Yep, this pretty much says it all from the waitress’ (waiter’s) point of view.
As one of the patrons who has these little terrors all around no matter what restaurant I end up in I side squarely with the author on this one. With much more money (or extended credit, I’m really not sure) than courtesy or common sense, folks are increasingly taking their kids with them to under the impression that it will “teach them social graces” or that they can continue to live life in exactly the same manner as before their children were on the scene.
If I want to avoid screaming sports fans (sometimes I might like it) I don’t go to sports bars, if I want to avoid naked women (actually this has never been a concern..) I don’t go to strip clubs, if I want to avoid cigar smoke, I don’t go to humidors. But there is NO PLACE that I can go to avoid someone inflicting their progeny on others. There doesn’t appear to be any price strata or any social environment that folks won’t bring them to.
C’mon parents! These kids have the attention span of a gadfly and the social graces of Godzilla. What makes you think that they can endure an hour-long meal that you feel that you’ve earned for yourseves? The parents are the cause, but the kids are the symptom. If you want a pleasant, classy meal out. Leave the kids behind. If you can’t, well… sorry, you really should’ve kept it in your pants…. your life has changed.
I haven’t read the whole thing yet (work does call) but I really, really, really look forward to it, just from the heading alone!