Mom And 20-month old son Crying Booted From Restaurant

[las47032]

(WAVE) -- It seems to happen all the time: an unhappy child causing a scene in a public place. But one Louisville mom says a Springhurst restaurant went too far, throwing her and her family out of the
restaurant. WAVE 3 Investigator Lindsay English spoke with the mom and the restaurant's representatives to sort out what happened.
Amanda Williams says her lunch at O'Charley's in Springhurst ended before it began, with her and her family being shown the door.

"I was so upset," Williams said. "I cried. I was devastated. I was embarrassed. Everybody was looking at me."

Williams says her tears came, after the restaurant's general manager asked her, her three sons and her sister to get out.

"He told me that if I could not hush my son, that he was going to have to ask us to leave," Williams recalled. She says her 20-month old son continued to cry, despite efforts to calm him. She claims that's why General Manager Joe Houle gave them the boot.

"He stood there with a very serious look on his face, and he says 'if you can't control your child, then we'll have to ask you to dine at another establishment," Williams said.

Because of the restaurant's policy, Houle wasn't allowed to comment on camera. But a company representative did speak with us by phone. Spokesperson Jean Luddington told us the crying baby wasn't the real issue.

"When our general manager, Joe, approached the table and asked if there was anything he could do or she could do to calm and quiet the child," Luddington said. "At that point, the child actually stopped crying, probably distracted by Joe. The women proceeded to be verbally abusive and at that point, she was asked to leave the restaurant."

Williams says that wasn't the case. "That wasn't it at all," she said. "He told us to leave before we ever got confrontational. It wasn't confrontational as in mean. It was 'I can't believe you are kicking me out of this restaurant because my son is crying.'"

Luddington disagrees. "When people behave in a way that is not appropriate, these things can happen."

We asked if there has any been any prior complaints at this location and were told there hadn't been any reported before.

Source: WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY :: Woman says restaurant kicked her out because of crying child

[Woodmonkey]

We asked if there has any been any prior complaints at this location and were told there hadn't been any reported before.

That's probably because of their policy of confronting parents who won't leave.

Bill or I always took our crying child out of a restaurant because we didn't want to disturb other diners. Same with the theater.

[redtanker]

I live in Louisville and have been to that resturant a few times..... Not saying they were wrong in this case. But I will tell you that this resturant staff is not the friendliest around.

I have 14month old twins. I have had to take one out of a resturant once. and I did it so other could enjoy thier meal. I have never been asked to leave.

[BrianK]

["I was so upset," Williams said. "I cried. I was devastated. I was embarrassed. Everybody was looking at me."]

Somehow I can't quite believe the woman was that upset about not eating at a particular restaurant.

[Williams says her tears came, after the restaurant's general manager asked her, her three sons and her sister to get out.

"He told me that if I could not hush my son, that he was going to have to ask us to leave," Williams recalled. She says her 20-month old son continued to cry, despite efforts to calm him. She claims that's why General Manager Joe Houle gave them the boot.]


I like the wording in this. It makes it seem like the manager had nothing better to do than hassle this customer about a crying child.

Then there is the one line where the embarrassed tearful mother says "if I could not hush my son, that he was going to have to ask us to leave". That gave her the opportunity to calm her child. Obviously that didn't happen.

As with all things in life a choice by both was going to have to be made.

By the mother. To do what would be socially acceptable & a courtesy to others or be confrontational.

By the manager. Follow through on his responsibilty to operate a restaurant that is a pleasant dining experience for the general public.

I opt to go with the manager & his decision.

[las47032]

Amanda Williams shoud have found a way to quit her son, and she have voluntarily take her son outside the restaurant or to the restroom calm down to child.

[RubyRedLips]

The mother shouldn't expect people to be happy with a crying child while they are eating. She shouldn't have had someone to tell her to leave, but left on her own accord.....sounds like she is a very inconsiderate person.