Bucks Blog: A Meal Discount for Well-Behaved Children?

The New York Times Children at an etiquette class in San Francisco.

Last summer while enjoying an anniversary dinner at a lovely — and pricey — waterfront restaurant, my husband and I realized that guests at a nearby table had two children who appeared to be under age 10. They had been so quiet and orderly — no one was demanding ketchup or complaining loudly — that it was an hour into our meal before we realized they were there.

We joked with our waiter that their parents must have sedated them before venturing with them to such an upscale establishment. I recalled one infamous restaurant meal from my childhood, when my mother left the table in tears because my brother refused to stop belching. Now I’m the mother, and my two daughters aren’t necessarily loud, but they do tend to be a bit messy. We generally get a sitter if we’re going to a sophisticated restaurant.

Now, I find out that putting extra effort into your offspring’s table manners can sometimes save you money. Waiters notice these things, and some even give discounts for well-behaved children, according to a recent post in The Consumerist.

The item detailed how a waitress in Poulsbo, Wash., voluntarily gave a $4 discount to a family’s bill to show her appreciation for their three young children’s exemplary behavior. A photo of the receipt, including the line for “well-behaved kids,” ended up posted on the Reddit Web site, prompting a heated debate over whether that perk was appropriate.

“You shouldn’t get rewarded for teaching your kids how to behave in public,” opined one commenter. “That SHOULD be an expectation.”

Another suggested, instead, adding fines for poor behavior — whether by whiny children or boorish adults.

Do you think it’s reasonable to offer a discount to restaurant-savvy children, or is that rewarding behavior that should simply be the norm?

Article source: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/a-meal-discount-for-well-behaved-children/?partner=rss&emc=rss