Sunrise host Nat Barr has shared her take on a restaurant’s controversial policy that bans children from standing up while dining with their family.
Laguna Blu Bar & Dining in Port Stephens sparked fierce debate earlier this week when its sign stating kids must be ‘seated at all times’ was shared on social media.
‘We appreciate well behaved children, and require them to remain seated at all times,’ the sign reads, before thanking customers for their understanding.
The mother who took the photo, Brie Rockliffe, jokingly captioned it: ‘Breakfast with a side of unrealistic expectations’.
Some Aussies didn’t see the problem, with one person writing, ‘If you can’t keep your children seated don’t take them out’.
Another said: ‘I genuinely don’t see how this is an unrealistic expectation?’
Ms Rockliffe replied: ‘For all children to be well behaved and seated at all times? You don’t see how that may not always be a realistic expectation?’
On Thursday, Barr shared her view on the restaurant’s rule while speaking with Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas and Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli.
Nat Barr debated the restaurant’s rule while speaking with Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas and Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli on Sunrise on Thursday morning
The sign was exposed on TikTik, and sparked a mixed reaction from Aussies
‘It feels like they have had some incidents (of kids running under waiters’ feet). If you are the waiters and you have kids around your feet and (you’re) carrying hot or heavy stuff or glasses, you might support the sign,’ she said.
Zempilas felt the sign was a little ‘extreme’.
‘Look, there is always a balance,’ he said.
‘Kids need to be under control to a degree when they are at restaurants and formal settings, but also the restaurant owners need to understand there is a certain tolerance that needs to be made.
‘Kids can’t all sit still throughout an entire meal. The sign is a tiny bit extreme.’
Natoli felt it was unrealistic to expect young children to be seated at all times when out with their family.
‘I think they might have just said ‘as long as you can’ or ‘as much as you can’ or ‘please try’. I think it is the fact ‘at all times’. We cannot do that at all times,’ she said.
‘Kids need to move around to go to the bathroom or whatever. Nobody wants kids climbing all over the tables or the chairs or running about, and nobody, not even the other customers, want kids dancing in the aisle.
The dining hot spot said safety to staff and customers was the main reason for the rule
‘It is safety. It is about comfort in the restaurant and being sensible.’
In response to the outrage, Laguna Blu Bar & Dining shared a statement explaining there was a simple explanation for the rule.
‘We absolutely welcome families and children at Laguna Blu Bar & Dining. The small notice in our restaurant is just a gentle reminder for safety,’ it said.
‘Our outdoor area is made of smooth concrete and marble near the resort’s infinity pool, which can get slippery when wet.
‘With kids running around, this can become a real hazard, both for them and our staff carrying hot food and drinks.
‘The sign is simply about keeping everyone safe and comfortable.’
Ms Rockliffe agreed it was dangerous for kids to be running about while waiters are carrying hot food and beverages but had issues with the wording of the statement.
She told Daily Mail: ‘I just want to make it clear that my point wasn’t against the restaurant itself. I completely understand and agree with the logic behind wanting kids to stay safe and respectful at the table.’
‘I just felt the wording of the sign came across a little harsh or unwelcoming, and that’s what sparked the reaction online. I think most parents understand the need for boundaries, but it’s the tone that can make families feel judged.’
