The subject of children in restaurants has long been a sensitive one in the service industry, to the point where some establishments would outright refuse to accommodate families with young kids.
And while Arby’s was not generally seen as restrictive in this regard, the chain has recently sparked a lot of controversy with the decision to introduce a sign reserving their Elk River joint in Minnesota for “well-behaved” children only.
As can be expected, the move drew a lot of criticism towards the chain, and many have taken to social media to voice their frustration.
Some of the commenters have even pointed out that they used to be long-time patrons of the chain but would be rethinking their stance in light of the new developments.
After a concerned Minnesota mother of five, Christine Hemsworth, shared a photo of the controversial sign, a considerable debate was initiated online, with many people chiming in with their own opinions.
Her story has gone viral, and she told the TODAY Show: “I’m not a complainer — I’m really not. But this just didn’t sit well with me. The manager could have addressed the message to people individually, not assigned it to the general public.”
The message on the original sign read: “Only well behaved children who can keep their food on their trays and their bottoms on their seats are welcome. If you can’t do this you will be asked to leave. Thanks!”
It is interesting to note that not everyone agreed with the criticism, and some were even happy that a restaurant chain was finally taking action against children who could not behave properly.
In the end, these comments have pointed out; if parents want to be able to enjoy going out with their kids, it is up to them to ensure that they are capable of behaving appropriately for the places they are visiting.
Other establishments have had strict rules regarding children for a while now, and it is nothing new under the sun in some environments, proponents of such measure say.
It did not take Arby’s long to back down from their position. They issued a statement that read: “We recognize the language on this sign was insensitive. We removed it quickly, and have disciplined the manager and team working at the restaurant. It does not reflect our company values and the family-friendly environment we aim to provide in all of our restaurants.”
A lot of parents are expressing concerns about the whole policy even after the apology.
