to not pay for DS's meal in restaurant tomorrow?

[WestieMamma]

In light of previous threads on here I'm not sure whether to pay or not. We're going out to lunch at one of those buffet restaurants where you pay a fixed price and help yourself to as much as you like. I know they make their money on the fact that some eat a lot less than others but DS is only 6 months and will probably eat less than other customers leave on their plates to be thrown away.

What do you think?

[PickleSarnie]

Would a restaurant seriously charge a 6month old full price?! Have they said they would?

[Whereisegg]

I doubt very much that they would charge you for a 6 month old.

[cakebar]

If he is going to go in a high chair and make mess they have to clear up and take a space at the table, then I think yes. Do they have a child price? I wouldn't pay an adult price for a 6 month old.

[Delilahlilah]

They normally have a nominal charge in places like that for babies / toddlers. The local one here is £2. Phone them and ask what their policy is.

[PollyIndia]

My baby is a year old and I still share my lunch with him most of the time rather than ordering separate food. At 6 months I definitely would have shared. I wouldn't pay for his own serving.

[WestieMamma]

I don't know, but we last went there when he was 4 weeks old and the waitress did ask if he was having the buffet

[MummyPig24]

The Toby car very used to give the kids an extra plate and then they would have food off mine or dhs plate. They offered this, we never expected it. I would ask how much the children's buffet is and they might say he is free.

[alarkaspree]

I would be very surprised if they expect you to pay. For, say, a 2-year old I would be wondering whether to pay or not, but a 6-month old? No way. He is a tiny baby. (We have often eaten in hotels in the USA with a breakfast buffet, they are almost always free for age 5 and under.)

Unless you've been to this place before and know the food I'd assume that it won't be all that suitable for an infant anyway, and just take whatever you'd normally feed him for lunch with you. I think the normal rules of restaurant eating don't apply to babies under 1.

[WillYouDoTheMonsterMash]

My local one doesn't charge under 4s. I wouldn't pay for a 6mo. Are you doing purées or finger foods? Take your own stuff for him if you're worried.

[usualsuspect]

Just give him some off your plate.

[WestieMamma]

He will most likely only have a tablespoon of rice (2 if he's hungry) and a couple of slices of banana from the salad bar.

[jacks365]

My local buffet doesn't charge for under 2's then a child price until 11. They are wonderful with my youngest dc even making a drink up in her beaker if she runs out.

[Hawkmoth]

If they charge there's something seriously wrong. My DD wasn't charged at six and she ate twelve kilos of seekh kebab as they make their money off the adults and beverages.

[Lollypop1983]

In our restaurant, at buffet, we only charge over 2, and only if they sitting with a full plate.

[Viviennemary]

I've not come across this before. I would assume that you wouldn't pay as he would hardly be eating very much at his age. Good idea to call them in advance and ask and there won't be any misunderstandings.

[froken]

Defiantly don't pay!

Are you baby led weaning? Could you just take a jar of food or some chopped up banana from home? Or feed him before you go.

I go to an all you can eat Chinese and I asked them if I needed to pay as ds likes to eat tge advocado sushi ( random dish at an all you can eat Chinese but oh well!) they laughed at me and said ofcourse he doesn't have to pay ( if they had said anything over a pound he would have been given a jar)

Enjoy the meal :)

[LadyGoodman]

I was at a place like that earlier this week with a nearly 2 year old and wasn't charged and he's a big 2 year old with a big appetite.

[exexpat]

Have you checked the restaurant's website for its charging policy?

At one huge buffet place near here, 0-4s are free and 5-11s are half adult price; at another the child price is based on a maximum height (so tall DD has been at adult price since she was 9); the 'minimum charge' is £2 or £3, and child price is half the adult one, but it doesn't say exactly what the start age for the child price is.

I presume the minimum charge is not just for food, but use of the high chair, any extra cleaning etc - a 6-month-old may not eat much, but can create rather a lot of mess.

Trying to charge full child-price for a 6-month-old would be unreasonable, in my view, so I would try to negotiate if they did that.

[Bedtime1]

If he's only 6 months why dont you take your own bits of nibbleS for him. He won't want much anyway. You could give him a bit of rice of your plate if he sees it and wants to try a bit .

[meganorks]

I can't believe anywhere would charge for a 6 month old! Or object to you taking your own food. Just take your own pot of something.

[KenAdams]

"I presume the minimum charge is not just for food, but use of the high chair, any extra cleaning etc - a 6-month-old may not eat much, but can create rather a lot of mess."

[AryaofhouseSnark]

I would check first just to clarify, but we were never charged for Dts when they were babies.
Lots of buffet places we went to did free food if they were in a high chair.

[froken]

Lots of buffet places we went to did free food if they were in a high chair

When I was a student I would have sat in a highchair for a free buffet dinner!

[AryaofhouseSnark]

froken, if I didn't have such a big bum I would have tried to climb in myself.