To think this was ridiculous?

[SnakeyCakey]

Went to a cafe yesterday with my friend and my 13 month old baby.

Myself and my friend ordered food and drinks however my son is pretty fussy so he'll only have certain things. Every time we go out I take a small lunch box of the easy things he'll eat, yesterday I took a small wrap, cheese, chicken, some cucumber sticks and a banana.

Anyway, long and short of it is an employee wouldn't allow me to feed my son his packed lunch as they didn't allow people's own food in the cafe.

If we'd all wacked out a picnic I could understand but my friend and I were having food and drink purchased from there. Tried to explain the situation but he was having none of it so we had to quickly eat what we could and leave as my son was getting upset that there was no food for him.

AIBU to think this is complete overkill and to complain?

I'm with you OP. Both of my kids were the same and only really now coming out of it (one is at secondary school!) People with kids who eat everything don't understand our pain 😂

Every cafe I have been to are absolutely fine with just adults eating and kids having a few small snacks. I just wouldn't return to that particular one again.

There is no such thing as a fussy eater. No one would refuse food if they were starving. This is a case of parents pandering to children’s tantrums.

Great time to try out new food and not pander to a tantrum - in a cafe when you're out for a meal with your friend..... LOL

I really would feel like I was taking the piss if I gave them a specific list of the things my kids would eat and how to prepare them. They'd definitely wish they hadn't forced the issue by that point 😁

YANBU and I'm surprised by some of the responses here, he's just a baby! In my town most of the cafes are chains and only sell prepackaged sandwiches, paninis etc that are full of salt and sugar etc and wouldn't be suitable for a child of his age

Quite. Maybe if cafes didn't serve such pre-packed over processed shite, we wouldn't be in this position in the first place. Imagine asking Costa to make something for a baby. LOL.

I feed my little one before we go but i do top them up with small snacks if they are being fussy. mine wouldnt eat the stuff off the menu as it is too salty/spicy.

Unbelievably ridiculous. I do this all the time for my 14 month old if she won't eat what's on the menu - I always have a back up packed lunch in her changing bag. I've never ever had any comments or issues when I've needed to give her something from it. They are babies at this age for goodness sake! YANBU OP.

Lol ive asked costa staff to warm up food ive bought with me. Theyve never said no.

Putting it into perspective, we are talking about an infant child who had solids introduced to their diet only a matter of, what, 6-7 months ago. Really, honestly can't believe people have an issue with this. I'm glad I've never encountered a cafe like this OP!

That’s an incredibly short-sighted policy then. Mothers with very young children are the lifeblood of cafes, because they’re more likely to spend upwards of a fiver on coffee and cake. Having a minimum order for a 13-month old means they lose the money from the adults.

I think it was pretty petty of them. 13 months is still very young to buy something from the kids' menu size-wise. We did a lot of lunches out when DD was around that age and I usually took some bits for her like pinwheels, a piece of fruit. etc. No one ever batted an eyelid, and I see plenty of parents doing it when out and about. When she was a bit older, then we bought her own meal for her.

Exactly! 🙄🤣

"Pandering to tantrums" at 13 months old. I've heard it all. This is a baby. A baby who has only been learning to eat solid foods for about 6 MONTHS by this point in their life.

I honestly despair!

Fucking clueless

I can’t imagine how unhappy I’d be if I was both starving AND the only thing available to eat was tripe. What a miserable existence. I bet I’d have a tantrum.

I've been to loads of cafes / restaurants with my toddler and none of them have ever had a problem with me bringing food from home for him.
If just make a note not to return to that particular place again.

YANBU

i doubt you could have got plain wrap, cheese, chicken etc in a small enough portion for a 1 yr old.

the cafe were being unreasonable

we’ve had this at soft play with our diabetic dd told she couldn’t eat her sweets 🤦‍♀️ I totally ignored them as her glucose level was low. They tried to tell me I could only purchase food from their cafe and to get her a yogurt or banana.

For my child with ASD and ARFID a cafe tried to say he couldn’t eat his packed lunch.
i said ‘ok I’ll take it off him like you’ve said but please be aware he has a disability so if he reacts to this you cannot legally ask us to leave….. ‘after approx 3 mins of his screaming meltdown they said it was fine for him to have it

I agree with you OP. I think if a child is under two it's totally fine to bring food for them, as long as you are ordering food and drink yourself. Kids at that are are fussy, and no way would I be buying then a whole meal, which they'd probably eat one bite of or chuck on the floor. Cafe owners need to either offer baby suitable food or let it go and realise that by doing so they're more likely to keep people's custom.

It's probably a blanket policy for liability issues re allergens etc. Not personal or something to feel victimised about.

Hahahhahahaah yes TOTALLY fucking clueless

my child would and HAS starved rather than eat if their safe foods aren’t available

Jesus.

I can see their point - for adults + older children. But yours is a 13 month old and you’d all bought other stuff.

The thing is that they’ve probably cut their nose off to spite their face.

Will you be going back?
I imagine you’ve told your friends about what happened. Are the likely to go?

I wonder if they’d have objected to you breast feeding - as you hadn’t bought it from them.
Perhaps they could introduce corkage fees for breast feeding?

Perhaps they could introduce corkage fees for breast feeding?

🤣
And I think this illustrates perfectly how ridiculous the cafe were being to deny a BABY food that he is able to eat.

Similar happened to DH at soft play recently he pulled out a banana for DS to eat and have him a bottle of water (refillable), staff came over and said he can't eat that here we sell our own food. DH said oh sorry do you sell fruit I didn't realise, they said well no but we've got crisps or the children's meals, when DH asked what they consisted of he was told we have burger or chicken nuggets today. He told them on that basis he'd feed DS a healthy snack we'd bright from home. DH had purchased a choice and piece of cake for himself and it's one where you pay every for the child and the adult. Ridiculous.

YANBU for all the reasons the posters who still have the common sense they were born with have already given.

If you're buying food and drink then I really don't see the problem. The child is coming in with paying adults - it's not an adult who's whipping out a pork pie and a thermos of coffee.

As for the poster who came out with this "There is no such thing as a fussy eater. No one would refuse food if they were starving. This is a case of parents pandering to children’s tantrums" - did you get up this morning determined to make a twat of yourself? In which case, well done - you succeeded.

“AIBU to think this is complete overkill and to complain?”

I think I’d be on facebook and/or trip advisor etc.