Should you bring kids to a nice restaurant? TikTok bashes iPads at dinner table, sparks debate

A mom from Oklahoma took to TikTok to complain about loud kids in an upscale restaurant she was dining at, and caused quite the stir on the social media app.

"Don't take your (expletive) kids to nice restaurants," said Kelsey Davis, a wife and mother of five, in the viral video. "Because there's some married couples who pay to get rid of their kids for the evening to go have a nice dinner."

The video, which was posted on Dec. 30, has over 60,000 views. In it, she says the four kids, who she told Today.com ranged from 9 to 12 years old, played games on their tablet so loud that she couldn't hear the music in the restaurant.

"Our meal was over $140 with tip," she says in the TikTok. "And I had to listen to screaming (expletive) kids."

Her and her husband went to Nola's, a Cajun restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They hired a babysitter to enjoy the night kid-free, but their plans were foiled by the children described in the video.

"People, leave your kids at home, get a babysitter, don't take them," she says as her and her husband are in the car leaving the restaurant. "Because I want a good night with my husband and I just feel exhausted from that date night. So, thanks for that."

David told the outlet she was excited to finally get a table at Nola's after wanting to eat there for years.

“The food was amazing, but it was such a stressful experience because of that one awful family,” she told them. She described them as loud, obnoxious and "had absolutely no regard for other diners."

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What does TikTok say?

TikTok's reaction ranges. Some users agree with Davis, while others are more hesitant.

"Honestly this is one I don’t agree with," one use wrote. "Some people don’t trust babysitters or have family close by to watch them."

Others spoke out against the children's parents, saying they should "discipline their children & teach them how to be civil little humans," and criticizing the use of tablets in a restaurant.

Another user said they agreed and disagreed. "How are they going to learn if you leave them home all the time?" to which a different user replied, "You take them to Chili's and teach them to not suck."

One user commented "Or... hear me out... go somewhere that doesn’t allow kids." Davis replied saying "I’m not missing out on incredible food because kids are there?! It’s an expensive restaurant! It’s meant for adults!"

In a reply to a comment stating "Kids are gonna be kids..." Davis replied "These kids were like 10 and 11 years old, not toddlers! TODDLERS don’t know how to “behave” and be quiet, but kids 10 and 11 do!"

Gen Alpha and 'iPad parenting'

Davis' video isn't the first to address the issues of children misbehaving in public. The video is going viral at a time where discourse over raising "iPad kids" is strong on TikTok.

Side parts and skinny jeans aren't the only things Gen Z is criticizing about Millennials. The younger generation has been using TikTok to address the amount of screen time Millennials allow their children to have and their lack of firm parenting.

Some of their criticisms are backed by research, too. A 2023 study conducted by Japanese researchers suggests toddlers who have more screen time at 1-year-old are more likely to show delays in communication and problem solving at 2 and 4-years-old.

"We have to right a wrong, guys," says TikTok user Gabesco in a video he posted ranting about the trend. "Gen Z, please, when we're older, don't give your kids iPads at the dinner table."