Exactly. I will always provide a plate for a child to share an adult's meal, I don't charge them for it. Why would I? Seems completely reasonable to me. I want the adult custom. Charging for the kids stuff is just a loss leader to entice the adults back later without their kids.
Just pisses me off that people have this sense that everyone running a restaurant can afford both no charges and time used.
I am a single parent, I put everything I had into my little gaff, and I can tell you that every penny goes back into the business. I take no salary, I pay my staff, I pay my taxes and bills. There is nothing else left over. but at the end of the day, I can feel the satisfaction of having provided freshly made, good food for my customers. If they want to assume I am rolling in it, that is their call, But I can assure you I am not. So Gwendolynm the next time you decide to eat at a local, family run establishment, bear that in mind. I am not a amulti-national corporation. But I will always know your name, your kids names, remember what they like, provide it, and I did decide to charge a cover charge for endless children munching on brought in food, or for the stuff we offer, I would be well within my rights. I don't buy in crap. I don't Prepare stuff in advance, or buy in from suppliers, I cook everything fresh that day or to order. Have you any idea how rare that is? treat me like a Starbucks and whinge about my cafe in those terms and quite frankly, I don't need your spoilt, indulged custom.
I don't have to serve anybody anything, I can charge what I like. that my dear, is the nature of the business. I think many people have got a bit too used to two for one offers etc, so they don't actually think about the contract they are entereing into.