FOSTER CITY, Calif. — A popular Chinese restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area is drawing widespread praise for taking a firm stand against unruly children and irresponsible parents.
Chez Xue, located in Foster City, has implemented a clear policy requiring parents to keep their kids seated and respectful, or face financial consequences for any damage caused. The move has gone viral, with many Americans cheering the owner for refusing to let the dining room turn into a free-for-all playground.
The policy, posted prominently at the top of the restaurant’s digital menu, reads in part: “Chez Xue is a family-friendly restaurant. However, we are not a playground. Please ensure children REMAIN SEATED at all times and respectful of fellow guests and the dining environment. Running around, shouting, making noise with utensils, etc. WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!”
It also states that guests who ignore the rules may be asked to leave and that parents will be held financially liable for all damage caused by their children to restaurant property.
Owner You You Xue, 28, told reporters the policy became necessary after repeated problems. One of the final straws came when a parent changed a dirty diaper on a communal booth in the middle of the dining room.
Other documented cases include:
In April 2025, a child picked up and smashed a credit card machine on the ground — parents were charged $327.03.
In December, a child carved designs into a wooden table with a utensil — parents were billed $109.38.
Another incident involved a child playing in a booth and shattering a teacup- parents were charged $5.47.
Xue has made it clear the issue isn’t about the small amounts of money. “It’s not about the $5, it’s a matter of principle,” he said. “I’m not short $5. For us, it’s about respecting the restaurant, respecting other guests.”
In a CBS Bay Area interview, Xue explained his philosophy bluntly: Inviting customers into his restaurant is like inviting guests into his home. He expects the same level of respect, and holds parents responsible when their children are allowed to run wild and cause damage.
Xue emphasized that Chez Xue remains family-friendly and is not launching an “anti-children campaign.” The restaurant provides high chairs and welcomes families. However, he noted that some parents have grown lax, allowing behavior his own parents never would have tolerated.
“Kids will be loud. Kids will cry. It’s okay,” he has said, “but it’s up to the parents to make the appropriate adjustments.”Since making the policy more prominent, Xue reports that disruptive incidents have dropped dramatically — nearly to zero.
