Mumbai's restaurateurs debate the 'no children' policy by global outlets

Have you ever come across restaurants that prominently mention a lsquono childrenrsquo policy While it might not be common in Indiarsquos FampB scene many global restaurants are quite vocal about it Take for example a recent development at Nettiersquos 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 homeNiyati RaoNiyati Rao cheffounder of Ekaa believes that every decision taken by an FampB establishment that might seem unorthodox stems from personal experiences that the team might have undergone ldquoI donrsquot 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 Itrsquos all about perspective and understanding We donrsquot have to agree with all the decisions but to expect a complete change in decisions there should be a rational twoway conversation between diners and the establishmentsrdquoAs 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 amp Kitchen Pvt Ltd is a doting father to kids Zoe Tara 11 and fiveyearold Zen Aditya Singh Both arenrsquot allowed at his restaurants except for Sunday brunches or during the daytime Thatrsquos because therersquos a nokidsunder12intheevenings policy that Singh has adopted since he started Olive in Mumbai 20 years ago ldquoWhen 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 isnrsquot 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 slackrdquoSameer SethThe Bombay Canteen TBC and O Pedro also have a nounder18 policy on Friday and Saturday evenings Sameer Seth founder and CEO Hunger Inc Hospitality says ldquoOn 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 childrenrsquos 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 timerdquo he addsThe tough partWhile most customers who are parents understand and adhere to the policy some can be rude and unreasonable with their demands ldquoSome 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 thisrdquo reveals SinghSeth echoes the thought ldquoWhen 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 hospitalityrdquo he addsSame for allAt Ekaa there is no such rule ldquoHowever 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 disturbancerdquo Rao assertsAD SinghShe feels that just like children adults can also cause disturbances and so similar action is taken across age groups ldquoOne canrsquot 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 wersquove 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 wellrdquo she summarises