I snapped earlier and I feel so awful now :(

Not this, she clearly states she didn’t order a meal for herself or pay the 90, she ordered the kids soup each, had some of their soup and ate the bread that was on the table. She states the price of kids meals and desserts, but only references buying the kids a bowl of soup each, which she ate some of, and then ate the bread on the table.

children's meals are reduced in price because it is anticipated the costs will be offset by the adults who are also ordering. no wonder they were peeved at you!

It’s a restaurant (a fancy one at that) and not a playground.

They were rude, and don’t feel guilty about not leaving a tip. Don’t go back there obviously. Leave a review.

This is actually very weird, you went to an expensive restaurant and just ordered 2 children's soups and you had a few mouthfuls of theirs and then you gave them colouring books as they were getting restless. No wonder the restaurant wanted you to leave, you were taking up a table with kids getting restless with an order of just 2 soups and they clearly seen you eating the child's soup, they were loosing money having you sitting at the table. If you were sick you should have left or just said to the waitress that you were feeling ill but would it be ok if your children would have just soup.

They were rude. However if lots of people did that, and asked for an adjustment on the price, the restaurant would waste food and be out of pocket. Personally I wouldn’t go for a meal if I felt unwell.

I made it clear I heard them found this very rude
What did you do?

Just leave when everyone is finished, no need to get out colouring books.

I thought the restaurant was being unreasonable until you added that you ordered nothing and sat there eating the bread on the table and your daughter’s soup. I don’t think you should do that in an expensive restaurant. Also not great to eat out when you are feeling unwell. I would have left when they said you couldn’t just order a main course and found somewhere else, not just stayed eating my children’s food.

It's odd that you continued with the meal when it wasn't what you wanted. I'd have left if I had to order £90 of food I didn't want, if I hadn't already cancelled due to feeling unwell.

Not sure why your children's colouring things had to be put away - were there snowy white tablecloths that might have got marked with felt tips?

You snapped that it was unfair - snapping isn't great but the waiting staff will have heard far worse. What with one thing and another the service wasn't brilliant so I don't think you should feel bad about not tipping.

Take it as a lesson that sometimes things conspire to say a planned thing isn't going to work out, and cut your losses rather than pushing through when you're not well and the experience isn't what you were expecting.

This all sounds a bit 'odd'. If there was only a set menu available for adults how did you get away with ordering nothing for yourself?

Why, when told a set menu was the only option, did you not just go somewhere more 'casual' especially as you were unwell?

I don't think you have any reason to feel awful. The staff were rude, so what if you asked for a main only? I can't see why that's something they feel the need to share with other staff and look over to you. I also have no idea why someone would be offended by children colouring. Much better than some of the cackling and peacoking you can experience from some adults in a restaurant.
They didn't deserve a tip. They don't deserve your custom. Try not to give the place anymore thought.

This!

When I got there and was told I could only have the 3 course £90 set menu I would have left and gone somewhere else.

Me too, I’ve also never heard of a restaurant you need to tell them what you’re ordering before you are even seated and at the door.

If you experienced motion sickness on the way there, I guess not eating much 'helps' with the journey back!

All in all, a bit of a weird story. I'd be intrigued to know the restaurant in question.

Weird there wasn’t an à la carte menu to choose from, I have never heard of only being able to have a set menu unless a special night - e.g. Valentines - or a Sunday lunch scenario (but the latter is usually in places like gastropubs where they give the whole of the food service over to making a multitude of roasts and trimmings). Did they have fabric table coverings? I would imagine so at that price and hence no to the markers, which is fair enough and common sense.

To those saying it was weird that you were told on arrival of the set menu I don’t find that weird at all, lots of places will tell you on arrival if there such a system in place - but @thetallfairy that was your time to decline and go elsewhere. Were you eating with another adult who wanted to eat there in particular? I imagine so as the kids were likely not to be fussed and it would be odd to get motion sickness if you were driving yourself there, that’s more of a passenger issue.

Hope you feel better now.

The tall fairy or the tall tale?

They did?

🦖

I think they were rude. Should have said at the beginning of the meal you needed to spend so much. But… how ridiculous is that. Guess they dint be in business for long.

Give them a shitty review

I wouldn’t feel awful about this but it seems a really odd sort of restaurant. Did you have to declare your meal choice before you even sat at a table?

I wonder if they were thinking they’d lose money on your booking as you were only ordering a main. I know this is sometimes an issue when a low ordering or tipping party block a large table. Restaurants are really up against it financially.

and the markers? Not crayons? Or sharpies?! I wonder if they were worried they might damage the table or tablecloth.

obviously there’s no excuse for rudeness and you shouldn’t overthink it but don’t go back!

So you went somewhere they presumably expect adults to pay £90 each and yet you ordered nothing except 2 kids' meals at £20 each. They obviously do welcome kids as they have the separate menu for them but would expect them to be eating alongside full-paying adults - or at least 1. So you took up a table spending about half of what they would expect as a minimum (probably a lot less as dining alone is relatively rare) and then at the end instead of leaving you got out colouring stuff for your kids?? Yeah, I'm not surprised they were off with you tbh. It's tough in the hospitality trade at the moment (is this a reverse?). It sounds like this place wasn't suitable for your needs and you should have gone elsewhere.

Why was colouring not allowed?

Chalk this one up to experience and move on.
Research the menu better next time and if you're not feeling well - cancel.
X

Clearly they expect/welcome children if they have a children’s menu. So you’d expect them to have or at least allow some form of entertainment (colouring etc) for them, young kids don’t generally sit perfectly in a restaurant. Their response to you only wanting a main was rude too. If I worked somewhere that was the rule I’d probably think it was daft and empathise. They were rude and you were rude back, fair enough. Don’t overthink it and don’t go back