Troy C.
Yelp
This was my second visit to Cheddar's. Unfortunately, this visit will probably be a deal-breaker for me ever returning. My criticism has nothing at all to do with the food or the wait staff. The food we had was good, and the server, Kelsey T, was great. My criticism has everything to do with poor management and their total disregard for the experience of "all" of their guests.
After about a fifteen-minute wait, we were seated at a booth right next to a table of five; a family consisting of the two parent's three pre-teen kids. Typically that wouldn't be a problem but this time, the youngest of the kids (approximately 4 to 5 year old girl) continually screamed and screeched at the top of her lungs while the parents just sat there completely ignoring it, and sometimes laughing and encouraging it as if the behavior was something funny. When the server came back to take our order, I asked if we could be moved, motioning to the screaming child a few feet away. She acknowledged the screaming child and moved us to a booth on the other side of the room. For nearly the rest of our visit, this particular unruly child continued to scream and screech while the "parents" continued to ignore their out-of-control child; but at least now it wasn't mere feet from my ear.
Shortly after our order arrived, another party, three adults and a small boy were seated at the booth directly behind us. Again, this typically wouldn't be a problem; however, within moments of them being seated, this child also began to scream and screech. His screams were so loud that it was actually painful in my ears. With each scream and screech, people from other tables were turning to look at the source of the noise.
I decided to do my best to ignore both of the screaming kids and just eat my meal as quickly as possible just so I could get the hell out of there.
Several minutes later the server came to the table to check on us. I told her other than the two screaming kids, everything was fine. She commented, "Yes, those two are really bad" and then went on to say, "My parents would NEVER put up with that from me when I was a kid." I agreed, telling her that if I or any of my siblings had ever done that, my father would have yanked us outside so fast it would make your head spin. She laughed and agreed that the same would've happened to her.
By now the table with the screaming little girl was leaving, THANK GOD!
Moments later, another server came by to see if everything was ok. I told him no, everything was not okay, that the screaming kids were making my experience a very bad experience, and that I just want to finish my meal and get out of there as quickly as possible. He agreed with my complaint and said he was going to get the manager and have him come over.
A few minutes later the manager came to the table and asked if everything was alright. I told him no, everything was not alright, and then explained that the screaming kid in the next booth (who was actively screaming in front of the manager) was making enjoying the meal impossible. I told him, "Look around, I'm not the only one that has a problem with it!" I then said, "Can you please talk to the parents and ask the parents to control their kid?!" His reply was, "This is a family restaurant, and we're not allowed to do that." I replied by asking him, "Well what about my family and all of the other families?" To that, he simply said "I'm sorry" and then walked away.
Well Mr. Manager, you're a sorry example of a manager. Part of being a manager is sometimes having to address problems including disruptive guests so that ALL of your guests (ALL families at your "family restaurant") can have an enjoyable experience! I'm sure if someone had a little too much to drink and was being as disruptive, you'd have no problem saying something to them and nipping that in the bud. Well Mr. Manager, screaming kids are just as disruptive to others as drunken adults are!
And to whoever owns Cheddar's; if your policy is to prohibit managers from addressing disruptive situations involving children because "you're a family restaurant," then shame on you!
Fortunately, there's no shortage of restaurants in the Melbourne area and along New Haven Avenue for me to spend my money at, so it's exceedingly unlikely it'll ever be at Cheddar's in the future since Cheddar's doesn't seem to be at all interested in providing a good experience to all of their guests.
And to parents that can't control your kids... how dare you just tune your disruptive kids out so you can enjoy your meal! What about EVERYBODY around you that's also trying to enjoy their meal? Your job as a parent doesn't end at conception... it's just beginning! Your job as a parent after the fun part is done is TO PARENT, which includes controlling your kids and teaching them what's acceptable behavior and what's not! If you're cool with your kids being disruptive to everybody around them, then KEEP THEM THE HELL HOME WHERE THEY BELONG!