I've never gotten an allowance; the closest thing to an allowance was the 20 dollars I'd get for two weeks worth of lunch in high school. Honestly, it was never a burden on me, cause I rarely went ahead and actually used money. Weird concept, I suppose, not using money often (I find it remarkable today, now that I have a job and a relatively constant influx of money).
Do I think there's anything wrong with kids getting an allowance? I don't, but I like the idea of it coming from chores and actual work more than the kid just getting free money. It teaches kids how to handle money at a young age, which becomes pretty critical in life later on. When I first got a job, which was also the first time I actually had money to call mine, it was a chore to maintain my spending habits. I didn't (and honestly still dont ahaha) receive a great amount of cash per week. Add the fact back then I was dating and whatnot, and you learn quickly that money gets spent on a lot of things. Being able to understand that at a young age helps, and for that reason, I think allowances are just fine.
That being said, I also find it perfectly reasonable for a child to not get an allowance. That, in and of itself, can teach a person something as well. It's more difficult, yes, but livable.