cause too much disruption to the kidless.

However, a privately owned restaurant in Walt Disney World is another example of a restaurant that is not kid friendly. There is a very prominent sign at the host stand that reads "We Do Not Have Children's Menus" It is very effective in getting the point across.

[Lester]

As the proud owner of way too many kids... I do see behavior that baffles me.

First off, I'm totally OK with the owners right to refuse service. Hell, they're even giving you the opportunity to dine with your child ASSUMING YOU CAN CONTROL THEM.

My kid starts acting a fool, they get snatched up so quick they don't remember to cry anymore.

Why do restaurants insist on distributing the kids evenly? An example was the Outback Steakhouse. They managed to put kids in every corner of the room, even though when we were seated, there were seats near another table with kids... and available tables near us (and them) when the next group came in, and so on and so on. It seems like it would be in everyone's best interest to attempt to make an effort to corral the kids, not disperse them.

[The Interpreter]

Why? Because families with kids are notoriously known for being poor tippers, and no server wants them concentrated in his/her area, understandably. Next!

[genlock]

Solution: Allow kids in, publish a kids menu with really high prices.

[Lester]

Why? Because families with kids are notoriously known for being poor tippers, and no server wants them concentrated in his/her area, understandably. Next!

I was not aware... to think of all the years I've been ripping myself off.

[The Interpreter]

TIP=To Insure Promptness.

If you have been tipping well for years, servers probably fight to get your table.

Years ago, I worked food service. I tip well, and I normally get very good service.

On the other hand, I IMMEDIATELY walk out of any establishment I go into if the seater looks at me and says "Just one." You see, singles are known as even worse tippers than are families with kids. Go figure.

[Big Media]

On the other hand, I IMMEDIATELY walk out of any establishment I go into if the seater looks at me and says "Just one." You see, singles are known as even worse tippers than are families with kids. Go figure.

Sit your ass down at the bar with the rest of the singles and stop hogging the six tops.

[AmpedNow]

Well, we have ruled out families with children and singles.

All that's left is old people and the Sunday church crowd.

Have fun living off of those quarter tips.

[Bob Campbell]

Well, we have ruled out families with children and singles.

All that's left is old people and the Sunday church crowd.

Have fun living off of those quarter tips.

At least you'll be cleaned up and closed by 6:30.

[Big Media]

On the other hand, I IMMEDIATELY walk out of any establishment I go into if the seater looks at me and says "Just one." You see, singles are known as even worse tippers than are families with kids. Go figure.

Sit your ass down at the bar with the rest of the singles and stop hogging the six tops.

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