I often notice that parents ignore their child’s crying because they believe if they react to the tantrum then the child will keep having more tantrums. One little rule to remember; life lessons between you and your child are not meant to take place at a fine dining restaurant! A tantrum maybe tolerated if the parent and child were at home, but it is not fine in the center of the a public dining room.
As a server, I frequently find myself serving families with children. When a server sees a family with young children and infants walk through the the dining room door, they pray that the table will not be in their section. We do not enjoy babysitting and waiting tables at the same time. Look it’s hard to do! Commonly I find myself taking orders from parents that look like they have not slept in a year and children that have more energy than all of mankind combined.
Families that are eating at a nice restaurant with children should view their dining experience as if they were taking a plane ride for two hours. Parents, your child must stay seated in their seat for two hours, this means booties glued to the chair unless prior parental authorization is granted! No running of the aisles terrorizing the other passengers and pulling on the flight attendant’s uniform. 
In the CNN.com article ”Ensuring a Smooth Plane Ride With your Kids“, (parents) some of their tips are perfect for dining out with your children. One of the tips is Don’t Pretend. Don’t pretend your child is being quiet when it is actually being very rude to you and the other customers in the restaurant. Another great tip is Do Tell. Do tell your child to sit down and be nice. They are actually humans too, and should understand.
Most fine dining restaurants do not have coloring books for your children to be entertained with and most do not specifically cater to young children, but they will do their best. If you have crayons and coloring books be sure to bring them. Most restaurants will prepare something for your child that may not be on the menu. You just need to ask your server beforehand if they have anything for kids. It may not be on the menu, but they want to make you and your family happy.
I find myself and other servers refreshed to serve a family with children that are polite. Families that come into the restaurant that are delighted to be dining out and having a wonderful meal, is simply great! The server really wants the family to have a wonderful meal and to meet every last one of their needs. One misbehaving child can not only ruin their families dinning experience, but also everyone in the restaurants as well. May I take your order?
1 response so far ↓
Kriss // September 18, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Can you imagine me taking five kids by myself to a restaurant that has service other then, “would that be a girl or a boy happy meal?” I am a mom who brings her all of her clan into a place like Boston’s and I am prepared. I remember getting thanked by a few servers because they did not feel overwhelmed and the panic that set in when we walked in went away. Be prepared! If you want to take the kids out or go out with your kids, be prepared! Do not ignore them, take a walk outside, or in the bathroom, calm them down or ask for your food to go. No one else wants to be part of your “Family Fun” episode