No Kids Allowed, But Dogs Welcome In Australian Restaurant

Ahhh, you gotta those Aussies. If they aren’t wrestling crocodiles, swimming in Great White territory, or slaving over their barbie, they’re banning kids from their eateries. Yep, a restaurateur in Yungaburra, North Queensland decided he was mad as hell and wasn’t going to take it anymore so he is disallowing kids less than seven years of age. And here’s the best part – he’s permitting dogs of any age! Well, I wonder what message he’s trying to send.

It seems the decision was made following a particularly nasty incident with a parent. When a toddler refused to settle down, mom and dad decided to wait it out rather than deal with it. Eventually owner Liam Flynn came out, asked if they could take their wee wailer outside his tiny 40-seat eatery until he calmed, and was met with a tirade of expletives in response. So I guess their answer was no?

Related: Craft Brewery Kickstarter Aims To Serve Pints And Help Pups

Anyway, the couple took to Trip Advisor in a bid to bad-mouth the restaurant and gain a following of like-minded parents. Social media frenzy followed of course, and Flynn became hero or heretic, depending on who you sided with.

Now I’ve worked in restaurants and fussing kids are as common as bread on the table. But whether those families received sympathy or disdain from fellow diners was down to how hard they tried to mediate the situation. Letting the kiddie continue unchecked shows a lack of respect for other diners – regardless of what the books say. And of course any food and beverage manager worth his salt will confirm that coloring books, crayons, puzzles, and even crackers go a long way in avoiding the build-up to a meltdown.

Related: New York Senate Votes For Bill Allowing Dogs In Outdoor Dining Areas

But I digress. Back to North Queensland. The decision to ban children under seven from their diner was made within minutes of the family’s departure and Flynn has no regrets. A posting on their Facebook site claims it’s in response to negative feedback from patrons who are tired of screaming babies. “… it is down to basic social skills, we do not feel that we should be teaching parents how to handle their children.” As at time of writing, 3,604 people have liked his post.

While there is no mention of whether the inclusion of Rover was already in place or was added as a little dig at some of the outraged parents, it doesn’t appear to have eroded his clientele. Shortly after the article ran Flynn enjoyed his most profitable weekend in 14 years.

So let’s look at the advantages to dining with your pooch over a kiddie:

1. No tantrums. But they do tend to give you those long, disappointed glances when they don’t get their way.
2. No tying up the bathroom with potty breaks. A hedge will do nicely, thanks.
3. No need for the aforementioned coloring books and distractions. A warm sun spot on the floor keeps him happy.
4. No need for special menus that include chicken fingers and plum sauce. He’ll happily eat a version of whatever you’re having or spend the evening chewing on a soup bone.
5. No running around the restaurant. See #3 re: sun spot.

What’s your opinion? Ban kids and bring on the dogs? Which would you rather sit beside during your meal? We go for a doggie date, every time!

[Source: Business Insider Australia]