Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

So this happened yesterday and totally grossed me out and I didn't know what to do.

I go out to eat with my gf at a Vietnamese Pho place in this Vietnamese type shopping center in Philly. Its a pretty cheap place as most Pho places are, but nothing especially dirty or anything about it, just standard.

So two tables away, this big extended family is sitting down (like 12 people). The father leaves and comes back with this plastic bowl type thing and then the mother has her kid (who looks too old to be wearing diapers, maybe like 6) stand up on the chair at the table in the middle of the restaurant while she takes his pants down and changes his diaper! I wanted to say something, but it was a huge family and I really had no idea what to say to a family where everyone thought that was an ok thing to do. No one else in the restaurant acted like it was out of the ordinay at all.

WTF??

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Parents changing babies' and toddlers' diapers in public is a fact of life. Babies need anywhere from 8 to 15 changes a day, so unless you plan on keeping your baby in your house around the clock, which is not good parenting, it is inevitable that you will have to change a diaper or two in a public place. People who have had kids understand this.

With that said, if I were in a restaurant I would almost certainly take my child to the restroom or possibly even out to the car if I drove there. I agree with you that it is pretty disgusting in a restaurant. But when I see it going on in the park or at the beach, I don't think anything of it.

Unless your parents really sucked, I can almost guarantee that you had many of your diapers change in the view of total strangers at one time or another.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

This is totally unreasonable.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Nasty. That's what restrooms are for.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

I'm guessing the general feelings about this are different based on whether or not you have kids.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm guessing the general feelings about this are different based on whether or not you have kids.

[/ QUOTE ]
Whether or not you have kids, you have to realize this is going to affect people all around you, some of whom probably won't have kids.

Getting kids naked in a public setting: Not desirable but necessary at times
Getting kids naked around people that you don't know and are eating at a restaurant: Give me a break

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

OP: Which PHO place? What street?

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Tweety,
Yeah, park or beach, whatever I don't like it but I realize sometimes its necessary, but the middle of a restaurant at a table full of people!

Its not like there wasn't a restroom right there and I'm pretty sure she wasn't carrying around a bottle of Purell. Not to mention the restaurant prob doesn't bleach their tables after every customer.

Is this any sort of cultural anomaly?

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'm guessing the general feelings about this are different based on whether or not you have kids.

[/ QUOTE ]
Whether or not you have kids, you have to realize this is going to affect people all around you, some of whom probably won't have kids.

Getting kids naked in a public setting: Not desirable but necessary at times
Getting kids naked around people that you don't know and are eating at a restaurant: Give me a break

[/ QUOTE ]

This has nothing to do with the kid being naked and everything to do with the fact that people don't want to see or smell [censored] while eating.

edit -- but anyway, yeah, obviously take the kid to the bathroom.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

My daughter is 5 now, but I used to change her back in the day.
NEVER AT THE DINNER TABLE.

That's just sick. Go to the damn bathroom.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

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I'm guessing the general feelings about this are different based on whether or not you are retarded.

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seriously, can any sane adult justify doing that in public in front of people who are eating when it would be more convenient for all involved to take the process elsewhere.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Go to the fricking bathroom. geez. how is this even debatable?

i'd see the manager. that would ruin my meal.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

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OP: Which PHO place? What street?

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It was in the shopping complex on Washington and 11th. Theres a few Pho places there, and I don't know what the names of them are, but most of the time I go to the one that has a little deli/smoothie counter in the front and the restaurant through the back.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

I have a 2 year old and am a rabid defender of my right to continue living my life. Changing your child at the table in the middle of the restaurant is totally unacceptable. I can't really see this ruining my meal unless there was [censored] all over the place or something, though.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm guessing the general feelings about this are different based on whether or not you have kids.

[/ QUOTE ]

Big mistake, if so. The point isn't that people have to see diapers changing and smell it. That's natural. It's just that seeing and smelling that while you're trying to eat or keep your appetite is really, really bad.

I hope we're not yet at the point where we're so politically correct we can't say sh*t stinks anymore.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
Tweety,
Yeah, park or beach, whatever I don't like it but I realize sometimes its necessary, but the middle of a restaurant at a table full of people!

Its not like there wasn't a restroom right there and I'm pretty sure she wasn't carrying around a bottle of Purell. Not to mention the restaurant prob doesn't bleach their tables after every customer.

Is this any sort of cultural anomaly?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, it's not a cultural thing. I grew up around Asians and ate in a million Asian restaurants -- heck, we used to own three of them ourselves. Still go out to Asian restaurants about three times a week. Never once saw this in any Asian restaurant.

I have seen this a couple of times in fast food joints, though, and once or twice in other family-type places(Shakeys, etc.).

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
Parents changing babies' and toddlers' diapers in public is a fact of life. Babies need anywhere from 8 to 15 changes a day, so unless you plan on keeping your baby in your house around the clock, which is not good parenting, it is inevitable that you will have to change a diaper or two in a public place. People who have had kids understand this.

With that said, if I were in a restaurant I would almost certainly take my child to the restroom or possibly even out to the car if I drove there. I agree with you that it is pretty disgusting in a restaurant. But when I see it going on in the park or at the beach, I don't think anything of it.

Unless your parents really sucked, I can almost guarantee that you had many of your diapers change in the view of total strangers at one time or another.

[/ QUOTE ]


I cant see many parents changing there kids diaper in the middle of a restaurant. Cant bring my dog in but change a diaper at the table.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tweety,
Yeah, park or beach, whatever I don't like it but I realize sometimes its necessary, but the middle of a restaurant at a table full of people!

Its not like there wasn't a restroom right there and I'm pretty sure she wasn't carrying around a bottle of Purell. Not to mention the restaurant prob doesn't bleach their tables after every customer.

Is this any sort of cultural anomaly?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, it's not a cultural thing. I grew up around Asians and ate in a million Asian restaurants -- heck, we used to own three of them ourselves. Still go out to Asian restaurants about three times a week. Never once saw this in any Asian restaurant.

I have seen this a couple of times in fast food joints, though, and once or twice in other family-type places(Shakeys, etc.).

[/ QUOTE ]

Yah but nammers are dirtier than most asians

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

This is so completely unreasonable that it almost feels OP is leveling. Pretty sure the safety/sanitation inspector would take issue with feces on/near an eating surface, not to mention general discomfort from onlookers.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

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This is so completely unreasonable that it almost feels OP is leveling.

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I don't think so. Considering the degree of unreasonability from people I see everyday, the OP scenario is entirely feasible.

If this happened to me, there would be no way I was paying the bill. I would confront the owner immediately, and if they didn't do anything I would walk. Doing nothing is just too nice here, even for a Canadian.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is so completely unreasonable that it almost feels OP is leveling.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think so. Considering the degree of unreasonability from people I see everyday, the OP scenario is entirely feasible.

If this happened to me, there would be no way I was paying the bill. I would confront the owner immediately, and if they didn't do anything I would walk. Doing nothing is just too nice here, even for a Canadian.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm definitely not leveling. That being said, if this was in any regular restaurant I feel like I would have definitely said something to at least my waiter or the manager.

But the fact that this was a Vietnamese restaurant and I was the only white guy in there and that the waiters don't speak great English made me just let it go.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Totally unreasonable. I have two kids.

Sometimes the restaurant bathroom is too small or something so you take the baby out to the car to do it.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

I think this is pretty gross but I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Talking to a manager would be 100% useless. But I am asian and pretty dirty

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is so completely unreasonable that it almost feels OP is leveling.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think so. Considering the degree of unreasonability from people I see everyday, the OP scenario is entirely feasible.

If this happened to me, there would be no way I was paying the bill. I would confront the owner immediately, and if they didn't do anything I would walk. Doing nothing is just too nice here, even for a Canadian.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just meant that leveling would be a more pleasant explanation, not that I don't believe the OP. I agree that seeing such a display would result in an unpaid bill, Canadian or not (I'm in London ON).

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

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I think this is pretty gross but I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Talking to a manager would be 100% useless. But I am asian and pretty dirty

[/ QUOTE ]

A person is defecating on a table at the restaurant. What would you make a big deal out of?

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

I will join the chorus of parents who think this is completely unacceptable. I have 3 kids. We either changed the kids in the can (that's what changing stations are for) or, if the bathroom is didn't work for some reason, we took the kid to the car.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

OP, what was the state of the child and the diaper's relative cleanliness? I think many people are assuming there was feces involved, which I did not. Clarify please.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
OP, what was the state of the child and the diaper's relative cleanliness? I think many people are assuming there was feces involved, which I did not. Clarify please.

[/ QUOTE ]

who the hell cares? If diaper is coming off child, get to the bathroom.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Regardless of the state of the child's diaper this is totally unacceptable. I can't imagine ever changing a child's diaper at my home dinner table during a meal. Why the [censored] would it be any more acceptable in public? On a similar note, I used to bus tables at a rather upscale barbecue joint in KC. One afternoon a woman with a newborn baby undid her shirt, unhooked her bra and began breastfeeding at one of the tables. Not a big deal normally, but this woman didn't have a towel or anything mostly covering her breast like you might normally see. Just a breast partially covered by the suckling infant. As a high school aged guy, I was all for this. However, the men having a business lunch at the next table over were slightly distracted [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Yeah. Don't sh*t where you eat is a good metaphor for a reason.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

I'm pretty laid back but I definitely would have said something. This is completely unreasonable.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

For those that think this was OK: Is it OK to change Grandma's adult diapers at the table?

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

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I'm guessing the general feelings about this are different based on whether or not you have kids.


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What if it weren't a kid, but rather an 85 year old senilite who needed a Gramper change?

That make any difference?

Damn! Falcon is quicker. nh

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

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[ QUOTE ]
OP, what was the state of the child and the diaper's relative cleanliness? I think many people are assuming there was feces involved, which I did not. Clarify please.

[/ QUOTE ]

who the hell cares? If diaper is coming off child, get to the bathroom.

[/ QUOTE ]

Clean-ish diaper and child: inappropriate, but not a big deal. I would roll my eyes and continue.

Feces-laden child and diaper: totally different ballgame. I'd certainly say something along the lines of "Excuse me, I'm trying to eat over here, can you do that someplace else?"

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
For those that think this was OK: Is it OK to change Grandma's adult diapers at the table?

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uh i don't think that a single person itt has said this is ok

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For those that think this was OK: Is it OK to change Grandma's adult diapers at the table?

[/ QUOTE ]

uh i don't think that a single person itt has said this is ok

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This is 2+2, there's bound to be a few weirdos who think this is OK. Also, does this change if it's the Bowflex Grandma?

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm guessing the general feelings about this are different based on whether or not you have kids.

[/ QUOTE ]

No f'n way, I have an 8-month-old and we would never change him in the middle of a restaurant! Restrooms please.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
OP, what was the state of the child and the diaper's relative cleanliness? I think many people are assuming there was feces involved, which I did not. Clarify please.

[/ QUOTE ]

who the hell cares? If diaper is coming off child, get to the bathroom.

[/ QUOTE ]

Clean-ish diaper and child: inappropriate, but not a big deal. I would roll my eyes and continue.

Feces-laden child and diaper: totally different ballgame. I'd certainly say something along the lines of "Excuse me, I'm trying to eat over here, can you do that someplace else?"

[/ QUOTE ]I don't have any kids, but I'm thinking that if the diaper is clean enough to be "not a big deal" in a restaurant, isn't it probably clean enough to stay on for another 30 minutes until you're home?

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

Evan,

Correct.

Re: Woman Changing Kid\'s Diaper in Restaurant
 

[ QUOTE ]
Tweety,
Yeah, park or beach, whatever I don't like it but I realize sometimes its necessary, but the middle of a restaurant at a table full of people!

Its not like there wasn't a restroom right there and I'm pretty sure she wasn't carrying around a bottle of Purell. Not to mention the restaurant prob doesn't bleach their tables after every customer.

Is this any sort of cultural anomaly?

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude, I'm not defending these people. I think what they did is outrageous.

How would I deal with it if I were in OP's shoes? Since it isn't really the restaurant's fault that this happened, I'd probably still pay for my meal and leave a tip for the service, but I'd be out of there immediately after seeing that, and I'd tell the manager/waiter how disgusting I thought it was.

Talking to the family is close to useless. What do they care? The restaurant is looking at losing many customers because of one rogue customer. They need to be made aware of this, as they are the ones with something to lose.

If I liked the restaurant a lot other than when this incident occurred, I probably would still go back eventually, once the grotesqueness of the visual faded sufficiently in my mind.