The recent decision by a New Jersey restaurant to ban entry of children below 10 years received mixed reactions. Mumbai’s top restaurateurs weigh in on the divisive matter
A child’s tantrum can spoil the eating out experience for the rest
Have you ever come across restaurants that prominently mention a ‘no children’ policy? While it might not be common in India’s F&B scene, many global restaurants are quite vocal about it. Take, for example, a recent development at Nettie’s House of Spaghetti, an Italian restaurant in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, that imposed a new rule disallowing the entry of children below the age of 10 years. They cited reasons ranging from messing with the space to running around in the restaurant for this decision. This has received mixed reactions on the Internet, including people from the industry closer to home.
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Niyati Rao
Niyati Rao, chef-founder of Ekaa, believes that every decision taken by an F&B establishment that might seem unorthodox stems from personal experiences that the team might have undergone. “I don’t think it originated from any malicious intent, but rather purely from a perspective of providing the best experience and service to the customers, while keeping their vision and ideation intact. It’s all about perspective and understanding. We don’t have to agree with all the decisions, but to expect a complete change in decisions, there should be a rational two-way conversation between diners and the establishments.”
As many of us may have experienced, a perfectly planned evening can easily be ruined by the shrieking tantrum of a child or a bunch of children running around and creating a ruckus. Restaurateur AD Singh, founder and managing director, Olive Bar & Kitchen Pvt Ltd., is a doting father to kids Zoe Tara, 11, and five-year-old Zen Aditya Singh. Both aren’t allowed at his restaurants, except for Sunday brunches or during the daytime. That’s because there’s a no-kids-under-12-in-the-evenings policy that Singh has adopted since he started Olive in Mumbai 20 years ago. “When I started Olive, I was very clear of it being a space where one would like to have a meal out and where they can dine or relax. With kids around, that isn’t possible. The only place we make an exception is, Goa because most customers there are tourists who are holidaying and may not have the option to leave their children behind, so we cut them some slack.”
Sameer Seth
The Bombay Canteen (TBC) and O Pedro also have a no-under-18 policy on Friday and Saturday evenings. Sameer Seth, founder and CEO, Hunger Inc. Hospitality says, “On these days, most people are out for a meal and having children around can be distracting. We check for this during reservations on the phone or at the door, and politely decline entry. For all other times, they are welcome. At TBC, we even have a children’s menu, high chairs, etc. This ensures our diner parents are less stressed about what the kids will have and everyone on the table has a good time,” he adds.
The tough part
While most customers, who are parents, understand and adhere to the policy, some can be rude and unreasonable with their demands. “Some patrons think the only way to get heard is to shout but my managers know they have my full backing on this policy and so, they continue to politely turn away the rude customers. If it is someone making a reservation on the phone, we do suggest other places they can go to that allow children, but we have turned away a lot of people due to this,” reveals Singh.
Seth echoes the thought, “When someone is angry, they want to be heard; so our staff hears them out and has a polite conversation explaining to them why we have the policy in the first place. Having that conversation is important and being empathetic is the first rule of hospitality,” he adds.
Same for all
At Ekaa, there is no such rule. “However, we request our patrons to maintain decorum, especially when it comes to infants and toddlers. We have special provisions in place so that mothers and their children are comfortable but at the same time, people who have come to our establishment for a conceptual meal and experience must not feel the slightest disturbance,” Rao asserts.
AD Singh
She feels that just like children, adults can also cause disturbances, and so, similar action is taken across age groups. “One can’t expect a young diner to give two and half hours of their time to have a meal without distractions, or the curiosity to explore the area. In support, we try to get them to the kitchen to show them around, to talk with them. It is unfair to expect that amount of attention at such a young age. In fact, we’ve had cases where a few young diners remain engaged with their dining experiences. Luckily, we have a young team that is full of energy, and that is how we prefer to create a bond with our young diners as well,” she summarises.
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