VENT: Chilis

[JenJohnson79]

Let me state for the record, it wasn't my kid (this time). I felt really bad for this family. But I wanted to kick this man's A$$!

My family (3 kids -4 year old, 3 year old, newborn) went to eat at the Chili's by our house. When we got there it was pretty busy so we sat to wait for our table. Near the entrance was a table with a man (a grown man, mid 40s) and a woman, maybe his wife, or a date or something. . . not sure. At a table five feet away or so was a young couple (early 20's) with a child (about 9 months old) and it was obvious to me that it was their first child. It was about 8:15 p.m. or so and the kid was getting fussy. Probably past bedtime, they had not gotten their food yet. The kid throws his sippy on the floor and starts wailing. The older man yells at the couple "MAKE THAT KID SHUT UP!" The couple apologizes and tries to hush the kid. By the way the man has his food and is eating. They are rocking the kid, bottle, pacifier, everything and nothing is working. The staff is trying to hurry their order and the man along because the guy continues to verbally assault them as parents and their child. I'm getting pissed. My husband is getting pissed. My husband tells me, "that guy's lucky he's not yelling at us or one of our kids. . . I'd of knocked him out by now." The couple is apologizing to the man. The man is still yelling curses at them and their kid. Lucky us we were seated at the next table over by this time. The man gets up with his date to leave and stops at their table. "If you can't control your heathen any better than that your ass needs to stay at home." And smacks the father on the back of the head. That's it it's on. The 20 something year old jumps up, the 40 year old throws a punch a few other guys jump in and out the door into the parking lot the fight goes. I told the mother that it was ok for them to take their time the kid wasn't bothering us. She was frantic at that point. The cops show up. Just so happens we know the officer. And it just so happens he has a 10 month old little boy. He threw the older man in jail.

As he's getting ready to leave and comes in to finish getting statements from the manager and the staff he sees our family. He walks over and asks if we want to give a statement, so I did. I simply said "If a grown man wants to go to a FAMILY restraunt, where there are high chairs, then the grown man should act like a grown man and expect to hear a crying child or two from time to time. . . and if they don't want to listen to that then the grown man needs to go to a bar."

I felt so bad for the couple. I've been there with a crying child and you're trying to get dinner down before bed. It's not fun. We don't need anyone else hackling us to get our kid to shut up. . .believe me we're not enjoying our dinner anymore than you are. . . but he had the option to eat anywhere and chose a family establishment. . . GET OVER IT!

Talked to the officer this morning. . . this happened Friday and the man is still in jail!!!!! Apparently the judge over hearing the bail has a toddler too!

[frameworthy]

Certainly is a shame when people can't grow up and would rather act like a child. Being a young 20 something person who does not have children (yet), I gotta commend the dad for keeping his cool as long as he did.

With that said, I'm glad the older guy is still in jail. Maybe it'll teach him a little respect. If not, then maybe "Big Jim" in the cell beside him will teach him some respect...

[BeccaJ]

wow. it's one thing to ask politely if the kid has been whining for like 30 minutes straight. it's another to be rude and smack the father on the head! that's insane!!!

[gmarblestone]

Uggh as a 30 something who's acts 12 and who's wife is 4 months pregnant, this scares the crap out of me. Can i tell my wife to keep the kid quiet and grab a beer with the rude guy? But yes, I agree, glad that guy is in jail.

G

[HotHolly]

WOW. What a nice guy. I woulda been so upset about that after I had my 1st born. I dont know how they were passive so long. What's wrong with people? At least they left him in jail.

And I thought this was gonna be over food.

The saddest things have happened in the past couple of days - and they were all equally odd.

[Kohnfoto]

Good thing that guy wasn't at Friday's when we were there this weekend. I had a crying 23 month old. My husband wouldn't have been so calm. Even with our first kid, not calm to people like that.

[ndsimm]

Your husband has more self control than I do...I would have slapped the older guy across the head

[JMI]

Courtesy no longer has any value in our society. Almost as hard as difficult to find as respect.

Glad the guy's in jail. Hope he stays there.


Hope 20-something beat down old guy really well before the police got there.

[Detonate]

Certainly the "grown man" was over reacting... But having taken my daughter (1st and only child) out to dinner many times over the past 3 years. I will say that it's common courtesy to get up and leave the table when your kid is throwing a fit.

Me and my wife have always taken turns taking her outside or to the restroom, or anywhere that we wouldn't disturb the rest of the patrons. And not just at Chili's and the like. We are just as respectful at place like McDonalds.

We went out to dinner once with our friends and their two children. One of their kids was throwing an all out fit, I think he was two. And our friends tried for maybe a minute or two to get him to shut up, and then just gave up and started to carry on a conversation with us like nothing was going on.

Everyone, and I mean everyone was shooting daggers at our table, until I finally told them. Look, you either need to talk Isaac outside, we need to leave, or something. Instead we got our waiter to sit us in the "party" room that is normally closed off.

Anyways, long story short, YOU should always be responsible for YOUR childrens actions as if they are YOUR own.

[ngoduyviet]

The couple was obviously very nice & trying hard, and I bet that man had issues and so did his date(?). I'm glad his ass was thrown in jail.

I can't imagine someone telling me that with my kid, pretty sure all hell would break lose

[JohnT]

Wow. I've never witnessed anything like this. It's one thing to say something and quite another to get physical.

[AndrewCCM]

Wow.

Thanks for sharing that....

Much like Jim... We take our children outside if there is a fit that cannot be squelched PDQ... Regardless, the man got what he deserved. It's one thing to be annoyed by something. Quite the other to act like a fool about it.

Hopefully someone in his cell will make him feel warm and fuzzy at dinner time.

[Bob_S]

Total overreaction on the older guy's part and it sounds like he was pretty rude. What he did was totally uncalled for and I hope he gets punished for it. That said, people leave their screaming kids too long in restaurants. If you kid is not behaving in a manner appropriate to the environment then you need to take actions.

I remember a few times when my wife and I would alternate eating so that one of us could have the one (or more) misbehaving kids outside. Some parents still have common courtesy but some don't. Sounds like neither side had any courtesy in this case.

[kenw]

wonder if his date will give him a 2nd chance?

[lscottpht]

Wow, I'm glad they put him in jail! What a jerk. I would have taken my child out for a bit to try to calm him down because I worry about disturbing other people. But, this man had no right to act like that, and if I had seen it, I probably would have been the one hit b/c I wouldn't have been very nice to the guy that was put in jail. I hope they keep him there awhile!