Kids Under 6 Not Welcome At McD's Restaurant

A US restaurant has sparked controversy by banning children under the age of six - because their volume can't be controlled.

"This is not a kid-oriented place," said Mike Vuick, owner of McDain's, a restaurant and driving range in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

The restaurant sent an email to regular customers to inform them of the policy change, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"We feel McDain's is not a place for young children. Their volume can't be controlled and many, many times they have disturbed other customers," it said.

On its website, McDain's advertises itself as a place for "cocktails and fine casual dining" and calls its atmosphere "upscale, quiet and casual".

"Nothing wrong with babies," added Mr Vuick, "but the fact is you can't control their volume.

"And there may be restaurants that prefer to cater to such things, not here. I think it's the height of being impolite and selfish and so, therefore, I instituted a policy."

Locals expressed divided opinions about the policy on the Pittsburgh page of Yelp, a business ratings website.

"Part of me thinks this is probably a good idea," wrote Rob, a food blogger. "I think we live in the age of bad parenting, and a lot of parents simply cannot keep their kids under control."

But another poster, Amy, disagreed: "The people with the kids running and screaming at restaurants are the same ones who would answer a loudly ringing cell phone at the table and proceed to chat," she wrote.

"It should be a rude-people rule not a kids-under-six rule."