Dad fuming as son, 11, is too tall for kid's meal at Chinese restaurant

'It ruined my night'

The dad of an 11-year-old boy has been left fuming after he was forced to pay full adult price for his son's meal as he's 'too tall' - despite only being 5ft.

Angry Craig Cantrill, 50, said he was charged £22.50 instead of £10 for his son Joshua's meal at Chinese buffet Wong Ting in Sheffield.

He said that when he went into the eatery, staff measured Joshua and said as he is taller than 4.5ft (1.5m), then he is charged as an adult.

Craig challenged the decision and despite the youngster only eating half a plate of chow mein, crispy duck and prawn crackers - he still had to pay the adult's price.

Craig explained: "It ruined my night, I was really annoyed. I just wanted to pay the bill and get out of there by the end of the night."

He added: "If he was a 15 or 16-year-old lad or in secondary school, then we would fully understand it.

"He's just started his last year in primary school and has just turned 11 - he's not even in secondary school.

"I was absolutely disgusted."

Craig went to the popular restaurant with wife Jane and a group of family friends - who also have a ten-year-old son.

He said that Joshua and the other youngster were taken away by one of the members of staff, who measured them both.

They then came back and the staff member explained that because Joshua is taller than the sign, Craig has to pay the adult's price.

Craig added: "On the menu, it said height dependent but it didn't state what the height was.

"Then on the wall, there was a really tacky sign that someone had drew with a biro and just hung on the wall.

"The restaurant owner was joking with my son and asking if he wanted a pint of Cobra. I said you might as well get him one, as they were charging us full-price for him but he walked off.

"They could have drawn that sign and stuck it up wherever they wanted."

The dad-of-one now claims to be boycotting the eatery and said he 'doesn't see' why they wanted the extra £12.

Craig said: "We spent £217 between us - so I don't see why they would feel obliged to get that extra £12 out of us. Now they've lost our business because we've been in a few times before."

Wong Ting manager Lance Pang defended his policy and said he will 'stick to his guns.'

He said: "I will stick to my guns as this is our policy. If you don't like it, you have the option to leave. People are ignorant. It's on the menu.

"Sometimes you get a child who is 15 and six-foot-two and they eat more than anyone else."