Parents who sit at separate tables from their children at restaurants

I just came from a less than enjoyable experience at a local fast-casual restaurant. It wasn't the restaurant's fault - it was the group of parents next to us that decided they wanted all the adults to sit together so they could chat. So, they parked their nine children, all under 10 by my guess, at two separate tables near them. I just don't understand that. Why would you put your young children at a table all by themselves? The kids were loud, kept getting up and moving around chairs, and, worst of all, were helping themselves to the hot sauce bar (despite the sign that clearly stated no children were allowed at the hot bar). That lead to little girls squealing that their lips were hot and trying to dig out the ice from their drinks to soothe their lips. Meanwhile, the parents were talking amongst themselves oblivious to all of this. You know, I have two young kids myself and I would never do this. They always sit at the same table with me and most of the time I make sure there is an adult sitting in between them - they have a tendency to fight if they sit together. Parents, if you want to have adult conversation at a restaurant, then get a babysitter and leave the kids at home.