to give dc a drink I brought with me instead of paying for one?

[Chulita]

If there are no signs to ask you not to and you've paid a tenner for an overpriced sandwich and pot of tea?

Just wondering what the consensus is.
(The drink was a small juice box shared between 3yr old DD and 19mth old DS)

Thats fine for young children but I think most places would think it strange to do that for 2 children anyway and that is there produce not taking in what you could buy there.

If you don't want to spend money don't go to a cafe but to expect to eat your own food in a cafe.

YABU - its a business not a free picnic area.
I hate it when people do this.
If you consider the place unsuitable for your kids then don't take them there.

Chulita I'm not judging! I've been there (in fact I may have literally been there the other day!) I'm 37 weeks & I totally get the starving, fuck it feeling.

Also have 2.2 dd who I wouldn't dream of giving a j20 but would give her her cup & a share of mine (unless she is going through a growth spurt, in which case she'd eat more than me!)

If it's acceptable to bring out your own drinks because the mother paid for her lunch, where do you draw the line? One person in a party of five buys a sandwich so the other four are ok to whip out the packed lunches? That's why most cafes say you can't eat your own food. They're cafes, not picnic areas.

I don't think it's a problem if you are buying stuff for yourself - most places are happy to heat babyfood/milk if you ask.

I always have raisins/milk free snacks and a drink with me for DS4, he has a cows milk allergy and often in cafe/coffee shop there's nothing suitable for him anyway (most buns, cakes, snack have dairy products in them). The things that are milk free tend to be too salty for a toddler to have - bacon rolls or similar.

If there is a sign up I will look at the menu and if nothing suitable I polity ask and the answer has always been "that's fine".

To clarify, both dc shared my baguette and chips, that was the intention all along but it took them a while to prepare it (obviously) and DS was getting antsy and not interested in colouring/trains so I broke out the Hula hoops and satsuma to buy me time and lessen the whinging til the sandwich arrived.

Fair dos though, seems some don't mind, some do, when I open my cafe it'll have a play area and free mini boxes of raisins to tide desperate toddlers over til the order arrives (and I'll go broke within the year )

I think it's fine when they are very young to bring a back up bag of snacks and drinks for them, if there is nothing suitable in the restaurant that they can eat or drink.

Fruit I think is ok because you are unlikely to be able to buy that, but hula hoops and your own fruit juice drinks is a bit much in my opinion.

YANBU. And I often take sandwiches from home for the kids, as well, because a lot of places don't have plain sandwiches, that my fussy pants will eat. I do buy a muffin or something usually for them and always everything for myself.

They are little kids and why can't mums go out, and have a nice coffee and cake? Most mums don't stay that long anyway- unlike certain people who go to use the free wifi and have only one coffee and take up a full table all to themselves for half a morning!!!

Chulita - I'm from NI & visit frequently to see parents. The restaurants there are fab! They give fruit (dried or fresh) to kids if parents want (not all but loads we've been to) They have ALL without exception offered to take kid's order ASAP & bring it as soon as ready. Also, kid's meals tend to be cheap & huge (enough to help tide grumpy adults over until OURS arrives!).