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?

So many people are so negative and think everyone is out to get them! Reality is yes it’s a business BUT I’m also a person and a mother not some evil villain.

Gnome I sympathise with you. I would not like to run a business catering for families. I do think they can be the most demanding and cheekiest group.

If you’re that worried about cake then don’t allow it. People will just pay the charge then squish cake into the carpets anyway.

@dramalamma the set up is simple, it’s a play area and it has a cafe / restaurant. Of course you don’t have to buy food or drinks but part of the terms of entry are that you don’t bring your own food.

The soft play we go to all the time are really strict on this. Lots of signs, people are reminded on the way in and immediately old to desist if they get out their own food or drinks. People soon learn the score and stop trying to take the piss.

Family groups can be amazingly rude and entitled. I think you should refuse to allow them them to consume their own food. Charging to cut the cake seems fine to me.

Too many people expect something for nothing because it's "children".

I just wouldn't do it. When we've had unofficial parties, the last one at an ice rink diner, they had no problem with us cutting and eating the cake there, and also gave DD a free slice of their birthday pie with a stripy candle in it. The candle's so unusual, we've kept it.

Funnily enough though, other restaurants and cafes, pubs etc seem to manage with people bringing in birthday cakes without getting their knickers in a twist about it.

If they manage it without hysterics, then can't you see why it seems odd that you make such a fuss over it?

Frankly, who wants to go somewhere they can't eat the birthday cake they are given?

sleep That is because they are buying meals. In the place the OP runs, people may not be buying any other food.

So why not say, "yes of course you're more than welcome to bring your own cake, but please ensure it doesn't contain nuts as we are strictly a nut free zone. If it's shop bought, we will have to check the ingredients on the box first to ensure we adhere to our own policies, sorry for any inconvenience but I'm sure you can understand this is an important issue". You can't be completely allergy free as that would be impossible, this would eliminate the nut problem. At the end of the day, I think you need to realise the vast majority (If not all of your customers) are visiting you purely for your soft play facilities, not your restaurant (as amazing as you say it is). If you were literally just a restaurant with a free soft play attatched, and people came in cracked out a cake let their kids run riot then left, I'd understand your frustrations as they wouldn't be paying anything, but you are charging them for the use of the softplay, so really you can't complain if they want to do their birthday cake whilst there. Maybe you need to look at your pricing structure if you feel like you're not making enough profit without charging for cake cutting. I think it's completely fair to charge a nominal fee for under ones if you aren't charging for adults. What about some "special deals"? Do you do an annual/monthly memebership? Offering a memebership with added extras like money off in the restaurant would drive food and drink sales. Doesn't have to be much, 10% off would encourage people to buy their lunch while there. Or offer softplay and a meal at a set "special" price. Or a basic group party session of X amount for 10 kids with squash and sandwiches and cake cutting (for taking in party bags) included, with the option to add more kids at a reasonable price, and give a open time slot to keep the flexibility there. If the price is right, it might reduce your "problem" with these makeshift parties you seem to be getting. But in my experience we always book parties for my daughters (softplay or similar) but this will be for the weekend when everyone can be there which doesnt often fall on their actual birthdays. if we don't have any family plans for their actual birthday we will quite often go to the zoo or softplay (depending on the weather) with whichever preschool friends are around on that day, and yes we'd take a little cake to make their day special, mum's would buy coffees, and we may have lunch depending on the time. If I was told her little friends were banned from singing to her and having a little slice of cake after paying to use the play facilities I'd be more than a little pissed off. If they then offered to cut it for us for a price, I'd laugh and probably end up leaving, doing the cake in the car park so the children weren't upset, and refuse to ever go back there. As would probably every other mum I know. What I think you're struggling to comprehend is that when parents take their kids to softplay, they aren't looking for a 5* meal. Basic snacks, and sometimes lunch for the kids, but if it isn't priced competitively they will smuggle their own in whether you like it or not.

abacucat, indeed, which makes it more about money than safety.

Obviously the op needs to make a profit, but it's possible to do that through fair prices and decently priced food. The cake cutting fee is cringe worthy, and the ban on eating cake is just bizzare.

Hang o if you serve food why is is only the food that's Broughton that's being squashed into the carpets?

I've always thought it ridiculous that softplay don't allow you to bring your own food. I've paid to get in the door which isn't cheap.
I'm a childminder and have a child currently who mum brings him a packed lunch, she likes him to have what's in the packed lunch. When we go to softplay he eats what's in the box because, I've paid a fortune to get all the kids in the door, which none of the parents subsidise. I do buy for the ones who don't bring their own lunch but only because I feel too cheeky to take anymore food in.
1 packet of crisps in the softplay=85p
6 pack of crisps in the shops =£1
1 banana/Apple in the softplay =90p
Pack of bananas/apples in the shop £1.50 max.

YABVU re not letting them eat their cake but otherwise (provided that the food you provide is child and baby friendly) I don’t see the issue. I habitually brings back everywhere with me but I buy the same stuff at my local play centre at an inflated price because I know that’s how they make a profit and I enjoy the facility and want them to stay in business.

If you dont have many soft plays competing in the area for custom, then obviously you can be a little stricter. But where I live there's plenty of different softplay options, and as soon as parents get wind of places being "mean" (which is what THEY will think despite what you think) you will lose custom as they will go elsewhere. I don't think your excellent restaurant is going to set you apart from the rest of the softplays, as it's not what parents are really looking for. Softplay equates to a cheap afternoon out, so I think you should try harder to excel yourself in other ways like being accommodating and friendly, offering rewards for regular customers, and people will visit purely for that. Also what are are your play facilities aimed at? If it's under 5s, then you really need to reevaluate the whole restaurant set up, as people with young children might be put off from even coming if they feel they're going to be pressured into eating a meal when their toddlers are just going to want to run riot in the softplay. It's difficult enough to get some young kids to sit still and eat without the lure of bright coloured foamy things nearby

A lot of people on this thread seem to think that restaurants are free, warm places for allergy sufferers to sit with their friends. They’re really not

This is one of the nastiest, most thoughtless and insensitive things I’ve ever read on MN. Should allergy sufferers just stay at home alone all the time because restaurants can’t cater for them?

I don't think this was what was meant - it was saying that you don't have a right to go and sit inside a cafe eating your own food because you are allergic to what they provide. It's not an indoor picnic area.

However, I think the OP's nut allergy thing is a red herring. If I go into Pizza Express they will let me have a birthday cake (yes I have bought food there ie all the kids have had pizza). But they don't worry about the fact that the cake may have allergens. If they're not worried about being sued why is the OP? The OP cannot promise an allergen-free environment, nobody can except maybe the high dependency unit of a hospital. And even then you might discover an allergy to plasters or similar.

I would expect to be able to bring baby food although if the cafe sold and heated up jars it would be fine to say you provided them and there were no exceptions to the no own food rule.

As for the cake thing I have seen a lot of restaurants that will bring a cut cake over to the birthday girl or boy (including if they are an adult). But I guess it depends on your business and your view.

If soft play did not have food/drink to buy, the entrance prices would be higher.

So because we charge to use play equipment that means you can do what the hell you like in every other sense?

So when you pay entry into a nightclub it’s ok to bring your own alcohol?

I don’t need advice on my business model, my business is doing fine. I was more wanting feedback on how to approach the issue of people bringing in food. Some of you have given some great feedback which I will take on board. But many of you clearly have no idea what it means to run a business and the costs involved. For those that “wouldn’t ever go back” quite frankly you wouldn’t be welcome. It’s ok for me and my kids to lose out as long as you and yours get your way? What a lovely bubble you must live in

You are in a softplay where food is served up to children I think you should have considered a different type of flooring.

Well @Satsumaeater you would be wrong. With our party packages the cake is cut and put into party bags so not eaten. In theory feeding the kids the cake would save me money as would count as a dessert. No I don’t promise a allergen free environment but we work hard to control as much as possible.

Also no idea of knowing where the child came into contact with the nuts.

Given you are adamant our own procedures ensure everything is nut free, you can presumably prove is wouldn’t be your fault. Using that argument, someone could have crumbs from something nutty in their pockets which drop on the floor which another child comes into contact with. There are any number of scenarios that this could happen. Surely the only safe thing to do is to refuse to allow anyone to have a cake brought in at all.

Oh really @Drogosnextwife what sort of flooring do you have in your business?

Well with that attitude you probably won't have your business for long. The whole charging for cake cutting thing just sounds like you are trying to squeeze every last penny out of the business that you can. People run restaurants and make a profit while hiring waiting staff, cleaners, chefs, all the costs involved in running machines. You have a restaurant that obviously turns a profit because you wouldn't run it otherwise so your entry fee is probably mostly profit and you can't spare 30 sheets of kitchen roll or a cheap pack of napkins to wrap a cake in. You have been paid for the party, they cost more than the usual entry fee so you have been paid to spare at least one worker to accommodate the needs of the party guests. You sound very grabby indeed.

Just to add, I think there is a market for nice play facilities - I know one very nice cafe which has a good indoor play area. But you pay for food, and play is included in that. It serves proper adult meals, adult food in child portions, wine with meal etc.
It's a great place to have a catchup with friends whilst the children play.

But with soft play, people often don't want to spend a fortune.

@MiniMum97 you bring your and your son's meals with you to restaurants?! that's not fair on the restaurant.

I have dietary stuff as well. If I can't eat the food on the menu (I usually check beforehand) I will eat at home and then go and just order a drink and a coffee or something.

However I understand doing so in relation to your son, and I think all businesses should accomodate disabilities. But to bring your meal as well is just taking the piss.

@Yabbers nuts was just an example. The reason we have a book which holds ingredients for all out food is to ensure we know what’s in our food. Outside food we have no clue about. The cake for parties is wrapped away from other food and then all equipment used is washed and sterilised. It goes into bags on the way out. So this I have no issue with.