to expect a restaurant or pub to have children's cutlery

[MrsHarry]

if they have a children's menu?

I mean it's not an earth-shattering issue I know, but it really annoys me when I get a lovely child-size portion of spag bol or something for my 3-yr old then they offer an enormous adult-sized metal fork and knife!

If we're heading out for a planned meal I pack our own cutlery but if it's an impromptu thing I'm not that organised!

I don't remember ever seeing children's cutlery at a restaurant.

i have never seen kids size cutlery when eating out and i have eatenout with my dcs quite a bit.

Why not ask for dessert fork and knife?

Teaspoon usually does the job for us.

Just ask for a dessert fork and/or a tea spoon.

It is daft. You could ask if they've got a butter knife and dessert fork.

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YABU. Ask for a dessert fork and a teaspoon if standard cutlery is too unwieldy for your dc!

I used to take a plastic plate and some cutlery with me.

We just make do with hands or big cutlery.

I've never seen child cutlery in restaurants either.
If they can't handle normal cutlery mine just use teaspoons.

I've never seen it either... it would be really useful actually.

I'd like to give my DH some child cutlery too, he's a bit of a gobbler, he's finished before I'm even a quarter way through... I reckon some child cutlery might slow him down a bit.

I usually ask for a small spoon. Or I have my own children's cutlery in my bag.

They probably don't provide them because they go missing.

I've never seen it. DD is 3 and can manage a 'big' fork occasionally.

I've never seen child's cutlery in a restaurant. I've never owned any either, my 3 DC have always managed with adult cutlery.

So yes, I think YABU. Why not just take your own if you need it?

They don't do it because it gets stolen.

A friend of mine lost 20 small knives and forks in a month, she didn't bother replacing them

We went to a cafe once and they had a sign up saying "Due to having over 50 small knives and forks stolen over a one week period, we will not be supplying small knives and forks anymore"

I think alot of places don't have them is because they get stolen. People steal odd stuff in cafes/restaurants.

Maybe if your kids can't manage with fullsize you should keep some plastic cutlery (which is usually quite small) in your bag.

Pretty awful that people pinch kids cutlery if it is provided.

YABU

Go to Ikea's restaurant

Good lord, it would never occur to me that anywhere would have children's cutlery! Does anywhere? I think we got it once in carluccios but that was it. You just manage with a big fork and a teaspoon don't you? Or fingers.

Leave some children's cutlery in the car, then you won't get caught out.

I agree OP I've always thought it was odd if they've gone to the bother of providingva childrens menu - after all IKEA kids cutlery is pretty cheap. Although if it gets stolen (the mind boggles!) then I suppose it makes sense. Two or three places near us do have kids cultery but I always carry some in a wee plastic bag in my hand bag. IME they eat more and make less mess if they aren't struggling with huge forks.

Used to have lovely children's cutlery at a local children's soft play area.
Only took a few weeks for it all to gradually go walk about.... :(

I've seen it once or twice and have been so grateful when they've had it. But I can imagine it does get nicked quite a lot.

I have our own set (Paperchase do lovely sets in a handy box for about £6) but sometimes forget it and then have to resort to a teaspoon. Not the end of the world.

Next time I go to Ikea I plan to buy a couple of bags of their £1-odd reusable plastic cutlery sets to stash in the car.