Reader: If I Saw a Sign Saying Kids Cannot Come In, I'd Talk to the Owner -- and a Lawyer

Old Fisherman's Grotto, a bustling California tourist attraction, recently posted a sign prohibiting strollers, high chairs, booster seats, loud kids and crying babies. While some parents complained, Jenn Wohletz applauded the move by restaurant owner Chris Shake, and offered her own five reasons why cranky kids should be banned from...

By Patricia Calhoun

August 7, 2014

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Old Fisherman's Grotto, a bustling California tourist attraction, recently posted a sign prohibiting strollers, high chairs, booster seats, loud kids and crying babies. While some parents complained, Jenn Wohletz applauded the move by restaurant owner Chris Shake, and offered her own five reasons why cranky kids should be banned from dining establishments. The discussion of that story just topped 200 comments -- with no end in sight. See Also: Five Reasons to Ban Disruptive Children From Restaurants

Says Matt:

This is a free country.... Businesses need to accommodate parents. If I saw a sign saying my kids cannot come with me, I'd talk to the owner with a lawyer!

Counters Ann:

I agree that loud unruly kids with irresponsible parents should be asked to leave. We took our little kids to nice restaurants. We had snacks, quiet activities and expectations. If our kids were restless, we took them out of the restaurant. They were frequently complimented on their good manners.

And we'll give the last word -- for now -- to Bryan:

Every person on this thread was a kid once and was probably a jerk at a restaurant.

For many, more comments, go to Jenn Wohletz's original post. And if you're a parent looking for a place where your kids will be welcome, see our Ten Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Denver, created last month after controversy erupted over Stapleton parents taking their kids to a local craft-beer spot.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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