A DNAinfo article came out recently that reports on a controversy that has the many of the new families uptown in an uproar because of a child seating policy at one local restaurant. Bad Horse Pizza opened a few years on FDB by 120th Street and has now made headlines for refusing to seat a 12-party reservation which consisted mostly of kids from the neighborhood. The article points out that this part of South Harlem was full of empty lots and crime not so long ago but now it appears that an army of families have arrived in recent years who in turn have not taken kindly to this particular eatery because of a less than child-friendly point of view. Bad Horse Pizza is also priced more than the typical take-out place with toppings that include gorgonzola cheese, garlic shrimp and skirt steak. This situation reminds us of when Park Slope in Brooklyn went through major gentrification several years ago and stories like this one was all too common. Any thoughts on the matter?
More on the story in DNAinfo:
LINK
Shame to alienate your neighbors - and potential clientele - but I suppose it's their prerogative. Of course, it's the locals' prerogative to vote with their dollars by patronizing other businesses.
ReplyDeleteI think a place of business has the right to serve whom they choose, but they must realize the consequences. This is nothing new and I'm not sure if it's related to gentrification. Things went OK for Shopsin's and that guy was a huge pain in the butt.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pizza place, but it's not exactly Chuckee Cheese. The place is small. They serve beer and wine. 12 kids would take up a couple of tables so that's lost revenue from a couple of tables not purchasing alcohol. Not to mention, that I would walk out if 12 kids suddenly showed up.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the days when children were seen but not heard? Parents are much too indulgent with their offspring.
ReplyDeleteWhen I go out for dinner it is to relax. Dining out is expensive when you compare to the price of cooking in. The last thing I want is to have to endure some badly raised child's behavior. I don't blame the children. It's the parents who are the problem. 9 children in a party of 12... its a kid's party. Parents, have some consideration!
I am quite confident that the parents operate their businesses and professions with the same discerning eye towards serving their customers..all of them. 9 kids, 3 adults, there is a Chuck-E-Chese on 125. Diverse dining options breed specialization.
ReplyDeleteI've been to that place several times with my family (two small kids) and I find that it is in fact much more family friendly than I expected given that it is some sort of bar/pizzeria hybrid. It's by far my favorite pizza in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI can sympathize with the owner's reluctance to have a table with three adults and nine children during peak hour.
Some pizza competition would help ease tensions. A few good pizzerias in the surrounding neighborhood with more space and, hopefully, better pizza than Bad Horse would be good for all concerned. Especially me.
ReplyDeleteSome are missing the facts. So, next the owner doesn't want to serve senior citizens because he wants a young hip crown, Jews because he prefers protestants, handicapped because it doesn't suit his image. Bottom line, it's discriminatory behavior. There were more than 3 adults in that party. Service was refused over the phone as well. The owner had no idea what type of children they would be and how crowded would the restaurant be at 5:30?
ReplyDeleteThere is a growing trend in the city where restaurants do not serve children under a certain age. I support this movement.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that many adults do not want to have their night out ruined by a bunch of screaming children. I am willing to pay a premium to sit in a kids free restaurant.
This owner probably thought, "hey, I can fill my tables with adults, that will drink beer and wine while enjoying a specialty pizza OR I can fill half my seats with a group of children that will typically eat slices of cheese pizza and not drink beer/wine all while desturbing the other guests.
There are even movie theaters in the city that now do not allow children under the age of 12 after 10pm. I support this and it is not because I don't like kids, I just don't need them around me all the time.
We need more good restaurants in the area. I'm sure there are two sides to the Bad Horse story. It is a small place, and I would not be happy if I were trying to have a nice meal there and was seated next to a large group of children.
ReplyDeletePlease, everyone, stop equating this to persecution of Jews or African-Americans or the disabled. And it's not about "young and hip" or "white newcomers," or who has lived in Harlem the longest, either. All this hysteria is just silly.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is kids who run around my table with bloody noses, who hang from the curtains next to my table, who leave a trail of garbage around the dining area, who stand shirtless on a chair and scream, etc., are ruining the experience for the rest of us.
I frankly don't want to be around your kids when I dine out in places that are clearly geared for adults. Simple enough. Get a babysitter and join the rest of the adults for a nice night out.
Do that, and I promise not to show up with cloth napkins, a glass of wine, and a candle at Chuckie Cheese. Deal?
It was 5:30 pm. The only people eating at that hour are under the age of 6, or over the age of 60. If that place could figure out how to make a pizza pie in under an hour, the kids would be gone before the adults show up starting around 7 pm or so. If folks want to know why so many kids are poorly behaved in that restaurant, it is because very hungry kids are being asked to sit in a seat for about 45-60 minutes before the food arrives. I am an adult and was ready to take my shirt off and jump from the chairs too.
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked by the replies above.
ReplyDeleteSo discriminating against families is ok???
Please do fill me in here - in Harlem who can we discriminate against??
And I'm under 60 and like to eat at 5:30. Let's stop with the stereotypes and cliches. Bad behavior comes in all ages including adults texting during dinner. Bad Horse will lose in the long run if they don't figure out how to accommodate or handle the situation more diplomatically. Another, much better, pizzeria will come along (let's hope) and the business will flow to it unless Bad Horse adapts. As I said above, competition will ease all tensions and soon enough that will happen. If Bad Horse was smarter, they would look for the long term, not the short.
ReplyDeleteNo pignioli, the short-sighted people are the ones screaming about actually boycotting a restaurant that serves craft beer (hey kids, how about a craft beer?!) in a candlelit setting and prefers not to ruin the atmosphere for adults with large groups of children.
ReplyDeleteMaybe all you boycotters will get your wish, and the place will be shuttered and empty, we will start to see groups hanging out in front of it at all hours. Of course, no one will complain or raise a stink at that point.
Just eat at another restaurant for heaven's sake, and leave the business owner who opened a pretty nice little place in our neighborhood alone.
I agree with the last post and I have two small children. I would never take a group of their little friends to a place like this for dinner. Restaurants make money on drinks, and I can see why the owner didn't want to take this group of kids. Its not fair on the kids to expect such good behavior and for the people dining! Give the owners a break.
ReplyDeleteNo one is boycotting anything or advocating that. If Bad Horse is not accommodating, you are right, go elsewhere. And many will once savvy restaurateurs recognize the potential in the Harlem area for good pizza that is accommodating to all . And Bad Horse will suffer and regret its policy. I have kids and love a craft beer with my pizza. Stop with the generalizing, please.
ReplyDeleteIf the idea is to vote with your wallet, then I, for one, will now patronize Bad Horse more. I go out to a place like that because I want to relax, unwind, and catch up with my friends or husband with a nice bottle of wine and gourmet pizza. The last thing I want is to be seated next to a large group of kids. A child, or a couple of children enjoying a "grown-up" dinner with their parents? Fine. A party of 9, under-supervised children? Absolutely not! Has nothing to do with gentrification, cliches, or discrimination. Has everything to do with good manners and being considerate.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Max.
ReplyDeleteI never went to this place but I WILL NOW because they need the support and deserve it! There are playgrounds for kids and they don't need to ruin nights out to the rest of us. I too would walk out of there and cancel my order if I saw 12 kids get in. PLEASE DON'T LET HARLEM TURN INTO PARK SLOPE! I lived there and HATED the stroller mafia of the self-entitled hippie parents and moved to Harlem. Keep Harlem real! Keep Harlem for the adults, the musicians, the artists, the workers!
ReplyDeleteWe go to Bad Horse all of the time with our three children and have never had anything but a great time. It's a terrific restaurant for the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI've eaten at Bad Horse both with and without my two little kids. Never had a bad time, and I don't blame the owner for not wanting a giant kid party. It's an adult-oriented place. I took my son to Chocolat one time, and when he acted up I quickly paid my check and left without finishing my meal b/c it would not have been appropriate to let him ruin their vibe. Running a restaurant is hard work, and I respect small business owners who tough it out day after day.
ReplyDelete