Dragon Pizza at center of controversy over a post about customers with children in tow: the owner says he welcomes the little ones with élan, but does not tolerate the lack of respect and supervision by parents. “Adults are the problem.”
All photos taken from the sign's website and social pages
The News
The welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere that often characterizes pizzerias has been challenged by a recent incident at Dragon Pizza in Somerville. In fact, the sign's owner sparked debate on social media after staff asked a group of families to leave the restaurant last Friday. In a post published Sunday on Instagram and Facebook, and initially reported by The Boston Globe, the owner expressed his displeasure with some parents described as “negligent” and their “unsupervised children,” accusing them of “disrespecting our business, other customers, and our team”.
Although the initial post emphasized how Dragon Pizza “loves children and naturally accepts their presence,”, the tone became harsher in describing the incident: “Unfortunately, on Friday we had to ask a group of inattentive parents to leave because they had conduct that does not conform to the common rules of politeness in a public space. Our restaurant, or any restaurant, is not a place where unsupervised children can play as if they were at home. We are all here to share culinary experiences."
Accompanying the message were six key points that, by way of reflection, outline the restaurant's philosophy toward the little ones and their caregivers. Highlights include a willingness to welcome children with élan and thoughtfulness, while at the same time disapproving of parents who do not interact with them during the dining experience and who use the toys provided as a form of “babysitting ” inappropriate to the context. Particularly telling is the comment about pizza being used as a mere diversion to entertain children while waiting for other dishes: “Our round deserves respect and attention. We dislike parents who see it as a cheap option to appease their children with little until they are able to dine independently."
According to reports in the Globe, the reaction of the owner, Charlie Redd, was itself triggered by the sharing of the incident by the families involved in a Facebook group of parents. Redd, a father himself, preferred not to add any more specific details about the incident than what had already been expressed on social media, clarifying, however, that his criticism was certainly not aimed at children. “This [post] always refers to the parents,”, he clarified to Boston.com. Building on a solid career in the hospitality industry, Redd went on to explain that he conceived Dragon Pizza with an eye toward families. In addition to the pizzeria, the business includes an adjacent space, called Dragon's Lair, equipped with games such as shuffleboard and pinball. “Since opening my first restaurant, Redd's in Rozzie, I've always wanted customers with children to feel comfortable,” Redd said. "It's part of my philosophy of hospitality that restaurants involve everyone. We've had great success here at Dragon in accommodating groups with children."
Although Redd said this was the first time in more than six years of operation that they have asked a family to leave, it is not the first time that an area restaurant has voiced complaints about customers with children. The issue of what is deemed inappropriate behavior of minors in public places has become a topic of heated debate online, particularly regarding breweries and informal restaurants. In this regard, last year, Rhode Island brewery Proclamation Ale Company had posted a “gentle reminder” on Facebook aimed at customers who bring children, stressing that staff and board games are not to be considered “babysitting.”
Reactions to Dragon Pizza's post were mixed. Many users expressed support for Redd for defending his business, sharing similar negative experiences he had at other restaurants. Others questioned his guidelines or felt that posting such a message was inappropriate. “I work in a brewery and kids running around uncontrolled is by far the most frequent complaint we get,” said one user on Reddit, for example. What do you guys think?
