(WPHL) – A Chick-Fil-A in Pennsylvania has a new rule: no unaccompanied diners under 16.
After a series of unruly behaviors, the restaurant in Royersford has decided to ban kids under 16 years old from dining in without an accompanying adult.
The restaurant posted a statement to Facebook on Wednesday, explaining their decision. “We contemplated long and hard before posting this, but decided it was time.”
The restaurant explained their staff had noticed a pattern of “unacceptable behaviors” occurring when unaccompanied children and teens would visit. They said the teens were often loud and used a lot of “explicit language.” Sometimes they’d leave food and trash on the furniture and floors. They even reported some decorations had been stolen.
The disrespect went even further, the Chick-Fil-A location said: “Employees are laughed at, made fun of and treated rudely. Employees are cursed at and ignored when they ask the children and teens to either change their behavior or leave.”
“We are a family friendly restaurant where this is not tolerated,” wrote the restaurant on its Facebook page.
The new rule will apply to all people under the age of 16. The restaurant said those young customers who do not have an accompanying adult may go into the restaurant to order food but must take it to go.
The restaurant continued by saying, “To those unaccompanied children and teens that have visited us and acted appropriately, we thank you. But we also apologize. Due to the numerous extreme behaviors of many of your peers, we must make a blanket rule covering anyone under the age of 16.”
The restaurant said it wasn’t “blaming” local parents, but encouraged them to talk to their children about if they’ve witnessed such behaviors from their peers – or even participated in the rowdiness.
Nexstar contacted Chick-Fil-A’s corporate office for comment, but did not hear back by publication.
