Restaurant refuses to serve pregnant woman glass of wine...Thoughts?

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

This article came up amongst some girlfriends of mine and sparked an interesting debate, not so much about pregnant women & alcohol, but more about the right of the restaurant to refuse to serve. Can't really see a restaurant refusing to serve an obese man a hamburger?

I still don't really know how I feel about it...curious if you guys had thoughts??

http://www.blogher.com/should-bars-refuse-serve-pregnant-women

 

[gavinandallison]

well, I say it is horrible that a woman that is with child would even ask for a glass of wine ....but to refuse serving , hummmm- I am a true freedom fighter --- if a woman in this country has the right to kill her child while it is still in the womb - why should serving her a drink be anyone's business...

 

[woodmort]

Interesting that some people have to take care of others that are too stupid to take care of themselves. By the same token, a restaurant can refuse to serve someone who they deem to be drunk so it would seem this is within their rights.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
x2

Same with allowing cigarettes, etc. By now it's the power of choice and knowledge, there's enough around for people to do it. Diet foods and drinks (sugarless) aren't safe, but is anyone stopping the large population from consuming them?

 

[georgialee]

I did not drink at all when I was pregnant, but I don't think an occasional glass of wine is bad when you're pregnant - like maybe once a week. I believe there was a study done on it but I'm in no mood to google, lol.

No, I don't think the restaurant has the rite to refuse her.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Quote:
x2

Same with allowing cigarettes, etc. By now it's the power of choice and knowledge, there's enough around for people to do it. Diet foods and drinks (sugarless) aren't safe, but is anyone stopping the large population from consuming them?

x3--This is pretty much where I stand. A woman's body doesn't become communal property when she becomes pregnant, it's about personal responsibility. What would be next? Not serving a pregnant woman fried food? A cup of coffee because of caffeine intake?

 

[Kassaundra]

After reading all the replies, I find it odd that the waitress is getting the blame. The restaurant owners likely made the choice not the waitress. While I don't know this for a fact I am assuming based on potential litigation rather then controling all pregnant women. Establishments that serve achohol to already drunk customers can be held legally responsible for injuries they cause in driving accidents, it is no stretch of the imagination that in a court of law "Larry Litigator" could make the claim in principle it applies to pregnant woman "hurting" the unborn baby. Even if not proven guilty in the court system there is all the time and expense to get to that point. I do think this policy should be clearly seen and upfront by customers before ordering their meal so they can make the choice whether to eat there or not.

 

[Katy]

I don't know that my daughter when she was bartending ever had a pregnant woman ask for a drink, but I know she did on occasion refuse service to people who had already had too much to drink.

I doubt that an occasional glass of wine is going to hurt since I think in some other countries it's not frowned on like here, but if we use that logic there are also countries where serving alchohol to minors is also ok.

 

[MustLoveHens]

Wow, that's interesting. Im kind of wondering if that was the bar/restaurant's policy or the waitress imposing her "ideals" in this situation. While I completely see both sides of the story, having lived in a where poeple were rather sue happy over any slight, I can see why the establishment would take a policy like that. I think the waitress should have stated the refusal differently, but I have to respect their right to refuse service policies. I would never get offended. Who knows, maybe that establishment did serve alcohol to pregnant women in the past, had an issue and (was counciled to) changed their policy

 

[Duker17]

Perhaps they were worried about the potential for a lawsuit? If someone can sue Mcdonalds for making them obese, could she have sued the restaurant for serving her alcohol if her baby was born with alcohol related problems?

Now I'm not saying that it was the right thing to do (on either end), but unfortunately businesses have to watch their backs at all times.