I havent personally gone through the tanty stage with children but a close friend of ours when out with his daughter would go through tanties all the time, no amount of rule making or distraction would work. The "key", embarresment for the child. He literally got on the shopping centre floor with her and started kicking and screaming like her and she stopped immediately. She also never dared do it ever again because she knew what would happen.

You would have to be pretty easy going to get down on a public floor and kick and scream though lol. Hope this helps.