I would pay more to go to a restaurant that didn't allow kids, than one that caters to them. When you want to go out for a nice, quiet, dinner away from the kids, or if you don't have kids and just want to go out, you don't go to Chuck-E-Cheese. If you were at a nice restaurant and a grown adult was yelling screaming, throwing things, and running around, the police would be called. Kids are kids, they don't know better, but parents do. If you can't control your child, either don't bring them with you or stay home.
Any parent who doesn't like the idea of not having their kid allowed at an upscale restaurant is probably the same kind of parent who allows their child to be loud & unruly in the first place, and also the same parent who gets angry when someone else asks them to at least attempt to control their own child.
Not all young children chronically misbehave, and those who don't are now being excluded which I do agree is unfair. If you don't like this practice, then you should raise your child to be respectful of others and their surroundings, and encourage other parents to do the same.
Take some of your own advice. If you don't like the idea of banning young kids, don't go to that restaurant. If you don't like restaurants with kids menus, eat somewhere else. If you're right, those restaurants will go out of business. But for your sake I hope you can find a restaurant with wait staff of mind readers so you no longer have to be angered by asking for things.

Just out of curiosity, D... are you a parent? You sure don't talk like one. You talk like that variety of "child-free" adult who regards parents -- especially parents of very young children -- as second-class citizens. I don't like sharing my restaurant experience with bratty, unruly children any more than you do. But I also don't condemn their parents for wanting to enjoy a nice meal cooked by somebody else. Not everybody can afford to get a babysitter every time they decide to eat out.

Justin, I agree with you that the quality of most children's menus is atrocious and that restaurants really ought to be more flexible about the choices available to children. Tell me why I can't just order my child a half portion of the same meal I'm getting and then charge me half price for it? Maybe some restaurant owners or managers can chime in here and explain to us why this is so difficult or inconvenient for them?

I dont think nicer restaurants should cater to kids. Probably should have made that clearer. We wouldn't bring our daughter to one if we wanted a nice meal just the two of us. But those that attempt to provide kids meals, need to do a better job. And Chuck E Cheese is gross on so many levels. Would love to hear from a restaurant owner or two on this.

I remember being a new parent in Montclair and venturing to Church street for lunch one day. With our one year old in a stroller we entered the Stock Pot. It appeared to be a family friendly establishment. It wasn't, and 12 years later I've yet to step foot in it again.

You are right, D, it's not fair to exclude the majority of well-behaved children for a few unruly ones especially while granting an exception to loud drunks, loud prejudiced (against one group or another) individuals, people who share too much information a little too loudly.. all of whom I find way more annoying than children. So perhaps institute a ban on loud annoying people (of any age) or accept that life means interacting with all kinds of people in public places - sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

As for your "mind readers" comment, D: A competent wait staff would know these things. A good restaurant owner would train them to. As someone who has waited tables and eaten at restaurants, I think common sense needs to prevail in these situations.