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

[stormforce10]

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?

YANBU, I wouldn't go again out of principle.

The Chinese buffet we sometimes go to do not charge for under 3's. We also go to a carvery that charge less than £4 for an adult meal yet are more than happy for our 21 month old DD to eat free and even offer her a plate.

We go to a buffet which charges by height and has a 3 tier price bracket - babe in arms/pushchair is free regardless and i think under around 4 is free then between 4-7/8 is under £5 and then roughly between 7/8-12ish is £7 and then adults are all £10 - the food is amazing and all of the fruit is fresh and was perfect for weaning with and everybody i know goes back time and time again, we always leave a very good tip because it is such good value and service!

Yanbu that is shocking. He is a baby tey can see that. Tey should have an under 2s price

Yanbu

I wouldn't be returning.

We have a gourmet buffet place we go to ($35pp at lunch, more for dinner for adults). One of the reasons we go back for special occasions is that under 4s eat for free. DS gets to try all manner of things, and they are very welcoming to him being there.

On a similar theme, we walked out of a local pub on a Sunday lunchtime as they insisted on everyone ordering a full meal, which was fair enough for the adults and 2 year old DS, but not for the ebf 4 month old that was with us! Haven't been back since and we used to spend a reasonable amount in there.

Sorry but you do not ALWAYS have to tip. I almost always do but if you have not been happy with your experience you do not have to tip. Bearing in mind it was a buffet the "serving staff" wouldn't have had much to do anyway. I waitressed alot when I was younger and wasn't always surprised or put out if people didn't leave tip. They might not be able to afford it, they might not have enjoyed their meal that much. And no, YANBU. I think it is ridiculous to charge full child price for a baby.

My comment on this isn't based on being a parent; I understand there are many situations where it makes sense for a child to be charged more (seats on the airplane for example, which could otherwise be sold to adults paying full price).

I've worked in restaurants. If the restaurant wants families to continue dining there, they will make it as easy an experience as possible for the parents. These babies grow into children who will eventually be charged the child rate, then the adult rate. It's not good business sense to charge 7 month old babies.

(of course if you just don't want children in your establishment, then this is a great way of ensuring that! :) )

We go to two different buffets with our now-4yo DS. We've been going since he was a baby, and he's worked his way up from not being charged to being charged sometimes . These two establishments were the two who made life easiest for us when we had the pushchair etc on those first ventures out of the house, so we like to patronise them when we can.

Am rambling. YANBU.

YANBU - Id be angry at having to pay full child price. A token amount or free is best. I think places like Asda and Morrisons do a free child meal if an adult pays. But to charge full child price for children under, lets say 3 years old, is disgusting, and it would leave a bad taste in the mouth.

That was one expensive baby lunch op.
The one we go to is free for age 2 and under then $1 for each year of age, they just ask the kids how old are you, when you are sitting down, and most kids will say half the time they don't even bother charging for the little kids at all. Then age 7 and up is kids price I think it was $6 last time and 12 and up is adult rate.
Lots of places here do a free kid meal for every adult meal paid for.

At one chain buffet restaurant we visited they tried to charge us for my 6 week old baby - ffs!!!!

YANBU they're silly to do this. People talk with their feet.

I live in Asia, and kids dont usually get charged at all for buffets until they're around 6 providing there's only one child per adult or less - Zuma doesnt charge until they're 11. However, I imagine all they do is incorporate the child's cost into the adult cost, so "same same" as we say here.

I've never paid for my babies at a buffet and they eat like pigs I would never go back to a place that tired to charge for an under 2

oh I'd also go mad if someone charged me a cleaning fee. but I leave place pristine and high chair is always cleaner than I found it etc

I went to a carvery place too, and they were fine with us buying 2 adult meals, 2 child meals and then the dt's were allowed to have small plates to eat bits off our plates for free. Go there loads now!

I think under 2's should be free at buffets.

Yanbu.

I wouldn't return to somewhere that did that,I wouldn't be bothered at all by a token amount for a under 2 or even being able to order a separate fruit and veg plate for weaning babies at a small cost but trying to charge the same for a under 1 as you would for a 9 year old is crappy.

Not only would I not return but I would not recommend the place either and if I was in a seriously bad mood I would buy the place and sack whoever s stupid idea it was.

We tried a local carvery place last summer which gave us a free plate for our then 14 mo and brought her a little icecream for free afterwards, as well as fussing over her and telling us how gorgeous she is. As a result, we love the place, and had a family pre Christmas meet up there, spending £200+, and have had several birthday/family meet ups etc, with 10+ people eating and drinking.

Cost to them for my DD's free meal each time = 50p maybe. Amount they've made from our family, extended family and friends we've told = £1000s. There are some very short sighted business owners out there ....

I went to a carvery last week and saw a 5ish yr old crammed into a highchair. I thought it was a bit odd til I saw on the menu that kids in highchairs are free...

The problem is that people will always take advantage (not naice mumsnet types of course) and what age would it be all right to be considered a "child" - 1,2,3,4,5,6 whatever - people will always pretend their child is younger, will always be outraged their child has to pay, will always say "but she didn't eat anything", or "she only had a few chips" etc.....

most restaurants are licensed for a number of patrons - if they have non paying customers in that day, then they are potentially losing money... what if they had 40 covers and 10 of them were under 4 - would you take a 25% "pay cut".... to keep a mum happy.

YANBU. We go to a buffet Japanese place and they never charge us for the children (both 18 months).

Yanbu. My ds1 at 7 months was barely eating anything. Think they should have charged £1 or £2 at most.

YANBU, that is very mean and short sighted, an ideal way to discourage families and repeat custom. Maybe £1 just to cover costs but I'm not sure even that's necessary. A seven month old isn't exactly going to be pigging out!

I agree people take the piss though with regards to being a 'child' and there needs to be some kind of cut off, but 7 months blatantly is a baby isn't it.