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Original poster

...to be shocked that i was charged for 9mo DD?

137 replies

PorcelinaOfTheVastOceans · 27/02/2011 10:00

Was just going through some old receipts from a couple of weeks ago and came across one from a buffet at an asian restaurant. There was the cost of my food and drinks, but then a charge at the bottom for 'small buffet' - £2.50 - which can only be for 9mo DD!

I know £2.50 isn't exactly breaking the bank, but she ate about two fistfuls of plain naan bread as I'd bought food along for her. I know it's my own fault really, I never even thought to check... Blush

OP posts:
MadamDeathstare · 27/02/2011 21:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheArmadillo · 27/02/2011 22:01

PMSL I've have heard some obsessive food freaks before but refusing to give a baby bread

Thats a new one.

Barmy

MadameDefarge · 27/02/2011 22:09

the point would be that most threads go off at tangents, and what causes those tangents are people who post not to the point posts...like who who feed a baby bread?

Sorry, mate, but that is a tangent, nothing to do with the OP, whereas my OPs were all about the other side of running a food business, your's was all about you decisions as a parent. Not at all pertinent to the OP.

See? Logic. Fantastic thing. I recommend it.

TheArmadillo · 27/02/2011 22:13

FWIW while too much salt is bad for you, you do actually need it, albeit in small quantities, even babies.

Formula milk contains sodium and I would bet on breastmilk containing it in small amounts too.

Same as your body also needs fats for healthy development. Its just eating too much thats the problem.

MadamDeathstare · 27/02/2011 22:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MadameDefarge · 27/02/2011 22:13

Do Not Confuse Madamedeathstar with MadameDefarge.

One has, ooh, a death stare, the other just knits evilly while people are guillotined.

foreverondiet · 27/02/2011 22:14

Well you should have queries at the time. I think ok to charge if she ate, but it would never have occured to me that they would charge for a baby (under 1). Lots of restuarants provide free jars for babies.

MadameDefarge · 27/02/2011 22:15

I am Shocked, Madame Death Star, Shocked, I say!

mmsmum · 27/02/2011 22:30

So now I'm an obsessive food freak, I'm off point,

Madmaedefarge, I did not read your posts before making mine, I wasn't interested. I posted in response to the original op by Porcelina. Couldn't give a stuff about you and your food business and I am so not your mate. For goodness sakes calm down and stop being so defensive!

Deathstare sorry if I confused you, I won't do it again

So, are cats penises prickly?

MadameDefarge · 27/02/2011 22:34

Oh do stop being so silly. I took issue with your point about feeding children bread, the other posts were not directed at you

Its Not All About You.

mmsmum · 27/02/2011 22:43

It's not?! Sad

I really need to go to bed but if someone could pm me about cats penises I'd be grateful

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 27/02/2011 22:46

MadameDefarge - if you aren't profitable enough to take a wage out of the business and are getting this wound up about things, then yes, you probably should 'give up'.

If you feel your customers are ignorant and piss taking, that will be quite clear to them - after all you don't need their spoilt indulged custom - well actually it would appear you do.

Like I said, you all want the healthy options, but very few are prepared to pay for it. So I have to find other ways of making up the margin Your anger is palpable, why are you doing this to yourself?

If you are a single mum, not taking any money from the business - what are you surviving on and what are you getting from this?

Why are you charging £2.50 for an adults serving of pasta? That sounds mad.

I don't think 2 hours for dinner out is a long time - I can't understand your frustration? Just how quickly would you like people to eat & leave? People eat out to socialise and enjoy the evening - not rush in, gobble down their food and leave?? 2 hours for dinner isn't a long time?

Honestly, you don't sound very happy and it it's not paying its way - why are you doing it??

(I don't actually expect you to answer any of this :) and I'm sure your food is lovely. If you are in the SE & make a mean cake, let me know as we are dead keen to find somewhere nice for tea & cake!!)

muminthemiddle · 27/02/2011 22:47

I think if they are charging for babies then it should be made very clear from the start.

The waitress should ask how many will be eating and bring the appropriate number of plates.

I don't agree with all this a high chair takes up an adults place./ nobody would be prepared to sit at another diner's table in a restaraunt and pay full price so high chairs are not the problem.

Also do not agree with this charging by height thing. I would never eat in such a place. what ever next charge adults by weight? can you imagine the stink that would cause?

MadBanners · 27/02/2011 22:48

What on earth is wrong with bread...one of the first things my son ate at the grand old age of 7 months, was a bit of Garlic and Coriander Naan bread...it was gone in seconds.

Even now, he quite likes to sit there and munch on a plain tortilla wrap or something.

Of all the things to get judgy about feeding children, bread is one of the oddest I have heard!

MadameDefarge · 27/02/2011 22:52

Chipping, no new business expects to make money, let alone take a salary.

£2.50 was for a kids portion of pasta.

2 hours in a cafe, not a high end restaurant is actually along time.

Re anger, I am simply sharing the other side of the food business with you. If you think its all sunshine and roses then you are mistaken. The fact that we all manage to project a different view is down to professionalism.

Most of the time all is rosy. Some of the time its fucking annoying. Like most jobs.

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 27/02/2011 23:07

You didn't say it was a new business - you should have said you were still on the steep learning curve :)

I assure you I have had nights of utter misery as I watch a table of eight, two adults, six kids, eat a portion of pasta at £2.50 ad then spend two hours more simply socialising.. So I earn about £25 for two hours where I should have earned at least £80

So if the childrens pasta was £2.50 (6x£2.50=£15) with drinks probably £25, did the adults not eat at all? Hmm

I don't think two hours in a cafe for an evening meal is an especially long time, no.

I don't think it's all sunshine & roses, in fact I know it's not Wink What I do know, is that you have chosen to run this business and that having those feelings towards your customers isn't healthy and being this angry isn't good for you.

Anyway, it's not your thread and you didn't ask for help - I'm sure you know where to find a business consultant if you actually want one - so I'll just shut up now Grin

Your breakfasts look great!! :)

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 27/02/2011 23:09

Oooh it's doing that 'missing out text' thing again - how odd??

There's a chunk missing in the middle - I wonder if it will appear if there's another post after it?

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 27/02/2011 23:10

Yep - it's there now - how very weird!

GotArt · 27/02/2011 23:12

2.50 charge for an infant... just another reason NOT to eat at buffet restaurants.

MadameDefarge · 27/02/2011 23:21

Chippiing, I am just sharing a tiny portion of my experience here, in response to the OP...it IS annoying when people lounge around for hours on end but I take it on the chin. But I thougt MN was a place safe to vent. I actually have lots and lots of lovely customers and that is what makes it all worthwhile. Its hard to explain what I am doing and where, because that would give too much away here.

but ya know, sometimes people DO take the piss! And I take it. Because that is the nature of the business. If I can't vent here, where the hell can I?

every business has its ups and downs, its annoying moments. i do resent the implication that simply because some people take the piss and it annoys me I am in some way unfit to run my business.

Actually the majority of my customers are absolutely delightful. We live in a small community, and pissing people off would be a stupid thing to do, and not something I would advocate.

But sometimes people are horrid. to cite one example, there was an American girl who complained her scrambled eggs "only tasted of butter" rather than pointing out thate butter was a rarity round here in scrambled eggs, I made some some more. then she said she thought that I should have also given her more toast with it, and didn't want to pay. Its like, Its not the fucking Ivy! its a small cafe!

Any customer facing business faces these challenges. In fact, my policy is always if you are not happy , we will sort it. And we do.

But I am allowed to get cross!

ilovesooty · 27/02/2011 23:23

You can't be that worried about the money if you didn't check your bill at the time.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 27/02/2011 23:27

I have never heard anything so bizarre in my life: babies shouldn't eat bread??? What the fuck is wrong with bread? 20,000 years of agrarian culture and a staple food for most of the world. Isn't research suggesting now that babies should be introduced to allergen-containing foods like wheat as soon as possible?

TBH I don't really buy the idea that babies should only eat special home prepared food carried around in tupperware boxes either. I always bought food from restaurants / cafes for DS from when he was on solids at 6 months. There is usually something suitable on every menu - salad, fruit, pasta, omelette, baked potato, hey at a push - bread as long as Social Services don't find out.

I really don't understand why everyone gets uppity at children being charged for food.

FourFingeredKitkat · 27/02/2011 23:32

Go'on Name & shame them! Wink

MadameDefarge · 27/02/2011 23:37

And Chipping, unless you are prepared to "fess up sharing my "steep learning curve", or indeed, any aspect of running a food business I can really live without your patronsing comments.

And yes, our breakfasts are fucking amazing. If you knew how many fights I have with my breakfast chef about what scrambled eggs should be....

ChippingInMistressSteamMop · 27/02/2011 23:45

Its hard to explain what I am doing and where, because that would give too much away here

You might want to take your photo off of your profile then, I just found you via google in 2 secs. I was hoping you were nearby but you aren't :(

If I can't vent here, where the hell can I?

No one said you couldn't vent - all I said was your posts are very angry and it's not healthy for you?!

every business has its ups and downs, its annoying moments. i do resent the implication that simply because some people take the piss and it annoys me I am in some way unfit to run my business

Where did I say you were unfit to run your business?

Actually the majority of my customers are absolutely delightful. We live in a small community, and pissing people off would be a stupid thing to do, and not something I would advocate

I didn't suggest pissing them off would be a good thing to do did I??

But sometimes people are horrid. to cite one example, there was an American girl who complained her scrambled eggs "only tasted of butter" rather than pointing out thate butter was a rarity round here in scrambled eggs, I made some some more. then she said she thought that I should have also given her more toast with it, and didn't want to pay. Its like, Its not the fucking Ivy! its a small cafe!

I agree you should have given her fresh toast - but once you had made it less buttery (wtf??) then she should have been more than happy to pay, but I guess most Americans have a different 'eating out' culture to us here.

But I am allowed to get cross!

Of course you are allowed to get cross - all I was saying was you sound very angry in general with the business (well, with the customers!) and you said you weren't taking anything out of it and you are a single parent so presumably need to support your DC - it just sounded like a lot of grief for no real benefit & not many people can live on fresh air (or savings) forever - but at that stage you hadn't said it was a new business.

Anyway, I hope you achieve what you hope to and make a nice living out of it :)