Children under 6 years old no longer permitted at Northeast Ohio tea room

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Northeast Ohio tea room on Wednesday announced via social media that children under six years old will no longer be permitted in the business.

The owner of The Macaron Tea Room and Bakery, located in Broadview Heights, said she made the decision after experiencing multiple challenges in its operation.

“It’s gotten out of hand. Kids are breaking lots of dishes, we are scrubbing food off the wall, kids are spilling stuff, kids are running up and down and disturbing other customers, parents are saying nothing. It’s just really sad how, I’m pretty good at toning stuff out but some of these parents don’t even know their kids are here and they’re just running wild,” said Alla Yakimiv.

The decision has been met with mixed reviews on social media with some in support, calling out parents who don’t teach their children manners and then others who say the decision isn’t family-friendly and they’ll take their business elsewhere.

“Specifically, we have encountered difficulties related to cleaning up after messy spills, managing disruptive noise levels, and addressing safety concerns related to children running around the restaurant,” the restaurant said in a Facebook post that has since garnered traction from its surrounding community.

As we reflect on the past few years, we are grateful for the many families and amazing customers who have visited our...
Posted by The Macaron Tea Room and Bakery on Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Yakimiv says she’s sorry it came down to this and she intends to continue serving the community.

“Unfortunately, I do not have the staff or the dishes or things like that to be a Chuck E. Cheese,” said Yakimiv “If you think I’m wrong please, open up a tea room and do it your way. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry, this is something that I see for my staff first and foremost and second for my customers. There are more adults than kids that are not happy and it’s tough,” she said.

Yakimiv said the new changes will go into effect on March 1, however, the business said it will make special exceptions.

“We understand that this may cause disappointment for some of our patrons, particularly those with well-behaved children,” the post continued. “However, after careful consideration, we believe that this decision is necessary for us to move forward.

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