The state people leave cafes in is disgusting

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

I'm not exactly the 'I take my own mop and bucket everywhere' type but short of some dire emergency requiring a quick getaway I couldn't walk out of a cafe leaving it in this state. Surely it is done thing to make at least a token effort to clean and clear up after yourself?

Disgusting. I would never ever leave that table in that state

They may have asked for cleaning implements and been refused (usually on the old H&S grounds).

That is disgusting, nothing there that couldn’t have been picked up by hand either!

You don’t need cleaning implements to pick up big bits from the floor, put the rubbish into a bin or at least into the bag - ie make a little bit of effort!

It doesn't take any special cleaning materials to scoop the half chewed banana and biscuits up in a paper napkin and dump your rubbish in the bin (pile of paper napkins and bin both about 6ft from the table).

It's not that bad. Get a grip. I personally usually try to wipe up with napkins after a rare toddler lunch but not always possible apnd the staff usully say to leave it.

Not that bad? Silverthorn would you sit there?

I agree OP. Makes one wonder what dumpster some people live in

I agree. I hate it when people don't make the slightest effort to clean up after themselves.
We always tidy up and put our rubbish on the plate, or if it's a takeaway type place, we always put it in the bin. (Though we've had thank you's from staff for doing so, they clearly expect people will just leave it.
Also in the cinema when people leave their rubbish. We take ours and put it in the bin on the way out (the last time we went a staff member was genuinely shocked that we took our rubbish and put it in the bin).

Yanbu. We would pick any larger bits off the floor and put all the rubbish together in the bag/on a tray so the area just needed a wipe.

How do you know that they didn't dash off in a toddler tantrum emergency?

I used to work in McDonald's and the parents were the worst for this.

These people are ENTITLED to do this, they are after all paying for the privilege of eating in a coffee shop with their children, who heaven knows always make a mess, as kids do. So shoo, away with you, they will do what they like and let someone else clean up after them.

That's it in a nutshell really.

Absolutely disgusting.

Put the rubbish in the bin/tidy it into a pile if there's no bin for customers. And put the food into a napkin.

I can't believe that people actually try and justify this.

Pumpkin,

If you are referring to my post, it was VERY tongue in cheek, but possibly with a ring of truth to it just the same!

Yes it's ghastly. I used to work in a pub/restaurant as a cleaner. Some people leave an awful mess and others try to at least make it look 'respectable' - most of us are somewhere in the middle.

Looking at iund at how people leave the table in a cafe, I would say that few people would agree this was in a disgusting state tbh.
And I’m talking about our ‘posh’ cafes araround here.
Leftovers from a toddler meal would be left on the table if there is no bin around to put them in

I had just this conversation with a member of staff in a coffee shop yesterday. I think it is disrespectful to the staff to leave such a mess. A few crumbs, the wrappers, a small spill, of course, but a full on mess? Not right.

I remember being in a Sainsbury's cafe with toddler DS and kneeling under the table to collect the chunks of fish finger, random peas etc. that had dropped. The waitress stopped me and told me it was her job.

i'd agree that wiping the table was her job, and posssibly collecting cups / plates but if your DC has left anything larger than odd drips etc. around, I feel it's the parent who should get it back to a state comparable with a non-DC table, iyswim. Put the random dropped food on a plate / saucer and give the high chair a wipe around with a baby wipe so it's easier for staff to get it ready for the next family to use.

I think it's courteous to make an effort: Pick up anything obvious on floor, wipe obvious mess off baby seat and at least condense all the junk into one pile. At least then it's easier for a staff member to pick up in one go.

That's appalling. When my DC were small, I'd always pick up whatever they dropped on the floor and wet wiped the worst of any mess on the table.

I’ve had people laugh at me and I’ve had people ask me to stop when I’m crawling around clearing up after my twins when they were weaning.

It’s a short period in a child’s life and the expectations of different cafes is so diverse that it’s not possible to do right for doing wrong.

I used to collect the waste in a biodegradable nappy bag and I’ve had a waitress take exception to my leaving a nappy bag (only full of discarded food, paper napkins and wipes used for their hands/faces) with the plates on the table to the extent that I’m sure she would prefer id just left the half chewed dairylea sandwich instead!

Pure laziness!

Tell me about it not envy lol, i work in a cafe and often have to spend an extra half hour at the end of my shift putting rubbish in the bin that could’ve been done by the customers and picking crumbs of the floor which shouldn’t even have been there in the first place