Eating out with very young children
 

Can I just ask a question here, what is the problem with taking children in buggies to restaurants? We have just returned from 3 weeks to Puerto Pollensa and took my 6 month old to the following:

La Llonja
C'an Pacienci
Llenaire
Clivia
C'an Josep
O Lume
La Fortalesa
Nautica Club
Galeon

and various others.

He was always asleep at the time and caused no problem to anyone.

If PP is a family resort what is the problem with buggies in restaurants, is the alternative of keeping babies and small children awake late at night and them being grumpy more appealing to you than having no buggy allowed where they can sleep peacefully if necessary.

Just because people have children does not stop then enjoying meals out, after all people go on holiday to be a family not to leave their children behind.

Just so you know, we would phone ahead and make a reservation and always mentioned was a baby/buggy an issue and every place said of course not and often sounded surprised we even mentioned it. When entering restaurants they actually move a chair away so the baby can be around the table with the rest of the family. Why? Because in Spain they expect families to eat together and do not have the usual british attitude of 'no children please'.

Sorry if some of you do not like my opinion but I want all readers with children to be aware that children are welcome in all restaurants no matter what age they are.

Star81, you are absolutely right - pretty much everywhere in PP will allow you to
bring a buggy (plus hopefully quiet child!) - in fact, when we came out with our TWIN buggy plus two unobliging babies/toddlers I don't think we were ever turned away from a restaurant. BUT - certain restaurants have a really special ambience. If you were going out for a special occasion in the UK in the evening I think you would be a bit disappointed to see buggies parked at surrounding tables. Ca'n Costa used to be a really special place - my husband and myself would willingly pay babysitters to look after our offspring for the evening so we could make the most of it. It was a 'grown up' night out and that's nothing to be ashamed of. It's an indoor restaurant so any noise/disturbance from very young children is doubly noticeable. There are plenty of child-friendly restaurants in PP and the old town - but it is nice to have that choice and get away from the little darlings occasionally... We are really sad that Ca'n Costa is no more. We will miss it - especially the cocktails!

Buggies in Restaurants
 

Sorry, my original post was originally meant to be added to the lattitude thread as that is where the buggies comment was made.

I used to eat in C'an Costa and loved it too. However, I would have taken my baby there too. In fact I spoke to the owner when I was pregnant who was asking all about when I was due etc and she even said we look forward to seeing you all next year.

We went out to Sa Pobla to their other place Mister Green with him too and no issue at all.

We first took our daughter to PP when she was 9 weeks old and ate everywhere with her in a pram, including Ca'n Pacienci and as I said, Ca'n Costa. We ate out several times at El Cano and the waitress was really upset as my daughter was asleep every time so she could never have a cuddle!

However, I would hesitate to take a toddler into somewhere like Ca'n Costa if the child was awake and running about...that would not be enjoyable! That's when restaurants around the squares and on the seafront come into their own!

I moved the post, Star, as I felt it was a thread in its own right and the original post was about eating at Latitude (formerly Ca'n Costa).

Jane:)

Its a bit like going to an Adult Only hotel, there are times you want to get away from kids completely, I for one enjoy not having kids running around all the time, lets be honest its not all the kids its parents also, nothing worse than hearing Mum's and Dads shouting at the kids. :confused:

Buggies
 

I think the original post that brought up this issue refered specifically to buggies.

I really do not see the problem with taking a buggy into any restaurant.

Just because I have one does not mean I should only be allowed into certain types of restaurant. I am now only expected to eat in tex mex/burger king types?? I never freqented these before and have no intention of now.

As they get older, if i knew they would not behave I would not take them to certain places. However, if children are taken to proper restaurants from day 1 they know what to behave. If they can't behave then i would not take them. If they are sound asleep in a buggy what on earth is the problem. It's certainly not a problem to any Spanish person I have ever met. I have even been in C'an Costa when a large family group on Spaniards came in at 10pm at night with all their children. Family dining at its best.

At the end of the day PP is a family resort and that is why I would take my children there on holidays for years to come.

Yes, I know there are babysitting services available but I for one would never leave my children with a stranger.

I totally agree with you Star, i don't think a buggy is any more of a problem than a wheelchair, so are restaurants now to turn away disabled people.......of course not.
I will say though that i do object to kids running riot (i am not saying all of them by the way as many are very well behaved), but that is down to the parents not having any control over them. I think the main problem is that restaurants and bars in the UK are not child friendly, so the kids can't learn how to behave in them. The Spanish kids are different because they have been taken to them from birth.

And they remember that even though they are asleep ???

There are buggies and super buggies just think how much room 4 or 5 would take up.

I love kids as much as the next person but I think that after say 20:30 some place should say no buggies. This allows the adults to eat in peace.

I remember when our two were young we went to a hotel called kids hotel on south coast where the kids eat at around 18:00 in there own nursery on there own. There was then listen service so the Mums and Dads could eat in peace kid were not allowed in after 19:00.

Firstly I should say that star81 is my daughter, so understandably I agree with her point of view and we enjoy going to what we see as good quality restuarants. As I see it this is simply down to good manners, if a baby or child is asleep or well behaved they have as much right to be in a restuarant as anyone else, (unless that restuarant has an adults only policy, and I do not know of any in PP) if however the baby starts to cry or the children do not behave the parents should then take the child out of the restuarant, if this is not done I actually think its the parent's that are at fault not the child.

PP76

Well said PP76

I totally agree.

I quite agree PP76. I don't have any problem with young children in restaurants as long as the parents take proper responsibility for them if they become very loud we always enjoyed taking them ours as youngsters and perhaps because of that they quickly learnt how to behave in such an environment.

There are times I would far rather a noisy child than some of the adults I have had the misfortune of sitting close to, they can be extremely obnoxious.

Timberman

Timberman - I didn't relise you had sat next to me in the past :eek:

GG

GG

I do stay in the Gommar district, could you be the one:)