Child free restaurant

[Traci_Momof2]

I just have a question,

I support having child free times/restaurants. I have kids and I support it.

But why is it legal to ban kids under a certain age, but not have a no one over say 55 restaurant. Or a UNDER 55 community? How is that legal to ban one age range but not the other?

When it comes to a private business denying service to customers, age is not a protected class. The Equality Act and the Civil Rights Act do not have age listed as a protected class. So, it is legal to ban people over a certain age from restaurants, too. I think the reason it is not more common is because older people tend to have more buying power so they would be shooting themselves in the foot.

Age IS a protected class when it comes to employment and housing because there were additional laws passed like the ADEA. It would not be legal for a restaurant to refuse to hire someone based on their age but they can discriminate amongst customers.

Housing is also a little different. You are not allowed to discriminate based on age, except for certain situations- one being a 55+ community. Even within a 55+ community, there are certain qualifications they have to meet. They have to prove that their intent is to provide facilities and services that are designed to meet the physical and social needs of the elderly. The reason for this is because our society has recognized that the elderly/seniors have specific needs which are different from most everyone else.

Another housing exception is when the house is being leased out by an owner-occupant. In other words, if I am renting a room out in a house where I will continue to live, I can discriminate against anyone.

So technically, I could have a sit down restaurant that mostly caters to young families. When yes there are going to be loud kids there. No I am not going to tell them to quiet down etc. and make it 50 and YOUNGER only at all times and only stay open until 8pm every night or something? This way I can cater to families and not have older people complain about the noise that toddlers and younger kids or families make?

Not that I really want to but knowing that I can, actually makes me happy for some reason.

Honestly I would bet that the majority of people who are complaining are people under 50 who have kids of their own but want to enjoy a night out without kids. I've raised two kids of my own but would happily give my money to a child-free restaurant if we had any around here. I've read through lots of comments on FB on various articles about child-free restaurants and it seems like it's parents themselves who want it the most. The sentiment of "I paid for a babysitter for my own kids for a nice date night, the last thing I want to deal with is someone else's kids at the restaurant." And I fully agree with that sentiment.

The type of restaurant you are describing above? I would fully support your right to create one if you wanted, but I would likely NEVER want to set foot in it. It sounds like Hell on Earth.

[Anonymous 2]

When it comes to a private business denying service to customers, age is not a protected class. The Equality Act and the Civil Rights Act do not have age listed as a protected class. So, it is legal to ban people over a certain age from restaurants, too. I think the reason it is not more common is because older people tend to have more buying power so they would be shooting themselves in the foot.

Age IS a protected class when it comes to employment and housing because there were additional laws passed like the ADEA. It would not be legal for a restaurant to refuse to hire someone based on their age but they can discriminate amongst customers.

Housing is also a little different. You are not allowed to discriminate based on age, except for certain situations- one being a 55+ community. Even within a 55+ community, there are certain qualifications they have to meet. They have to prove that their intent is to provide facilities and services that are designed to meet the physical and social needs of the elderly. The reason for this is because our society has recognized that the elderly/seniors have specific needs which are different from most everyone else.

Another housing exception is when the house is being leased out by an owner-occupant. In other words, if I am renting a room out in a house where I will continue to live, I can discriminate against anyone.

So technically, I could have a sit down restaurant that mostly caters to young families. When yes there are going to be loud kids there. No I am not going to tell them to quiet down etc. and make it 50 and YOUNGER only at all times and only stay open until 8pm every night or something? This way I can cater to families and not have older people complain about the noise that toddlers and younger kids or families make?

Not that I really want to but knowing that I can, actually makes me happy for some reason.

Honestly I would bet that the majority of people who are complaining are people under 50 who have kids of their own but want to enjoy a night out without kids. I've raised two kids of my own but would happily give my money to a child-free restaurant if we had any around here. I've read through lots of comments on FB on various articles about child-free restaurants and it seems like it's parents themselves who want it the most. The sentiment of "I paid for a babysitter for my own kids for a nice date night, the last thing I want to deal with is someone else's kids at the restaurant." And I fully agree with that sentiment.

The type of restaurant you are describing above? I would fully support your right to create one if you wanted, but I would likely NEVER want to set foot in it. It sounds like Hell on Earth.

It sounds like Chuck e cheese without grandparents coming to spoil their grandchildren

[highlandmum]

I just have a question,

I support having child free times/restaurants. I have kids and I support it.

But why is it legal to ban kids under a certain age, but not have a no one over say 55 restaurant. Or a UNDER 55 community? How is that legal to ban one age range but not the other?

When it comes to a private business denying service to customers, age is not a protected class. The Equality Act and the Civil Rights Act do not have age listed as a protected class. So, it is legal to ban people over a certain age from restaurants, too. I think the reason it is not more common is because older people tend to have more buying power so they would be shooting themselves in the foot.

Age IS a protected class when it comes to employment and housing because there were additional laws passed like the ADEA. It would not be legal for a restaurant to refuse to hire someone based on their age but they can discriminate amongst customers.

Housing is also a little different. You are not allowed to discriminate based on age, except for certain situations- one being a 55+ community. Even within a 55+ community, there are certain qualifications they have to meet. They have to prove that their intent is to provide facilities and services that are designed to meet the physical and social needs of the elderly. The reason for this is because our society has recognized that the elderly/seniors have specific needs which are different from most everyone else.

Another housing exception is when the house is being leased out by an owner-occupant. In other words, if I am renting a room out in a house where I will continue to live, I can discriminate against anyone.

So technically, I could have a sit down restaurant that mostly caters to young families. When yes there are going to be loud kids there. No I am not going to tell them to quiet down etc. and make it 50 and YOUNGER only at all times and only stay open until 8pm every night or something? This way I can cater to families and not have older people complain about the noise that toddlers and younger kids or families make?

Not that I really want to but knowing that I can, actually makes me happy for some reason.

Have you been to places like Chuck e Cheese? Because you describe it perfectly. Not somewhere I want to be, so not somewhere I am going.

[Anonymous 6]

When it comes to a private business denying service to customers, age is not a protected class. The Equality Act and the Civil Rights Act do not have age listed as a protected class. So, it is legal to ban people over a certain age from restaurants, too. I think the reason it is not more common is because older people tend to have more buying power so they would be shooting themselves in the foot.

Age IS a protected class when it comes to employment and housing because there were additional laws passed like the ADEA. It would not be legal for a restaurant to refuse to hire someone based on their age but they can discriminate amongst customers.

Housing is also a little different. You are not allowed to discriminate based on age, except for certain situations- one being a 55+ community. Even within a 55+ community, there are certain qualifications they have to meet. They have to prove that their intent is to provide facilities and services that are designed to meet the physical and social needs of the elderly. The reason for this is because our society has recognized that the elderly/seniors have specific needs which are different from most everyone else.

Another housing exception is when the house is being leased out by an owner-occupant. In other words, if I am renting a room out in a house where I will continue to live, I can discriminate against anyone.

So technically, I could have a sit down restaurant that mostly caters to young families. When yes there are going to be loud kids there. No I am not going to tell them to quiet down etc. and make it 50 and YOUNGER only at all times and only stay open until 8pm every night or something? This way I can cater to families and not have older people complain about the noise that toddlers and younger kids or families make?

Not that I really want to but knowing that I can, actually makes me happy for some reason.

Have you been to places like Chuck e Cheese? Because you describe it perfectly. Not somewhere I want to be, so not somewhere I am going.

Oh I don't like chuck E cheese, Kids running around and all those damn games making noise.

I guess I was talking more of like an Applebee's type restaurant, just for families/people with young children. Where if they are making noise, older people would know this is a restaurant for kids, and no one over a certain age is allowed in due to the nature of the place. If a couple does choose to go in, that yes they WILL be sitting near a loud toddler, and no their complaint is not going to be heard because this restaurant is not for them it's for the children.

I don't even know how this would work as I am not about to open a restaurant, but it's just good to know I CAN and it's legal just as it's legal to ban people under a certain age.

I support, both options. When I go out with my fiancé we do like to not be around screaming kiddos and enjoy a nice quiet date. We would avoid my hypothetical restaurant like the plague. Yet when I go out with my kids and niece and nephew, I don't mind other peoples kids making noise too much. My kids are teens, and well behaved, my niece and nephew are young and sometimes have to be told to quiet down... So in this case I would 100% go to my hypothetical restaurant.

[SisterSomeone]

Of course they can. Not everyone wants to be around children at all times. It doesn't matter how well-behaved your particular children are. The rule isn't no poorly behaved children, it's no children period. If you want to eat with your children at childfree hours, just pick a different restaurant.

[Shaken1976]

When my kiddo was young, she was very well behaved in restaurants. One evening, we joined a friend from work who stated how well behaved their child was.

Their kid was standing on his chair, racing down one of the aisles, and making a mess. I was so embarrassed.

They wanted to go out another night and we suggested a child tree place. That became our thing. We went to this little place that didn’t allow anyone under 16. It was glorious.

Now my kids are older, and we can take them to places that don’t allow children. They love it.

All of that said, sometimes I want to be away from kids. I am surrounded all day. I love them but once I am done with work, I want to relax