Americans support adults-only, child-free dining…
More Americans are warming up to the concept of child-free dining experiences at eating places — and mother and father could also be main the charge.
A new survey of 1,000 US adults discovered that 75% of respondents said eating places ought to offer some type of adults-only dining, whether or not through designated seating areas, late-night restrictions or romantic, child-free settings, according to Lightspeed Commerce.
The strongest support emerged around night and experience-driven dining.
Nearly half of customers surveyed (49%) supported limiting youngsters during late-evening hours, while 46% favored designated adults-only sections. Another 46% of people said romantic dining environments ought to be child-free.
More Americans appear to support adults-only dining at eating places, according to a new survey. TenWit – stock.adobe.com
liquor-focused venues also ranked high, with 43% of respondents supporting restrictions in those areas.
Adoniram Sides, Lightspeed’s Rhode Island-based senior vice president of hospitality product, said the findings mirror a broader shift in how customers are considering about dining out.
“The clearest signal in the data is that adults-only dining is no longer a niche concept tied to luxury or exclusivity,” Sides told Fox News Digital.
Of the 1,000 surveyed respondents, 46% favored designated adults-only sections at eating places. BGStock72 – stock.adobe.com
“Hospitality businesses are increasingly creating situational experiences. Whether for late-night meals, romantic settings or rooftop lounges — consumers are willing to pay for atmospheres tailored to specific occasions.”
One of the most notable findings, Sides said, was the extent of support among mother and father themselves.
“What’s particularly striking is that parents are even more supportive than non-parents, suggesting this trend is being driven less by frustration with children and more by changing expectations around how people want to socialize and spend their nights out,” he said.
Some eating places have already embraced adults-only insurance policies as half of their model identification.
At Capo’s Restaurant and Speakeasy in Las Vegas, proprietor Nico Santucci said the venue allowed youngsters during its first decade in business before shifting to an adults-only model.
“In a speakeasy, particularly in Las Vegas, people get pretty loose,” Santucci told Fox News Digital. “We’d like folks to be comfortable and to be able to speak freely.”
Parents ought to be more mindful of their youngsters’s habits when dining out, an etiquette skilled said. nicoletaionescu – stock.adobe.com
Santucci said the change was pushed partly by ambiance and partly by sensible business issues, particularly in a nightlife-oriented setting where company count on a sure expertise.
“It’s like being on a flight and sitting next to a toddler,” he said. “I mean, that’s a different flight, isn’t it? It’s a whole different flight.”
Still, Santucci said he sometimes makes exceptions for longtime clients with large teams that embrace youngsters.
“I’m not going to turn that business down,” he said.
For other restaurant house owners, the issue often comes down to balancing the ambiance with hospitality.
Vicki Parmelee, proprietor of Jumby Bay Island Grill in Jupiter, Florida, told Fox News Digital her restaurant caters closely to households, but she understands why some diners request quieter seating preparations.
“I would definitely accommodate someone if they asked to be seated away from children. No problem,” Parmelee said. “I don’t have a problem if a high-end restaurant has restrictions regarding kids, just as they can set dress codes according to the clientele they want to attract.”
Parmelee said her restaurant already enforces an adults-only coverage at the bar later at night time, primarily for security causes.
“It’s just not appropriate and more for the safety of minors,” she said.
Etiquette skilled Jacqueline Whitmore, the Florida-based founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, said eating places ought to focus less on banning youngsters and more on encouraging respectful habits from all diners.
“Dining out is not only about the meal — it is a social experience that teaches children how to behave in public,” Whitmore told Fox News Digital.
“Parents should be mindful of noise levels, running around the restaurant or any other behavior that disrupts other guests.”
Diners looking for a quieter expertise can still advocate for themselves politely, Whitmore added.
“My husband and I do not have children, and we will occasionally ask the host or hostess for a ‘quiet table,’” she said. “As a customer, you can request any seat, as long as it’s available and not reserved. But do it politely.”
Accommodating different varieties of company is solely half of the business, Parmelee said.
“A guest’s time and money spent dining out is valuable, and whether you are a couple wanting a quiet dinner out or a parent who wants to include children, I would try to diplomatically accommodate you,” she said. “That’s what hospitality is all about.”
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