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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

65 replies

CheeseAndBeans · 27/06/2015 19:13

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?

OP posts:
bittapitta · 28/06/2015 07:09

Yab a bit U OP. I always order the kids food as soon as we're sat down, preferably as the waiter/waitress gives us our table. Then happy to wait to order drinks and my food in the knowledge they will have their food soon. But I can see why you thought toast would have been a quick order regardless. Lesson learned.

TheFallenMadonna · 28/06/2015 07:31

It used to annoy me when my children's meals came out before the rest. I prefer for us all to eat at the same time. Had no idea that was bucking the trend.

ThursdayLast · 28/06/2015 07:33

And there's how common sense varies.

So cafes do what makes sense to them.

keeptothewhiteline · 28/06/2015 07:37

I feel a bit sorry for the kid just having toast when parents are having a full meal.

ThursdayLast · 28/06/2015 07:45

Yes keep you said.

keeptothewhiteline · 28/06/2015 07:48

I said what?

Original poster
CheeseAndBeans · 28/06/2015 09:28

Thanks aridane Smile

Keep, it was 11am. She had full breakfast (banana and porridge plus a couple of biscuits) before we left the house. I hadn't eaten and was hungry. We had time to kill so popped in to get some food. Knowing full well she wasn't ready to eat a large meal I got her a piece toast as a snack to keep her happy while I ate.
She had lunch an hour or so later.
I am really not depriving my child....

OP posts:
Goshthatsspicy · 28/06/2015 09:36

keep that is silly.
How on earth would an 18 month old know what constitutes a "full meal"
Grin

TheNumberfaker · 28/06/2015 09:47

Yanbu at all. It annoys the hell out of me when children's food is brought out last. It never happens abroad...

keeptothewhiteline · 28/06/2015 10:44

goshthatsspicy- an 18 month old is more than capable of seeing what his parents are eating and deciding it looks tastier than his meal of toast.
Plus it's educational.
Young toddlers are often very keen to try new flavours and try new foods.
At that age my kids were eating squid, halloumi, curry - they would be eating what we were eating in a restaurant.

NighteyesLovesGingerbread · 28/06/2015 10:50

after a couple of these instances I now always mention, with a big smile on my face "if the children's food could come out as soon as its ready, that would be great" - this tends to ensure that at the very least it comes at the same time as the adults but quite often it comes a couple of minutes before.

Plateofcrumbs · 28/06/2015 12:29

I think it is worth politely requesting children's food is brought first if you know it is going to be a problem, as you can't always expect waiting staff to know the ins and outs of dealing with babies and toddlers.

I do get annoyed with basic lack of common sense though - putting hot plates and glasses directly in front of grabby babies, and carrying scalding hot drinks directly over their heads when it would have been easy to just move around them.

Plateofcrumbs · 28/06/2015 12:34

I find dealing with waiting staff is often a helpful reminder that unless you have children yourself you don't have the first clue - I've been offered a high chair and a children's menu for a month old baby, crayons for a 6 month old (I guess he might have enjoyed eating them) and a knife and fork for a 10 month old.

rookiemere · 28/06/2015 12:40

Yes I think if you want DC's food out first you do need to ask.

DS is 9 now and I'd rather his meal came at the same time as ours - far easier to keep him entertained through conversation and noughts and crosses whilst none of us are eating, than him being finished when we're only half way through our meal.

My favourite child food related complaint is the time we went to a gastropub with DS aged 5. It was one of these fancy schmancy places with odd serving ideas so DS's fish and chips arrived at our table on a chopping board, with the peas in bowl and the chips in a sodding mini imitation deep fat fryer basket thing. On a chopping board. On a small table. I spent the entire meal trying to make sure nothing catapaulted over the edges. I suppose I should be grateful his milk didn't arrive in a jam jar.

I suggested, nicely, that it would be easier for parents and children if they served kid's meals on those old fashioned plate thingys, but they were having none of it.

Goshthatsspicy · 28/06/2015 13:08

I think they went to a cafe keep
I'm sure most of our children have enjoyed the same as our parents.
However, l'll be more than shocked if an 18 month old can work out what constitutes a main meal - when choosing between fries and Grin toast!

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