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Original poster

To complain about no highchair rule

162 replies

Lofu · 17/10/2020 16:51

At a garden centre today we went to the cafe for lunch. I have been before pre covid and know the little corner where they keep the highchairs, so went and got one.
Half way through our meals a server came over and told me off for using a high chair. Apparently they are not allowed to use them because of covid.
This is the first place I've heard of such a thing. Would I be unreasonable to email a complaint? I can't decide whether the cafe are well within their right to make whatever rule they like, or whether it is discrimination of children.

OP posts:
TikTakTikTak · 17/10/2020 17:44

It's just really poor customer service. Either remove the high chairs or prepare to gasp have to clean them.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 17/10/2020 17:44

Take your own backpack booster seat and strap it to the chair, then strap your child in.

They dont have the staff to clean the high chairs. Resteraunts dont need to provide high chairs.

BoomBoomsCousin · 17/10/2020 17:45

It seems like poor customer service on their part not to cater for babies as the used to.

Unfortunately, although it is clearly discrimination against young children in the ordinary sense of discrimination, it isn’t illegal to discriminate against children. Our society finds in perfectly okay to discriminate against children in any and all matters. So I wouldn’t use that in the complaint.

Original poster
Lofu · 17/10/2020 17:47

cocomarine I've never complained before! Which is why I'm a bit wobbly about whether it's the right thing to do.

Couldn't care less whether you think I'm silly. And your issue with hyperbole is weird.

OP posts:
Aridane · 17/10/2020 17:48

High chairs are fuckers to clean Effectively and quickly . An u necessary diversion of resource

BlusteryShowers · 17/10/2020 17:49

I wouldn't complain but I do think this is another of those "because of covid" rules that is annoying. Ultimately, They could clean the high chairs if they wanted to

MyPersona · 17/10/2020 17:49

Surely a high chair could be cleaned in the same way they clean all the other tables and chairs? You don't sterilise them entirely, so why would you have to sterilise a high chair?

Do you lick the table? Drool on it? Half chew your lunch and then smear it on the table and chair arms? Shit yourself and potentially leave traces on the seat?

Cocomarine · 17/10/2020 17:56

@Lofu

cocomarine I've never complained before! Which is why I'm a bit wobbly about whether it's the right thing to do.

Couldn't care less whether you think I'm silly. And your issue with hyperbole is weird.

It’s not exactly an “issue with hyperbole” when you’re saying you’ve been told off (complaint worthy) to saying you were given a heads up in an inoffensive way (not complaint worthy) 🙄

Why the need to complain at all?

What’s wrong with feedback?

“Visited you today, was told won’t be able to use high chairs. Assume Covid related. Would like to give feedback that without high chairs I’d find it too awkward to visit with my toddler. Would be great if you can find a way to make high chair provision work. Thank you.”

Spiderbaby8 · 17/10/2020 17:57

If they don't want people to use them they should put them away. It sounds annoying, but I wouldn't complain personally.

BewilderedDoughnut · 17/10/2020 17:57

I've never complained before! Which is why I'm a bit wobbly about whether it's the right thing to do

It’s not the right thing to do. Sucks to have kids in a pandemic but not much you can do about it now.

millymae · 17/10/2020 17:57

Makes no sense to me, but in many ways it’s no more or less ridiculous than some of the Covid rules - for example how do you explain the fact that in Liverpool (tier 3 gyms) have had to close, yet in Lancashire (also tier 3) they can remain open.
FWIW I’ve got a table booked in a farm cafe on Monday - just for a coffee - and I was able to book a high chair, so they are definitely in use there

Pangwin · 17/10/2020 18:00

It's a silly rule made even sillier by the fact the high chairs were out on display waiting to be used. If they didn't want people to use the high chairs then they should have put them away out of sight or taped them off.

Rosebel · 17/10/2020 18:01

Well they can have whatever rules they want really. I do think they should have had a notice up or removed the high chairs but I wouldn't complain.

Hokeywokey · 17/10/2020 18:02

I would imagine it's due to social distancing rules.

Tigerstripe20 · 17/10/2020 18:06

Shows how dirty everything was before this , my parents went to a Local Chain pub recently they used to go before LD and always thought it looked clean.
They asked the landlady if they had a complete decoration , she said no we just deep cleaned everything ..Bleurgh
OP get the travel chair , who knows how grubby the others are.

Original poster
Lofu · 17/10/2020 18:07

Pretty clear consensus- there will be no complaint from me! I shall stick to simple grumbling.

OP posts:
TempsPerdu · 17/10/2020 18:13

It’s a ridiculous rule, as so many of these Covid rules are, but as pp have said each business is within their rights to have their own rules, ridiculous or not.

I probably wouldn’t complain as such but I certainly wouldn’t give them my business again and I might be inclined to drop them a (polite) email to tell them why.

Unfortunately children (and therefore young families) are being excluded from many places at present due to Covid - DD is 2 and we’ve encountered so many examples of this over the summer so I think your experience is just the tip of the iceberg really. Our society seems to view provision for families as an optional extra at the best of times, and this is far from being the best of times! We do often feel like persona non grata when we take DD out in public places at present - I think a sizeable minority of people would prefer it if all the kids were just cooped up at home.

TempsPerdu · 17/10/2020 18:15

Maybe this will mean less kids eating out, which I’m all for

Et voilà, found one on this very thread.

slashlover · 17/10/2020 18:21

It’s a ridiculous rule, as so many of these Covid rules are, but as pp have said each business is within their rights to have their own rules, ridiculous or not.

As a PP has said, if they've (for example) moved the tables farther apart to follow the rules then a highchair at the end of a table could make it less than the legal minimum distance apart.

momager1 · 17/10/2020 18:24

restaurant owner here. We allow highchairs at our tables but remove a chair. For our booths we DO NOT allow highchairs pulled to the end of the booth. It creates less space between other tables etc than is allowed by law. However we also have a sign and a chain roping of our highchairs so that a guest cannot grab one

ShesMadeATwatOfMePam · 17/10/2020 18:25

If they don't want them used, they should put a sign up or remove them.

BananaFlavouredPancakes · 17/10/2020 18:25

If they didn't want the high chairs to be used, they should have been put away in that case. I don't really get it either, in normal times, they are cleansed after each use so it shouldn't require any additional resource. I don't think I'd go to the bother of complaining though.

ShesMadeATwatOfMePam · 17/10/2020 18:26

Such a stupid rule anyway. I would vote with my feet and wouldn't be going there again.

Devlesko · 17/10/2020 18:27

Complain about what, ffs.
You weren't to know, they should have removed them.
Here's a grip.

Rosehip10 · 17/10/2020 18:36

"discrimination of children" Hmm

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