Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you give me the replacement chips?

543 replies

Houseofdrums · 15/05/2026 18:22

Im with a group of mum friends at a food court. We all go off to different kiosks. Order our food. We find an available table.

I order from a Thai cuisine, a noodle dish and some chips for the little one.

I pick up the food, put toddler in highchair, put the chips infront of her. I’m about to take my first serving of noodles and baby kicks the chips all over the floor.

The chips cost £5. One of the mums says that it’s been less than 5 mins and they didn’t touch the chips, I should be able to ask for a replacement.

So I go to the kiosk, politely explain that I was just here and the baby annoyingly dropped all the chips. I show them the picture (we are sitting on the other end of the food court).

They say no. But I plead a little bit - I do have a soft voice so I’m being nice. Then they go on and on about how every mum will be asking for freebies. I should pay for another one. And I should go to another one of their stores who would provide me free chips.

Turns out she was also the manager.

I worked in waitressing many years ago, and honestly, we would have just given a portion of chips. Id be hesitant if it was the whole meal - but a couple of chips for a baby?

Was I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Bagwyllydiart · 17/05/2026 07:05

Look in a mirror, what you see is a massive CF.

Stolengoat · 17/05/2026 07:00

Op - Am i being unreasonable?
Everyone - Yes
Op - No I'm not
This is what's wrong with people today.

daleylama · 17/05/2026 03:00

Has she gone for good? Aside from the blatant CFuckery of it, I loathe DADGet, it is all about making the other person feel obliged. And let's not forget, this was a 2 year old still out at 8pm, being fed chips in a food court! That poor child.

HumbleHun · 16/05/2026 23:41

CoffeeAndCats3 · 16/05/2026 23:40

You can't ask fro free chips. It's not their fault.

I'd have gone up and asked for more chips and explain what happened. If you get lucky and they don't charge you the second time - win. But I would prepare and expect to pay as would 95% of people out there. And I would never ask for it to be free. Its CFery.

Coffee and cats? More like prosecco and gin judging by ya spelling Hun. Lol just kidding.

CoffeeAndCats3 · 16/05/2026 23:40

You can't ask fro free chips. It's not their fault.

I'd have gone up and asked for more chips and explain what happened. If you get lucky and they don't charge you the second time - win. But I would prepare and expect to pay as would 95% of people out there. And I would never ask for it to be free. Its CFery.

HumbleHun · 16/05/2026 23:39

Guess il go back to the pub I just left and ask for a refund fir the 2 shots if sambuca I just threw up in the car park.

springtome · 16/05/2026 22:43

Why dobyli deserve free food? Your child spoiled the food. Paying £5 for chips is madness anyway, unless they were specifically chips which probably wouldn’t be enjoyed by a child young enough to be in a high chair.

Trillie · 16/05/2026 22:31

I’ve been in a similar situation, gone to buy more and been very kindly given replacement food without having to pay. I think if you were prepared to pay they might have given you a replacement but demanding free food doesn’t go down well.

InterestingDuck · 16/05/2026 22:30

Avie29 · 16/05/2026 22:27

Sorry if i seem a bit ditsy, but what does CF mean? i keep seeing it and can’t work it out 😂.

Show quote history

Cheeky Fucker.

IloveJonBonJovi · 16/05/2026 22:30

What is spinach stew when it’s at home?

Avie29 · 16/05/2026 22:27

Scotland3232 · 16/05/2026 22:24

Are you actually kidding?! Total CF

Sorry if i seem a bit ditsy, but what does CF mean? i keep seeing it and can’t work it out 😂.

Scotland3232 · 16/05/2026 22:24

Are you actually kidding?! Total CF

cantthinkofagoodusername1 · 16/05/2026 22:10

OP you said in an earlier post that 'chips don't cost much.' So why didn't you just buy some more?

MyCrushWithEyeliner · 16/05/2026 22:09

notatinydancer · 16/05/2026 18:48

’one of the mums said it’s been less than 5 minutes and she hadn’t touched them ‘ HOW is that relevant ? They were on the floor ?
Are your friends a bit thick ?

I’m still unsure what that means, and why less than 5 minutes = free chips.

Avie29 · 16/05/2026 22:09

Houseofdrums · 16/05/2026 15:48

Why does it hurt you so much? I understand that a majority of people think that I was unreasonable for asking

BUT

most would say that they would replace the chips anyways out of good will - but I shouldn’t have been “bold” enough to have asked for the replacement.

I personally don’t see a difference. They’ve lost a customer anyway - if they even care.

This post has been interesting.

I did what I did. I don’t live with regrets. I speak out when I need to. It’s always served me.

Thanks for all your comments. I’m home cooking today - so if I spill my food or baby knocks it all over - it’s on me.

Show quote history

I don’t think its because you were “bold enough” to ask its because you expected that is leading to the YABU votes, you expected something for free and when was told NO you then proceeded to plead which just makes you sound like a spoilt 2 year old who wants their own way and to top it off then put in a complaint all because your toddler kicked her chips over which is your own fault.
personally i wouldn’t have asked, i would have gone back up and paid for another portion of chips and explained that the toddler hand accidentally tipped them on the floor- this might have prompted some sympathy and goodwill, instead you expected it for free which probably pissed the manager off straight off the bat.

EverydayRoutine · 16/05/2026 22:06

Ugh. I can't stand the sense of entitlement so many people display these days. There's no reason whatsoever that you should have been provided with a replacement. The fact that the manager gave you a refund doesn't vindicate you, as you seem to think. Your behaviour was utterly cringeworthy, both your original request and your message of complaint. How can anyone reach the age of 30+ and believe that this is an appropriate way to conduct oneself?

cantthinkofagoodusername1 · 16/05/2026 22:05

OP I don't understand why you asked if you were being unreasonable. Most posters here say you were, yet you don't seem to accept this. Why post at all when you don't think you were being unreasonable?

MissRaspberryRipples · 16/05/2026 21:57

See to be fair there's nothing wrong with simply asking, that in itself is fine. What wasn't ok was your entitled attitude of begging and pleading after you've been told no more than once-she doesn't care how nice you sound or how young you claim to look. But to add insult to injury you decided to go and call up the company because you didn't get what you wanted. Honestly you've mentioned your £18 bowl of noodles so many times on this post it begs the question of actually why you need a free portion of chips after your kid booted hers all over the floor when you could afford to replace them yourself

ClovisWrites · 16/05/2026 21:57

I don’t get this. I literally have no idea why you’d be given more food for free.

MyGammyEye · 16/05/2026 21:55

Aargh...

At your expense to make you look like a dick.

MyGammyEye · 16/05/2026 21:54

My first thought was that your friend was having a good laugh

Original poster
Houseofdrums · 16/05/2026 21:47

tabbycatcuddles · 16/05/2026 17:59

Every mn trope here. OP probably asked the "rude' staff in a tinkly voice and a head tilt, "Did you mean to be so rude?" When the poor staff was just doing their job

The histrionics!

Show quote history

No - she was rude.

OP posts:
Original poster
Houseofdrums · 16/05/2026 21:46

SeenYourArse · 16/05/2026 19:36

Wow how embarrassing for you! Including ordering chips for a baby in the first place 😕 grim.
perhaps they were trying to tell you they wanted real food like yours?

Yh, my friends mum that I was with said that.

Well she got my food in the end so it all worked out.

OP posts:
Original poster
Houseofdrums · 16/05/2026 21:44

Thanksforyourlackofthought · 16/05/2026 20:51

I’m 53 in a couple of weeks.
I have a 23 yr old.
I am very tall.
Every now and then I get ID’d.
I can make my voice as soft as I like.
I don’t ask for free food from people that have bills to pay.

It’s not even her restaurant. It’s a chain.

OP posts:
Original poster
Houseofdrums · 16/05/2026 21:43

cantthinkofagoodusername1 · 16/05/2026 21:29

The grand-ish clothing made me laugh. Can afford 'grand-ish' clothing but begs and pleads for £5 of chips for free? How embarrassing.

Edited
Show quote history

sorry this is a typo !

I mean “grandma-ish” clothing.

I tend to wear cardies, jumpers, trousers, in the summer a maxi dress, turtle necks. Nothing out of the ordinary. I dress my age - I think.

Whoops sorry.

OP posts: