Crying Baby in Restaurant

KKinATX · January 2014

What do you guys think about this? While I understand the parent's predicament (sitter cancelled at the last minute), if I'm going to be spending a minimum of $210 a person I'd want to enjoy my meal without my baby. And even as a parent, if I'm at a restaurant paying $210 I don't want to listen to someone else's crying baby. BUT restaurant patrons have to purchase tickets to the restaurant ahead of time and they are non-refundable, so if you cancel at the last minute you're about $400+. Let's discuss.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-alinea-crying-baby-20140114,0,6581340,full.story

jackson290721 · January 2014

I think any place that serves my food on a pillow is way to fancy for me.

jackson290721 · January 2014

MissConstrued said:
I would be asking everyone and anyone to watch my baby. Don't take your baby to alinea. Just don't.

Yeah if I was out 500$ and had to wait months to go again, I would have had 5 baby sitters for the night, just in case.

valstulas · January 2014

I'm not familiar with Alinea and I'm not in the habit of dropping $200+ per patron on dinner (although I wish I was!).

That said, if I was going out for a nice dinner and my sitter canceled on me last minute, I might still try it. If my baby started fussing, I would take him out of the restaurant quickly. It's one thing at an Olive Garden, but quite another at a fine dining establishment.

Pink724 · January 2014

I think this line from the article sums up my thinking:

Subber said if a parent takes the chance of bringing a baby to a nice restaurant, knowing when to call it quits should be part of the arrangement.

DH and I went to Daniel for our first anniversary, spending upwards of $1K on (the most delicious) dinner. About halfway through our meal, a couple sat down next to us with two kids, one around 3 and the other less than 1. They were extremely well behaved, and both fell asleep about half an hour in.

Would I bring my children to a dinner like that? Hell no, but if someone else chooses to, and they're not disruptive, it's not a problem to me.

chiboo9 · January 2014

Alinea is really just not a place for a baby. I would've had backup babysitters if I had tickets to get to Alinea.

KKinATX · January 2014

jackson290721 said:

I would be asking everyone and anyone to watch my baby. Don't take your baby to alinea. Just don't.
Yeah if I was out 500$ and had to wait months to go again, I would have had 5 baby sitters for the night, just in case.

Yeah, agreed. I'd have some back up plans or be trying every way possible to exchange tickets. Apparently on the restaurant's FB page patrons can swap tickets, so it seems like they could have found someone else willing to buy the tix from them.

I also would NEVER spend that much on a meal. Personally, I could take a vacation for the cost of that one meal, but if you're into fine dining and can afford, obviously this would be a special experience for you. But like Val said, I'd be out of there in a heartbeat if my baby started crying. I would not want to be that person ruining it for everyone else. This isn't Applebee's!

macncheese0712 · January 2014

Honestly, I probably wouldn't buy such expensive non refundable tickets. I can barely plan dinner for tonight let alone plan months in advance.

We've only taken DS to dinner twice. We went at 5 on a Tuesday and requested patio seating. Evenings are still rough for us and it's not fun to go out to eat with a grumpy baby.

valstulas · January 2014

I just asked SO for his perspective as someone who works in the food service industry. He said, "Hell yeah, I'd take my baby. Cuz I'm selfish like that."

pantsarella · January 2014

I think you're fine to bring a baby anywhere that doesn't say "no diners under X age". But as the parent you're responsible for any disruptions they cause. And yeah, babies might cry. Be the parent and pick the baby up, walk it around, take it outside if you have to. Sure, you paid $500 for a reservation but so did everyone else in the restaurant. I think the restaurant has every right to ask the parents to maintain the atmosphere of the restaurant or leave. It's not like being on a plane where you can't get off.

Honestly, I don't want to hear my own child cry while I'm eating leftovers much less someone else's baby cry over a $500 meal.

jackson290721 · January 2014

somerandomchick said:
But yeah if we went, DH would be outside/in the bathroom bouncing Ros while his lamb!!!!!???!!!!! got cold.

(On Parenting they posted a menu for this place... Ridiculous...)

I could not stop laughing at the lamb!!!!!?????!!!!!

I don't want to eat lamb regardless. But I really don't want to eat excited, yelling. questionable lamb.

[Deleted User] · January 2014

That's part of being a parent I guess. I wouldn't have taken my LO with me and it would've sucked losing that money but... they should've planned it better.

heyhaylee · January 2014

Just no. I would not bring my baby to a place I paid that much for food. I would also be VERY mad if I was sitting next to someone who had brought their baby who cried, and to be honest just bringing their kid in general. If I'm paying that much, that means i want a nice night out.
Me and my DH have a set rule that if our LO starts to cry, even at a family restaurant, one of us walks outside until she calms down, and if she doesn't, we get a to go box and leave.
We have only had to do this once, but still.

Liz4444 · January 2014

I've never been to Chicago, so I've never been there, but I've been to many similar restaurants in NYC and no, it is not appropriate to bring a baby.

Dubs1978 · January 2014

I am with most of the posters here, there are places that are not appropriate for babies. We take our LO to restaurants frequently, but always family places. And like others have said - we are ready to leave if we need to go. It isn't fair to subject other people to your baby's crying.

Liz4444 · January 2014

mainerocks said:
Sort of on topic, my oldest kid was always awesome in restaurants. We started taking him when he was a baby and he's always been so well behaved. He's a quiet kid, and especially shy in public, so he's always been easy to take along anywhere. Only once did he start to cry, maybe around 1.5 or 2 years old? I immediately took him outside while MH paid the bill.

Also, my oldest niece lives in the city and often goes to the museum of art, fancy restaurants, etc. She's an extremely well behaved kid and I doubt people even notice there is a child there the majority of the time.

My parents would take me with them to fancy places like this, but they didn't start until I was about 8 or so and was able to appreciate the experience.

PrimRoseMama · January 2014

I think the owner could have made a one-time exception to allow this couple to reschedule. Then again it sets prescendence (sp?).

If I'm paying this much to eat out I want to do so without a crying loin fruit.

If it were me I probably would have just eaten the $ loss & stayed home.

Aiylin · January 2014

A three michelin star resteraunt? Yeah,, no offense love my baby, but I wouldn't take him there.

I'm trying to convince hubby to go there for our anniversary in June, but he says he wants real food and not a a show... bummer.

Agreed babies/kids do not belong at Alinea...

ljs4117 · January 2014

Eh, I can hardly have serious input, that's how ridiculous I think it is to spend so much on one dinner. I can't imagine what they'd have to do to make it worth the $200 (personal male dancers at each table? A juggling chimp? I dunno).

I've spent $50 on a plate before and it made me a little sick to think about. But I'm cheap like that.

I guess if I did spend $200 I wouldn't be too pleased if the baby at the next table was screaming the whole time.

karen0477 · January 2014

Nope, not a baby, never. If I knew tickets were that much , I would have 2 back up plans because as we all know once you have a baby shit can happen.....there's no way I would want to miss out on that expensive a meal if my baby was suddenly having an off day.....

Aiylin · January 2014

etoille said:

Aiylin said:

A three michelin star resteraunt? Yeah,, no offense love my baby, but I wouldn't take him there.

I'm trying to convince hubby to go there for our anniversary in June, but he says he wants real food and not a a show... bummer.

Agreed babies/kids do not belong at Alinea...

It is real food but there is a LOT of show.

Its an experience. I mean I don't run around and compare food to Alinea - that would be insane. But the tofu in dashi broth acting as scallop was amazing. They prepared the dashi table side in some sort of evap machine.

Its a hobby. Some people sink money into fixing up old cars or collecting stuff. Obviously most folks aren't eating at Alinea every night.

For DH and I food and wine is (was) a hobby of ours.

Is it for everyone? No. But neither is ballet, opera, or baseball.

I'll have to mention this to him, I'm a foodie. I like checking out the new and trying different things. I've tried all of the Rick Bayliss joints on Clark and that awesome newer place mercadito with gourmet mexican yum... But when we went to the Pump room, that ruined it for him. I don't even remember what he ordered, but it was not "real food" and both of our plates were absolutely gross.

Alinea though, would be coold just for the experience. Even if it wasn't real food or if it didn't fill us up, I mean that's what the wine is for right? lol.

I've also been dying to try Indian food. He won't go there.. Sounds like a girls night to me... Anyone up for curry? (I've never had it before....)

chiboo9 · January 2014

@Aiylin Mmmm, looooove Indian food! If you haven't had it before, I'd suggest going to a lunch buffet, just so you can try a variety. Make sure you get extra naan bread. So good!

Aiylin · January 2014

@chiboo9 any Indian lunch buffet recommendations? I hope they're not like chinese buffets, because I don't fair well at those joins. I seriously eat shrimp and bananas and egg rolls.

jackson290721 · January 2014

But they serve it on a pillow???? I mean, what the fuck? A nutmeg pillow. Just say that, nutmeg pillow. I just can't.

KKinATX · January 2014

etoille said:

NKaeding said:

@etoille, Bayless at ORD is as good as the real restaurants. Considered top airport restaurant in the country. The ORD version is as good as the version at XOCO.

This is the sandwich I always get: https://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=273

I wish I knew this two springs ago

I don't know when we are going back to CHicago but I do think when we go next time its going to be flying. (Fuck driving).

Totally unrelated to restaurants.... flying is the way to go for longer trips. Honestly, flying with a baby is not that hard. It's actually easier the younger they are. And you have to take advantage before they turn 2 and you have to start buying their ticket.

Lelo2006 · January 2014

There is no way I would take the baby with me. I would have my husband take one of his friends and I would stay home with the baby. Then I would make him pay for $200 in spa treatments for me

chiboo9 · January 2014

Aiylin said:

@chiboo9 any Indian lunch buffet recommendations? I hope they're not like chinese buffets, because I don't fair well at those joins. I seriously eat shrimp and bananas and egg rolls.

@Aiylin You live in the city, right? I've been to Tiffin on Devon Ave a couple of times. I've also been to Viceroy, also on Devon. You basically can't go wrong on Devon Ave for Indian cuisine. Both of these places I've been to have the lunch buffet. My first time with Indian food was at a lunch buffet and I loved it because I got to try a wide variety of dishes instead of getting stuck with one single entree that I may not enjoy. Make sure you also get samosas for apps. Soooo good!!

Sorry for hijacking your thread, OP!

lrichmond86 · January 2014

If we take dd to even a chain restaurant like chili's or panera and she starts crying I take her out. I would never bring her to a fancy restaurant. I wouldn't even enjoy my meal if I did, worrying she would fuss.

arlingirl · January 2014

Man, I almost lost it when we went to a local steakhouse and they offered me four different types of water and I just wanted tap. Wtf. I am clearly not a foodie. Sorry, I love watching food shows, but this pretentious shit bugs the hell out of me. Gross. Taco Bell ftw. DH and I went to red lobster and spent over $50...that's pricey for us.

arlingirl · January 2014

And I don't know if you can compare a dinner to a performance unless there's a stage with someone cooking my damn food. Bringing a crying baby or talking during a stage performance is completely effing difference. And I'm speaking as a performer, too. It's sooooo distracting. OMG...

lancomechica · January 2014

Alinea...never been. I did take my baby to the Inn at Little Washington to eat for my birthday. When he was an inside baby. There is like no way on the world a baby should be in there. It's on the worlds top restaurants list.

Any DMVers been there?

theuntaggablek · January 2014

1. If you can plan ahead and afford a meal like that, you can plan and afford > 1 sitter.

2. I would never bring a baby because I would not be able to enjoy the experience. I would be freaked out the she time about how baby was behaving.

(But then, I probably wouldn't be able to enjoy the meal anyways, knowing the two of us were spending about as much as snap benefits for a family of four for two months in a single sitting. Or many other of the world's families for a year.)

3. I have foodie inclinations too, but I would rather use that $ to hire a chef to buy a load of stuff at the farmer's market from my fave local vendors and cook it for us....and some close friends...in our house. Or maybe we could upgrade our cookware to le creuset. I know it would be just as unequal...but I just don't like the performative aspect of going out to a place like that.

Lelo2006 · January 2014

maryannespier said:
Someday when I go to The French Laundry I will not bring my baby.

So good.

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