Restaurant: "sorry, we don't have high chairs"

[marsupial-mom]

Would interpret that as a subtle cue that children are not welcome
Or
Would you think they were just stating a fact
?

Would you eat there?

[Knitting Mama]

I would not, because I would assume that it was not a family-friendly establishment. Even if I had brought my Bumbo or something I still wouldn't.

[coldandsleepy]

Is this is a posted sign at the restaurant? Or did you call ahead? Or did you just notice they don't have high chairs or...?

If it's a posted sign, I would assume they are NOT baby friendly.

If I went in and just noticed there wasn't a high chair, I'd sit anyway but make a note of it for the future... whether they're baby friendly or not, I wouldn't want to go back to somewhere where my kid doesn't have anywhere to sit.

If you called ahead and they said no high chair, you could always ask for clarification... are babies welcome if parents provide seating?

[monkeysmommy]

This did happen to me once, and we were starving and didn't know where else to go, so we stayed. They did have booster seats. I tied my baby to her chair with my Maya wrap. I was too hungry to care whether they liked it or not.

[Viola]

If they said it in a way that sounded regretful, I'd just think they were stating a fact. I've been to places that didn't have high chairs for one reason or another, but they were generally accommodating.

[Lauren31]

I would stay if my dd was behaving herself well. I would find it hard to eat there without a high chair personally. I am not so into having DD grab at my or DHs food all night! Also, the bumbo is not really safe to use in a restaurant as it can knock off the chair really easily. We have a portable booster seat that straps onto a chair that is smaller then a bumbo we can bring, if need be.

[WindyCityMom]

Here in Chicago, many establishments don't have high chairs. Ones that don't mind kids included (mostly ethnic restaurants). I don't find it out of the norm but I do avoid eating at those places. I also avoid the places that have one high chair, as I usually find myself needing it and someone else is using it or feeling guilty that I'm using it and someone else needs it also.

[GoBecGo]

My friend has a cafe with only one high chair due to the floor space/seating ratio. Kids are SUPER welcome in his place and he puts out free bread and offers tea for nursing mamas. It's just unfortunate that he can't afford to rent a bigger space. So yes, i would probably eat somewhere where there are no/only one high chair.

[OkiMom]

I wouldn't think one way or the other. Ive gone to many restruants were they didn't have high chairs (might be where I am though) and it isn't that they aren't child friendly they just don't have high chairs. Now if it was a really fancy restruant Id think maybe they don't want children there although most of them are quite open about it from my experience.

I actually have a high chair diaper bag that I keep in the car when the kids are old enough to need a seat but still to young to stay in it without help. When we are out I take that with me when we go in the restruant, saves me from having to wonder how clean their high chairs are.

[Addie]

I don't think it's necessarily a statement that babies aren't welcome. We recently took DS (9.5 mo) to our favorite sushi restaurant and found out they don't have high chairs (we'd been getting takeout since he was born ). We made it work, sat him in a regular chair with DH supporting him, and he had a nice meal of chicken, salmon, rice and tofu. The waitresses and owner all came over to see him. We didn't feel unwelcome at all. That said, we might not go back until he can better sit on his own. But we'll still get takeout.

[Adaline'sMama]

Depends. Is it a new restaurant? Is this a place that had waitresses, or is it a pick your food up at the counter sort of place? It the establishment run by non-americans? I would probably eat there once, and tell someone that if they didnt get some highchairs soon, I wouldnt be back. Of course, if it was a well established restaurant/bar and grille, I would leave and then write a complaint letter to our local newspaper's editorial section.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

My friend has a cafe with only one high chair due to the floor space/seating ratio. Kids are SUPER welcome in his place and he puts out free bread and offers tea for nursing mamas. It's just unfortunate that he can't afford to rent a bigger space. So yes, i would probably eat somewhere where there are no/only one high chair.

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama

Depends. Is it a new restaurant? Is this a place that had waitresses, or is it a pick your food up at the counter sort of place? It the establishment run by non-americans? I would probably eat there once, and tell someone that if they didnt get some highchairs soon, I wouldnt be back. Of course, if it was a well established restaurant/bar and grille, I would leave and then write a complaint letter to our local newspaper's editorial section.

These are what I was thinking. If it's a small place they may not have the funds to purchase high chairs yet.

[Addie]

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama

It the establishment run by non-americans?

I'm wondering what this has to do with anything, could you clarify?

FWIW, I've often found ethnic restaurants to be very welcoming towards babies.

[mamazee]

I guess it would depend on the vibe. Low-key place? I'd stay. More posh place? I'd assume they didn't want kids. So what I'd do would depend on the specifics.

[lifeguard]

We once went to a restaurant that did not have highchairs. I sent an e-mail afterwards complaining & stating we wouldn't be returning. It was not a child unfriendly place - in fact there were many children in the restaurant. I got a reply immediately & by the end of the week they had highchairs.

Sometimes it's just an oversight.

[rightkindofme]

I really wouldn't think much of it because we've never really used them. Our oldest kiddo sat on our laps until she was ready for a regular chair of her own and I expect we'll do the same with kiddo #2.

But then again we take our daughter to very upscale expensive restaurants. We've been talking about restaurant manners since she was 8/9 months old (not that we expected her to 'get' it then but we started setting the stage) and she does fabulously at $100/plate restaurants. They *love* her.

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by Addie

I'm wondering what this has to do with anything, could you clarify?
.

Ive been to a few Mexican restaurants that didnt have highchairs, and I used to go with a friend to a Mediterrean restaurant that didnt have highchairs. I think most of their clientle were people of their same country that were working. For example, there were mostly men in the Mexican restaurant. It was only open for lunch. They were catering to a specific group of people within their culture, and children werent really there very often.

A lot of times certian ethnic restaurants arent really catering to the average white mom, so when we patronize their establishment, they arent always as prepared. I dont think it is intentional at all. Also, I think some places may not have the funds to buy highchairs might only get used once a week.

[tallulahma]

we never use high chairs or boosters, so i probably wouldnt have noticed?

we have 3 kids and they generally are fine to sit and eat at a table/booth. I hold the baby while i eat.

My dh was deployed/stationed out of state the first year of dd1's life and all my friends were childless and liked to meet up at upscale/expensive restaurants. I just taught her/showed her how to be calm, took her for walks when she fussed.

i definitely go to restaurants to get good food, i personally do not care if they want my kids there. we usually get those "oh no THREE kids" looks... but by the end they are usually impressed with our kids.

so yes, i would eat there and return if the food was good, regardless of the high chair situation.

[butterfly_mommy]

We always travelled with a folding booster type seat that has a tray. The one we had also had a clip on tray toy that DS loved when he wasn't eating solids yet.

DH and I eat in a lot of restaurants and most of them have high chairs or strap on seat booster but some don't. The type of seating offered for my baby would not affect my decision to go as I bring my own seating. Most places regardless of the seating they have for babies are baby friendly and some are not. That would affect my decision to go to that restaurant again. We have taken DS to all kinds of restaurants but the owns I feel most comfortable in are family type locally owned and run places.

We have also been talking about restaurant manners with DS since he was about 8 mons or so. He is now 2.5 and pretty respectful of others in restaurants

[em123]

I would assume they aren't kid friendly if they didn't have high chairs or boosters. I would go to a more family friendly place, not necessarily because we require a high chair (we don't) but because I try to respect the type of environment they are trying to create if that makes sense.