Let me start by saying that when I moved to Austin 25 years ago to take a reporting job at the Statesman, Magnolia Cafe was my favorite breakfast place. It was the place I would meet friends after running or would go to for a late-night dinner. It was the go-to place. It wasn't even a question of where we would go for breakfast. It was always Magnolia. The migas are the best in town.

This Saurday, my husband and I wanted to go out for breakfast as we do most weekends, and we wanted a change of pace form Kerbey Lane and 24 Diner. We decided to go to Magnolia Cafe West because it had been a while since we'd been. It would work out perfectly for our 15-year-old daughter, who wanted to run around Town Lake while we ate.

When we arrived, we told the shift manager we wanted a table for three but our 15-year-old daughter wouldn't be eating and would be joining us after her run - around 45 minutes. She said we'd have to wait for our party to be complete to get a table for three, but we told her she wouldn't be eating.

We decided to put in our names for two. She seated us a a table for two. Fine. We could live with that, even though she was very gruff. As we ordered and waited for our food, we saw groups of two all around us seated at several of the 4-person booths and tables. We asked our waitress if we could move to a 4-table booth so our daughter could have a place to sit after her run. About 45 minutes later, we were halfway through with our meal when our daughter arrive, and we pulled a chair up to our table. The shift manager came over and told us she couldn't sit there because it against code (I totally understand). She said this, as she seated yet another 2-person party at a 4-person table. We asked if we could move to a larger table and she told us no, She said our 15-year-old daughter would have to put in her name for a larger table and wait. We told her she wasn't eating. She said it was against Magnolia's rules.. We pointed to the tables around us where 2-person parties were seated at 4-person tables and booths. Again, no dice. Put your name in and wait for a bigger table, was her response as we sat with our half-finished meals in front of us.

We both were shocked, and we didn't want our daughter to sit outside by herself, so we asked for our food to go. I literally was so upset I was in tears. The shift manager was so inflexible and almost mean about, and seemed intent on making it as difficult for us as possible when it didn't need to be. As we