Charged for an empty plate?!

Charging for an empty plate feels silly.

Omg I can't believe how nasty some people are being. Its a baby for Christ's sake!

Did you use one of their high chairs? Why not just feed him from your plate if it was such a small amount.

I think this illustrates the issue.

If he’s eating from your plate, you’ll be paying more attention to him, possibly feeding him the food. Making sure he doesn’t put his hands in it or throw any on the floor etc

His own plate is “easier” (for you) because you can turn away from him and concentrate on eating your own. Therefore payjng less attention to any mess making. The restaurant might be fine with this, but not for zero pence.

Clearing up “as much as possible” is agreeing that there will be some mess left for staff to clear up.

I would always check first that it’s ok to avoid misunderstandings.

So you still think it's okay then... Why do you object so much at paying your way? It was only a few pounds.

You clean up 'as much as possible'. How good of you. I am sure they don't mind doing the rest for zero pence.

The OP said it was a ‘a few quid’ so it sounds like there was a baby bowl option - she just didn’t think she should pay anything at all.

I agree. Theoretically you could go to an "all you can eat " buffet and eat until you die and need a forklift for your body to be carried out. When they say "all you can eat" they are expecting people to be reasonable.

I always took my own plate used a baby wipe and nappy bag to clean up haha shocking I know.

As stated down thread, it’s not so much the quantity, but the potential messiness, plus practicality if the baby is in a high chair rather than on Mum’s lap. A 10 month old is likely to eat more than a couple of mouths full, but probably not enough to justify a full child’s portion (or for the mum to necessarily miss the bits she’s sharing with her little girl).

I don’t know what the options at the carvery were - I probably wouldn’t have objected to paying a token couple of quid for a baby bowl, but not an older child’s plate.

The solution here is clearly to carry around a spare little plate in the changing bag!

In the UK they carve the meat and then give you the plate. You then fill the plate with the veg and extras and add gravy, etc. It's fairly common practice for people to come back with a small mountain on their plate. It's normally just called a roast if they bring it to you pre-portioned.

In the pub carvery I go to, the meat is 'served' (although you can request more/less) but you select everything else yourself. I couldn't say if this is the same for the OP's one though!

Yes, completely concur with you 💚

What does cf abbreviate? 🤔

I’m not in the UK. Are carverys different there? Where I am a staff member carves and serves the meat and veg to the customer who’s queuing. So you don’t really serve yourself. You don’t pick up the potatoes etc yourself.

Yes there is. If it was a normal pub meal it would be fine, but a carvery is different as you choose how much food you want. It would be a bit like asking for an additional plate for someone at all you can eat restsurant!

I think the issue is that the OP requested an additional plate at all. If a child is going to eat so much food that they require their own plate, then of course it should be paid for. This is obviously just a small baby, but then if they are going to eat so little food, then they don't need their own plate do they? The restaurant needs to draw the line somewhere, so I guess this is it. I'm sure nobody would begrudge a tiny baby having a few mouthfuls of food, but I'm sure that anyone can see why handing out extra plates to non-paying customers at a carvery is problematic! OP, next time don't ask, and just feed your baby some little nibbles from your own plate.

I see your point now 👍

You were charged for your child to eat, even if he wasn't going to eat much - you would put more food on your plate for him. If it wasn't a carvery, just a simple meal where you get a plate of food brought to your table, I would way you were not being unreasonable and they were - in fact under those circumstances, they probably wouldn't have charged you.

But it's a carvery, you choose how much food to put on your plate. So if you're planning on giving a kid some potato most people would pick up an extra one... It's not like a set amount comes out to you

At 10 months old, my DD would be sat in a high chair with a plate of her own eating a meal. An actual plate of food. A meal I would pay for.

The point isn't that the OP isn't a 6'4" rugby player who would eat a mountain so that makes it okay. By adding food to her plate for the child, she's already taking more than SHE needs. That costs. By adding in the need to 'service' that customer by cleaning up after their plate (and probable mess due to them being 10 months old), that also costs.

We all complain that costs are going up, wages aren't high enough, hospitality businesses are suffering/closing and so on but then justify what is ultimately trying to feed a child for free rather than paying for them a meal because it suits.

No thanks, I'll continue to pay for what I use and support business where I can

Eh? She was just taking food from her own plate to put on her babies plate. There is no extra food.

Omg anyone that says you're being unreasonable is what's wrong with the country..a few mouthfuls on a plate from the plate youve already paid for..stop it now..we do this all the time no one asks for a charge in Ireland..in future just bring your own saves the fisgust from these perfect mothers on here who by the way have all done it xx