I think it goes without saying that a kids’ menu at a restaurant is meant for kids, not adults, and many places outline an age limit to accompany that.
Jamie (@nofancyjamie on TikTok) works as a server at a restaurant, and on Sunday, she served a family who left without tipping her over something totally outside of her control.
Jamie noted that every Sunday, her restaurant prices kids’ meals at only $2, but it applies to children ages 12 and under. The family that walked into Jamie’s restaurant had two kids, a mom, and a dad.
“So, the woman ordered the two kids kids’ meals, and then when I asked them (the parents) what they would like, they started ordering kids’ meals themselves,” Jamie explained in her video.
“And here I am, like in my head, I’m going to have to break it to them. I hate it. I hate this part of my job. So, I looked at them, and I said, ‘I am so sorry. Kids’ meals are for ages 12 and under. Can I get you something else?'”
“The woman looked at me, she’s like, ‘Are you serious?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, ma’am,’ she’s like, ‘Well, when did this go into effect?'”
Jamie has spent more than two years working at that particular restaurant, and they have always had that rule, so she politely told the woman that.
The woman snapped at Jamie that she had eaten there a month ago, and she had been able to order kids’ meals for herself and her husband, not just their two kids.
Jamie guessed that another server in her restaurant had let the parents get away with breaking the rules, but she’s not in control of her coworkers.
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Jamie apologized to the woman and pointed out other options they could order, as adults, and the woman and her husband eventually did ask Jamie for things off the regular menu.
“They just seemed very grumpy. They were not happy. When it was time for them to pay, their bill was like $52,” Jamie said.
“When they left, and I went over there to clean the table off, they didn’t tip. Kind of already figured that, but again, it’s not my fault, I don’t make the rules, I just try to follow them the best that I can.”
In the comments of Jamie’s video, some people surprisingly brought up that there should be smaller portions available for adults to order, and more in line with a kids’ menu.
“I’ve had a gastric bypass and literally can barely even eat a kids’ meal. And leftovers of full meals go bad due to how small my portions are. Normalize allowing people to eat and not order just to have food wasted,” one person remarked.
“Why does it matter??? Just give the customer what they wanted,” another person weighed in.
“When you go into a grocery store and buy Lunchables, does the cashier question if you have children? No. If they are using their money, it shouldn’t matter. Not everyone wants to take home leftovers. Maybe they are going somewhere after, and it’ll just go bad in the car,” a third person said.
By Bre Avery Zacharski
Hi, I'm Bre, Chip Chick's CEO! I have a degree in Textile/Surface Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology, and... More about Bre Avery Zacharski
