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Should Childrens Prices End at the Age of 18?

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Me and my family went to a all you can eat Chinese recently and we was shocked to see that the restaurant had a policy of any child above the age of 10 would pay adult prices and it made me think of so many other places and companies .Should it be written into law that Childrens prices end when they turn 18 and not allow companies to decide when they up there prices . It did make me think that when we go to a place next I will ask my youngest who is coincidentally 14 to order a Vodka or a pint and when they say he is to young we then say well he's a adult when it comes to your prices.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

stuartsmith544
8 months ago
What do you think of this?+20 points
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PaxAmerica

I think its a commerical decision. Technically they can charge what the want so long as its not discriminatory such as due to race or religion or sex. They charge less to children so as parents go there to eat instead of another place or stay home. I dont think its on the same level as age of consent for sex or the right to vote. I hear you though and would say just vote with your custom and feet and eat at places with more agreeable child ages. The Chinese reataurant would soon pay attention 🙂

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Lynibis

18 is far too old as they are considered adults by then and certainly eat as much, if not more, than their parents. I would meet you half way and say under 16 is more reasonable. My 15 year old grandson is as tall as both parents, his father is 6', and if I were running that sort of business I would be incensed to see older teens eating more than adults or those under say 12.

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Jerseydrew

Not 18 more like 15. When it comes to meals for my 12 year old she'd rather eat from the adults as the kids isn't her thing anymore and she can manage an adults sized. I do think we as in 12+ should be able to eat from the kids menu because you don't always want a big portion

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Pjran

I’m afraid that seems reasonable to me especially at a buffet. If it was a set meal then the restaurant has set portions

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MelissaLee1

I think 16 is a young adult and 18 old enough to marry and have a family so definitely not a child.Children for me are around the 6-12 bracket.Anything below Infants.

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Lynibis

MelissaLee1 you're right, I know as I married at 17!

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martinlufc5637

We stopped going to our local Chinese restaurant buffet, kids barely ate anything, and it was costing a small fortune

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stuartsmith544

I used the Chinese as the reason for my post but I'm asking in the vein of like theme parks, cinema, holidays and other places.

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gothvixen

stuartsmith544 I still think you're wrong. A child uses children's facilities. You should only get what you pay for, so if you want to pay a child price for a 17yo on holiday they can sleep in a bunk bed, eat children's portions and only use the children's pool; in a theme park they can't use anything but the children's rides; they can only see children's films in the cinema. What about clothes? Should adult sized clothes for 17yos cost the same as those for someone of 7?

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DeBunny

I think most restaurants should do a small and a large on the menu.

People should be able to choose from either menu.

It is down to the place though. Most places used to be 12+ for larger portions and prices. Because a lot of teenagers can actually eat way more than most, with hormone changes and growing. So I kind of understand with that side of things and puberty seems to be coming earlier for many so 10 years old seems fair in that respect.

As long as it is obvious and advertised correctly, I don't mind as I can make the decision before choosing to go somewhere and eat or view something in the cinema etc.

In theory theme parks and cinemas, could charge the same for a seat, as they are both using a full seat. But then you could argue that the weight of them would put more pressure on the systems, meaning they are likely to last longer with use for children - but children are usually more likely to wriggle and likely to cause more accidental damage, so surely that would counteract it.

I say charge the same for everyone but do discount on multiples.

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jms19

I don’t think it’s too unfair in terms of food and things like that. Thinking of myself as a teen, i definitely ate as much as an adult so i think to have to pay adult prices isn’t unfair.

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gothvixen

That's a false comparison. It's about how much people can eat. When my sons were young, the cut-off depended on height in buffet restaurants. There's no totally fair way of doing it, but teenagers can eat enormous amounts of food. I think businesses make a pretty good job of their pricing structure, and the obvious answer is that if you don't like their policy you can go somewhere else, but paying children's prices means you should only get children's portions - if you want an adult-sized meal, you should pay the adult price. Your proposition is completely wrong. Being able to eat as much as an adult doesn't mean that anyone thinks a 14yo should be able to drink alcohol.

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BeverleyCr74471

I think that the whole age thing is wrong, examples , I have twins aged 17, so if I book a hotel in London they are classed as children under 18 )and rightly so) if I book a hotel to go on holiday they need to be under 11, so why then if they are classed as adults at over 11, when 1, they can’t stay in a room in there own, 2 if all inclusive they can’t drink alcohol. It’s about time these age related things were streamlined. On a flight if they’re over 12 they pay tax but can’t sit in extra leg room unless they’re 18. The list is endless where parents are forced to pay adult prices for under age. The age should be streamlined to 16.

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didbygraham

as long as the restaurant, or whatever makes it clear what the age restrictions are then its up to them. They choose their prices, we as customers choose whether to go there or not. By the time he was 14 my son was taller and probably ate more than my wife.

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