Early in February 2023, the news trickled across the world that a New Jersey restaurant had come up with a “no kids allowed” policy. Nettie’s House of Spaghetti, located in Tinton Falls, has banned children under the age of 10 years from their restaurant, effective from March 8. Their reason was simple: Kids below 10 are very difficult to manage, and their presence disturbs other patrons. Nettie’s is not the first establishment to come up with such a rule.
Back in 2018, Oma’s Kuche in Rugen, Germany, decided to ban children below the age of 14 after 5PM to prevent their “oasis of peace” from turning into an unmanageable situation. Both establishments insisted in news reports that the policy was not targeted towards children, but rather their parents who cannot manage kids well, creating regular issues for restaurant staff and diners. Parents, on the other hand, could easily argue that as paying customers, it is their right to bring their kids along—and that children that young will, unintentionally, make at least some noise and mess. It’s inevitable.
But while the West is arguing over the pros and cons of having “no kids allowed” policies at regular as well as fine-dine restaurants, what about restaurants in India? Are restaurants with “no kids allowed” policies—whether it’s throughout the day, during specific times, for kids of a certain age, or all—a viable option in India?
The Changing Family-Oriented Indian Scene
The first thing that needs to be understood is that India, as a culture, has always been very family-oriented when it comes to eating out. Visiting a restaurant with the family, even in the 1990s, was usually seen as a special occasion that every member looks forward to. You could never imagine a place like Nirula’s in Delhi banning children at any hour. With more theme-based or fine-dining restaurants coming up in the metropolises, this scene has changed.
“There is a latent need for diners at this time who are looking for intimate settings where they don’t wish to be disturbed by the sounds of children who aren’t comfortable being seated for long durations,” says Vijeta Singh, Co-Founder, Cobbler and Crew, Pune. “There’s also a need to be among crowds of similar age groups, so there will be restaurants coming up that will want to cater to these kinds of patrons. So, the likelihood of completely kids-free restaurants in India are definitely there.” Singh’s establishment, however, does allow kids up to a point. “We don’t allow kids at the restaurant post 9PM, since this is when the music tends to get loud which is an annoyance for kids, especially toddlers and young ones,” she explains.
For most Indian establishments that cater to families as well as more discerning fine-dine patrons, this middle path seems to be the way to go, and for good reason. Chef Niyati Rao, Head Chef and Partner, EKAA, Mumbai, says that “just like children, adults can also cause disturbances, and the same actions will be taken by us for anyone.” Rao’s establishment takes a more hands-on approach to handling children visiting them. “In a fine-dine setup, it can get extremely tiresome to sit in one place if an individual is not looking for the entire experience, hence we step into the shoes of our young diners and empathise,” she explains. “From what we have found out, rarely will a young diner ever give away 2.5 hours to have the meal at EKÅA without any distractions, or the curiosity to get up and explore the area, and in support of that we always try and get them to the kitchen to show them around to talk with them, as it is unfair to expect that amount of attention at such a young age. Although, there are cases where we have seen some young diners stay very interested and dedicated to their dining experiences!”
Managing Kids & Young Parents In Indian Restaurants
For young Indian parents who want the best of both worlds, this middle path has its benefits too. Juni Bahuguna, a Delhi girl now bringing up a two-year-old in Philadelphia, USA, says that dining in India with a kid presents a mixed bag. “Even at places like The Taj Palace in Delhi, when asked for a baby chair at the restaurant, they didn’t have one for an infant and I had to use my scarf to tie my daughter to the chair just so she wouldn’t roll down,” she says. On the other hand, the cultural distinction between the West and India benefits young parents. “When we eat out in the US, one of us has to entertain Ameya. In India, at many places where we ate out, the staff members helped us entertain her so that we could have our meal in peace. In India, you feel comfortable showing affection to a stranger’s child, and we also school them when needed. In the US, they have protocols in place that help, like car seats, strollers and high chairs. But in India, people really come forward to help you.”
For both Singh and Rao, this is the very approach that they take. “We always request our patrons to keep the decorum of the place intact,” Rao says. “For example, especially when it comes to infants and toddlers, we always keep special provisions so that the mothers and the child are comfortable. But at the same time, people who have come to our establishment for a conceptual meal and experience do not feel the slightest disturbance or hindering. At EKAA we also believe that on certain occasions we like to speak to our young patrons as well as adults. Luckily, we are blessed with a young team full of energy and life and that is how we prefer to create a bond with our young diners as well.”
Singh, at Cobbler and Crew, says that being strategic with a bit of heart is all that children need at Indian restaurants. “For families coming in to dine with children, we generally suggest they be seated indoors on our deck, which is an intimate area away from the bar. We avoid tables outdoors so the kids can be away from the smoking crowd that prefers being seated outdoors,” she explains. She also adds that with a few changes on behalf of restaurants, it would definitely be easier to accommodate families with kids at fine-dining establishments. “Introducing fine dining to children is something that restaurants in India can work out if the restaurant can make certain tweaks and accommodations,” she adds. “The simplest way is to just add some child-friendly cutlery, crockery and furniture like high chairs at the restaurant. Further, introducing petite portions at relatively smaller prices can make parents of young children want to visit the restaurant, knowing that their children too will be catered to.”