Eating at a restaurant can be hard for parents. Sometimes, kids act up, and it makes the meal not fun for everyone there.

This couple went through a similar situation and says they were ‘charged’ for it. Find out more.

A restaurant in North Georgia did something unexpected: they fined customers for ‘bad parenting.’ The Toccoa Riverside Restaurant near Blue Ridge sparked an online debate: Is it right to charge parents for unruly kids?

A person on Reddit shared about their time at the restaurant. They said, “The owner said he’s adding $50 to my bill because of my kids’ behavior… I was not happy with how things went.”

When a journalist reached out to the restaurant, the owner, Tim Richter, set the record straight. He explained that although they added a surcharge during COVID-19 to cover expenses, they hadn’t charged anyone extra recently.

He mentioned he never used the extra fee as a threat until a few weeks ago when a family with nine kids visited. The kids were running everywhere.

Although he warned the parents, he never actually made them pay the extra money!

“We just want moms and dads to do their job,” he said plainly. The restaurant, hidden in the mountains by the Toccoa River, is used to having a relaxed group of customers. It’s a popular spot, and when it’s mealtime, cars line up along the roadside.

A visitor named Laura Spillman from Florida couldn’t believe the rule when she heard about it.

“That’s crazy,” she said in disbelief. “Seriously? I don’t think it’s right because kids are adorable.”

Anne Cox, having lunch with her family, mentioned that the charge might make parents make sure their kids behave properly.

She said, “Parents should teach kids manners,” and added, “They need to teach kids how to behave. Since there are other people around, they should have fun in the right place.”

Federico Gambineri, at the restaurant with his toddler, mentioned it was the first time he heard of such a rule. He said, “This is the first time I’ve heard of that, and having a 20-month-old that maybe isn’t the best behaved at a restaurant, I’m hoping that I don’t get charged,” he added. “I feel that if I were charged, I would be very unhappy about it and probably never recommend the place to somebody.”

Jack Schneider, a regular customer, mentioned he never knew about this extra charge. “I have mixed feelings about it,” Schneider said. “Sometimes, we’ve all sat next to tables where you think, ‘Hey, do something with that kid.’ So, I really think it’s more up to the parents.”

If you liked this article, take a look at the one below about an amazing lesson from a mom.

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