On 11 Aug 2006 06:43:45 -0700, "Caledonia"
wrote:

Er -- I think for some folks, Denny's is a Big Deal -- I realize I'm
wading into deep water here, but truly, I feel that a public space is a
public space. (Okay, I'm thinking of my parents, who could only afford,
post-retirement, a dinner out at Denny's once in a blue moon. For them,
it was an intimate dinner -- which says something about wages in the US
that's pitiful, but hey, such is life) Sure, whenever you sit in the
playplace part of McD's there's an expectation of what you'll get (then
again, fast food is typically pretty expensive, on the whole), but at a
sit-down restaurant, it's a public space and for me, the unspoken rules
(aka, 'think of it from the other guy's perspective') apply. It's the
same thing as not letting kids run around WalMart, nor letting them run
around Bloomingdales, or Saks. It's all the same, really. Or expecting
reasonable behavior, whether seated in the first class or coach
sections. Whether it's an inexpensive venue for you isn't comparable to
whether it's a casual/inexpensive venue for the other customers.

Caledonia

No, you're misunderstanding me. My position is that if you go to a
family style restaurant, you have to expect that there will be more
noise than a fine-dining establishment. If someone's child speaking
(even more loudly than you want to hear) at the next table is going to
bother you, then my suggestion is that you not patronize a place that
also caters to children.

If, as one poster stated, her daughter *may* be a bit disruptive, and
she handles it when it benefits her child. Lyn decided to go on the
attack and demand that she be kicked out if she disrupts *her*
intimate meal. That's entitlement minded thinking on Lyn's part.

In no way am I saying that people don't deserve to have a nice dinner.
What I am saying is that they should be prepared for some noise.
I don't allow my children to run around any store, from Walmart to
Carson Pirie Scott. It annoys me when I see it in either place.

Nan