Should Kentucky Restaurants Charge ‘Adults Unable to Parent’ Fee For Unruly Children?
From the time my son Rollins was born, my husband Michael and I made it a point to take him places with us as often as we could. We felt like, and still do, that the best way to learn is often by doing. Even if it means learning through making mistakes. Like forgetting the coloring book and having to get creative with ways to occupy a toddler while waiting for our food (stacking creamer cups for the win!)
Heaven forbid any parent is less than perfect at Toccoa Riverside Restaurant in Blue Ridge, Georgia. They have recently gone viral because of a surcharge listed at the bottom of their menu "For adults unable to parent."
A family from central Florida stopped there for a meal with a party of twenty-one folks including eleven children. After they ate, they were approached by a member of the staff saying they would need to pay the $50 fee after the kids were supposedly running through the restaurant.
The family insists that the kids were not misbehaving at all and they were confused as to why they were being approached. That's when the restaurant owner told them something to the effect of "I've already raised my children, I'm not raising yours." How rude! Here is more of the story including an interview with one of the fathers involved in the situation.
Now, it's not pleasant to sit in a restaurant trying to enjoy a meal when there are screaming children running amok, but it seems like this guy may be taking things too far. I think it would be a better idea to have a kid's seating section that way families can still enjoy a nice meal together and if their littles get cranky or antsy, they won't be interrupting other guests. Even the best-behaved children have their moments, but that doesn't mean their adult is "unable to parent" and should pay a fee. What do you think?