Kendra Ramdat
Google
This evening, my aunt, my four-year-old cousin, my 18-month-old son, and I dined at Gregorio’s Trattoria in Cabin John Village, Potomac. Unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing and left me feeling both unwelcome and disrespected.
We initially sat outside but requested to move indoors after it began to rain. Once settled inside, we were served our entrees. While eating, my toddler accidentally bit into a fry that was too hot, causing him to cry briefly. I quickly calmed him down, and the rest of the meal was smooth. In fact, several customers and staff members interacted kindly with my son, complimenting him and even playing with him. For the majority of the evening, he was calm, playful, and simply laughing at his cousin’s silly faces — nothing disruptive or excessive.
Later, the manager stopped by our table, complimented my son, and may have quietly asked my aunt to “keep it down,” though nothing was said directly to me as his mother. Regardless, my son was not crying, screaming, or disturbing other diners. He was simply laughing — as any 18-month-old child does.
When we finished eating, our server brought the check without offering a dessert menu, which felt dismissive, especially since we were there to celebrate my aunt’s birthday. Eventually, a slice of cake was brought out, which we appreciated. However, the evening took a very upsetting turn when a group of older Caucasian women at another table told me that my son was “too loud” and “shouldn’t be in the restaurant.” This was deeply offensive, especially because my child had only been laughing softly with his cousin. Their comments were not only unkind but discriminatory in nature.
What was most disappointing was the response from the staff. Instead of addressing the inappropriate remarks directed at us, our server told me to leave after I stood up for my child. At no point had management or staff ever indicated that my son was being disruptive — only these customers. Yet the restaurant chose to side with them. Given the dynamic and the fact that the women were of a different race, I cannot overlook the racial undertones in how this situation was handled.
Gregorio’s presents itself as a family-friendly restaurant, yet our treatment suggested the opposite. Families with young children deserve to feel welcome and respected while dining out, especially when children are simply laughing at the table. I’ve dined with my son at finer establishments and have never experienced such hostility or discrimination.
This experience was unacceptable. I will not be returning, and I urge management to reflect on how they handle situations involving families and, more importantly, how racial bias may influence their decisions. Every paying customer deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
