Me vs Costa...

[ImAMarshmellow]

Went to a shopping centre this morning with ds. Wanted to stop for a coffee mid morning so went into one of the 2 costas in the retail park.
Ds is intolerant to soya, dairy and eggs, which means he essentially can't have anything that Costa sell. (Bread contains soya, crumpets have eggs in and cakes are self explanatory. They also prepare stuff in the same area, so cross contamination is highly possible) I don't want him eating a bag of salt and vinegar crisps, so I normally take a bag of Ella's puffs snacks or similar. (He's 15 months).
Bought myself a coffee and cake and sat down with ds and his snack. He's happily chomping through his snack and an employee brought my drink over and asked if I had bought the snack ds was eating from there... I explained not and that he can't eat anything from there because as far as I am aware most of the foods are unsuitable for his dietary needs. She basically asked me to either leave or put the snacks away.
So was I wrong for bringing my own snacks or was I being reasonable since he really can't eat anything from there?
The only other 2 places to eat within that retail park would have been the same I.e they sell cakes/snack style foods.

[RidingMyBike]

Strange. I take DD for lunch with a friend in a Costa once a month and have always taken in an entire packed lunch for her and no one has ever commented or complained. The friend and I both buy sandwiches, hot drinks and a cake each so they are getting their money’s worth.

DD (2) now has a tiny piece of each of our cakes to go with hers (I usually bring her some cheese or ham sandwiches, cut up cucumber/pepper/tomato and some chopped up fruit. They don’t seem to sell anything that is suitable as baby or toddler food - I’ve never seen any fruit for sale and the sandwiches/paninis are all prepacked so you can’t ask for a half one or a plain cheese one or whatever.

It’s the only cafe in this area so there isn’t anywhere else for us to go (it coincides with friend’s lunch break so can’t go far). If they sold suitable food then I’d happily buy it, but that would mean them having a proper kitchen not just a sandwich heating area. The two play cafes I go in meanwhile are very strict about outside food and drink being brought in but sell a really good range of food so it is easy to buy for a small child.

[ScreamingValenta]

if she heard it on her training course ...doesn't have enough intelligence to think if you remove snack child will scream plus you paid for coffee and cake ffs

Or, how about, she's perfectly intelligent and has her own view on the subject, but needs the job so has to comply with the rules her manager has set out?

[curryforbreakfast]

if she heard it on her training course ...doesn't have enough intelligence to think if you remove snack child will scream plus you paid for coffee and cake ffs

More unwarranted nastiness. Maybe she has the intelligence to know that if your kid screams that is your problem, not hers.

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

My general rule is as long as I am not bringing in items I could have bought in the cafe/restaurant then it is fine to self-cater for babies and toddlers. Some places sell stuff like kids sandwiches, Ella's pouches etc in which case it is a bit CF to bring your own. But if you're not depriving the place of a sale and don't leave a hideous mess behind then I think it's fine to BYO.

[Tapandgo]

You wouldn’t have been asked to leave if your child ate nothing.
It’s nonsense - jobsworth stuff - continue on as normal

[curryforbreakfast]

It doesn't matter what your rule is though, it's their rule that matters.

[EvilDoctorBallerinaRoastDuck]

*DD FFS

[FireCracker2]

15 months is not a tiny baby.Most 15m olds would e
at something there.Your baby's allergies are not Costa's problem!

[Coconutspongexo]

Most 15 month olds would not eat something from Costa

[ProperLavs]

there's loads of cake/bread shite in cost that a child without allergies could eat, I'm sure most would happily munch on the triple chocolate muffins and shortbread biscuits.

[curryforbreakfast]

Most 15 month olds would not eat something from Costa hmm

Course they would. Most costa mammies wouldn't let them have it though......

[toffee1000]

Exactly, I’m sure many 15 month olds would happily scoff a chocolate muffin... doesn’t matter that it’s unhealthy, they would eat it!

[Coconutspongexo]

What’s a ‘costa mammie’ Someone who doesn’t want their 15month old eating a cake full of sugar?

[YorkieDorkie]

I have a bag of whatever snacks in my nappy bag at all times and no one will be telling me I can't give one to my child when it will keep her happy in a highchair in public while I drink a coffee. 15 months is so young! If OP was sat there dunking her own tea bag in a thermos from home then I can totally see where the barista was coming from.

[TenForward82]

FFS the rule is stop large groups of people using an establishment as a picnic site, it doesn't apply to babies, use some bloody common sense.

[YorkieDorkie]

YES! ^

[itsbetterthanabox]

I regularly go into costa on my lunch break and buy a coffee then sit drinking it and eating my packed lunch. I’ve never been questioned.
As long as you’ve bought something I can’t see why it’s an issue. If I weren’t eating that I wouldn’t buy their food. They are a coffee shop that also does food not a restaurant.

[cherish123]

YANBU. Some parents do take the mick with this - bring whole meal for older child (esp bad in independent cafe). However, as has been stated, you brought a small snack for a child who is very young sand they do not sell anything he can eat as he has an allergy. Furthermore, you probably spent around £7. Even if he did not have an allergy, there is not much for a 15 month old in Costa. I expect she was being a little over zealous with the rule book.

[User556]

Definitely raise with HQ. Places like that make me 😡
Put it on their FB page

[LockedOutOfMN]

OP, YANBU as:

1. You bought a drink and snack for yourself
   
2. Your DS is very young, and has allergies, and there's only one of him. Many people would take a child his age to Costa and not buy anything for their child (but not necessarily give them a snack - maybe some water, or possibly BF), would they be asked to leave?

[MiniMum97]

I personally have this problem been all the time. I am on a very restrictive diet (for medical reasons) and sometimes have to go places with others and take my own food/condiments/drinks. I took an entire picnic that my lovely husband made me to a wedding the other day that couldn’t cater for me! I have never had someone say to me that I couldn’t eat something that I had brought myself. And if they did I would definitely complain. The only problem I have ever had is Costa refusing to make me a coffee with my own milk due to potential cross contamination apparently. I am not sure why they couldn’t have washed the jug but there you go. Never had an issue with this in any other coffee shop.
To the people on this thread suggesting that she shouldn’t have taken her child to Costa at all. You have obviously never had to eat a restricted diet. It is shit quite frankly and you miss out on loads socially because it’s so difficult to eat out or to eat at friend’s houses or to do the “bring a dish” thing. There are so many places where there is literally nothing I can eat. I can never “pop out for lunch” without a whole host of pre planning and even then it often goes wrong and I can’t eat anything or I get something so plain to eat it’s not a pleasure (and you don’t get any reduction in the bill!!). So I’m sorry if I take your seat, eating my home prepared food that I’ve had to prep in advance and carry around with me all day, it’s. probably the first time I’ve been out to eat in 3 months, but to be honest I know who is better off so I don’t feel bad about “taking your seat”. Sorry.
I wish people would try to put themselves in others’ shoes before judging.

[DiscotequeJuliet]

I had this in a play area with my son, who was CMPI and soya intolerant (fortunately he's now grown out of both). I would take a bag of whatever snack he could eat from home, but I would buy him a drink from there and would also buy myself coffee. Had a staff member tell me off and to put his snack away. I explained that I've previously been through the allergy info folder with the manager, and the only thing he can eat in the whole place is beans. But not even a chip, a bit of toast, or a sausage to go with it. Because the oil and bread they use contains soya. She replied that they have a range of gluten free snacks, you know, because all allergies and intolerances are to the gluten . She tells me he could have a bag of pom bear, and I say "no he can't, they have soya lecithin in". So she goes and gets a packet and reads the ingredients, while I'm sitting their going "they have soya lecithin in. He can't eat them." Like she thinks, after spending £5 on play, probably £5 on coffee and juice, my cunning plan is to invent reasons why I can't spend 50p on a bag of their crisps.
So i replied I'm not willing to spend £4 on beans on toast, hold the toast, if my son gets hungry. He doesn't even like beans. Their menu is the worst for allergies and intolerances I've ever come across, and she's more than welcome to send the manager over to discuss it with me.

But my son had finished his snack by then, so she probably felt it was pointless

[JaceLancs]

I also have many allergies and spend a lot of time in coffee shops due to the nature of my job
I always buy a drink but only buy food occasionally as v rarely much I can eat - usually take with me a piece of fruit - it has never been questioned
Cafe Nero are more helpful over my allergies though

[Katastrophe13]

My DD is 2 but doesn't like anything in Costa sandwich wise so if we have lunch there I bring food for her and the rest of us eat Costa food, which I think is fine given her age and give the other 3 of us are paying, no one has ever said anything about this. I think you got a jobsworth.

[dysongirl]

She sounds like a bit of an asshole.
Jobsworth or what!
The problem these days is No one seems to use their comment sense
Complain to their head office 😁