What do you do when you can't use a high chair in a restaurant?

[kjoyce]

Hi

I am a final year student currently studying design.

As part of my final year project I am concentrating on the problem of high chairs within restaurants and the fact that there sometimes isn't a high chair available or the high chair may be too dirty for use. I am looking at children 6 months - 3 years who would be old enough to be in a high chair and would be using a buggy / stroller.

I am currently trying to gather as much information as possible about the challenges parents face when this happens and what their preferred option may be to over come this problem.

So I would be very grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to explain what experiences you may have encountered and how you cope with this type of situation.

• How do you feel about using high chairs in restaurants?
  
• Would you put your child into the high chairs in restaurants?
  
• Do you have a travel high chair or booster seat to take and use?
  

• What style of seat do you prefer to seat your child in when eating at a restaurant or 'out and about'? (Booster seat, high chair, fabric harness etc.)
  

• If there was a buggy / stroller which allowed you to easily convert into a high chair when in a restaurant or public place would this appeal to you? (Stroller increases in height and as a high chair it pushes under the main dining table - no plastic tray)
  

If you have any other comments or suggestions on this topic or area I would also appreciate these.

Many thanks,

Katie

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Yes I used highchairs when out with dd between 6months and two years. Since two she uses a standard dining chair. If a place hasnt got a highchair, I would use the buggy next to the table or sit her on my knee, and I wouldnt revisit the place until I no longer needed a highchair.

Anywhere that uses the IKEA highchair automatically gets brownie points.
Anywhere that uses them dark wood square trayless highchairs raises an internal groan.
Anywhere that has manky highchairs puts me off.

I wouldnt buy a buggy that has any sort of "high chair" feature to it at all. I want my buggy to do a few things but being a highchair is not one of them.

[Andcake]

Have used high chairs out and about since ds was 6 mo he is now 2 and we still use them occasionally. If just service grot I just use a wet wipe (always in my bag in case of nappy changes) to clean it. Unlike ThinkIvebeenhacked - i prefer highchairs you can pull up the table so ds is alongside us - but thats how we eat at home but again the ikea ones are fine. Also ask as we walk in anywhere if they have high chairs if not we go else where - the places loss.
My main bug bares have been trying to get the harnesses straight and ds nice and tight. I now like it when places have booster seats and we have used a totseat www.totseat.com/english/home/
No I wouldn't buy use a buggy that turns into a highchair but I have a slim maclaren because its important to be able to fold and fit on public transport.

[Ultracrepidarian]

I like the ikea high chair when out (no tray) and goes under the table.

I wouldn't like to use a buggy as a highchair.

Any dirty high chair I won't use or fabric/soft plastic one.

If there's no high chair I use a silk style scarf and tie dc to a suitable chair, if no suitable chair then on my knee or I leave and don't eat there.