The Bear Star Ayo Edebiri Says Kids Should Be Welcomed in Restaurants

Taking your baby or toddler out to eat with you might not always be smooth sailing, but Ayo Edebiri believes kids should always be welcomed at the table.

Known for her role as talented young chef Sydney Adamu, the Emmy-award winner recently made her case for kids in dining spaces while chatting with IMBD about the new season of The Bear. In the interview, Edebiri, alongside other members of the cast, was asked what fine dining rule she can’t get behind. “One [fine dining rule] that I think is very popular in America, but I think outside of America is not really a thing is no kids in restaurants," Edebiri explained. "I’m just kind of like ‘let ‘em in’…Maybe not all the time, but it’s like, how else are they going to learn?”

“I don’t know you go to Europe, and you’re just like, the kids aren’t acting crazy in here. Because they kind of know how to act in a restaurant, so maybe if we like let them in restaurants, they’ll know how to act,” she added. The actress also touched on how this normalization of kids in restaurants might lead to better, more expansive palettes too. “They’re not eating chicken fingers, they can, like eat, they can throw down,” she laughed.

Edebiri’s opinion is one side of a growing divide that has seen restaurants banning kids under five and parents fighting back for their rights. Some argue that banning kids ensures a peaceful and clean dining experience for other patrons, while others, like Edebiri, believe that not only is it important for children to be included in dining experiences to learn proper behavior and develop diverse tastes, but parents deserve the freedom to bring their kids where they please.

While the debate continues, one thing is clear: the conversation around children in dining spaces is far from over. As more voices weigh in, the dining landscape may shift towards more inclusive solutions that benefit both families and other diners. After all, everyone deserves a seat at the table.