Waste Not, Want Not!

I was going to write a post about Mother's Day today. Afterall, it is only one week from today, and if your own mother hasn't guilted you about it yet, then I feel it's my duty to do it for her. However, upon reading my mail, I noticed an interesting story on the internet about a young family who was barred from eating at an all-you-can eat Chinese buffet for leaving too much left-over food on their plates. They were promptly told by the management that because they failed to consume most of the food they retreived from the buffet, that they were wasting food and were no longer welcome back. This is one of those restaurants where you first pay the bill, get your plate and then begin grazing the buffet. First off, let me just say that I usually shy away from these all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. The choices are usually the most unhealthy, ladened with excess fat, sugar and/or salt, but I digress. This was a young family with two young boys who frequented this restaurant. Like all children whose eyes are bigger than their stomachs, the children took one too many eggrolls and were admonished for not finishing every last bite. I was astonished to learn that a law professor from a nearby law school stated that this family had no recourse because there was no discrimination involved like racism or sexism. However, being a mother I could clearly see the discrimination as being against the children who gleefully collected the goodies, only to realize that they were full after three bites. These people paid their bill for four just like any other patrons, and there were no signs cautioning them against being too greedy, so how is the restaurant valid in banning this family and causing them embarrassment in front of other customers? It's hard taking young children out to eat and not every family has the means to afford a babysitter for a night out sans children. It's also nice to go to a restaurant where you don't have to read the menu off the wall. I remember taking my son out to dinner when he was about two. My husband and I had a craving for Mexican food and we went to a popular restaurant in the next town only to find that they had no high chairs. Needless to say, we left. I clearly felt I was not welcome in the restaurant with my son and this woman probably had the same feeling when she was told not to come back with her kids because they took too much food. Someone please explain to me how this is not discrimination?