$50 Charge On Restaurant Bill Because Kids Were 'Loud': 'No Way This Is Real'

When Lyndsey Landmann visited Toccoa Riverside Restaurant in Blue Ridge, Georgia with her family and friends earlier this month, she was shocked to see the final bill. An added surcharge of $50 was included and for a surprising reason.

After news of this crazy additional fee broke online, many are taking sides and voicing their opinions on whether it's right or wrong.

Imagine eating out with friends and family, getting the bill, and seeing a surprise additional $50 fee because the restaurant claims the children at the table were "too loud."

According to Today, Landmann and her husband Kyle, visited the restaurant with four other families, including 11 children from 3 to 8 years old, earlier this month. Landmann recalls commenting about how good the kids were being.

"The kids were sitting at one end of the table and they were being so good," she said. "I even commented halfway through the meal, 'I can't believe how well-behaved they are.'"

After dinner and dessert, some of the parents took their children down to the water. It was then that the restaurant's owner, Tim Richter, went over to the table.

"He has the menu in hand and he's showing us where it talks about the fee," she said. "At first I thought he was gonna compliment us and be like, 'But you won't be charged because your kids were so well-behaved.'"

But that's not at all what happened.

He informed Landmann that there would be an additional $50 added to the bill because the kids were being "too loud." She also said that he was angry that the kids were "running around outside," even though there were adults with them.

"I was like, 'They were quiet the whole time.' He got in our faces and told us that we belonged at Burger King and not at his restaurant. We asked to speak to the owner and he said he was the owner," she explained. "I looked around the restaurant and everybody was frozen watching this show he was putting on. He was yelling. It was alarming."

When Today reached out to the restaurant via phone, an employee told them, "We're not going to comment on a policy we've had for years. We just want to live in the woods and cook."

Landmann's husband Kyle went on Google reviews and gave the establishment one-star. He's not the first parent to do it and doesn't sound like he will be the last either.

In fact, there are tons of comments on social media and review sites that talk about the unique "for adults unable to parent" fee.

On Yelp, there's a message about all the new attention at the top of that page that reads, "This business is being monitored by Yelp's Support team for content related to media reports."

A review from September reads, "If you have children, I don't recommend you go here. The owner was so rude to my grandkids he made the three year old cry. He told them if they sat by the river they had to be quiet. What restaurant owner talks to his customers like that?????? I'll never come back...I've been told he is like that to a lot of people."

Another more recent review also talked about how children are treated at the restaurant.

"So...how are parents supposed to teach their children to act in public without ever bringing their kids in public?" the review began.

"Instead of imposing the consequence of your ignorance/lack of parenting understanding or knowledge on others, try reading a book or watching some YouTube videos. Also, is a parent supposed to walk into a restaurant with their child and immediately feel obligated to explain their child's spectrum disorder or other disorder that impacts behavior? This is discriminatory, gross, and ignorant."

Another review reads, "Apparently they charge $50 for 'disruptive' kids. Definitely not family-friendly. The owner seems like such a joy to be around, NOT. Avoid this place."

One review mentioned that the restaurant "has a dog menu but no children allowed."

Many other reviews talk about the owner being rude and how children are treated, as well as a few about other staff members being rude and the food and service being "terrible."

There is a whole thread devoted to the restaurant's surcharge for parents on Reddit, and many chimed in to discuss their thoughts.

"No problem with the rule. My problem would be with the vague 'unable to parent' description. Along with an even more vague amount I will owe. $$$ lol. Doesn’t seem enforceable or legal. If they tried to enforce it, I’d probably just tell them no. Make me essentially," one person wrote.

Another shared, "There are at least 3 major red flags on the menu. I would honestly be trying to leave if I were there."

On the restaurant's Facebook page, people are commenting on the parenting fee on random posts.

"The owner came out and told me he was adding $50 to my bill because of my children’s behavior. 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," one person shared.

Another added, "I was wondering how you feel about children with autism who cannot help themselves and are sometimes stimming? I’m asking because I have a child with autism, and I always look for restaurants to go to, or to avoid. I’m curious about your thoughts. Would I get charged a fee if my child gets overwhelmed for a few minutes? Would I fall under your mom's ‘unable to parent’ fee schedule?"

And then there's the other side of the argument.

"I'd go out of my way to come eat there just because of the surcharge for horribly behaving kids. The threat of that will keep most of them out to begin with. Keep up the good work. I wish more places to eat would do this," said one Facebook user.

Another said, "You are right to penalize parents who bring unruly children into your restaurant. To the parents of such children why do you think you have the right to ruin someone else's meal with your screaming, tantrum throwing brats???? What makes you and your kids so special that after I pay a lot of money for my family to eat out that you get to ruin it for us????"