A Massachusetts pizza shop has sparked a conversation about parenting in public spaces after its owner asked a family to leave for allegedly disruptive behavior. The incident occurred on March 14, 2025, at Dragon Pizza in Somerville, where a group of parents was reportedly not supervising their children, causing a disturbance for staff and other diners.
In an Instagram post shared on March 15, Dragon Pizza’s owner, Charlie Redd, explained that while the restaurant loves children, there are expectations for parents to maintain order. “We had to demand a group of negligent parents take their families home because they were disrespecting our dining room, other guests, and our team,” the post stated.
Redd emphasized that restaurants, including his own, should not be places where children are allowed to run unsupervised. “It is here to share dining experiences,” the post added, noting that the pizza shop also features a family-friendly game area, Dragon’s Lair, next door.
The post went on to outline several guidelines for families dining at Dragon Pizza, which included messages such as: “We welcome all children dining in our restaurant with open arms” and “We do not appreciate parents who treat our pizza as a cheap, simple option to feed their children until they can have their own dinner.”
The restaurant owner expressed regret over the decision but made it clear that such behavior would not be tolerated. “It makes us very sad, but we refuse to allow entitled, lazy parents to damage our reputation and the overall dining experience for all our guests,” the post concluded.
The social media response to the incident has been divided. Some commenters expressed support, with one saying, “We feel this so much,” while others questioned the restaurant’s stance. One user wrote, “Why can’t parents give their kids pizza as a cheap, easy option?”
In an interview with Boston.com, Redd, a father himself, explained that he wants families to feel comfortable at Dragon Pizza. “It’s part of my philosophy of hospitality, for restaurants to engage everyone. We’ve been very successful here at Dragon accommodating groups with kids.”
Redd clarified that the issue was not with the children, but rather the parents’ lack of supervision. “The fault lies where the parents had to be spoken to multiple times and were ignoring our requests and our instructions to watch their kids,” he said. “Kids belong in restaurants. It’s a lot of fun.”
This isn’t the first time Redd has been involved in a high-profile incident. In 2023, he reportedly clashed with Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, during a filming of Portnoy’s “One Bite Pizza Reviews,” which also generated considerable media attention.
Dragon Pizza, known for its welcoming atmosphere for families, has made headlines once again as the debate over parenting and dining etiquette continues to unfold.
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