The owner of a restaurant in Italy has said he will knock 13 euros off his customers’ bills if their children behave themselves.
Antonio Ferrari, who owns a restaurant in Padua, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that he has already applied the controversial discount for a family whose five children were immaculately behaved last weekend.
According to the restauranteur, the children in question quietly dedicated themselves to their colouring books and multiplication tables, leaving their parents and other customers to eat in peace.
Ferrari claims he has not advertised the discount but says that the children, who were aged between four and six, were a pleasure to have in his eatery compared to some others,
“It was very nice to see how the children interacted with each other, with such composure, while their parents had some wine after their meal…even without resorting to using the electronic gadgets we are accustomed to seeing.”
The delighted parents of the angelic children received a five percent discount on their bill. Antonio says that he got the idea from a restaurant in Miami that rewards children who behave in a quiet manner.
The presence of children in restaurants is presently causing a furore in the Italian media, as the country is known for its relaxed family dining and (usually) welcoming attitude to ‘bambini’.
This latest incident follows on from heated arguments about a Roman restaurant who posted a sign stating that children under the age of five were not welcome on the premises,
“Because of unpleasant episodes due to lack of education, we do not appreciate the presence of children under five years of age, nor the entry of strollers due to lack of space. Thank you in advance for your understanding.”
The curt sign also featured three images of a screaming baby, a pram, and a child seat with a ‘prohibited’ marker overlaid – leaving little room for doubt about the restaurant’s feelings on the matter. Even the homepage of a local website warns parents of babies and young children that the eatery is off limits.
Have you ever been made to feel unwelcome while eating out with your children? Do you think restaurants should be off-limits to babies?
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