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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be upset at restaurant's manager who told us off because of kids eating messily?

150 replies

lilasimpson · 10/10/2010 18:58

went for lunch today with friends and her kids...so with my two kids (9monts old and 5) there were 4 kids at this buffet restaurant...at the end of dinner, manager came up top me to say that it was ok this time bjt next time we have to be careful with the mess....the big kids were very good...just our little 2...my bb is blw so really messy....i did ask for a broom before he came up to me as i was planning to clear it...also got charged for 2 kids when they shouldnot pay as under 5 or 5...when asked he did say that it was also to pay for wastage....what do u think?

OP posts:

oneofthosedays · 10/10/2010 18:59

Depends how bad it was but I say, name and shame!

AliceInHerPartyDress · 10/10/2010 19:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lauriefairycake · 10/10/2010 19:00

I think he was extremely rude and I wouldn't have paid.

However I don't like children making a mess in restaurants - I know that's bad of me but I just don't like the mess.

BellasFormerFriend · 10/10/2010 19:01

He was out of order, mostly because of the charging thing. If it is a chain then make a complaint about him and ask for you money to be refunded or you will have to write a review for your local paper with regard to your treatment.

I hate it when we get messy children at work - but I never complain and always smile nicely, it is not the children (or parents) fault that I am a crotchety old cow

nannynobnobs · 10/10/2010 19:02

Name and shame!! If they let small children/babies in they can't make parents feel bad about them making a normal amount of mess, especially as you offered to clear up anyway!

newwave · 10/10/2010 19:03

First, I would not have paid for the under 5's.

Second, I would have asked for a quiet word away from the kids and told him to "go and fuck himself".

But then again I always react with aggression in those type of situations and it mostly works whilst putting up with shit dosent. :o

nannynobnobs · 10/10/2010 19:03

FTR I worked in ASK over ten years ago when they were not as child friendly but still welcomed children, and clearing spag bol off the floor was par for the course!

lal123 · 10/10/2010 19:03

TO pay for wastage???? Nonsense - if it says under 5's don't pay then under 5s don't pay, - no matter how much they waste! (If they'd eaten it all tidily would it have been free???)

ISNT · 10/10/2010 19:03

If you're running a family restaurant with deals for small children then you expect noise and mess I'd have thought. Seems very peculiar. Can't believe he charged you

Name and shame please.

Bloodymary · 10/10/2010 19:04

YANBU they should not have charged for the 2 little ones. If they say that under 5s eat for free, then they are actively encouraging under 5s.
And as we all know, under 5s make a bit of a mess, which you actually offered to help clear up!

usernamechanged345 · 10/10/2010 19:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TattyDevine · 10/10/2010 19:05

Unless you are talking about ridiculous mess that could be avoided (spag bog on the walls type job) and enough to feed 4 grown men on the floor below (doubtful) then he sounds a knob and yes, you need to name and shame!

phipps · 10/10/2010 19:06

Wastage? So if the child had eaten it you got it for free but because some food went on the floor you had to pay? Makes no sense.

create · 10/10/2010 19:06

I think the whole point of a buffet restaurant for kids is that they can try things and if they don't like it try something else, so their pricing policy should expect that. Am surprised they allow 5yo free of charge though.

9mo, yes you should expect some mess, not sure a 5yo should be throwing much on the floor though, but again a family restaurant should expect mess.

Restaurant manager's job is to make his "guests" feel welcome, so unless your party was affecting the enjoyment of others, he was wrong and you should complain and certainly never go back.

readinginsteadnow · 10/10/2010 19:08

There's a buffet place near us that has a notice on th wall saying a charge will be made for anything they deem as wastage

smokinaces · 10/10/2010 19:09

How much waste was there though? I mean I have a 4 yo and a 2yo and they were both BLW, but I cant say I have ever needed a broom to clean up after ourselves - a quick sweep round with a babywipe used to suffice the bits that got thrown on the floor. In the buffet style I often pay for my 2yo as he tries and eats as much as his brother (or throws on the floor!) and has a plate to himself. If he were just trying bits off your plate fair enough, but if there was a lot of mess or waste I can kinda see the manager's point of view.

ASecretLemonadeDrinker · 10/10/2010 19:10

Pay for wastage??! You can shove it up your arse as long as you've paid for your buffet. No doubt the adults prices were slightly bigger to compenate for the kids free meals. Name and shame!

hocuspontas · 10/10/2010 19:17

Some 'Kids eat Free' deals are one free kid's meal for one adult meal. I'm surprised some restaurants don't charge a sort of 'corkage' for children e.g. the children can have free meals but £1 per child is charged to cover the clearing up afterwards!

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 10/10/2010 19:37

What is BLW?

Original poster

lilasimpson · 10/10/2010 19:41

hi sorry but i don't feel i should name and shame yet...all i can say is that it is a chain of very nice international buffet...being a regular customer, i am very upset abt it...it was messy like pitta bread and pieces of broccoli/courgette on the floor....but i definately was conscious of that that is why i asked for a broom...however it wasnt overly messy, not like spag bol on the floor! the big kids were very good and clean.....
what pisses me off even more is that he said i was the parents so it was up to me to control my kids....our kids did only leave the table to get some food and we thought they were very well behaved,...no fighting or shouting....i am upset as i liked this restaurant and feel ambarasssed..btw, after a bit of heated discussion, he charged one child out of four.,,,,

OP posts:

shimmerysilverghosty · 10/10/2010 19:43

Sounds like a real dick. Under no circumstances would I have paid for the under 5's either. Not a chance.

I shamed a Manager in Pizza Express once. They have single flowers in little vases in our local one and dd (2 at the time) grabbed it and snapped it in half. He came to take our order and huffed and puffed about it, saying how expensive these flowers were. I didn't say anything back to him, then sent ex h to the florist about three doors away to buy one.

He was very embarassed and apologetic when he came back I have to say and has always been lovely ever since.

Original poster

lilasimpson · 10/10/2010 19:43

blw is baby led weaned...my 9 month old is not a big eater but keen on broccolis, grapes, etcc

OP posts:

newwave · 10/10/2010 19:43

Ay least you didnt put up with his bullshit. good for you.

RandomMusings · 10/10/2010 19:46

newwave would you really have told the manager to go and fuck himself? really?

urgh

Original poster

lilasimpson · 10/10/2010 19:46

i wish i did!!!

OP posts:

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