Posted on 01/15/2014 4:05:37 AM PST by JoeProBono
CHICAGO, A couple dining at an upscale Chicago restaurant were sharply criticized online when their infant spent the evening crying at the eatery.
Chef Grant Achatz of the Alinea restaurant took to Twitter with a question about crying baby etiquette after the infant cried though the dinner service Saturday night at the three-star restaurant, where meals can cost hundreds of dollars, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Tuesday.
"Tbl brings 8mo.Old. It cries. Diners mad. Tell ppl no kids? Subject diners 2crying? Ppl take infants 2 plays? Concerts? Hate saying no, but ...," Achatz tweeted.
The tweet sparked sharp criticism online for the parents, who many said should have known better than to bring an infant to an upscale restaurant.
"IT IS ABSURD TO BRING YOUR BABY TO ALINEA," tweeted Michael Nagrant, who reviews restaurants for RedEye. "You do not take a baby to Alinea. Unless the babysitter canceled last minute and Alinea would not refund your ticket. No other debate."
The restaurant takes reservations by allowing customers to purchase tickets, sometimes months in advance. The tickets are not refundable.
Achatz posted a picture to Twitter Sunday featuring two fish heads on a plate.
"Definitely not baby food," he tweeted.
The furor over the incident led to the creation of a Twitter parody account, @AlineaBaby, which bears a user bio saying, "I'm a baby who likes fine food, fine drinks, and crying."
“There is nothing to be ashamed of in enjoying your food: there would be everything to be ashamed of if half the world made food the main interest of their lives and spent their time looking at pictures of food and dribbling and smacking their lips.
C.S. Lewis
Maybe there’s a market for high end dining for people who want to bring their kids and it would only allow families. Maybe even have a small play room for parents to take cranky children or even a sitter type person?
I grew up with twin brothers, seven years older. I do not recall our parents ever taking us out in the evening. I can not speak for my brothers, but I know I always had a sitter when my parents went out. Yuppies are a new breed of spoiled pseudo elitist brats. They think that the world spins around them.
“I” am entitled to a perfect life!
That said, people who refuse to discipline their kids not only influct their unruliness on society, but actually hate them. Look it up in Proverbs. Proverbs 13:24 (KJV) He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (promptly, diligently). Proverbs 19:18 (KJV) Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
A number of years ago while on a ski trip to Lake Tahoe with a number of friends, we were having dinner in a restaurant at the top of a casino there.
At an extended table next to ours sat 3 couples with about 4 kids. Believe it or not, these kids were actually running around the restaurant, around the tables chasing each other. It didn't take long for me to stand up and shout at them "you kids get your asses over to your table, sit down and shut up!"
I then glared at the parents and you should have seen the look on their faces. As soon as the kids ran back to their table, the parents got up and left with them.......not a word was said by them.
Never have I witnessed the uncontrolled behavior of kids such as them before........And the parents were allowing it to happen.
My daughter lives in Australia, Canberra. While there is no posted policy restaurants make it difficult to accommodate children. There are no high chairs or booster seats and no kid’s menu. Evening dining is expected to be for ADULTS only.
Considerate, sane people don’t bring infants or toddlers to upscale restaurants.
The only thing they could? I thinking you are missing another option there, i.e. not making there problem everyone else's problem.
ROFLMAO!! Reviews restaurants for Redeye? Do you all know what Redeye is? It's the FREE version of the failed/failing Chicago Sun Times. This guy may get read by all of about 100 people in the entire city.
Restaurant critic? I think not!
I understand your frustration with badly behaving children, but the use of the word spawn to refer to children makes you sound like a self-centered, godless liberal. Let me guess, you’re also for abortion?
Right. Because children should neither be seen or heard.
Glad you were born a fully functioning adult rather than a child yourself are ya?
I really don’t like eating in restaurants.
Once when I was on vacation at Estes Park with kids we walked up to what looked like a nice restaurant and they wouldn’t even let us in. No kids.
I come from a Catholic family. We love babies and we are not flummoxed by babies in church, babies everywhere. What is life all about?
Anyone that refers to a baby as “it” is on my S list too.
So if you want my money for your hoity toity 6 oz salmon, you will accept me with my child if I want, or I will find a better place that can actually extend the hospitality I am willing to pay for.
Raising children is draining and if we all want to go out for a nice dinner and not leave the kids behind with an axe murderer or child abuser just so the selfish people don’t have to be reminded how empty their lives of self are, we will find a place where we can do that.
My reply was intended for JoeProBono, not you.
what an ass you made of yourself
I can live with it.......
“You do not take a baby to Alinea. Unless the babysitter canceled last minute and Alinea would not refund your ticket. No other debate.”
I would agree with this. Perhaps Alinea should reconsider their refund policy or make it clear—no refunds and absolutely no children allowed.
If you’ve paid good money in advance for the seats and there is nothing stating *no children*, then I can’t blame the couple for trying not to lose their investment. The crying... well, I wouldn’t have been comfortable letting my child disturb everybody.
I do think the chef is a vain jackazz for taking the matter to Twitter. What is it? Fine dining or reality TV dining? Vote them off the island or what? He could have offered them another date if they left or just stayed mum and changed his policy. No, he needed to have the whole world join him in his tantrum and frustration.
Vain little twit.
You’re wrong in one respect. Air flights. Sometimes people have a legitimate reason to travel, and must brings children. Been there done that. Misbehaved brats is one thing, but when you’re flying with an 8 month old there really isn’t much you can do. Have some compassion.
These upscale restaurants don’t have as much common sense as the local Hometown Buffet and Golden Corral. They both have rooms for groups. When those rooms aren’t being used, they put families with loud kids in them.
So the people who don't want an out of control brat or a wailing baby at the next table are the selfish ones?
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