Single mother, 28, who took her two children to Cineworld to see the BFG was refused a £9.99 'Family Meal Deal' because there was no second parent

  • Mother took her two youngsters to cinema for family day out
  • She says she was refused deal because they weren't deemed 'a family'
  • Cineworld say the 'family' deal is only for groups of four people

By Richard Spillett for MailOnline

Published: 05:19 EST, 9 August 2016 | Updated: 06:00 EST, 9 August 2016

A single mother was refused a 'Family Meal Deal' at the cinema - because she didn't have a second parent with her.

Emma Wallen took children Lily, six, and London-James, two, to see the BFG at Cineworld and tried to buy an advertised £9.99 family meal.

But the cashier told her she didn't 'qualify' because she wasn't with a second parent.

Emma Wallen says she was refused a cinema family meal deal because she is a single mother

Emma Wallen says she was refused a cinema family meal deal because she is a single mother

When she questioned the employee she claims he told her it was 'only for families' and she 'wasn't a family' because she didn't have a partner with her.

Ms Wallen was forced to fork out an extra £15 for almost the same food - bringing her bill for the trip to more than £50.

The 28-year-old, of Lewisham, London, said: 'It was a horrible thing to hear.

'I felt like I was being discriminated for being a single parent with kids. It felt like someone was saying I wasn't accepted in society as a family.

'It was very aggravating. How can a policy be in place where it clearly discriminates single parents?

'What if my children's father was dead - would I still not be classed as a family? It's appalling.'

Ms Wallen is sole carer of her two children after splitting up with their father and took them for a day out to the cinema in Wandsworth last Thursday.

She went to pay for three tickets and spotted an advert for a 'Family Special' - two Munchboxes with a regular popcorn and two regular soft drinks for £9.99.

The row happened at Cineworld cinema in Wandsworth, south London last week

The row happened at Cineworld cinema in Wandsworth, south London last week

The youngsters posed for pictures with Suicide Squad hoardings during the family outing

The youngsters posed for pictures with Suicide Squad hoardings during the family outing

She said the cinema worker told her 'you can't have that - that's only for families'.

She added: 'I thought at first he was joking and I asked him to repeat himself and he said the same thing.

'He said 'it's only for two parents and two children'. I kept my cool. I didn't want to make a scene with the kids there. It was completely ignorant.

The trip cost a total of around £53 - approximately half for tickets and half for food - but had she been allowed to use the deal, it would have cost around £37.

Once at home, Miss Wallen said she phoned the branch to complain and has now submitted a written complaint.

Cineworld says the cashier was correct to refuse single mum Emma Wallen a family meal deal.

They went to see BFG, but had to pay almost twice the amount for food after the dispute

They went to see BFG, but had to pay almost twice the amount for food after the dispute

A spokesman said the meal deal only applies to a group of four - two adults and two children or one adult and three children - if they buy a Family Ticket for the film.

'We are aware of the customer's complaint and will be in touch with her directly to discuss her feedback,' she said.

'Family Special Combo Deals are available to customers with a Family Ticket.

'Just like our Family Tickets, the meal deal is designed for a group of four as it includes two drinks, a sharing popcorn and two munch boxes.

'Our Family Tickets are sold on the basis that there will be four people within the group which could be a combination of two adults and two children or one adult and three children.

'We regularly review our offers to make sure they meet the needs of our customers and provide the best possible value. We welcome customer feedback and we take this on board.'

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