Cry Baby

The owners of Grant Central Pizza, a casual restaurant in Atlanta, Ga recently attracted lots of attention after printing a notice banning crying children from their restaurant at the bottom of their menu.

The notice reads:

Dear all present and future patrons: GCP is proud of its reputation as a family restaurant, a title that we will work to keep. Unfortunately a number of our diners have posted unpleasant experiences because of crying and unsupervised children. To ensure that all diners have an enjoyable lunch or dinner with us we respectfully ask that parents tend to their crying tots outside.

Grant Central owner Donnie Palmer emphasizes that he was forced to enact an official policy on crying after customers complained about noise...but really?

However controversial, this certainly not the first time the topic has come up. In July, McDain's Restaurant of Monroeville, PA gave noisy kids the boot via an email sent to customers.

Owner Mike Vuick wrote, "Beginning July 16, 2011, McDain's Restaurant will no longer admit children under six years of age. We feel that McDain's is not a place for young children. Their volume can't be controlled and many, many times, they have disturbed other customers."

Also former Top Chef contestant Dale Levitsky banned kids from brunch at his restaurant in March.

Interestingly enough, there is no law preventing restaurants from banning children; however, restaurants cannot ban senior citizens because they are in a protected class under the law.

Kids just can't get no respect.

Food for Thought

White tablecloths, fine silverware and intricately-plated dishes made (whenever possible) from locally-sourced ingredients....and its staffed by convicts?

Clink restaurant, which Wales Today reports will soon open in Cardiff, Wales, will be unlike almost any other restaurant in the world. The 100-seat restaurant will be located in a prison, and it will be staffed mostly by convicts.

Openning in the Category-B correctional facility HMP Cardiff, the restaurant will be the second outpost of the Clink concept. The first opened in 2009 at HMP High Down, a prison in Sutton, England and was the subject of a documentary ("The Prison Restaurant") on the BBC.

Both Clinks are headed by chef Al Crisci, who has been campaigning for better food in British prisons for years. The goal of Clink is to provide convicts with the skills they need to find jobs once they leave prison.

According to an early review of the Sutton branch in the Independent, the food, service and decor are all exemplary.

Make 'em say YUMMMMM

Ok, pretty sure this isn't real but everyone should see this website - Bon Rappetite

The site reads:

"Bon Rappetite is the world's first hip hop restaurant. Featuring a delicious menu that caters to the ballers. Relax at the bar with a signature cocktail, like the refreshing Long Island Ice-T, or eat so many shrimp you get iodine poisoning in our relaxing dining area. One thing's for sure, you better bring your rappetite.™"

Highlights on the hip-hop themed menu include Master P Soup, Lil' Wangz, Wu Tang Clams, Queen LaPizza, Creme Puff Daddies and Old Dirty Custard.