Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To think charging full child price for a baby at a buffet resturant is bad business sense

53 replies

stormforce10 · 10/03/2013 19:54

Since DS has started weaning, we've taken him with DD to a couple of buffet resturants. The first didn't charge for him but where happy to let him have a few bits. The second told us up front that they charged 95p for babies to cover extra cleaning and any food they may eat. Fair enough we didn't mind, they were very good with him and even offered to puree some fruit for him.

Today we went to a Chinese buffet we'd never been to before. DS had quarter of an orange, 2 slices of cucumber and 1 prawn cracker. The bill came and they'd charged the full £6 child price for DS. We queried this and were told as he'd eaten anything at all he had to be paid for.

We paid as he had indeed eaten some of the food and obviously babies eating for free is at the restaurant's discretion but AIBU to think it was bad business sense that they'd be far better to have our good will and repeat custom than a one of payment of £6 or am I just over entitled?

OP posts:

kinkyfuckery · 10/03/2013 19:56

They are a bit tight in charging for the pittance a baby eats, but you should have checked costs before choosing whether to feed him from the buffet or not.

NewAtThisMalarky · 10/03/2013 19:59

The restaurant won't know how much he ate, they've really only got your word for that.

I don't think it's unreasonable that an 'all you can eat' place charges for everyone that eats. Otherwise people would take the mickey. And if that's their pricing structure, then fair enough.

You said the first one was 'happy for him to have a few bits', so presumably you asked first? Maybe you should have clarified their position when you were first seated?

BearFrills · 10/03/2013 20:01

If the pricing wasn't clearly displayed than YANBU, I'd have thought whoever showed you to your table would have pointed it out also to avoid any misunderstanding.

When DD was small, pre-weaning small, and asleep a buffet place tried to charge us for her because her pushchair was taking up a seat space that could have been used by a paying customer. My dad complained and it was wiped off the bill but I was still very

I don't mind at all paying a token amount for a weaning infant aged under twelve months such as a couple of pounds or a percentage of the full child price, e.g. 25% but I'd be cross at having to pay full price.

Sirzy · 10/03/2013 20:04

I agree with New.

Its hard for buffet type places as they don't know what age children will eat what amount so its easier to have set charges for all children or perhaps as some places do a price for under 3s and a price for under 10s

Its always best to check before ordering anyway surely?

freddiefrog · 10/03/2013 20:04

YANBU

We went to a Chinese restaurant buffet before Christmas with some friends who have a young baby. He gummed on 1 strip of cucumber that fell out of my friend's duck pancake.

They were charged £5.99 for a child's meal.

We've had several big nights out with big groups of friends since then and gone elsewhere (our PTA mum's night out was going to be there, a different friend's 40th birthday, etc) so for the sake of 1 strip of cucumber and £5.99 they've lost quite a lot of business

HenriettaChicken · 10/03/2013 20:05

Ridiculous. We go to a fab Thai buffet. No charge for BLW 11 month old and we leave a big tip (about £2-3 extra) to cover mess and his food.

MunchMunch · 10/03/2013 20:05

Our chinese buffet restaurant also charge for babies, there is a sign up stating the price and that its up to you whether you eat or not. So its basically an entrance fee.

BimbaBirba · 10/03/2013 20:06

How old is he? If he's under one YANBU. If he's over one than I think YABU and a bit stingy. Restaurants sure businesses and they have to draw the line somewhere. They can't feed kids for free. So how much he actually ate is irrelevant.

MunchMunch · 10/03/2013 20:07

Meant to add YANBU.

WeAreEternal · 10/03/2013 20:09

Most buffet restaurants have now started charging for children, wether they are eating or just nibbling.
I think it is ultimately down to the argument of when should they charge, I imagine some people would take advantage of any rule so it's now standard to charge for any child that is eating anything.

I went for lunch at a buffet place a few weeks ago with a couple of friends, one friend had a 7 month old that she gave a couple of chips and some fruit from her plate, they charged us a full child price of £9 for him.
They also charged us a full child price for my other friends DD, who was six weeks old at the time.
Both children were in pushchair and a pram the whole time.

We thought it was a mistake but the waitress argued that the rule was that all children had to be paid for.
It took us 20 minutes of arguing talking before the agreed to not charg us for the baby. But they insisted that we pay full price for the boys chip and apple slice.

Needless to say we will never be going back there.

CMOTDibbler · 10/03/2013 20:10

By 10 months, my ds was eating a good child portion - so I think its fair enough to charge a child price tbh

Original poster

stormforce10 · 10/03/2013 20:11

He's 7 months bimbabirba.

Afraid we did not leave a tip though we nearly always would. Its the second time in 13 years that DP and i have not left a tip. The first was because the service was abysmal, the food was served cold and the staff were rude

OP posts:

Trills · 10/03/2013 20:12

YABU to punish the serving staff (by not leaving a tip) for something that is completely out of their control.

Annunziata · 10/03/2013 20:13

It's hard for a buffet place because so many people would take advantage of a baby eating free, but I think a price for under 3s (for example) is much better than a flat under 6s price.

needtonamechangeforthis · 10/03/2013 20:13

I'd say that's shocking.Agree with a cover charge for extra cleaning etc but no way on this earth could a 7mth old eat £6 worth of food. I wouldn't go back.

The buffet restaurants we've been to charge by height, rather than age, which I think is as fair a way as anything.

JuliesSistersCousinsAuntsCat · 10/03/2013 20:13

I took my nearly 2 year old to a carvery today and they didn't charge me anything for him. I put a little extra of everything on my plate and transferred it to another, which they knew because they took his plate away. Maybe I go to very generous places!

LineRunner · 10/03/2013 20:15

YANBU - it's very, very poor business sense.

BimbaBirba · 10/03/2013 20:16

7 months

YANBU

MidniteScribbler · 10/03/2013 20:17

Wow, you'd think that the money businesses would make from parents who think that their darlings are welcome would far outweigh the cost of a few chips. Some adults make disgusting pigs of themselves, whilst others eat very little, so I'm sure it all balances out in the end.

Our preferred place charges $1 per age of child. That seems pretty fair to me.

Bluelightsandsirens · 10/03/2013 20:21

We have a lovely buffet resturant here that started charging for very small children.

One prawn cracker and a whiff of sweet corn and chicken soup doesn't warrant £6.99. We haven't been back for ages, such a shame because its lovely and we generally spent £75+

Alligatorpie · 10/03/2013 20:53

"Take advantage of a baby eating for free?" Seriously? I would be very surprised if I had to pay for my under one year old at a buffet.
My favourite " all you can eat" sushi restaurant doesnt charge kids until age 4.

I think it is bad buiness sense to charge a baby. No way would i go there.

Annunziata · 10/03/2013 20:58

Yes, alligatorpie, seriously. Have you ever worked with the public?

FeckOffCup · 10/03/2013 21:06

YANBU, under 3s should be free or a token price of a pound or two to cover cleaning up costs. How mean to charge full price for a 7 month old, I would be miffed at being expected to pay 6 or 7 pounds for my two year old as I would be lucky if she ate two prawn crackers at the most.

bigbluebus · 10/03/2013 21:14

Would be interesting to see what they would do if we took DD into one of these places. She is in a wheelchair (which would take up the space of a seat) but she doesn't eat anything as she is tube fed. Would like to see them try and charge us!!!

HorryIsUpduffed · 10/03/2013 21:15

Where we regularly go (Indian buffet) they rarely charge for our DSs, partly because they eat well and behave well, I think. It does encourage us to go again, and bring friends. And tip well.

But then DH and I don't stuff our faces either, so between the four of us we probably eat two greedy adults' worth

Flip

1 2 3