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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think people that dislike kids eat for free are mean

153 replies

sevnuwt · 25/02/2018 08:49

My brother is saying he boycotts anywhere where the kids eat for free as he feels like he's paying extra as an adult for other people's kids to eat for free.

Aibu to think he's just being mean?

OP posts:
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 25/02/2018 11:02

The posters going on about 'kids' food costing pennies' really don't understand. It's not just the cost of the food, it's the on-costs of running the place. If you take the 'kids' element, it's pretty negative on its own because of the cost of cleaning up after them, the wasted food when people see small children handling food only to change their minds.

Kids are great but they are sometimes an omnipresent nuisance and for people who are not attending with or for children, it's a bit much.

Your brother ISN'T being unreasonable or guilty of any of the names he's been called. Hummous is a lovely thing too, any time of day or night - with pitta, carrot sticks - or on toast instead of butter...

GetOutOfMYGarden · 25/02/2018 11:02

Well he's not wrong? The restaurant isn't doing kids eat free out of the good of their heart. Either the food is going to be more expensive or they're going to skimp on quality to make the profit required to cover the kids meals.

I don't go to them because they're shit and I don't fancy having screaming kids there. Get me a maccies breakfast over that shit any day.

starlightafar · 25/02/2018 11:05

What a miserable bloke. The food in those places is cheap anyway. Bet he's also a benefits basher and is pissed off his taxes pay for children.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 25/02/2018 11:08

Shall we make some nasty (and probably incorrect) assumptions about you then, starlightafar? That would be equitable, wouldn't it?

SimplyJaded · 25/02/2018 11:23

It's simply a marketing tool to get more family customers

This. They're hoping that little free-eating Johnny is going to have a dad with him that orders a large mixed grill and a mum that has three glasses of red Grin

Birdsgottafly · 25/02/2018 11:27

"Premier inn is £21for a cup of tea & a poached egg on toast for me and my DH but my brother pays £21 for him, wife and 3 teenagers!"

How? The breakfast is £8.99 and you only get two children's breakfasts free.

As said, the Adults aren't subsidising the free food, anymore than families are subsidising the offer of 15+ films on the televisions in the new Hubs.

If he was a Parent having to pay full price for children over 11 in AI and other venues, he'd have a point.

To sit in your bedroom away from the people that you are travelling with for that reason is being a proper Scrooge, as well as being thick as mice.

Birdsgottafly · 25/02/2018 11:27

Thick as mince, that should have been.

doesthislookoddtoyou · 25/02/2018 11:28

Do you think the suppliers give the restaurants children’s food for free? Even if it is cheap, somebody is paying for the children’s meals and if it isn’t the children, it’s the adults.

It's the adults that come with the children. Who will buy a couple more drinks, dessert, coffee etc that will all more than pay for a pound or two cost of the kids meal.
He's not subsidising anyone, the fool.

starlightafar · 25/02/2018 11:44

Lying
Yes if you wish! Wasn't a particularly nasty comment. Fire away Wink

Moonandstars84 · 25/02/2018 11:49

Premier Inn breakfast in London are dearer and it's 2 kids eat free per adult.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 25/02/2018 12:01

starlightafar, it was a nasty assumption of yours - a bit goady too. The point I was making is that you don't know this person that you're casting aspersions of. I imagine that you wouldn't like it yourself though.

topcat2014 · 25/02/2018 12:46

By uncle won't eat anywhere with swirly pattern carpets - for similar reasons.

Me, I like Hungry Horse type places, pay at the bar, eat leave - job done.

Alessandrocopper · 25/02/2018 12:57

Humus and bread is as normal as toast andjam in most Arabic countries. Along with pickles and spicy beany things.

squishysquirmy · 25/02/2018 13:53

The price a childless adult pays has nothing to do with whether or not kids eat free- the price they charge for an adult meal will be the maximum that they have calculated most people will pay for that adult meal.

Discounts and promotions are done to encourage more people to eat there who wouldn't otherwise (of course some taking advantage of an offer may have paid full price anyway, but the restaurant are hoping that this lost revenue will be less than the extra revenue gained). It's not done for altruistic reasons! If they stopped letting children in free to a zoo/theme park etc, do you think the price of adult tickets would reduce? It wouldnt, unless reducing the ticket price encouraged enough extra customers to make it worth it.

Sparklingbrook · 25/02/2018 13:55

I can imagine that Houmous and pita could be the breakfast of choice in loads of countries. For me in the UK I prefer coffee and toast. Smile

Sparklingbrook · 25/02/2018 14:04

Pitta even. Grin

starlightafar · 25/02/2018 14:43

Lying the OP asked if he was mean. I think he was. And a natural attitude which usually overspills into other beliefs also.
I really don't mind about assumptions about me. But I appreciate your logic as well.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 25/02/2018 15:43

Fair enough starlightafar, I didn't mind the first bit of your post anyway, it was the assumption bit because it was the bit of a leap. No harm done. We all have difference experiences to reference when we post and our judgements get coloured by those. They don't always come over in a post.

Notso · 25/02/2018 17:06

How? The breakfast is £8.99 and you only get two children's breakfasts free.

Breakfast is from £8.99, we've paid £15 in some places and you get two children for each full paying adult. It's a bargain for our family of 6 even at £15 each adult. I don't bother when it's just DH and me as I don't eat most of it.

CherryMaDeary · 26/02/2018 09:55

The posters going on about 'kids' food costing pennies' really don't understand. It's not just the cost of the food, it's the on-costs of running the place. If you take the 'kids' element, it's pretty negative on its own because of the cost of cleaning up after them, the wasted food when people see small children handling food only to change their minds.

LyingWitch - It's not fair to say they haven't understood. OP has said her brother boycotts these restaurants because he thinks he would be subsidising kids' meals. She doesn't say it's because of the kids behaviour.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 26/02/2018 16:36

Well if they've understood, Cherry, they've downplayed the impact that kids have on a restaurant business. It wasn't OP's brother that I had in mind actually, more so the posters who think that their children 'cost next to nothing' for the business.

doesthislookoddtoyou · 26/02/2018 16:39

The actual kids food does cost next to nothing. And child friendly restaurants are such because they have determined it is good for their business, not bad, so your assessment of the costs is at best skewed.

Allthewaves · 26/02/2018 16:40

With no kids I wouldn't go to places where kids eat free BUT with my kids it's the only way we can afford to eat out.

Though breakfast buffet thing (presume premier inn) is just odd

Moonandstars84 · 26/02/2018 18:47

It doesn't cost next go nothing. My older two can put away as much as me.

Moonandstars84 · 26/02/2018 18:47

Talking about breakfast

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