Paying for baby at restaurants

kleigh926 · January 2014

At what age do you think it's appropriate to start paying the kids' price for your LO to eat at a restaurant? We go out to eat once a week, often at buffets. I'll usually get DD a little bit of something to eat from the buffet, but we haven't paid for her to eat yet. It's usually a pretty small amount, enough that it could easily just be part of my or DH's meal. I don't think she eats enough yet to warrant her own meal, but what do/would you plan on doing?

Rynleigh · January 2014

Most of the buffets we've gone to in the past request that you pay for a meal for any child over the age of two, and they typically charge a specific amount per year of age up until they reach 12, and then charge the "full" price. Some of them around here do around .40c - .60c per year of age beginning at 2yrs old.

DublinMama · January 2014

If I order something at a restaurant off the kids' menu for DS, I would expect to pay for it. But at this age I just give him things from my meal. And I would do the same at a buffet, so I would not expect to pay for him then. I wouldn't make him a separate plate, I would just put whatever things I wanted for him on mine. Maybe that makes me a cheapskate or a cheat, haha. Not sure, but I def. think this age is too young to pay, unless like I said, I was ordering something specifically for him.

holly321 · January 2014

I thought it was usually kids under 3 free. Dd never eats much out thought. We often take her to a Chinese restaurant we really like, and she only eats, but loves, won ton soup. They always just give it to her free. That's. I know she was free at a hibatchi grill recently too. Again, all she ate was soup.

Drea926 · January 2014

pinesnow said:
We sometimes go to the Pizza Hut lunch buffet (quit judging :P) and it literally never once occurred to me to offer to pay for the food I share with DS from the salad bar. Its usually portions of hardboiled egg, kidney beans, cottage cheese, sliced fruit and diced tomato. I also give him some of the pasta!

We really would be pals - I freakin' love The Hut!!!

penguingrrl · January 2014

DS eats as much as my older two (and they're eaters) so I would probably pay for him. But buffets aren't common around here and I'm not sure I've ever been to one so I'm not sure.

beckajw · January 2014

As others have said, I think 2. Right now, they aren't eating for nutrition. They are eating for practice and maybe supplementing a little. Unless you order your child a meal specifically (like off the kid's menu), it doesn't make sense to pay until he/she is 2. Or, if he/she starts really eating earlier than 2 and you are getting him/her a whole plate that is actually getting eaten.

kelly321 · January 2014

When we visit my parents in the US we go out to eat with them, sometimes to buffets. Usually their policy is starting at 2 the kids pay a discounted price and before that they're free. You can always ask the restaurant - they usually have policies like that so you're not in a gray area.

Want a personalized experience?

Paying for baby at restaurants

Re: Paying for baby at restaurants

Choose Another Board

Search Boards