Couple says restaurant fined them for ‘poor parenting’ – the restaurant owner then reveals the truth

Dining out can be a stressful experience for parents. A lot of times, parents cannot control their kids in public, which makes dining out an unpleasant experience for everyone present.

This couple struggled similarly, and they claim to have been ‘fined’ for it. Keep reading to know more.

A restaurant in North Georgia did something no one ever expected: charging patrons a fine for ‘poor parenting.’ The Toccoa Riverside Restaurant outside of Blue Ridge has sparked a debate online: is it fair to charge parents for badly behaved children?

A customer on Reddit revealed their experience at the restaurant. They wrote, “The owner came out and told me he was adding $50 to my bill because of my children’s behavior… disappointed by the experience.”

A reporter contacted the restaurant and got their side of the story. The owner, Tim Richter, decided to tell the truth. He said while the restaurant added a surcharge during COVID-19 to cover costs, they did not charge anyone more than their bill recently.

He said he had never threatened anyone with the surcharge until a few weeks ago when a family had visited his restaurant with their nine children. He shared that the children were running around all over the place.

He said while he did give the parents a warning, he had never actually charged them the money!

“We want parents to be parents,” he simply said. The restaurant, tucked away in the mountains along the Toccoa River, is used to a calm clientele. The joint is quite popular and during meal times, cars stretch across the roadside.

A customer named Laura Spillman, who was visiting the town from Florida said she could not believe the policy when she heard it.

“That is crazy,” she said incredulously. “For real? I don’t think you should do it because kids are cute.”

Anne Cox, who was having lunch with her family, said the fee could potentially encourage parents to control their children so they behaved better.

She said, “Parents need to teach kids etiquette,” adding, “They need to teach kids to behave. There are other people in the world, so they should have fun in the right place.”

Federico Gambineri, who was at the restaurant with his toddler said this was the first time he had heard such a policy. 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, who is a regular at the restaurant, said he had never heard about this surcharge. “I have mixed emotions on that,” Schneider said. “At the same time, we’ve all sat next to tables where you say hey, do something with that kid. So I really think it’s more on the parents.”

If you found this piece interesting, check out the one below about a mother’s spectacular lesson.

What do you think about this debate? Let us know in the comments so we can know what you think. Share this piece with others so they can also give you their two cents about the situation.

Related Posts

Social Media Erupts After Harris’s Past Comment on Trump Turns Out to Be Spot-On

A resurfaced video clip of Vice President Kamala Harris, recorded before the last presidential election, has recently gained significant attention online. In this clip, Harris warned about…

Remembering the Dallas Air Show Mid-Air Collision: Honoring Aviation Heritage and Lessons for the Future

The global aviation community was struck with deep sorrow following a tragic incident that occurred during a commemorative airshow in Dallas, Texas, in November 2022. The event,…

Here Are 15 Innocent Photos That Look Weird If You Have A Dirty Mind

Innocent Photos That Look Weird If You Have A Dirty Mind It’s not what you think. But just to be safe, make sure you’re kids or wife…

Oscar-nominated Actor Graham Greene Dies At 73

Graham Greene, the trailblazing First Nations actor who brought Indigenous excellence to mainstream Hollywood, passed away on September 1, 2025, at the age of 73, following a…

Demi Moore Speaks Out After Emma Heming’s Decision to Move Husband Bruce Willis to a ‘Second Home’

After Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2022, his wife Emma Heming made the difficult decision to move him into a specialized care home nearby….

I Gave My Last $3 to a Stranger at a Gas Station and Woke up Owning a Business Empire

Two years ago, I was homeless, living in a worn-out van with my three kids—Jace, Lily, and Noah. Life had dealt us some harsh blows. My wife,…