Virginia mom comes in with her 2 kids and orders 3 kids’ meals. Then the server steps in: ‘I’ve been coming here for years’
Working as a server means dealing with a lot more than just food and drinks. Shifts come with small negotiations, awkward moments, and customers who don’t always take “store policy” well.
One Virginia server shared a recent interaction that shows how quickly something simple can turn tense.
TikTok creator Jamie (@nofancyjamie), a single mom of four who works three jobs, posted a storytime video from her car that’s now picked up more than 102,700 views.
In it, she explains what happened when a woman dining with her kids tried to order off the kids’ menu for herself.
What Did the Customer Do Wrong?
Jamie starts the video by explaining the situation. “I had a customer get mad at me today because I told her she could not order herself a kids’ meal,” she says, introducing herself and explaining that waitressing is one of her part-time jobs.
The interaction happened during a Sunday shift, when the restaurant offers kids’ meals for $2. “On Sundays all kids’ meals are $2,” Jamie explains. “So she ordered for her both of her kids, two kids’ meals apiece.”
The problem came when it was time for the woman to order her own food. According to Jamie, the customer attempted to order a kids’ meal for herself. Jamie says she responded politely but firmly. “I was like, ‘Ma’am, I’m sorry, store policy. It’s twelve and under.’”
That’s when the situation escalated. The customer pushed back immediately. “She looked at me and she’s like, ‘I’ve been coming here for years and y’all’ve always giving me kids’ meals,’” Jamie recounts.
The Server Makes It Happen Anyway
Not wanting to argue, Jamie decided to check with her manager. “I was like, OK, hold on one second, let me go ask the manager,” she says. The manager agreed to make an exception this time, but with a condition. “He’s like, ‘Yes, you can allow it this time. Just let her know it’s for 12 and under.’”
Jamie returned to the table and relayed exactly that. “I was like, ‘Look, the manager said yes, that was fine, but future reference is for 12 and under.’”
Instead of defusing the situation, that explanation seemed to make things worse. “She looked at me and she’s like, ‘You don’t think I can read? I know what it says. Why did you even order that?’” Jamie recalls.
Despite the tension, the meal went through. Jamie notes that the bill ended up being a good deal overall. “Bill only came to $17 and some change,” she says. “Three people to eat for under 20 bucks.” She adds that it would have been even cheaper if the customer hadn’t added tater tots, which came with an upcharge.
Why Can’t Adults Order Off the Kids’ Menu?
The debate over kids’ menus comes up often in restaurants, and there’s no single rule across the industry. Policies vary widely depending on the restaurant, the pricing structure, and the ownership.
One common reason restaurants enforce age limits is that kids’ meals are often designed as loss leaders. That means the restaurant doesn’t make much, if any, profit on them. The assumption is that a child’s meal will be paired with a full-priced adult entrée.
Restaurants still have fixed costs to cover, including labor, utilities, rent, licensing, and taxes. Those costs don’t change just because someone orders a smaller portion. From a business perspective, selling lower-priced meals to adults across the board can quickly create losses.
That said, some restaurants are more flexible than others. Certain places allow adults to order from the kids’ menu without issue, especially if portions are large or pricing is higher. Others strictly enforce age limits, particularly when kids’ meals are heavily discounted, as they were in Jamie’s case.
Commenters Share Their Thoughts
As expected, the comments under Jamie’s video were divided.
Some servers admitted they wouldn’t have enforced the rule at all. “I literally did not get paid enough to care, if someone wants to order a kids meal I let them,” one person wrote.
Others shared personal experiences where ordering kids’ meals hadn’t been an issue. “I order kids meals all the time. I had weight loss surgery 10 yrs ago and can’t eat much. I’ve never been told no,” another commenter said.
But many sided with Jamie, especially given the $2 promotion. “Enforce the age on a full price kids meal is ridiculous. But enforcing it on a $2 kid meal is necessary,” one person wrote.
Another added, “Restaurants can’t survive by selling kids meals to everyone. All of the restaurants I’ve worked at have had age restrictions.”
@nofancyjamie I just do my job, I don’t make the rules #waitress #server #fyp #storytime #work ♬ original sound – NothingFancyJamie✨️
Some commenters suggested alternatives instead. “The ppl saying ‘well I don’t eat a lot’ just order a normal meal and split it in half then you’ll have two meals for the price of one,” one person commented.
The Mary Sue has reached out to Jamie via TikTok messages for comment.
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