wibu to take different food into a restaurant?

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

Dc's and I are going on holiday in the half term, yay!

Dc2 is severely autistic and is very limited in what they will eat. More often than not they will refuse to eat anything that isn't McDonalds when we go out to eat and even then only specific items.

I really want to take the dc's out somewhere for lunch/dinner while we are away but I'm really worried that there will be nothing dc2 will tolerate eating.

Wib completely u to take McDonalds in to another 'food place' (restaurant, cafe, etc) for dc2?

I would never normally do this as I know its extremely rude and obviously I would explain to the staff and apologise in advance but it would just be really nice for dc1 to be able to go somewhere that isn't all about dc2 and their food issues. Wibu to do this?

I don't think you can do this..

You could ask the manager and see what he sees first BEFORE you buy the McDonald's but if he says no, it's a no

I don't think it would be unreasonable to phone ahead, explain the situation and that you will have two people eating (and paying full price) and see what they say? The worst is that they say no and you have to phone somewhere else.

I'd still buy three meals, then put your staluff among the McD food.

If you ask first then it's worth a try I would be very surprised is they agree. You may have more like if it's stuff brought from home as oppose to another restaurant??

You cant really bring food from somewhere else into a restaurant. Maybe check menu before and see if anything dc2 can eat or talk to waiter.

Could you take food that isn't a Mc Donald's? As in, will you have any self catering facilities so you could prepare something your ds will eat?

I don't think YABU to take different food and I think the restaurant would be wrong not to accommodate your sons needs, but taking in food that is branded is asking a lot.

I feel for you but I really don't think it's appropriate to do so. It's also an incredibly awkward position to put the restaurant staff in.

I'd definitely ask. Take evidence of your DS's autism. We have similar issues and have never been refused by a restaurant.

I was all ready to write yabu before I read the post. I really understand your situation and it would be great if you could so the family can all eat somewhere together but I really don't know if they'd let you you can always ask though and see what they say.
Depending on the age can your DC eat before and then....do something at the table while you eat haha awful idea your poor child would look so left out but I don't know a solution to this if they say no. (Other than you all eating at McDonald's)

I don't think they would agree. I would be inclined to feed the selective eater separately.

Ring ahead and speak to the manager. Explain the situation. Ask if you can pay the food version of 'corkage'. So a cover charge for DS being there and using a space etc.

Fingers crossed. I think it would be a bit dicky for them to say no, but they have the right to. Would DS tolerate his stuff being plated up and served to him so they don't have McDonald's packaging knocking about? They might not tolerate that in front of other customers.

The restaurant are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments for your DC. Own food may be reasonable but there may be a plate charge - McDonald's possibly a step too far.

I agree - I would have thought that something packed from home looks a lot better than something in a McDonalds bag, even if it is McDonalds stuffed into a tupperware box with all identifiable wrapping removed... As an alternative, is there any way you could take something for your son to do in the restaurant while you ate so that you could all go together, but get him a McDonalds en route or on the way home? How would he cope with that?

No harm asking. I don't think it's an unreasonable request. I know several places near me that would say yes, provided you went off peak.

Although you "can't" do this, I think a polite explanation would be difficult for the manager to turn down. You may have more luck in an independent restaurant where there are no central rules to adhere to etc.

Ask. When I worked in a restaurant we would have either offered to cook something DC would eat or agree for you to bring in food of your choice IF you'd asked before hand AND explained why AND agreed to a minimum charge (probably 2 mains and a dessert).

Sorry, seem to have cross posted with about three different people (obviously a slow typer...)

My old place food that wasn't purchased there couldn't be eaten due to vat reasons. We let people bring in little handmade sandwiches from home for little kids, but nothing from other places.
I don't think ywbu to bring in something from home if you asked, but would be massively if you bought a mcdonalds in.

I was a waitress at pizza hut when I was at sixth form and we allowed this quite frequently. Usually it would be to allow for food intolerances/allergies but ASD is just as much a medical condition so would be treated similarly.

You can but ask. Our manager preferred to have a family come in and buy 3 meals whilst one ate mcnuggets than have them not come in and us get nothing.

We do it all the time for my autistic brother. 99% of places are fine! we take own pack up rather than McDs, we even take food to McDs! Explain and most people are great. The odd time we ve paid for "a plate" but mostly not.

I tend to feed dd and then let her iPad while we eat out. I don't think it's reasonable to bring mc Donald's in.

Other children, not asd , will be jealous, they would comment. My youngest nt child would. It would be noticed by other diners and judged; judged not favourably for the establishment. A packed lunch could be forgiven- unnoticed , a McDonald's not so much.

I'd certainly ring and ask, although they may say no. Would he eat skinny fries? Would it be worth asking if they could get some in and order them for him?

Or how is your ds with desserts? My dd (also asd) struggles to eat at new/certain cafes & restaurants but she loves puddings and 9/10 will happily try and successfully eat them. If we fancy eating somewhere she doesn't like we compromise by feeding her something she likes beforehand and letting her order straight off the dessert menu, otherwise if we've played pot luck she orders off the menu (or I do for her) and then she'll try it (sort of) & will move it around til we finish and then have dessert-we then grab her something she likes afterwards, costs more but works for us.

Could you take a packed lunch type thing rather than an actual McDonald's? A lot of places will accept 'other' food in circumstances like yours (ime in London restaurants) but I think McD's might push them to a no as you can smell it iyswim and it comes with a lot of obvious packaging.