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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Geffrye museum cafe tell me i can only feed my baby 'baby food in jars produced in sterile factory conditions'

76 replies

krisskross · 20/12/2010 16:34

We went to the Geffrye museum in London yesterday, as we do every Christmas.

My husband and I went for lunch in the cafe with our two children (aged 1 and 3). As we waited to order our lunch we got out some food to feed our children. As we did so a member of staff came to tell us we could not feed our children our own food from home.

I explained that we were ordering two adult lunches but the children would not eat this food. The waitress insisted this was the policy. I asked to speak to the cafe manager and she explained that we could only feed our children 'baby food in jars, produced in a factory in sterile conditions'.

I explained that I do not feed them this kind of food- they generally eat home cooked food. She insisted that this was for health and safety reasons- but then relented and said we could feed our 1 year old her pasta, but could not give my son his sandwich. Whilst we were glad to feed her, I was surprised a 'policy' could be so inconsistent!

When my husband asked if this policy was displayed anywhere the manager said it was but was unable to show us and then relented as a compromise 'just this once'.

What a ridiculous policy! I have never experienced such a policy in any visitor attraction, cafe or pub and it seems such a shame, as the geffrye museum actually makes a real effort to keep pre school kids entertained.

OP posts:
MadamDeathstare · 20/12/2010 18:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CristinaTheAstonishing · 20/12/2010 18:03

KrissKross - I used that name on a different website!

ShanahansRevenge · 20/12/2010 18:03

Jamieleecurtis...but where does it stop? What if I took my child and her 5 friends and gave them all sandwiches while me a DH ordered adult food? Is it ok for us to take up those seas because me and DH are eating?

Not really no.

allnightlong · 20/12/2010 18:04

Bloody hell talk about nanny state! Now we have cafe managers we can only give our children 'Sterile food' god forbid a parent be trusted to cater for their own child. Angry

thisisyesterday · 20/12/2010 18:07

oh and yes, from a H&S viewpoint, they can make spot checks, and they can test any food on the premises

if people bring their own food in, and it happened not to meet the exacting standards, or if it (unlikely, but you never know) did contain high levels of bacteria etc the cafe would be held responsible as they couldn't prove it hadn't been prepared there

sadly we live in such a litigious society that places do have to take these precautions

silverfrog · 20/12/2010 18:07

Shanahansrevenge - that's not true (re: any restaurant challenging brinign own food)

as I said earlier, I always bring my own food for my 2 (ages 6 and 4). it look slike normal food - so one could easily assume that my 2 are "just" fussy. I have never been asked to either not feed them the food, or whether it is due to allergies (which it is)

I have always found restaurant to be extrmeely accommodating (or maybe I just look like someone they would rather not challenge Grin)

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 20/12/2010 18:10

I personally would never eat 'food produced in sterile factory conditions' Hmm sounds unutterably vile and 1984-ish. I eat food produced in my very non-sterile kitchen. So YANBU on that count.

I don't see why a one-year-old or a three-year-old can't eat food off the menu or why you can't eat a packed lunch elsewhere.

I can see why in these tough times not-for-profit organisations are enforcing policy to ensure they don't miss out on revenue. It's harsh but most cafes don't accept customers who bring their own food.

starkadder · 20/12/2010 18:10

It is only in the UK that restaurant-goers are so worried about taking up seats. Everywhere else I have ever lived or visited, this isn't an issue.

If the parents were eating and paying for their meals, then what's the problem? The children weren't taking up much extra space. Maybe they had a slightly bigger table and needed two extra chairs. Big deal. It's a museum cafe, not The Ivy.

It's like in Britain we all feel like we have to be grateful to the restaurant for allowing us in in the first place. I think we have quite an unusual attitude to restaurants, actually.

bibbitybobbitysantahat · 20/12/2010 18:10

The museum is more or less free of charge and extremely friendly and welcoming to children - highly recommended to anyone who hasn't been there yet.

I agree with others who say that you should not have brought in a packed lunch for your three year old.

MadamDeathstare · 20/12/2010 18:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JamieLeeCurtis · 20/12/2010 18:13

Well - I'm not saying I brought food for my DS1 every time at this stage, mostly we would all have a picnic somewhere else or just order him some chipd or a bread roll or something. I'm not someone who would take the piss. But for us, sometimes, having our own food with us (in places where we didn't know what the food was like for children) would be the difference between having a nice relaxing time, or not.

Shanahan - no I agree your example would not be reasonable Smile

DS1 is 10 now, and I worked bloody hard with his food fussiness/phobias so this was just a temporary thing.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 20/12/2010 18:14

That's a good idea Madam Deathstare. I also wish that restaurants kids portions are actually kids portions rather than about 10% less than adults. I hate food waste and it breaks my heart to see waitresses take away most of my DS's meal.

Off topic anyway.

usualsuspect · 20/12/2010 18:20

cafes are businesses not picnic areas

ChippingIn · 20/12/2010 18:23

The reason they gave you sounds utterly ridiculous and I think they have probably been told that what they sell are jars of sterile baby food and possibly been told it's all they are allowed to heat up and that people can't bring their own food up - kind of jumbled it all up and come up with what they told you. All a bit barking.

I would take 'emergency food' for both a 1 yo & a 3 yo in case they didn't eat anything on offer as some places only have pre-prepared fussy stuff - but if they had things they would eat I would have ordered off the menu, for both of them, but especially the 3 year old. I think it's a bit cheeky to bring food for them if there is food that is suitable.

However, if you are seriously strapped for cash and this makes it do-able for you - then ignore me Grin

silverfrog · 20/12/2010 18:23

madamedeathstare: I would happily pay "corkage" for bringing my own food for the dds, if there was actually an alternative for them. But there isn't. So a corkage policy would bring it's own problems with it...

thisisyesterday · 20/12/2010 18:28

if they were seriously strapped for cash maybe they should have considered a picnic for all of them, not in the cafe

if the museum is free then i would imagine a lot of their revenue comes from the cafe.
and as PPs have said.. where do you draw the line? is it ok to take 6 kids in and feed them all a picnic with one parent buying food?
would you bring food for a 6 year old? 10? 15?

they have to have rules to stop people taking the piss. am not saying the OP was taking the piss, but some people do and you can't have one rule for some and one for another.

op has already said there was suitable food on the menu for her 3 yr old, yet she still chose to give the picnic....

thisisyesterday · 20/12/2010 18:29

silverfrog I think that anyone with children who have intolerances/allergies clearly should be exempt from any policies which state that own food can't be eaten

i don't think anyone would dispute that.

i do think it's a shame that more places can't make suitable food up though

silverfrog · 20/12/2010 18:32

oh I know, thisisyesterday, but it wouldn't help, and would seem (to other customers, maybe) like a "one rule for one, another for another" situation.

I must have always been extremely lucky - we have never been asked why we arenot ordering form the menu for the dds (recently we have started ordering for dd2 the bits she can have, maybe chips - although shockingly these are usually not gluten free - but this is still not possible for dd1 (ASD food issues on top of intolerances))

princessparty · 20/12/2010 18:46

I have heard of cafes refusing to warm up home mede baby food for H&S reasons, and I can understand this.If the child contracts food poisoning (which apparently is much more common with home cooked baby food) the parents could argue that is the cafe's fault for not heating it enough to kill the bacteria.

thisisyesterday · 20/12/2010 18:49

Mmm gluten free is hard isn't it? we have dairy/egg issues and i am always amazed at the amount of places which have nothing suitable at all.

silverfrog · 20/12/2010 19:00

yes, we are a dairy/gluten combo Confused

there is practically nothing that we can order for the dds (there should be, of course - bolognaise with rice, for eg, or plain chips. decent sausages are ok, etc but most places simply do not cater at all)

Firawla · 20/12/2010 19:21

i think maybe you could have tried to buy them something from the cafe instead of home brought stuff, that is a fair point if they say that. but baby food in jars for a 1 yr old and 3 yr old?? ffs they are far too old for that

omaoma · 20/12/2010 20:01

as they are almost certain to close down fairly shortly due to a massive cut in funding they could have handled this with a bit more grace and goodwill.

... or perhaps that's what has led to an attempt to make every penny they can and you could fork out £3 for your 3-year-old to ensure they remain open for your annual trip NEXT christmas....

Biscuit
omaoma · 20/12/2010 20:23

PS i do know a restaurant that charges 'chippage' for food you bring yourself but it seems a bit mean really...

bensonbutnohedges · 21/12/2010 12:23

My DS has always been very fussy but if we look at a menu and there is nothing on it he will eat we go somewhere else. We wouldn't think of taking food for him.