It seems like Applebee’s is not that family friendly after all. At least that is the dining experience claimed by Eli Gau, a Texas father who admits that his children might not always be on their best behavior.
When the oldest boy wandered away from the table, prompting Gau to grab him, a manager approached him, claiming the children were making too much noise, according to CBS Houston.
Gau says his kids were just being kids. “They’re kind of active,” he said of his 1-year-old and 3-year-old sons. “They act like children. They’re not adults.”
The Huffington Post writes, “Gau was angry his family was asked to leave the Katy Texas Applebee’s because of their behavior. The manager kicked the family out of the restaurant and called the authorities. As the family walked outside, they were met by a Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy, who gave them a notice warning them of criminal trespassing.”
“I feel disrespected,” the boys’ mother, Lillian Maliti said.
An Applebee’s spokesperson apologized for the incident and said that the management team mishandled the situation and has invited the Gau family to return for a free meal. The family has decided not to use the offer and to take their business elsewhere.
There was no mention of race in the incident, but it’s hard not to ask whether Applebee’s management would have responded differently, had the Gaus been white.
