It's saddening for me to see that many people nowadays are associating kids to be like brats who cry, and run around disturbing people from other tables - when all of us were once kids. To classified all of them as such is that of a myopic view to start off with.

Ever experienced a bunch of rowdy adults who are half drank and laugh their butts off over every silly joke with roaring hilarity in a FINE dining restaurant? I did, and let me assume you that they are as distracting and irritating and probably harder to deal with than a wailing kid, oh or do all adults only indulge in adult conversations and clanking of their cutleries?

Seems to me that if one pays more one is only right to enjoy their ambience at a fine dining restaurant - so could a dad say that for his "trained" son as well?

Before I move on, let me say that I am all for your suggestion that if a parent deem that their kids are "not well-trained", they should leave their kids at home with a nanny and head off to a fine dining place themselves. But that responsibility should fall on the parents and not the restaurants - why should the restaurants be imposing their ideas of exclusivity on the parents, or the kid for that matter - oh especially since imposing on others seem to be a wrong thing to begin with. If a writer cannot have the audacity to highlight a situation in the F&B industry - what more the audacity of restaurants to suggest to parents of what to do with their kids and where they shouldn't be dining at?

To continue, money is not everything - because a billionaire dad could do so for his kid as well. And if you think kid under 6 being banned from fine dining is bad, today's TNP wrote that Prive is discriminating kids under 12 from their restaurants - the poor child has to wait another 7 more years to enjoy dining next to the lovely seaview for whom the rich dad can afford to treat him to. And whoever said age doesn't matter?

Posted by: hisfoodblog at Thu Aug 14 02:16:08 SGT 2008

Parents nowadays..sigh

I think parents are too protective of their kids. Most would just allow their kids to run amok and shrug their shoulders because there is nothing they could do...or so they claim.. the other patrons must put up with it because hey, Singapore loves kids... even misbehaving ones. Patrons who give such parents dirty looks are instantly berated as being unkind, rude and inconsiderate when it should be the other way round. :o

What can we do? We are a tolerant nation. I would actually welcome more of such restaurants because only the restaurants can enforce such a policy where noisy rowdy children are excluded. My friends who are parents tend to dine occasionally at such restaurants sans kids because they want a break from their kids. We need a little peace and quiet especially in this overpopulated little country. I don't blame the restaurant's policy but rather the audacity for the writer to even suggest what the restaurants should or should not do.

Maybe he should also write an article and suggest that all restaurants should allow pets.. etc. :eek:

Posted by: eleana23 at Wed Aug 13 16:32:40 SGT 2008

No kids please we're fine dining

I totally agree with such policies written outside the restaurant that kids can't keep still should refrain from going to such restaurant. I, too come across with kids are crying and screaming in restaurant, it really irritate the patrons.Parents with kids should bring their kids to those so called " family restaurant". I,too have kids myself but I will train them first at home. Nowadays parents seldom scold the kids even though they are noisy.Even some parents don't teach them table manners....I once saw a mother letting the kid to eat the rice with his hand and make the whole floor with rice. After they have left, the poor waitress have to clean them up. It was at the Crystal Jade at Plaza Sing. I think the mother doesn't care because she is paying the 10% service charge.

Posted by: hanabi2008 at Wed Aug 13 15:50:59 SGT 2008

No kids please we're fine dining

The writer is free to dine in any family restaurants. I feel that the writer shouldn't impose his ideas on the exclusive nature of the restaurants. The reason why it is deemed a fine dining experience because you pay more to enjoy the ambience and unwind at the end of the day. The writer claims that the restaurant is not that quiet anyway and hence children should be allowed. I think the sounds of cutlery and adult conversations are more tolerable compared to a wailing child. Why should anyone pay more for this sort of environment when dinner at home with your kids would be cheaper anyway? I suggest parents who want to dine in these restaurants to leave their kids at home and not allow their noisy kids to irritate other fine diners. This would be highly inconsiderate. Let us not bring the great baby debate into every aspects of our lives, even for people who dislike children (Childless individuals and couples pay more taxes than most parents). The writer's comments assume that every living being on this earth must like children. I reiterate, there is no sin to honestly state that you don't like kids. In a tolerant society, I think one must respect the opinions of others. There are many other restaurants where one can bring kids, just leave the adult restaurants to the adults. Having a kid doesn't make you God. Parents ought to know that they cannot have everything in this world. Lastly, the kids won't enjoy themselves in such an environment anyway.

It is terribly naive to assume that by allowing kids to dine at fine dining restaurants, we will have a spike in our birthrates.

Some restaurants want to potray a deliberate image of being exclusive. By allowing kids to dine in with parents would dent its image, sound proof rooms not withstanding. You don't see kids being potrayed in high class luxury condo ads do you? You tend to see "families" being displayed on those mass market launches. Hence, similarly, some restaurants deliberately target certain aspects of the market. You can cry foul and boycott these restaurants, but I am sure they can survive even without your dollar vote cause you are not part of their captive market.

Unfortunately, the childless couples of today are mostly dual high income earners. Being DINKS (dual income no kids) allow such couples to splurge more on luxury items. Inevitably, you will see companies favouring such segments of the market. So sorry parents, your rewards will be your kids... the minster said that nobody actually look back and regret having kids... so take it in your stride..you will just be missing out on a fine dining experience, nothing more.

Posted by: eleana23 at Wed Aug 13 14:41:19 SGT 2008