To think restaurants/cafés etc should use some common sense?

[CheeseAndBeans]

So, I am not sure if I am just being precious... OH says I am. But, this has happened so often recently and it really bugs me!
I was out by myself with DD (18months) today, and we stopped in a restaurant for a bite to eat, chain restaurant, nothing fancy but child friendly (kids menu, highchairs etc). We ordered straight away, a meal for myself and some toast for DD. My meal came out, and DD about 5 mins later. Considering mine would have taken much longer, and hers was just toast... AIBU to expect them to arrive at same time?!
Having to deal with DD struggling to grab my food (which I put to other side of table and didn't eat til hers arrived, obviously) and getting upset is just annoying when it can easily be avoided. Am fully expecting people to say I should be able to control my child.... she's 18months and at that everything is mine stage!!
It's happened a few times recently and really hugs me. Common sense , no?

[CrystalHaze]

Having to deal with DD struggling to grab my food

Why didn't you let her have some?

[LastNightADJSavedMyLife]

Before I had dc this would never have occurred to me as a waitress however... now

Kids meal out with starters if necessary or as soon as ready a) to keep little darlings happy b) stop the plate becoming burning hot under the hot lights

Realising now why the waitresses that sussed this got the bigger tips

[CrystalHaze]

Oops, mixed OP response re hot food.

[Goshthatsspicy]

I must be getting old. I don't think l'd even notice . Thinking about it, l would probably move my food out of the way. Just wait till we both had something, perhaps blow on a chip? YANBU, though l suppose?

[RiverTam]

Goodness, the thread police are out tonight!

I do think it odd for any restaurant or cafe with a children's menu not to ensure the children's food is either brought out first or at the same time. A wee bit of common sense wouldn't go amiss.

[ReginaBlitz]

Yabu for giving your child toast while you had a meal, and then being petty enough to shuffle your plate off to the other side of table why not just give her some to keep her quiet? That's the precious bit

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Oh you sound precious.

[CheeseAndBeans]

It's just annoying.
I do carry snacks, but today I had left in lunch box in the car.... bad mummy! We were only in this town for an hour or so and just thought I would grab her something when I ate.
Lesson learnt I guess

[5Foot5]

YANBU. It is a long time since I have been in this position but agree it is easier for everyone concerned if the children's food comes first.

[Silverdaisy]

The waiter probably had to organise the toast, when the kitchen said your meal was ready the waiter would have probably run around organising the toast. You should probably asked for toast to come as soon as poss.

Waiting staff have a difficult job juggling all the varying needs of people and second guessing what will suit the customer - while appeasing the chefs.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I think Wagamama is the only place I have been to, where they don't bring everyone's food at the same time, so I don't think the OP is being u reasonable to be surprised by this.

The simplest answer is to ask the waiter/waitress to bring all the food together, I think.

[Peanut14]

When ordering just ask that the child's food be brought as soon as it's ready.

[WannaShedthisFatSuit]

goodness what a luxury being OK to wait for toast when you had some food there at table to ..blow on, and cool down , dunk in a glass of water if necessary to give her.

we are so glad any food comes out super quick to give our dc. which is why i also love the chinese as you get crackers fast and can distract with those while waiting.

[WannaShedthisFatSuit]

he simplest answer is to ask the waiter/waitress to bring all the food together, I think

it depends how quickly she needs or wants to wait for the foood full stop.

I would rather anything came out super quick.

Op, next time pack a snack!

[eggyface]

ooh, I don't like it when they bring the kids food on a boiling hot plate. knows this isn't the point of the thread

[Glitoris]

How ironic that posters are being uppity about the 'quality' content of this thread....and yet feel compelled to post on it.

I think it's probably better practice to bring the childrens' food out first if possible,it leaves the adults (who are the ones paying,after all!!) to actually enjoy their own food in peace (and possibly order extra courses,if they are having a relaxed meal).I think in future,op,make it clear that you'd like the toddlers meal served first.

[CheeseAndBeans]

I gave her toast as she had breakfast earlier in the morning, and was going to have lunch in about an hour. This was a snack. I had a bigger meal as had no breakfast and was hungry! Wasn't being mean to my DD!

[WorktoLive]

If the OP started getting snacks out for her DD in cafes and restaurants, there would be an army of posters criticising her for single handedly risking putting every eating establishment in the land out of business for eating her own food in a restaurant .

I hate it when they bring the drinks straight away and take ages with the food - I think it is because they hope you will drink all your drink before the food arrives and want to buy another one.

They should have brought the toast first or at the same time though - were they very busy?

[ThursdayLast]

Honestly, in most place the kitchen and chef is one department, the wait staff and drinks another.

They each do their jobs as quickly as they can, in the order that the tickets came in. That is by and away the most efficient way to make sure you get all your order at its best.

I've always thought people should do a sort of compulsory year in a service industry

[Silverdaisy]

Thursday , I agree. As op said the staff should apply common sense, but it can also be read as the customer should apply common selse.

I enjoyed being a waiter, but on occasion I would think wtf. Tables were not the same. Some families would want all food at the same time, others wouldn't.

As and add on, the parents who cleaned high chairs before leaving were my favourite. Rather than the gross midden some did.

[PiperChapstick]

YANBU. It baffles me how eateries get it so wrong surely some must be owned by parents?!

Other bug bears are putting scorching hot plates directly in front of toddlers, ditto cutlery, and not being crayons and paper out until they bring food out. Grrr

[ThursdayLast]

Yes Silver! I also liked the parents who asked for the dustpan at the end of the meal

Come on people, it's your responsibility to look after your kids in a cafe! Most of the staff you're all happy to moan about are paid minimum wage on zero hour contracts, theyre certainly not motivated to go above and beyond the call of duty for your precious toddler

[keeptothewhiteline]

A bit mean not to give some food your your child.

[contractor6]

I waitressed as a teenager (so no kids experience) but would always ask if people wanted kids food early, or with starters etc. Tends to keep them quieter... Think people are losing common sense....

[Aridane]

OP - what a pasting you're gettimg 1) for starting the thread, 2 ) for being a bit miffed by this, oh and 3 ) for being a delinquent mother in not carrying snacks and / or sharing your food.


YANBU