I don't know why anybody would object to this. The prisoners are paying with their own money that they've earned from the work they do in the jail from money put on their books by family or friends. One of the worse things about being in prison or jailis the boredom so instead of sitting around they are doing something useful.
Here in England there is a charity called The Clink which has set up restraunts attached to some prisons here. The website is
Reducing Reoffending, Aiding Rehabilitation | The Clink Charity
The idea is that prisoners get trained and work as chefs and waiters in restraunts attached to prisons and people can book a table like a regular restraunt.
I got put on this scheme when I was in prison. I ended up getting a 3 year sentence and lost my job, my girlfriend and everything else over what I did. I just wanted to do my time and didn't get involved with any trouble in prison but I had no idea what I was going to do when I got out. At my prison there was a Clink restraunt and I applied to go on the course and work there. It was the best thing that could have happened to me as instead of just wasting time sitting in my cell I was doing a full time job working in the kitchens and then as a waiter lesrning new skills and began to feel like a normal person instead of a prisoner. It was strange getting to talk to and serve ordinary people instead of just being with other prisoners and guards all day. Getting on the course was a big privilege so all the lads would work hard and stay out of trouble to stay on the course. I did well on the course and coming up to being released I got interviewed by a hotel group that is part of the scheme and got offered a job in the kitchen of a hotel close where I lived.
Most people when they get out of prison have no job and try to get work can't get anything decent once they know you've been in prison so having a job to go to keeps you busy and stops you getting into trouble again. I'm doing well now and am still working in the business nearly 3 years later so it worked for me.