Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect a restaurant to be able to do a pint of milk?

306 replies

YourAgileBiscuit · 02/03/2025 15:15

My autistic DD (13) will normally only drink milk when we are out in restaurants etc.

Some restaurants (including chain restaurants and pubs/carvery places) get a bit funny about it when she orders/asks for milk though. Even though they already have milk for the kitchen and for teas/coffees. We’ve had some restaurants outright refuse as well even though they have milk in the building.

Is it unreasonable to expect restaurants to be able to serve milk for a paying customer? Of course we pay for her milk, we are not asking for it for free!

I would say about 50% of places we go to get funny about it which I don’t understand as they already have milk in the building.

OP posts:
Original poster
YourAgileBiscuit · 02/03/2025 15:23

SeaDragon17 · 02/03/2025 15:19

I do understand your frustration but also what you’d probably be willing to pay for a pint of milk is a million miles from what that pint would realise them used as they intended and due to the short life on milk it can be tight at the end of the day on stock.

So whilst I wouldn’t get funny about it necessarily it would be a more difficult request than you, as a customer, might realise.

Fair enough. I get that. A lot of places have got funny about it though even if they have milk in the building. I think the most we’ve been charged for a pint of it for DD is £3.50, which is fine, we don’t mind the cost honestly and will pay it, it’s just places getting funny about it or refusing

OP posts:
OhYesImgoingtosay · 02/03/2025 15:22

I don’t understand why they’d have an issue with it ? Milk is cheap and easy to get so surely it shouldn’t be a problem at all? I guess you could always take some with you as well in case but a lot of places don’t like outside food or drink being consumed on their premises . It can be hard to navigate things with a child with ASD and you’d hope that people would be more helpful Flowers it’s not as if you’re asking for some kind of obscure item !

YouveGotAFastCar · 02/03/2025 15:22

YourAgileBiscuit · 02/03/2025 15:19

Not always on the menu I don’t think although they do have milk in the building in most cases.

Show quote history

Yes, but for coffees and teas. If you were ordering a small quantity, they’d probably be fine - but a pint probably considerably increases the chance that they’ll run out of milk and have to stop serving teas and coffees, which will have a much higher profit margin than you’d want to pay for a pint of milk for a kid.

I think I’d take a pint of milk with me and explain, if it’s not on the menu as a drink, and they don’t do anything else that would substitute (like a milkshake).

SeaDragon17 · 02/03/2025 15:19

I do understand your frustration but also what you’d probably be willing to pay for a pint of milk is a million miles from what that pint would realise them used as they intended and due to the short life on milk it can be tight at the end of the day on stock.

So whilst I wouldn’t get funny about it necessarily it would be a more difficult request than you, as a customer, might realise.

Original poster
YourAgileBiscuit · 02/03/2025 15:19

arethereanyleftatall · 02/03/2025 15:18

I'm assuming it's not on the menu as a drink?

If it's not, then I would go the other way and say I'm surprised as high as 50% give you it.

Milk has a shelf life of what 2 weeks? So they will have ordered in what they normally need for what's actually on their menu.

Not always on the menu I don’t think although they do have milk in the building in most cases.

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 02/03/2025 15:18

I'm assuming it's not on the menu as a drink?

If it's not, then I would go the other way and say I'm surprised as high as 50% give you it.

Milk has a shelf life of what 2 weeks? So they will have ordered in what they normally need for what's actually on their menu.