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A Singapore restaurant is imposing a S$10 surcharge on the final dining bill if a child of a diner is deemed noisy and disruptive to other patrons of the establishment.

This policy implemented by Angie's Oyster Bar & Grill, located in Tan Boon Liat Building at Outram Road, while not new, has raised some eyebrows of mothers in Singapore, who then shared the information amongst themselves before passing it on to the media.

A screenshot of a text message by the restaurant to a reservation maker that made clear the levying of a S$10 surcharge was then submitted to Mothership to highlight the supposed child-unfriendly conditions imposed on those dining out with their family.

No baby chair provided

The message by the restaurant was sent to a would-be customer, who made a reservation and requested a baby chair.

The reservation maker was informed that only a space for a pram would be provided and that a baby chair was not available, as the restaurant is not a kid-friendly place.

The restaurant further said that children are still welcomed to dine in, nonetheless, just that a S$10 surcharge will be imposed if children are "screaming" or "uncontrolled", and if they end up disturbing other guests.

Good reviews

Based on reviews posted on Google and Facebook, the restaurant has received high praise for its food and ambience.

The only complaint about the noisy child surcharge and child-unfriendly policy by the restaurant was mentioned in a TripAdvisor review from August 2022.

The negative review could have been posted by the same person who provided the screenshot of the restaurant's text message reply about being unable to arrange for a baby chair and the levying of a S$10 surcharge for a noisy child.

In response to the TripAdvisor review, Angie's Oyster Bar & Grill explained that its staff have been receiving more complaints about children "running around unattended or disturbing other tables during the service period".

The restaurant said such incidents are "dangerous" as servers are often moving around with hot food and sharp cutlery, and also "disrespectful to other diners who may wish to dine in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere".

The restaurant will then be left in an "awkward" position in having to mediate between different groups of diners, especially when disruptive behaviours persist.

Restaurant responds

In response to Mothership's queries, Angie's Oyster Bar & Grill provided its full statement that included its justifications.

The restaurant said:

We pride ourselves in providing a pleasant environment for all our dining guests at Angie's. We are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve our customer experience and make it a point to ask guests for feedback on their dining experience--our food, service standards, and overall ambiance.

Over the last few months, we've received an increasing number of complaints of children running around unattended or disturbing other tables during the service period. Not only is this dangerous as servers are often moving around with hot food and sharp cutlery, but it is also disrespectful to other diners who may wish to dine in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere.

In these instances, our team speaks with the parents or caretakers and the situation is almost always immediately managed. However, we occasionally experience situations where nothing is done and the matter is ignored altogether. This is both frustrating and embarrassing because it puts the restaurant in an awkward position when explaining to other guests why nothing is being done to address the matter. Because of these experiences, we felt we had no choice but to impose a "penalty" to address such unfortunate situations.

We ask for nothing more than mutual respect from all our guests,  but we've sadly come across a few diners who may feel more entitled than others. It pains us to impose the policy but it was never our intention to diminish any of our guests' experience. We seek parents, caretakers' kind understanding to tend to their children as we aim to provide as many pleasant and memorable dining experiences for as many customers as possible.

Additionally, Angie's Oyster Grill and Bar told Mothership that it will "continue striving to provide a better dining experience to all guests even if it means introducing "creative" policies.

Interior of the restaurant

The interior of the second-floor restaurant, as seen in photos put up online, appears as a well-decorated establishment, with wine bottles on display.

To get to the restaurant, patrons are required to navigate a flight of stairs.

Restaurants that restrict access to children, strollers in Singapore

Restaurants in Singapore that explicitly state that they limit access to children and strollers are not new.

The restrictions have been explained as limitations imposed by the location and design of the premises.

Previously, PS.Cafe at Ann Siang Hill did not allow children on its premises, citing its small, quaint space with many steps, as reasons.

Ce La Vi, located on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands, is unable to accommodate any strollers.