Restaurant Sparks Debate After Banning Strollers, High Chairs, And Crying Kids

One restaurant in Monterey, California is getting a lot of angry reviews from customers over at Yelp. Apparently, some people are unhappy that The Old Fisherman’s Grotto is strictly implementing a ban against booster seats, high chairs, strollers, and noisy children.

Those who do not abide, according to the restaurant, will be asked to leave. Not surprisingly, the policy has attracted mixed reactions from netizens and some are labeling it as ‘anti-child’.

One Yelp user wrote:

“I’ve been to that restaurant and I couldn’t believe it when I read that sign. It’s so confrontational and rude. How are you supposed to have a nice meal when you’re spending the whole time worrying about getting kicked out because the kids make a noise?”

A mother also said:

“Whoa. I’ve never seen this before. I’m canceling my reservation at the restaurant after seeing this picture on Yelp.”

In a KTVU interview, restaurant owner Chris Shake defended that most of the negative feedback they’re receiving are from people who are against the sign – not the policy itself.

He said:

“We have many families who dine with us with their children who are well behaved and understand our policy with respect to other diners.”

And yes, he has no plans of lifting the ban just to please critics.

As the Old Fisherman’s Grotto official website tells us:

“We adopted our children’s policy in 2011 to provide an overall enhanced dining experience for guests who frequently dine at the restaurant, by giving them an alternative place to eat on Fisherman’s Wharf that has a quiet atmosphere.

“At Old Fisherman’s Grotto, we strive to give all of our guests the best dining experience possible and our policy relating to children was put in place to enhance the experience of all our diners with and without children. We welcome families with children and we serve many every day, we only ask that they abide by our rules.”

Meanwhile, there are also those who actually like the policy.

A customer commented:

“I really don’t understand why you parents don’t just take your kids to McDonald’s or Chuck-E-Cheese where they could scream all they want.”

Another pointed out:

“People without kids have the same rights as people with noisy kids and we deserve to eat in peace. We’re paying good money, we don’t want to listen to some kid having a tantrum.”