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Wales Online
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Katie Bellis

The new Indian buffet in Swansea that's charging kids by their height

A new Indian buffet restaurant in Swansea is charging children based on their height.

India India, which opened two months ago, is a relatively new concept in Indian dining.

It offers freshly-cooked food in a buffet format .

There is plenty to choose from as the restaurant, which is based in Parc Tawe, offers 50 dishes at any one time.

When it comes to eating out most restaurants have an age limit for prices for children's meals.

However, India India has instead opted for a height restriction which means that anyone under 4ft 7ins will pay a children's price and anyone over the height must pay an adult's price - even if they are technically still a child.

And there's even a line on the wall so a child diner's height can be measured before the bill is paid.

The height guide on the wall (Media Wales)

Anwar Ali is the general manager at India India. He has worked in the restaurant industry for 25 years.

This is the first time he has in introduced a height restriction for children to one of his restaurants. 

He came up with the idea after visiting other buffet restaurants across the country which were doing the same thing.

India India price menu (Media Wales)

Talking about the decision, he said: "Children in high chairs eat for free, but a four to five-year-old isn't going to eat the same amount as a 13-year-old. It's just like fairground ride.

"If I had done an age restriction how do you govern it. I can't ask someone to bring an ID It's just not feasible. A height of 4ft 7 is very reasonable but anyone above that we will charge them a normal adult price.

"And anyone below that we will charge a children's price. It's trying to be fair to everyone."

India India opened at the end of December 2019 (Media Wales)
Inside India India in Parc Tawe (Media Wales)

In 2016, an 11-year-old boy was charged the adult price for a Chinese buffet because he was tall.

However, at the time, Oriental Garden at the Red Dragon Centre in  Cardiff had a shorter height restriction of 4ft 5ins.

Since opening, Mr Ali said that he hasn't had any problems.

"So far it is working and people are happy that it's fair.

"We have had no complaints. There would have to be some really tall seven-year-old's to reach that height.

"There are always exceptions but common sense prevails. It's just awkward asking how old is your child.

"But the height is a general guide," he explained.

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