Complaints when eating out due to other customers?

[sweatingcobs]

AIBU to complain to a sandwich/bar place for the fact another customer was IMO very rude and arrogant towards us, and the staff handled it badly? And by badly I mean they just ignored us at walked off with our a word when pipped up?

I understand you can't do anything about the customer, ( that's not really my complaint, but pissed me off)
I'm local, he clearly wasn't, so I know it's not like he's going to be there again

This place was where I went for drinks the night before my wedding. It was the place I first ventured to with my 5 week old baby, and another lovely member of staff kindly pushed her round in the pram when I was near to tears because I couldn't calm her and my food was getting cold.

I suffer PND and it was one of the few places I felt okay going with DD and regularly go there with her to meet other mums or lunch with family.

I requested some doors to be pulled to as the weather had taken a sudden turn and went cold, his comments were along the lines of I shouldn't have a baby there anyway and had used to his chair to block us and the staff from closing them. When the staff tried he said no I like the fresh air and it was my own fault. The staff member just walked off without a word at that point, so I called him back over and asked if we could be moved in that case. What wound me up was the other children on the table next to us ended up wrapped in blankets because of one guy!

Would I be out of order to email explaining this?

I might be way over reacting, but it was somewhere I felt safe going with my 6mo either on my own or with people, because I knew the staff were understanding

How did you know he wasn't local?

Their conversation

I think you need to forget about it and move on. He was a dick.

Wrapped in blankets? Where do you live ffs - the icy Russian tundra?

And what do you mean 'their conversation'? Were you earwigging? Or were they speaking in - shock! horror! - a forrin language?

No not another language, I don't appreciate you suggesting that might be my issue,
we are in a touristy city, he was talking very loudly on the label next to us. I didn't want to listen to their conversation.
It dropped suddenly cold, everyone was in shorts because like I said it was a sudden unexpected change from the heat

Maybe the staff member felt intimidated by the man and thought he might kick off, or even get physical if they moved his chair,

Table next to us*

I'm not exactly sure what you wanted the staff to Do? They can't physically move him out of the way. They ask4f him to move, he refused. He sounded like an arse but I think you're taking your anger on him out on the restaurant staff.

I HATE when establishments have the doors open, I don’t want to sit eating in a draught and it’s been cool and windy today. But, blankets? Who even carries blankets around with them? I’d move on and forget it.

There is nowhere in the U.K. That any child would need to be wrapped in blankets during the last six weeks, get over yourself

I think to just acknowledge that he was rude, a simple I'm sorry would you like to move to another a table, rather than just run away I don't expect them to do anything to put themselves in a confrontational situation

I'm happy to be told I'm being a bit touchy or reasonable, don't appreciate snarky though

Sure I must be lying about the kids..

The staff member just walked off without a word at that point, so I called him back over and asked if we could be moved in that case.

And were you moved?

Basically, you wanted the door shut because you thought it too cold for your baby, he wanted it open because he was warm and the family on the next table popped a blanket on their kids?

Did you not have a blanket for yours?

Unfortunately you need to suck this one up. There's no perfect temperature, and the weather here has always been changeable. Pack layers in future.

I think the staff are in a really difficult position here. That man sat there by the open door as he liked the fresh air as is his right. You also sat by the open door but then wanted them closed as it was to cold. While I see your point and there was no need for the man to be rude if the door was open when you sat down then why should your needs trump his? If staff help you they upset him if they help him the upset you they literally can't win

So you wanted the doors open and he wanted them closed?

I would have hated having the doors open too and he sounds like a dick for his comment about your baby.

But...
I don’t know what you think the staff should have done? One customer wanted the doors open and the other didn’t. No one wins really.

Please don't complain to the restaurant for a customers behaviour. Most restaurants are judged harshly on their reviews, and managers judged on them too - you're BU to complain purely because you had a disagreement with someone else - it's not the restaurants problem.

I think you need to move on from this op.

Okay I get that maybe I was being touchy,

We moved ourselves to a table that hadn't yet been cleaned

Clearly it's the loudest voice in the room gets the say

I’d walk off too

And a parent with a buggy in a cafe is much more of an inconvenience space wise (buying lunch for one person but taking up much more space) than another two people who are paying customers

I’d have walked off too. They didn’t want to be part of your bickering. The screaming baby probably didn’t help either.

I wasn't going to review online or anything, just a message explaining nicely what happened, I don't have an issue with their staff and I would have said how lovely they have always been

But why does your want to shut the door trump his want to have it open? Did you move in the end?

It was only while the rain was falling on our table that I was after the door being pulled to

But I get it, I'll move on then