To bring my own food for an allergic child???

[camdenflick]

We've been out several times recently and spotted notices stating that customers are not allowed bringing their own food on to the premises. Cockfosters Fancy Fair Festival refuses customer who bring their own food, and today, we went to the King and Tinker Pub in Enfield as found the notice below displayed on all their garden tables. (We left shortly after I looked them up on Trip Adviser and found a negative review stating, 'After buying food and drinks my daughter (remember 6 years old) ate a packet of crisps from my friends handbag. Well you’ve never seen anything like it the owner/manager came out shouting about the pub rules, had the 6 year old in tears'.) We ate in All Bar One, Leicester Square over the Easter holidays and one of the waiters instructed us to put away the food I'd bought for my son or leave the restaurant (after I'd ordered food for myself and my mum). I explained my son's food allergies, and that we'd otherwise ordered from the menu, but the waiter was adamant. I asked to speak with the manager, who never turned up. (I subsequently wrote to complain to head office and received an apology and a voucher.) My son is an Epi-Pen carrier, and severely allergic to wheat, fish, nuts, egg, lentils and sesame. I always take food for him and he's never eaten off a menu. But I'd like to know: where do we stand legally? Is it discriminatory behaviour for restaurants/venues to insist that no food is brought in? Is there any legislation that governs this in the UK? And is it REALLY so unreasonable to bring in some food for a child if the adults are eating off the menu?

My ds has multiple food allergies (14 of them including most of what your son has, op) and we call places in advance to see if they can cater for him safely. Or, ask as soon as we arrive.
You soon get to know the ones who know what they're talking about, and the places to avoid. On the odd occasion that somewhere can't rustle anything up for him, we tend to go elsewhere, or, if that's not possible, I ask if I can give him the safe food I keep in the car.
Never had a problem, and most places try their hardest to give him something, even if it's just a plain jacket potato and beans.
Brewers fayre are pretty good, and nandos are awesome.

I’d always ask beforehand and explain about allergies- if you don’t tell them the reasons then how are they to know that you’ve not just decided to save yourself some cash but still occupy one of their seats for paying customers? I can’t imagine any restaurant would be willing or able to cater for your son since some of his allergies are to non “top 14” allergens. Therefore they could potentially be present in trace amounts (which would be serious for your son but perhaps not those who are less sensitive) without the legal requirement of declaration that things such as wheat, milk, peanuts, shellfish etc carry. I imagine that if you explained this to most catering establishments before just getting food out for him that most places wouldn’t have a problem with it.

That's all very well @Nifflerbowtruckle but my son once went into anaphylaxis after eating something apparently safe. The hospital doctor said it could have been as simple as someone wiped a surface with a contaminated cloth.

We do not take chances with our sons life.

DD2 had 4 'allergies' which she has since outgrown.

I used to phone ahead, explain the situation and ask permission to bring my own food for her. Doing it this way, I never encountered any problems.

But I'd like to know: where do we stand legally? Is it discriminatory behaviour for restaurants/venues to insist that no food is brought in? Is there any legislation that governs this in the UK? And is it REALLY so unreasonable to bring in some food for a child if the adults are eating off the menu?

and to answer your questions.
No it's it not a protected characteristic so isn't legally discrinatory.
No - there is no legislation to cover this in the UK. I could refuse to serve you in my restaurant if I didn't like you shoes. My restaurant, my decision. (Although clearly that would not a good business decision . )
And yes it REALLY is unreasonable to bring in for for a child even if you are eating off the menu.

You may have noticed in the news recently how many restaurants are going under, please don't make it any harder for us to keep our little independent restaurants afloat by bad mouthing/reviewing

Bold fail

@Thunderpunt. I mean fuck it right, my son could just die, but wouldn't want to hurt your profits.

My dd has recently outgrown a milk allergy. I used to bring her a packed lunch everywhere. I always asked first and no-one ever said no. I always purchased a drink for her and explained we're purchasing food and drink for adults. I'm

@Didgets that's fine and I agree I wouldn't be willing to take that risk but you can't expect that a restaurant will be willing to let you eat your own food. So many businesses are going under now that they can't always allow people to use and seat and eat their own food. Some restaurants will and with discussion most will be okay with eating small bits of your own food.

Digits could you son die from buying a pack of crisps from somewhere compared to eating one out of a friends bag though as that’s the example in the OP. And it’s people like that who create issues for everyone.

If you have an issue contact the place in advance and Discuss it - don’t just assume because nowhere has to serve anyone but if you ask nicely there is normally a way around it

So when you are eating out, do you discuss his issues with staff before you sit down and order? Has any establishment refused to allow him to eat the food you brought with you once you have explained his allergies and identified that there is nothing he is able to eat on the menu? I'm just trying to work out what the issue is - is it that you are not discussing the issue prior to your visit, or even prior to ordering? Or is it that you are checking prior to visiting and they are refusing your request?

It may well be worth contacting the head offices of several of your favourite chains, and building up a range of places that would be happy to accommodate you. If you do chains then hopefully you can have somewhere you can go wherever you happen to be in the country.

I'm not sure what the issue is with the particular pub you have identified - did you talk to them about your need to bring food in for your son? Did they refuse?

@Didgets sorry dear, did you mean to be so rude?

We bring food for dd sometimes. She has sensory issues and asd. If at all possible, we order her something from the menu in addition to what we have brought and we always order her a drink. Our most common solution is to feed her before we go in and then order her a dessert while we eat our entrees. This obviously doesn’t work for allergies.

We have never had a restaurant balk.

@Nifflerbowtruckle
We have 2 DC and usually eat out with friends that also have 2 DC. So 4 adults and 4 DC. We have never been told DS can't eat food we have brought from home.
If you would seriously turn away 4 adults and 3 children that are paying for food, because 1 child needs to eat food from home then you really need to look at you restaurant polices.

we it would be more likely to go under if they do not get the adult customers at all as they will not risk the child dying when the child's throat is closing and their tongue is swelling because of cross contamination.

and that is really going to hit profits if you are know as thunderpunts child killing restaurant.

sorry dear, did you mean to be so rude?

Yes. Did you mean to such a twat?

I think the message some people are failing to get is that it's absolutely ok to ask if it's ok to bring in food from outside for a child with allergies.

It is not ok to just whip out a full pack lunch without asking first and expect a restaurant to not question it.

Didgits, rather than being so utterly childish with name calling - help me understand why you think I'm a twat. What have I written that is so wrong?

Whitelisbon our local Nando’s are brilliant too
They stick big red “allergy” flags on DS’s food, highlight his order as an allergy order on the ticket for the chefs, and they usually ask me to stand at the counter and watch the grill be cleaned before they put my DS’s food on it!
Absolutely the best service we’ve experienced so far when eating out with a multi-allergy child!

Oooh new name Thunderpunts Child Killing Restaurant.

Sirzy
Depends on the brand. We know some brands are safe because the factory is nut free.

Illberidingshotgun
We always speak to the manager/staff before we sit down. Always have and there's never been a problem.
I would have thought that was common sense if you have a child with a serious allergy.

@Didgets I never said my restaurant would turn you away. The likelihood where I work being able to cater for your sons allergies is unlikely. What I'm saying is you can't expect every restaurant to allow it especially for allergens that they can eradicate. If your sons allergies are vast and difficult to ensure they aren't present then most places will allow you to bring your own food but certainly not before discussing it.

And just to point out my DS is a fully paid up EpiPen carrying 16 year old, and I've managed to keep him alive so far....

As a former restaurant manager I used to get pretty pissed off at people for bringing in their own food without even a discussion. The whole point of a restaurant or pub is to sell food and drink in exchange for money. It is not an extension of your dining room table. If it is discussed before hand, then the restaurant can offer a few solutions (which they don't need to do) to help you out. It's incredibly rude to turn up with your own food and not discuss it.
Would you go to bar and take your own bottle of wine?

I've never had a problem. I always explain before we order though, offering to pay a cover charge. Always had my offer declined and a good reaction.