How would you have dealt with this?

[tennesseeflags]

I am still embarrassed. Went out with DH and DCs to ikea and decided to have lunch there. One very loaded heavy tray (inc. drinks) and v crowded restaurant, DH went to get cutlery leaving me to find a table and I fell over a stray child mine.

Tripped, tray flew out of my hands and smashed on the floor. Complete mess of food: cottage pie everywhere, desserts, coke, the lot. Noisy, packed restaurant went SILENT (no joke) apart from my wailing kids.

What would you have done?

Gone up to the nearest staff member and thrown myself on my sword... "so sorry, massive mess, I'm sooooo sorry".

Asked a member of staff for a cloth, started to clear it up ( privately hoping they would offer to replace food.

Used one of those trollies to put the trays on.

apologised and offered to help clear it up.

accidents happen.

meant to say - they'd likely say no, it's ok, don't worry etc, but it is polite to offer

Did they replace the food?

You know the answer to your question OP:
Collect the cutlery next time!!!

I think the staff were already aware

Yep I would have looked around for the nearest worker and explained and apologised.

I was going to add that I would only do this after glaring at said child, and then read that it was your own. I still might glare, even then.

I would have cursed...( a lot)

you didn't leg it, did you?

Oh and I would have been asking for equipment to help clear up. I couldn't help myself, being a kitchen martyr and all.

Vital

(whilst sobbing) :(

Another piece of advice - get one of those tray trolley things that Ikea provide. Much safer.

Oh dear, you didn't did you?

oh no. I'm so sorry for making that daft joke.

I'd have wished I'd made use of the proper trolley to save me from my twatdom

Did you leave the real culprit (child unreasonably being underfoot) behind?

I would have started cleaning up - assuming all children were safe and injury free of course - and then hoped the staff would take over!

Pretend to be unconscious, for ages :(

Don't feel bad vital, honestly, I am still reliving the horror.

Grabbed child first don't worry. Other child with DH.

Perhaps people should read this when they start threads about it being rude to get a table before food instead of doing everyone a favour and getting the table, parking the children , and then getting the food.

Personally, I would have laughed and taken a bow while DH clapped and congratulated me. It's just food, and not particularly expensive food. You could go get some more. I would pick up the large bits and leave staff to mop, while I got more food.

I'm a professional klutz. I drop, break, and bump into things all the time. I find the more light hearted I am about these things, the more other people just shrug it off and move on. You're making a bigger deal out of this than it should be.

Just recently I completely wrecked a table because I thought it would be a good idea to stand baby DD up on it who then flailed, knocking drinks and food everywhere. We just laughed to hide embarrassment and explained to the staff, and told them she was a mini-wrecking ball. They got us new stuff. We tipped a little extra for the extra mess I caused.

Jumped up and yelled 'Ta-daaaaaa!'

So who cleared up after you op?

I would have sobbed too OP