AIBU about not allowing outside food in restaurant?

[Gnomesrule]

I own a restaurant with play area. We do not allow people to bring their own food. Many reasons including allergies, food poisoning etc and also there is a restaurant so we cater for all food requirements. We do have parties and allow people to bring birthday cakes only, but they are cut and wrapped by us and not eaten on the premises.

We have more and more people bringing their own food especially for unofficial parties etc. Many even leave the wrappers for us to clear, plus mash it into the carpets etc. We recently even had a parent cracking peanuts who was shocked when we told them that it wasn’t allowed (we don’t sell food containing nuts).

Would you find it an unreasonable request to be asked not to eat outside food in a place that has a restaurant?

Also if you held an unofficial party would you find it unreasonable to be charged to have your cake cut and wrapped for you?

I know my daughter has taken food into a soft play party before, usually strawberries and pineapple, because the menu offered is dire and needs supplementing . Sausage rolls and cheapest crisps and biscuits etc.
If your menu is good, then YANBU.

I wouldn’t allow birthday cakes unless it’s at an official party. Don’t see why you should have to spend time cutting/wrapping it for people!

Marci why does it need supplementing? It sounds like a party providing party food. Your daughter can surely just give fruit before/after if needed? Why take it in?

If you don't like the party food provided, go somewhere else.

I’d allow baby food but wouldn’t charge to cut a cake.

I rejected several places for my child’s party because you couldn’t eat the cake there. I make a big cake which I like to distribute on the day as well as send in party bags and I think not allowing me to serve my own cake is silly.

Maybe have a minimum spend to allow them to have their own cake? Or alternatively ban cakes brought in but allow parents to buy one there that can be eaten.
The point is that lots of kids do want a birthday cake and want to eat it there.

Op I think I know the kind of set up you have. I've been at official parties 3 times in the last few months. You can bring your own cake, they cut it and serve food-chips and sasauges and it costs a few quid per child. Don't allow cake for unofficial parties. No where I've been to allows cake if you haven't paid for the party.No extra food items, unless for a baby.

Charge a small fee if someone wants a cake. Ban anything else except milk, baby jars. Maybe sell breadsticks for people wanting to give it to their DC while they wait for their meal.

I have coeliac disease, my DS has multiple allergies. With the best Will in the world it pretty much impossible to buy food in the vast amount of places we visit which is a shame so I bring food for DS.

The offering is usually a banana or a yo-yo but no actual lunch or can't guarantee cross contamination, which I do understand is tricky. I've never had an issue with bringjng food and do try and buy what I can

Tough one with a play area cause parents often bring snacks for kids to eat/or not as kids do. I wouldn’t want to pay for a kids meal for my 18 month old to probably just throw around. So a pack of Pom bears or a baby bell here & there etc I would let go of. But the adults eating their own brought food I would think was rude. A lovely little soft play cafe near me has started charging for the play area now as mums were coming in & spending all day there when it was free, ordering 1 coffee & bringing their own lunch! CF’s! Make bigger signs OP. & confront adults eating... I wouldn’t with the kids though, personally.

Except places like this need parents to pay for kids food to survive.

I wouldn’t allow people to light candles and serve cake unless they’re part of a paid for birthday party. As you say, it’s taking staff away from their jobs

Taking food into a place that sells food is the height of cheek.

Not RTFT.
I would make it clear that due to food allergies, you will not be able to allow food that is not supplied by the restaurant to be consumed on the premises.

I might be the only one then that sometimes giver her toddler food from by bag.
The other day we ate in a pub, we were leaving and waiting to pay was taking long. Maybe my toddler is the only one that can't seat quietly for long but I gave him tangerine from my bag.

Now thinking I am the only person to ever do this 😬

Some restaurants charge bottle corkage so don't see why you can't charge to cut and wrap a cake, after all it's time consuming which is why I always used to make 2 birthday cakes (1 decorated and the other plain) and have the plain one already cut and wrapped and in the party bags. Could you provide an option, either charge to cut and wrap or provide knife for the party host to do.

I completely understand where you are coming from. You do not want people to eat food in your play area that has not been purchased on site. It leads to extra work for you and you loose potential revenue.

Is the party area seperate from the play area? Could you ban food in the play area completely?

For unofficial parties, could you put signs up that no food is allowed in the play area but people are welcome to bring cakes to the party area with prior arrangement providing that drinks are purchased from the restaurant?

Ironically though, a lot of time (I'm not saying all the time) people bring in their own food is because of allergies!

Whenever my kids have had a venue type party I've taken a knife, some napkins and added the wrapped slices of cake to the party bags. I think it's unusual to see birthday cake served at a kids party.

I would not be allowing people to bring in cake for "unofficial" parties. Surely they either pay for the party package or if they choose to just pay to play they don't get to then bring a cake and get taken to the party area to sing happy birthday and blow out the candles?!

When mine were very small I would take a sippy cup and perhaps a banana or satsuma. Taking food for adults or whole packed lunches is taking the piss. If you have the signs up you need to enforce the policy or people will continue to take advantage

I don't think it is unreasonable for you to say that food purchased elsewhere cannot be consumed on the premises. I also don't think you need to say it is due to food allergies because that is not the only reason. I would however, have been quite firm with the peanut lady!!

If it is a restaurant with a soft play yanbu (and this is standard surely). If it is a soft play with a cafe/restaurant I actually think YABU, especially if you serve only chips etc. If it's the type of place adults pay to get into soft play yab even more u.

I would allow baby food and be flexible for people with allergies/intolerance. We used to find my son couldn't eat in places like this. I agree it's best to be but free but think you need more than signs.

I agree no food should be brought in but...

My DS is being assessed for ASD and has very specific quirks. If he came to your restaurant, played and had loads of fun. Great. If he had ham sandwiches, wotsits and a strawberry yogurt - perfect. Next time we come, he is unable to deal with minor differences. Sitting at a different table is a tough one to manage, but fuck me, if you don't have any wotsits and he has been obsessing over them for weeks, then all hell will break loose.

He will feel unable to enjoy the day if the key detail is missing. So I will phone ahead and check if you have wotsits. I'll hope you are sympathetic and are happy to reserve a pack of wotsits for us. And I will definitely smuggle a pack in my handbag, just in case something goes wrong.

But I agree in general, people shouldn't bring their own in.

of course YANBU

You serve food. This is standard for restaurants etc.
I don't think it's right for cinemas to check backs, but they are being cfs to take food into your restaurant.

YANBU - put up clear signs saying only food/drinks purchased from the premises may be consumed.

I would be asking or rather telling anyone who was eating their own food that they couldn't and if they persisted, tell them to leave.

People say about allergies but I have eaten out with people who are vegan, someone who is coeliac and another who is lactose intolerant and in all cases, a have rung ahead and had absolutely no issues what so ever. The places have catered perfectly for the requirements - bog standard places as well!

Can't believe some people take their own food/snacks to places serving food - it's beyond cheeky!