Dining out can be stressful for parents, especially when kids are hard to control. This can make the experience unpleasant for everyone around. One couple had a tough time with their kids at a restaurant and claimed they were fined for it. Here’s what happened.
A restaurant in North Georgia, Toccoa Riverside Restaurant, surprised everyone by reportedly charging parents for ‘poor parenting.’ This sparked a big debate online about whether it’s fair to charge parents for their children’s behavior.
A customer shared their story on Reddit, saying, “The owner came out and told me he was adding $50 to my bill because of my children’s behavior… I was disappointed by the experience.”
A reporter reached out to the restaurant to get their side of the story. The owner, Tim Richter, explained what really happened. He said the restaurant added a surcharge during COVID-19 to cover extra costs but hadn’t charged anyone more than their bill recently.
Dining out with kids can be challenging, especially when they’re hard to control. A recent incident at a North Georgia restaurant has sparked debate after a couple claimed they were fined for their children’s behavior. Here’s the real story.
The Toccoa Riverside Restaurant, located outside of Blue Ridge, is known for its peaceful atmosphere. Recently, a couple shared on Reddit that they were charged $50 for their children’s behavior. This caused quite a stir online.
Restaurant owner Tim Richter clarified the situation. He explained that he had never threatened anyone with a surcharge until a few weeks ago when a family with nine children visited. The kids were running around everywhere, disrupting the calm environment.
Tim said he did warn the parents about their children’s behavior but never actually charged them the extra money. “We want parents to be parents,” he simply stated.
The restaurant, tucked away in the mountains along the Toccoa River, is popular with diners, often leading to cars lining the roadside during meal times. Despite this recent controversy, the restaurant remains a favorite for many seeking a tranquil dining experience.
A visitor named Laura Spillman, who was in town from Florida, was shocked when she heard about the restaurant’s policy. “That is crazy,” she said in disbelief. “For real? I don’t think you should do it because kids are cute.”
Anne Cox, who was having lunch with her family, had a different opinion. She thought the fee might encourage parents to control their children better so they behaved properly.
She said, “Parents need to teach kids etiquette. They need to teach kids to behave. There are other people in the world, so they should have fun in the right place.”
Federico Gambineri, who was at the restaurant with his toddler, said this was the first time he had heard of such a policy. “This is the first time I’ve heard of that, and having a 20-month-old that maybe isn’t the best behaved at a restaurant, I’m hoping that I don’t get charged. I feel that if I were charged, I would be very unhappy about it and probably never recommend the place to somebody.”
Jack Schneider, a regular at the restaurant, said he had never heard about this surcharge. “I have mixed emotions on that,” Schneider said. “At the same time, we’ve all sat next to tables where you say, ‘Hey, do something with that kid.’ So I really think it’s more on the parents.”
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