BAY AREA RESTAURANT CHARGES PARENTS AFTER ROWDY KIDS TRASH THE PLACE

He welcomed families to his restaurant. Now he makes parents pay for their kids' mess.

A Bay Area eatery is charging parents up to $327.03 for broken screens and scratched tables, and the internet is happy about it.

Going out to eat is supposed to be a fun break for families. But when parents let their kids run wild, tired staff are left to clean up the mess.

WHAT HAPPENED

You You Xue owns Chez Xue in Foster City. He got tired of kids running laps in his dining room, breaking cups, and carving up tables with forks.

So Xue started charging parents for the damage. One family paid $327.03 after their child broke a card reader screen. Another paid $109.38 for a scratched table.

The dining spot still welcomes kids and does not charge for honest accidents. But Xue says some parents have stopped doing their job, leaving his servers to act as sitters.

FACT BOX

• $327.03: The fee charged after a child broke a card reader screen.
• $109.38: The charge for a child carving a table with a fork.
• $5.37: The price paid for one broken cup.
• 10: The years Xue has worked as a food spot owner.
• 2: The number of local dining spots Xue runs.

WHY IT MATTERS

Eating out has become a battle between tired workers and lax parents. Many food workers feel they are underpaid to watch wild kids while parents ignore them.

This rule has sparked a big debate online. While many cheer the fees, some wonder if charging small fees for broken cups is too petty.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Xue says the bad acts have dropped quickly since he posted the new rules. Other food spot owners are watching to see if they should start charging their own fees.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

• Will other dining spots start charging fees for bad kids?
• Will families stop going to spots that have these rules?
• Can parents legally fight these charges on their credit card bills?