$4 off the bill for having had well-behaved kids. What do you think?
Wow, that is unusual.
Aggggh stoopid computers. Lost my post.
I’d prefer a “kick out the little bastards” policy, but that’s a start.
I think it’s great. The manager of that restaurant should be rewarded for allowing servers the latitude to make such decisions. Unfortunately though some parents need to have an incentive to control their kids in public.
Are you sure that’s not what they were served?
Sounds like some place has had some significant trouble in the past. I’ve got no problem with it because I guarantee we’d qualify but I do expect they’ll get some grief from someone that knows about it and does not get it. It’ll be less about the money and more about the "How dare you!’
It would be nice if all families had children that behaved well in restaurants. Certainly many do, but the ones that don’t are, unfortunately, quite noticeable. It would also be nice if effective steps were always taken to address the ones that don’t, but there are many reasons – some good, some poor – that this often doesn’t happen. Recognizing and rewarding desired behavior, both by the kids that exhibit it and by the parents that guided it, strikes me as a good general policy for society. In this case there were three rewards – compliments, a treat, and a discount. Perhaps more than would/should be given in every situation, but overall a good thing in my eyes.
My guess is that this isn’t restaurant policy, but rather a smitten waiter. I have kids, some people think they’re cute, and this results in a lot of gawking. They’ve gotten free desserts, free toys, free appetizers. I’d like to say it’s because of my awesome parenting skills, but it’s really just because a lot of waiters think little kids are cute. And yes, a lot of these smitten waiters have remarked about how “well behaved” they are, which is ridiculous because it’s dumb luck. I’ve certainly had my share of disastrous restaurant trips.
It seems strange to reward the parents with a small cash discount versus giving something nice to the kids, but I wouldn’t say it’s all that unusual for waiters to bestow gifts upon adorable little kids.
I hadn’t even considered that. You’re absolutely right. I can certainly see some parents arguing that their little Buffy and Jody were well behaved and they deserve the discount.
I should get a $6 discount because I don’t bring in any kids.
StG
I don’t know why, but I think I’d be a little insulted that a restaurant was judging my kids’ behavior. I don’t want to sit next to bratty kids as much as anyone else, but this would seem intrusive. Why not expand it and give a free glass of wine to the people without kids, then put on the bill “For not being a total dickwad to the server.”
Now, imagine you’re a parent, you know there’s a discount, you feel the kids were fine at dinner, but they don’t offer you the $4, or ice cream, or whatever. It would leave you with a bad impression of the place.
Maybe just offer the ice cream and leave it at that without fanfare.
First person to use the term Precious Snowflake wins 10 internet points!
Last weekend we were eating out, when a piercing little girl shriek rang out nearby (the kind that perforates eardrums and shatters glassware). A few moments later a man peered abashedly over the back of our booth and apologized.
That sort of unprecedented behavior should be worth at least $2 off the bill. 
In total agreement with this!!
Count me as another who would rather not feel like every rando on the street making a public display of how they judge my child raising skills.
+1
It would really bother you if someone complimented your kids’ behavior? That strikes me as an overreaction to a kind gesture.
Yeah but do you still order a couple dinners off the kids menu?
I’m divided. I mean, that was a really nice thing to do, but on the other hand we’re aiming to teach our kid that behaving yourself in restaurants is normal. The only reward it deserves is the opportunity to eat out again.
Shitting on the toilet is normal too, but that didn’t stop me from rewarding them with m&ms when they were first learning.
eta: Not to mention the ridiculous, over-the-top praise.
Superb! 
I thought I had already found my favorite post of the week, but this wins.
- Sicks, who is using candy corn insatead of m&ms.