A couple was fined $50 at Toccoa Riverside Restaurant in Georgia for “poor parenting,” as described by the owner.
A restaurant decided to fine a couple for their ‘poor parenting.’
Recently, a couple went to a restaurant with their children.
According to the restaurant owner, the children were behaving disruptively, running around, and being noisy.
The restaurant owner, Tim Richter, asked the parents multiple times to manage their children, but they did not respond.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he introduced a $50 “bad parenting” fee to address such issues.
Ritcher says it was prompted by an incident involving a family with nine children who were ‘running all over the restaurant.’
This fine aims to penalize people who are ‘bad parenting.’
He wanted to send a clear message by not tolerating disruptive behavior from children, even though he didn’t charge them at the time.
“We want parents to be parents,” Richter stated firmly.
The surcharge warning now appears at the bottom of the menu.
In a statement, the restaurant has a policy to maintain a peaceful dining environment.
They reserve the right to add a surcharge for customers who disrupt this environment.
The $50 fine was added to the couple’s bill as a result of their children’s behavior.
The couple was outraged by the fine.
They took to social media to express their frustration, claiming the restaurant was unfairly penalizing them for their parenting style.
They argued that children can be naturally energetic and that the fine was unreasonable.
The public expressed opinion about the restaurant’s fine to the couple’s poor parenting
Unsurprisingly, many parents have reacted with outrage to this policy.
Some even left negative comments on Google reviews
One customer wrote: “The owner came out and told me he was adding $50 to my bill because of my children’s behaviour.
My kids watched a tablet until the food arrived, ate their food and my wife took them outside while I waited and paid the bill. Disappointed by the experience.”
A review described the owner as “the most disrespectful.”
“It claimed he made “a huge scene in front of the entire restaurant” because their children were “down by the river” rather than running around.”
One diner, Anne Cox, said: “I believe the potential charge could serve as a helpful reminder for parents to be more attentive.”
Another guest, Laura Spillman simply stated, “That is crazy. For real? I don’t think you should do it because kids are cute.”
The restaurant’s response to these reviews
The Toccoa Riverside Restaurant asserts that it only applies the surcharge in extreme cases where parents fail to control their children.
Richter insists that in most situations, they simply ask politely for parents to address any disruptive behavior.
“We’re not trying to punish people,” he explained.
“We’re trying to get people to parent their children.”
