Kids eat free discrimination

[BigBaoBun]

Some restaurants offer a kids eat free/ kids eat for £1 offer during the half term but this is usually (not always) when one adult buys a main meal the restaurant allows one free kids meal. I have noticed a lot of parents with multiple children complaining that certain restaurants are being unfair as they only get one free kids meal. Particularly single parents saying it's discrimination against them. One woman was complaining that she has 3 kids and it isn't fair because only one can eat free and the restaurant should be giving them all a free meal. Aibu to think that this isn't discrimination and you can't expect all kids to eat for free?

Some people just think they are entitled. I went out over half term with a friend who has several kids I have one dc I told her the offer so she knew she was only getting 1 free kid meal yet when the bill came she took it and deducted both free kids meals from her share! I wouldn't mind but her financial situation is much better than mine

Eh? How rude!

Don't you think some beans on toast would be cheaper to feed a parent and kids than an adult buying a full priced meal? And since when were restaurants responsible for making sure children could eat?

where ive seen loads of people complaining

”loads”. Interesting 😁

They need to read the T&Cs but sounds like they have if they are commenting on Facebook posts. Some places do offer more than 1 kids meal for free, I’ve been somewhere today where you could get up to 3 kids meals free (plus ice cream) with 1 adult meal.

Still doesn’t work out cheap by the time you add drinks on and adult deserts if they want them. Unless you are already planning on going out you’re not really saving any money.

People should be pleased they get 1 kids meal free, not whinge about not getting 3 meals free.

And this was a friend?

you didn’t feel comfortable enough to
mention to her?

did you just split the bill 50/50?

Sure, but I agree with a PP - this is about eating out. Eating - food banks, community supermarkets, HAF programmes are all cheaper and more suitable.

I run a food bank and I hate the marketing of these “kids eat free” promotions. Not everyone is highly literate or even English speaking and can expect to parse the minor detail details of whether it’s better to eat out at the Tesco café or buy x ingredients and cook. You see an ad shouting kids eat free, you assume that kids eat free.

If anyone is discriminated against it's the people with no children who are subsidising the free/ cheap children's meals.

Of course it’s not.
I’ve seen someone try and claim the child’s meal for an adult which the shop is fair to deny.

I agree but I can also see how you'd get people saying there's only a 12 month gap between their kids so their practically twins and so on...

So many unfair assumptions are made in your comment.

I agree with only one child being fed free, if that’s the policy.

But your comment makes out women choose to be single parents, when in the vast majority of cases that’s not true.

You could say - perhaps if the men stepped up and fed their children they created, then these people wouldn’t need to depend on freebies. That would arguably be a more fair and accurate representation of the situation many single mums find themselves in.

My daighter used to work in a popular chain restaurant that used to offer this during school holidays.

It was the bane of her life and she hated it for this sort of thing. Those who assume it's a rare cheeky fucker would be mistaken.

Asda is the best deal for this kids eat for £1 and no adult meal needed to be bought. Good deal!

A familiar situation unflrtunately. I remember when the RHS offered two free kids to a show when I worked at a site that hosted one. A hugely irate woman spent ages complaining to me (who had nothing to do with the actual show) that it's discriminatory to her because she has triplets and only two will be free. Two freebies is pretty good considering the price, and if they gave three then the next parent along with 4 kids would complain too!

Restaurants aren’t there to give out free food to everyone’s kids.
They are relying on an adult paying.
To think one adult would expect her three kids to eat free just shows a lack of understanding on how businesses stay afloat and complete entitlement !

Yep ive seen comments from adults as well claiming they should be entitled to the free kids meal as they don't eat much but apparently I'm lying so 🤷🏻‍♀️ there's loads of cheeky people out there that expect everything for free

It’s a marketing ploy. It makes people eat there if they think that they are getting something for free. It’s not about helping people, it’s about getting people to eat in their restaurant/cafe.

The families that can’t afford it aren’t really the ones complaining. They can’t afford to eat out regardless of getting free chicken nuggets or a sandwich. The ones complaining can afford it and just want something for nothing. See also theme parks, kids go free. It’s not aimed at those struggling, it’s aimed at families with money to spend who want to save £5.

It's not discrimination but if I was running a business I would probably allow twins to get free meals with one parent paying.

If you actually ran a business, you wouldn't in reality. It's just nice to think that you would.

In reality, people talk and if you don't have absolute watertight rules and boundaries, people will complain and moan and demand and you'd just get sick of it.

If you did do it, it would be a mistake you only made once 😉

I usually hear it’s discrimination from people who don’t have kids!

I bet one of her kids was a teenager who would usually order off the adults menu anyway… the kids deals tend to be reasonably priced so still a bonus for the one who eats for less.

My daughter said that was common too.

She said the way people.would stand and argue that they were ordering a child's meal with someone buying an adult's meal and so they should get it for nothing was staggering.

The offer is a child can eat for nothing. Not child's meal is free.

Can you link to anywhere OP, anywhere, where you have seen “loads” of parents saying this?

@BigBaoBun I have seen similar comments on social media too on the adverts. Also complaining that not all school are off this week, Tesco don't class 16 year olds as eligible for the kids meal and these offers should be for the elderly only.

OK .so given mostly is advertised as "kids eat free" theres room for confusion,til get to the part bout each child meal with one adult. Its surely at food outlets discretion if ok to go mum n 3 tots....not like one adult and 52seater coachload.
The target is the full paying adult
i can well see...? This is getting kinda bizarre with nugget responses!Having worked in catering...initially franchises where this type deal comes up- your making a fuss over peanuts. entitled or not.
whoever called the probably made up to fill a dull moment mum of three a bint.....is awful. she might be perfectly lovely n just a bit peckish...."my friends dh ran off n left her /she struggles......honestly!!!
"ive seen loadsa people complaining"? did ye -aye?
As it goes our local authority bacs pays parent(s )the free school meal entitlement amount for each day schools off. Whilst its clearly a bums on seats ploy to encourage custom- it remains fact- some kids go the full holidays without having one decent meal. pick your battles

The suggestion is a 2 parent household would be purchasing 2 adult meals so 2 children would get a free meal and that they’re disadvantaged as a 1 parent household. Again. Whilst I’m not sure it fits within the boundaries of discrimination I can see that it’s bloody infuriating.