AIBU to expect parents to tidy up in cafés?

'Unimaginative', because I think people should have some standards and exercise a bit of basic consideration... oh my. That's the best one I've heard this week so far.😂

And as for 'harassed', additional issues like disability/SEN aside (where, yes, most people would give a bit of grace if it was needed, myself included), I think most parents are capable of taking their kids for a bite to eat without making heavy weather of it. As evidenced by the fact that most parents do in fact manage it. It's a bit insulting to mums to suggest they need some sort of special dispensation to make a mess for others to clear up, just because they happen to have children, and most mums ime don't expect that sort of special treatment.

But I think you know you're in the minority here to think this, otherwise you wouldn't be so desperate to spin this narrative that there was only a 'few crumbs' when I think you know perfectly well, as do the majority on this thread, that OP was talking about a lot more mess than this.

Anyway. Bored now. Have a wonderful day.

You seem quite unimaginative.

Perhaps it's because I am sympathetic to those harassed mums.

Or because I've worked in cafes where I've taken professional pride in keeping things clean.

Or it could be because I am intolerant of the drama queens on here who can't cope with a few crumbs.

There are lots of reasons.

It's definitely meaningless. Reminds me of a colleague who'd come into the office with a face like thunder telling us that another team had left our kitchen in such a state. I'd go in and there'd be a single mug and teaspoon in the sink. People have massively different ideas of what counts as mess.

Whatever you say. If you don't leave a mess I can't see any reason for your defensiveness on this thread, personally. Nor for the linguistic pedantry.

Yeah, I quoted most of that myself up thread a bit. Keep up.

Anyway, "absolute bomb site" is meaningless hyperbole (crumbs and spillages don't match that exaggeration) and so the high chair was mucky - meh.

As I've said, I wouldn't leave a mess, but I wouldn't crumb-shame some harassed mum who had.

OP said: 'the only free table looked like an absolute bomb site - crumbs and spillages everywhere, high chair a total mess'.

If you really think this level of crumbs and spillages is OK, then I give up. If you in all conscience would leave this much of a mess, crack on - but don't expect more considerate people to agree with you that it's fine and dandy just because you're paying for a service.

I've said it's fine to leave crumbs and spillages, just as the OP described.

Yeah this is the thing that shocked me, she said it was relatively frequent. My jaw hit the floor but I’m also not surprised. It’s just so insulting to the rest of the world to be so rude/dirty/cruel!

Ugh, what is wrong with some people?! 🤢

That's just reminded me that when I had a Saturday job in my teens, clearing tables in a department store cafeteria, someone once came across a dirty nappy left on a table. But on an actual plate... barf

I suspect even those on the thread who are arguing it's fine to leave a mess would draw the line at that. Then again, maybe not... 🤷‍♀️

YADNBU!!!

parents are the worst. Absolute worst. I have a friend who works in a lovely family cafe and once I apologised for the mess cause I’d done a bit of a bum job of cleaning up, and she said oh no, at least you try, some parents frequently leave soiled nappies after a change ON THE PLATE then leave. My word.

Ah, linguistic nitpicking. Always a sure sign someone's on the defensive.

At this point it's blindingly obvious you're one of the people who thinks it's fine to leave a mess, you might as well just own it.

You're the one who brought "a few" into the conversation. "Crumbs and spillages." Not a disgusting mess.

Did you read my whole comment or just the bit where I said it was their job 🙄🙄🙄

Another sign of the decline in good manners in society.
People are so selfish and entitled. They should be mortified to leave a public space in such a state.

Exactly. Not just a few crumbs or a bit of mess.

She literally says "crumbs and spillages everywhere, high chair a total mess."

I think it was perfectly obvious OP wasn't just talking about a few crumbs or a bit of spillage.

Yes, kids can be messy, but a self-respecting parent will at least make some effort to reduce the mess levels if they're especially bad. People who don't do that absolutely are entitled in my book, and selfish to boot.

The staff will have to clean up again anyway.

It's not about 'huffing and puffing', showing annoyance or treating customers like enemies, though - that's an odd extrapolation to make. If some customers are thoughtless enough to leave an anti-social level of mess behind them, obviously it puts a business owner over a barrel, if they're rude about it they'll lose repeat business. Having said that, presumably if you were expected to clean up shit and vomit as per some of the anecdotes on this thread, you wouldn't want that particular customer back anyway?

I'm neither disgusting or entitled. I don't leave a mess for anyone to clean up.

But kids can be messy and cafes employ staff to keep the place running smoothly. The OP mentioned crumbs and spillages, not a "disgusting mess". That was you. YABU.

OK so I used the word unfair instead of unreasonable - big deal. You are being extremely petty. Either you think it is ok to walk away and leave a disgusting mess for staff to clean up or you don't. If you think it ok just because there "are staff to do that" that you (or anyone that does it) are disgusting and entitled.

This isn't Am I Being Unfair, is it? I didn't mention anything about being unfair.

You said the OP was being unfair as you are paying in a cafe to have your table cleaned/cleared. Well of course you are but the OP's question was is it ok to walk away having left a disgusting mess which is a different question to the one you seem to be answering.

So surely by saying the OP is unfair you are saying it is ok to leave a table in a disgusting mess?

Are we only allowed to post on this thread if we are disgusting? Who made you the thread police?

Well then, this thread does not apply to you does it?