How to Handle Soliciting at a Restaurant

I would speak to the manager. It's okay if the kids are allowed to set up a small table with a sign and stand or sit behind the table but to be allowed to approach guests is wrong.

If it happened once, I'd smile politely, and decline. If it happened repeatedly, I'd probably ask my server what the deal was... maybe it was a special night supporting some group and I just missed the "memo". But if it happened on multiple visits, I'd ask the management what their protocol is for such things... if it's repeated, they likely both know about it and condone it. And I would not be happy with the management.
I agree with the other ladies about tables being set up being ok, then it's my choice if and WHEN I want to discuss/approach/donate, whatever. But to have people soliciting me at my dinner table... no.
I would not be rude to the child, but if it was apparent that it wasn't just a one-off I'd ask the management about their policy, because that would run me off as a customer.

I'd say no and then flag down the manager. I don't know of a single restaurant that wants this type of thing going on while their patrons are trying to relax and eat.

That's ridiculous! I'd speak with the restaurant management... If they're allowing people in to harass me while I'm patronizing their establishment, it'd be the last time I ate there.

That's just obnoxious.
I'd tell them "No thanks. I'm not interested.".
See, if you have to say it once - it's not such a bother - but if there are several kids canvassing the place and others keep coming up to me, I'd have to say "No" more than once.
And I have no problems saying "No" - but if I'm trying to eat a meal and start to feel harassed - that's going too far.
Yes, I would have a word with the manager.
It's got to be a hazard if there are wait staff and kids going around all the tables.
I was always told never to bother an animal when they are eating - and I expect the same courtesy when I'M eating.
Under the right circumstances I'm likely to bite someones head off - so it's in everyone's best interest to leave me to eat in peace.

No thank you

With a nice smile
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Looking at the other answers, sorry ladies, I am the mean one? You can't say no thank you to a child, instead you call management? I would never allow my kids to go to a restaurant but I would like to think that if they went behind my back people would treat them better than calling management instead of being grown ups and using their words.

That has never happened to me. In fact, I have never heard of it happening to anyone I know either.
I didn't even think that was allowed?
I probably would look at them stupidly and then say, "No. I think it's really rude that you are asking me this while I am out for dinner. Goodbye." (Depending on their age, of course)
If they are younger I would look around for their mother and quietly tell her how rude I think it is.
Geesh. Can't go anywhere without people hitting you up!

Smile and say no thank you (?)

Sheesh, how annoying.

If it was just one kid, I would say no and leave it at that. If it gets to be a regular thing, I agree that I would speak to the management of the restaurant. I might even take it a step further and try to contact the organization that the fundraiser is for (if one group seems to be a repeat offender)- and politely ask that they educate the children (and their parents) about respectful fundraising practices.

As far as telemarketers go, have you put your number on the do not call registry? It's really easy to do, and I don't get any telemarketers since I registered my number with them. :)

With a smile you reply, "No thank you, not today" and that's it. Any additional peddling should be ignored. They will move along.

In most districts, this is enormously frowned upon. And If you are particularly annoyed, call the school and let them know.

I don't see a problem at all in saying "no" to fundraisers.

That is something you need to take up with management. I'd be pissed. I don't get to go out to eat very often and when I take time and decide to spend money to do that I darn well do NOT want someone coming up to me asking if I want to buy something or donate to something. I'd probably get up and leave and tell the manager my meal was disturbed and now I can't eat it.

I hate this sort of thing. I was bombarded this fall at a local event to buy programs by a bunch of little cheerleaders. Trying to raise money for their new uniforms. I'm sorry, I paid over $15 for each ticket and then these kids want me to spend another bunch of money to see what's going to happen? No. I said no to this little group and before I could take 4 steps another bunch of them came up and I had to weave my way around them saying no and then ANOTHER set of them came up. It was frustrating for all the adults trying to get in and find seats to see the show.

I think that these kids are out of control. You try to sell stuff to your family and friends. Too bad if you're all in the organization selling stuff...no one to sell it to.

One thing they can do and I just put up with it because we've raised a lot of money for charities by doing it is doing the donation thing at the doors of Walmart. That works.

I think these leaders need to find ways the kids can work, not ask for donations all the time, but work for their money. It means more.

Like have a car wash, gather items and have a garage sale, do a performance and pass the plate during it/sell tickets to raise money, buy less expensive things or plan less expensive trips, do a go fund me page and share it to everyone on Facebook. Have a bake sale and get parents to donate the baked items. Have a spaghetti dinner night at the American Legion and have people buy tickets for their meal. They can spend $10 and $5 of it go to the charity or kids. The rest pays for the food.

Go make the money.

Yikes - that's awful. It's bad enough when they come to the door, but at least that's usually the kids you know. In my opinion, soliciting at your table should be off limits. If a store or restaurant wants to let a group of kids set up a table near the entrance, that's one thing. Girl Scouts sell cookies that way at the supermarket, for example - usually they are outside at least 20 feet from the entrance, but in bad weather they can set up a table inside.

But not go booth to booth! I'd talk to the manager at any restaurant where this happens. Ask if they're going to do it again so can patronize another place from now on.

Some restaurants do a fundraising night for clubs/schools - a certain percentage of the sales of pizza at the Papa Gino's or the local country club tavern go to Charity X on one night only. It's possible the kids could get confused - but it's supposed to be you just come in and place your order, say it's for the school or club, and they get credit for the purchase. But from what you're saying, it keeps happening. So I'd complain and say exactly what you said here - "I come out to dinner to get away from telemarketers, and now I'm a prisoner at a table and I get unknown kids coming up to me."

Whoa!! that's a tad bit encroaching.

I would say "Thank you, but no."

I might even be a tad bit of a snot and talk to the restaurant manager about this. An ATHLETIC club while I'm eating?!! Talk about putting the guilt on.

No. Say No Thank you.

"No" is a complete sentence.

If the kids are soliciting at a restaurant, you have to assume that they asked the manager if it was ok to do that. That is the reason that you need to say something to the manager.

When I sold things (many, many, many things), we would often sell them outside the local grocery store. We ALWAYS asked the store owner if we could. This happened to be a small, family grocery store, and the owner was very community oriented. He wanted kids to do this. He wanted to be seen as supporting Scouting and Youth Sports and other clubs, so this was mutually beneficial. Still, we never did it without asking first.

Your scenario is different. You are not talking about walking into a grocery store and having a kid ask you to buy a candy bar to supporter youth soccer. You are having a meal. I would not be ok with that and would nicely let the management know that the next time I will be dining in a restaurant that does not allow solicitors to interrupt my meal.

Annoying and intrusive, though the blame lies with the club or school for encouraging this type of solicitation, and the restaurant for allowing it -- not at all with the kids themselves.

Around here some restaurants have fundraiser nights where a certain percentage of that night's proceeds go to a school, charity, group, whatever. You might not even know there was fundraising happening! But those arrangements never include kids going up to tables to solicit funds or sell items. So I've never experienced what you did.

If it happened, I'd be sure to let the restaurant management know that you would turn around and leave if you knew that anyone (even kids) was selling or soliciting directly to customers there. It may be more effective to e-mail the customer relations department for the restaurant chain if it's a chain, or to e-mail the owner if it's a smaller place; just telling the manager on duty doesn't mean the message gets to the people at the top who make policies about things like fundraising inside the restaurant.

As for how to handle the kids, I would just smile and say, "No, thanks" and turn back to my meal or conversation. The pity is that it sounds as if you had to do that repeatedly.

If my own teen were encouraged or required to do this type of fundraiser by some organization she was in, I would not permit her to do it but would strongly advise her school/dance studio/team/whatever to do the fundraiser percentage nights instead.

I would say No thank you.

Yes, I would take it to the management. They may have had to approve the solicitation, they do need to know how their clients like it. This isn't whining, this is letting the establishment know you did not like it.

I was approached by a young girl at my son's football practice the other night. She's in cheerleading and had 3 different fundraisers she was pushing. I told her sorry, but my own kids have too many fundraisers. I was annoyed that her parents let her do that. My kids only ask relatives or neighbors that we know!

I would bring it up to the restaurant management. You can't blame the kid for trying, but the management should take steps to ensure that their guests are able to enjoy the experience at their eatery and would probably want to know if it was a problem for you. Once I spoke to management, if it happened again, I would let management know that I won't be back because of the solicitations.

I would have said something to the management. Most business do not allow solicitation of any kind. Even from kids.