The operators of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Royersford, Pennsylvania have recently taken the step of banning unaccompanied minors under the age of 16 from patronizing the restaurant. The owners made the decision after a series of incidents of disruptive, unruly, and sometimes dangerous behavior from the young guests.
“We want to provide a comfortable and safe environment for our guests and our staff, and also to protect our building. Therefore, we cannot allow this to continue.”
According to the operators’ statement, the teens have been loud and disrespectful, using explicit language and making fun of restaurant employees. They have also been vandalizing the bathrooms, leaving messes, and engaging in “unsafe behaviors” in the parking lot.
“As you can imagine, this is not a pleasant experience,” read the statement. “We want to provide a comfortable and safe environment for our guests and our staff, and also to protect our building. Therefore, we cannot allow this to continue. As a result, to dine in our restaurant, anyone under the age of 16 is required to be accompanied by an adult. If not accompanied by an adult, they may come in to purchase food, but must take it to go.”
The statement went on to explain that, while the owners didn’t blame the parents, they felt it was necessary to protect their guests and staff, as well as their building, and that unaccompanied minors could still purchase food to take away.
The restaurant also made clear it is not blaming parents for the problem.
“Parents, we are not blaming you,” read the statement. “Children and teens are learning to navigate the world free from supervision and often push the boundaries. We simply can’t let them push those boundaries anymore at our restaurant. We encourage you to talk to your children and ask about behaviors they have seen and perhaps participated in.”
The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some commenters have expressed support for the franchise’s decision, while others have argued that parents must take some responsibility for the behavior of their children.
“I can tell this was well thought out,” wrote one Facebook user. “Your post is very well written. I don’t blame you for making this decision, however difficult it may be. Thanks for thinking about the families.”
Another added, “How can you say you can’t blame the parents? It all starts in the home[.] Parents want to be their kids’ best friend instead of being a parent and take some responsibility on actions done by the kids.”
