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Original poster

Should they describe this menu item better

290 replies

holidaybubble · 12/06/2026 13:06

Went to a cafe for the first time it’s not for profit and does stuff for the community. I had been wanting to try it out for a while and finally went to day with my toddler I checked the menu to see if he would eat anything and saw baked beans. I ordered him baked beans on toast with a sausage turns out the beans where homemade and spiced Aibu to think they should state this on the menu as there is a big difference between tinned and home made. I said to the girl behind the counter it was my first time coming she could have said did I know the beans were spiced when ordering for my son. Obviously he refused to eat them.

not linked to my Aibu but my full English came with toast and I got toast for him too. The wait for food was long so they gave me my son’s toast early which I hadn’t asked for. I then didn’t revive my toast with my meal and he then had no toast for his beans. I would have said something but my son was screaming as he was hungry and pushing his pot of beans and spitting them out so I just inhaled mine and left. The person that also works there had gone upstairs and I didn’t want to wait.

OP posts:
HobGobblynne · 12/06/2026 19:29

30dayss · 12/06/2026 19:22

I'm actually with you OP and don't really understand the push back you are getting.

Unless it was a fancy cafe, I'd expect "baked beans on toast" to be normal tinned beans. I don't think I'd have asked for clarification on that.

And it's not ok that they gave him his toast and beans are seperate times. They are literally 2 parts of the meal that need to go together.

Whereas you not getting toast with your breakfast is just one of those annoyances.

I'd probably drop them a polite email just explaining that clarification on the beans is needed. You'd think they'd want to advertise that the beans are home made.

The toast is something I can’t believe people are overlooking. She ordered beans ON toast

imagine ordering a burger and they served the bun 20 mins before the patty. It’s mad.

30dayss · 12/06/2026 19:22

I'm actually with you OP and don't really understand the push back you are getting.

Unless it was a fancy cafe, I'd expect "baked beans on toast" to be normal tinned beans. I don't think I'd have asked for clarification on that.

And it's not ok that they gave him his toast and beans are seperate times. They are literally 2 parts of the meal that need to go together.

Whereas you not getting toast with your breakfast is just one of those annoyances.

I'd probably drop them a polite email just explaining that clarification on the beans is needed. You'd think they'd want to advertise that the beans are home made.

Monty36 · 12/06/2026 19:16

RachTheAlpaca · 12/06/2026 19:13

My 1 year old would've been thrilled to be given spiced beans. Was he actually crying and not eating them or was it you making a big fuss over it to cause a reaction from him?

What happened to his sausage he was given and his toast ? Didn’t he eat those.

Very sorry wrongly quoted !

SleepingStandingUp · 12/06/2026 19:15

katepilar · 12/06/2026 17:27

I wouldnt expected baked beans to come out of a tin in a cafe.

you and I hang out in very different types of cafe...

SleepingStandingUp · 12/06/2026 19:14

RachTheAlpaca · 12/06/2026 19:13

My 1 year old would've been thrilled to be given spiced beans. Was he actually crying and not eating them or was it you making a big fuss over it to cause a reaction from him?

lovely for you. one of mine would, two wouldn't. it's like kids have different tastes

RachTheAlpaca · 12/06/2026 19:13

My 1 year old would've been thrilled to be given spiced beans. Was he actually crying and not eating them or was it you making a big fuss over it to cause a reaction from him?

JanBlues2026 · 12/06/2026 19:12

nocoolnamesleft · 12/06/2026 18:50

But even ordinary Heinz baked beans contain a spice mix.

Lots of things contain spice for flavour but aren’t ‘spicey’- Tomato ketchup for example, or baby foods such as Ella’s kitchen cottage pie. Regular tinned bakedbeans are not spicey. I have had beans at hundreds of places and only one place they were spicey, not sure if they were home made as could well have been tinned with added spice.

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 12/06/2026 19:08

PhaedraTwo · 12/06/2026 18:57

I don't think it it's at all odd to expect that a community café was selling home made baked beans.

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I think it is very odd

PhaedraTwo · 12/06/2026 18:57

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 12/06/2026 17:01

Are you joking?

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Double post.

PhaedraTwo · 12/06/2026 18:57

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 12/06/2026 17:01

Are you joking?

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I don't think it it's at all odd to expect that a community café was selling home made baked beans.

WhatHappenedToYourFurnitureCuz · 12/06/2026 18:54

nocoolnamesleft · 12/06/2026 18:50

But even ordinary Heinz baked beans contain a spice mix.

Everybody is ignoring that.

Left · 12/06/2026 18:54

How’s this OP:

Classic cowboy beans on toast £3.50

Perfect for eating round the campfire, or for a light lunch at our cosy cafe. Our home made baked beans have been gently slow-cooked to perfection, with traditional smokey flavours and a touch of heat. Served with sourdough toast and a knob of butter.

Ask your server about our alternative bread selection.

PhaedraTwo · 12/06/2026 18:52

Calliopespa · 12/06/2026 18:01

I think that is absolutely true actually.

There is an interesting document by the Food Foundation UK which addresses the status of beans - and legumes generally, in fact - in UK diets. You get them a lot more in other cuisines - Mexican obviously (!), but think also of French soupe au pistou, puy lentils, and plenty of Italian dishes, and things like hummus from chickpea, and chickpea tagines etc.

The Food foundation states that "Diets that are low in legumes are associated with up to 9,000 premature deaths in the UK each year (Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network, 2021)". I'm not sure how they worked that out with exactitude, but I do accept their general point which is that having only an emergency Heinz tin in the pantry is a bit of a blind-spot on what is a fabulous nutritional resource.

They are a superfood, and such a great comfort food too.

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Chickpeas are the food of the gods.

Kokonimater · 12/06/2026 18:52

Ablondiebutagoody · 12/06/2026 13:17

He should have just eaten the beans if he was that hungry. I can't believe they were that spicey. I like that they've tried to jazz them up a bit.

he should have just eaten them??? Do you have children??

nocoolnamesleft · 12/06/2026 18:50

But even ordinary Heinz baked beans contain a spice mix.

beeble347 · 12/06/2026 18:37

Have you met toddlers? 😂

OP I actually think YANBU, mine is a good eater and can tolerate some spice but he'd prob still be iffy with these beans depending on the level of heat. I would expect homemade baked beans to be listed as such (also as a bit of a selling point for normal grown ups no?)

That said, I'm still at the stage where I won't go out without food of some kind for my DS, even if I think he's going to share some of my food. Cheaper, and you know they won't be hungry even if you order them something and it takes a while coming out

beeble347 · 12/06/2026 18:37

Ablondiebutagoody · 12/06/2026 13:17

He should have just eaten the beans if he was that hungry. I can't believe they were that spicey. I like that they've tried to jazz them up a bit.

Have you met toddlers? 😂

OP I actually think YANBU, mine is a good eater and can tolerate some spice but he'd prob still be iffy with these beans depending on the level of heat. I would expect homemade baked beans to be listed as such (also as a bit of a selling point for normal grown ups no?)

That said, I'm still at the stage where I won't go out without food of some kind for my DS, even if I think he's going to share some of my food. Cheaper, and you know they won't be hungry even if you order them something and it takes a while coming out

eastegg · 12/06/2026 18:33

LizardyGuts · 12/06/2026 13:10

If I had a child who I knew would reject some foods, I would ask the staff to describe the baked beans before ordering them. Onus is on you. They served you beans as described.

The toast coming at the wrong time is unfortunate, but just a typical thing which commonly goes wrong with restaurant service. Not worth a Mumsnet post.

Describe baked beans?

I don’t think I’ve ever said this on MN before, but I’m really struggling to believe you.

Calliopespa · 12/06/2026 18:33

TeaPot496 · 12/06/2026 18:14

I think she tried, but the staff all ran off!

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It will be all those homemade beans: they probably all scarpered to the loo.

Rpop · 12/06/2026 18:32

didntlikethis · 12/06/2026 13:12

I have a significant allergy to chillies, so, yes, this would be a huge deal for anyone with the same thing. I wouldn't think to question baked beans in a café.
There are chillies in bloody everything these days!

I wouldn’t ask for clarification around baked beans either. I would also assume that on a children’s plate, they wouldn’t be particularly spicy.

ChipswithMayonnaise · 12/06/2026 18:26

It was a community café, not a charity café or basic café as some said upthread.

My experience of community cafés is of good food cooked by enthusiastic people. Often fresh bread (pandemic or migrant baking skills finding a home).

I do go out to a lot of different places for work.

I wonder if the baked beans were ful medames https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ful-medames

Or maybe beans from a tin meant for chili were used by mistake?

If this even happened.

Ful medames served with hard-boiled eggs and pickles

Ful medames

Try this brilliant Egyptian recipe from the head chef of London restaurant Ombra. Made using fava beans, it’s mashed into a chunky purée along with garlic, lemon and tahini

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ful-medames

WonderingWanda · 12/06/2026 18:22

This is a bit of a non problem op. Toddlers reject food in restaurants and cafes. Mine rejected things because of the colour of the plate sometimes. Some cafe's have crap service where they don't check everything is ok. Don't go there again, problem solved. Or be more assertive next time you go " Can I check what kind of bread / beans / eggs etc"

Solaitt · 12/06/2026 18:19

Ablondiebutagoody · 12/06/2026 13:17

He should have just eaten the beans if he was that hungry. I can't believe they were that spicey. I like that they've tried to jazz them up a bit.

Have you ever tried to make a toddler eat something they don’t like?

🫣

EvieBB · 12/06/2026 18:16

holidaybubble · 12/06/2026 13:06

Went to a cafe for the first time it’s not for profit and does stuff for the community. I had been wanting to try it out for a while and finally went to day with my toddler I checked the menu to see if he would eat anything and saw baked beans. I ordered him baked beans on toast with a sausage turns out the beans where homemade and spiced Aibu to think they should state this on the menu as there is a big difference between tinned and home made. I said to the girl behind the counter it was my first time coming she could have said did I know the beans were spiced when ordering for my son. Obviously he refused to eat them.

not linked to my Aibu but my full English came with toast and I got toast for him too. The wait for food was long so they gave me my son’s toast early which I hadn’t asked for. I then didn’t revive my toast with my meal and he then had no toast for his beans. I would have said something but my son was screaming as he was hungry and pushing his pot of beans and spitting them out so I just inhaled mine and left. The person that also works there had gone upstairs and I didn’t want to wait.

That's why I would bring snacks for my child at that age....saves meltdowns from being over hungry and I know DC would like them. Just less hassle all round....

TeaPot496 · 12/06/2026 18:14

Rubbleonthedouble2 · 12/06/2026 18:07

I would provide feedback that spicy beans should be labelled as such, and that you had to wait 20 minutes for toast. They can't improve if they don't know what customers are unhappy about.

I think she tried, but the staff all ran off!