Part of parenting is controlling your children. Loud kids are a fact of life, but it is a parents’ responsibility to at least attempt to reign in their children, especially in social situations. Sadly, the latest generation of parents has either given up or cater too much to their bad kids.
This has led to many uncomfortable situations on planes, in restaurants, at department stores, and just about anywhere some semblance of decorum is required. In our touchy-feely society, which is more concerned with feelings than discipline, kids are indeed ruining meals and running wild.
Now, one Georgia restaurant has taken extreme steps to reign in wild kids and punish negligent parents. Toccoa Riverside restaurant in Georgia is adding a penalty fee, of sorts, to families’ bills’ when their kids are too loud.
Recently, Lyndsey Landmaan visited the establishment with her family and other friends. There were 11 children at the table belonging to four families. While perusing the menu, Landmaan noticed an “adult surcharge” warning on the menu. At first, she thought it was cheeky humor on the part of the eatery. That was until the check arrived.
When the bill came, Landmaan noticed an extra $50 dollar charge. There were several notices on the bottom of the Blue Ridge, Georgia, restaurants menu, including suggestions regarding etiquette and payment. While one of the notices was the adult surcharge, Landmaan didn’t think it was real. The notice read: “Adult surcharge: For adults unable to parent $$$”
Upon reading it, Landmaan noted: “I remember thinking, ‘No way is this real.” Indeed it was, as the extra fifty on the bill proved. Predictably, Landmaan defended the children, claiming ‘They were quiet the whole time.”
The owner of the establishment approached the party after the meal was over and noted that they were being charged because the children were being “too loud” and “running around outside.” When Landmaan asked to speak to the owner, she recalled being told: “We asked to speak to the owner and he said he was the owner. I looked around the restaurant and everybody was frozen watching this show he was putting on. He was yelling.”
The kids, ranging in age from 3 to 8, were being good, according to Landmaan. She said: “I even commented halfway through the meal, ‘I can’t believe how well-behaved they are.’” Apparently, they weren’t as well-behaved as she thought.
Landmaan added: “I was like, ‘They were quiet the whole time.’ He got in our faces and told us that we belonged at Burger King and not at his restaurant.” As always, social media did what social media does, as dozens of commenters, most of whom probably don’t live in Georgia, swore to never eat at the restaurant.
The business has attempted to lay low from the media in regards to what happened, but when finally reached, only replied: “We’re not going to comment on a policy we’ve had for years. We just want to live in the woods and cook.”
It may seem like an arbitrary, unfair policy, but it is a written policy. It is difficult to gauge exactly how rowdy is too rowdy when it comes to kids, but judging by today’s parenting standards, these kids were probably pretty rowdy. In the end, kids will be kids, especially in that age range. It may be best to just let them be kids unless you are eating at Toccoa Riverside Restaurant.
Featured image screen grab from embedded YouTube video
"*" indicates required fields