WIBU to ask for a second straw?

[Thefriendlymoth]

Earlier today I took my kids out to a leisure centre with an attached soft play/splash pool. We’d finished an activity we went for and sat down in the centre cafe. I ordered a drink for myself and one slushie type drink as a treat for my children, I asked for an extra scoop ended straw (my kids wouldn’t be able to drink a whole slushie each so had one to share and I figured two straws would stop any squabbling). The lady behind the counter physically rolled her eyes at me, paused so long looking back at me and the straws I thought she was going to say no, then stomped off, giving Kevin the Teenager a run for his money. She got an additional straw, as she was handing it to me she pulled it back and quite aggressively said “we really aren’t supposed to do this!” This whole time making really intense eye contact, before handing it to me. I genuinely wouldn’t have minded if she had said no to the second straw request but she made me feel like an absolute monster for even asking. She seemed so cross. I guess she thought I was a CF for only buying one drink and splitting it? Was she angry at me not providing my own reusable straws? It was just a really strange interaction and it’s got me second guessing myself that I was rude or cheeky! I did say please!

YANBU. What a weirdo 😂 as if the straw was coming out of her wages! Total jobs worth.

I suppose you wouldn’t be allowed to split one meal between two in a restaurant

I sometimes have to ask for another because it’s gone soggy now they’re all paper!! She was being ridiculous

Give over. It’s a leisure centre cafe, not the Ritz 😂

She’s probably one of those hyped up environmentalists who’s constantly stressed because of the frenzy she’s been whipped up into

YANBU but you are being a bit strange that you are even give this any headspace still.

I guess, this was her issue. I suppose in my head I just didn’t liken that to be the same sort of thing but I can see how logically it’s kind of the same. Surely you can just say, “oh sorry, we can only give out one per drink” rather than acting like she did.

@Xmasfairy86 can confirm both straws did end up soggy messes - I dread to think what she would have done if I’d gone to ask for a third!

For adults in an in-demand restaurant maybe not (although I’ve done it once or twice in the past when not especially hungry) but most restaurants are happy for parents to split a full size portion meal between a couple of children and will usually provide extra plates to divide it out.

Oh I agree! I don’t know why it’s stuck with me either. I guess it was just such a strange interaction and I don’t really have anyone IRL to run it by so MN seemed appropriate!

I guess the leisure centre cafe vs Ritz comment works for the level of service to be expected too. A bit of reluctance is no biggie for something she's not meant to do but actually did, think you're over-analysing with the intense stare etc. Next time just share one straw and manage any squabbling. Taking turns is arguably less stressful than them racing to suck up their quotient before the other one.

Where I work, pub selling a lot of food, people ask for extra glasses, plates, cutlery or whatever all the time and none of us would would bat an eyelid.
Lots of people share their meals.
It's absolutely ridiculous of her to make a drama about an extra straw 🙄

do so regularly. One dish and a plate please. Or one pudding and an extra spoon.

one bottle of wine for the table, whether that’s 2 of us drinking or 4.

Perhaps it was the last straw 😆

🤣🤣🤣🤣

@AllAboutMargot the one that broke the camel's back 🐫 🐪 🐫

Happy to see the consensus is that she was being a bit of a jobsworth. Willing to concede that I should have taken the hit on squabbles and just made my kids share (although I think with two mouths on it one straw would have disintegrated before they’d finished 😂).

I will say, I don’t think I was overthinking it over analysing her reaction- she certainly didn’t try to hide her annoyance and when she said she shouldn’t do it, it was said through gritted teeth/ with obvious anger. I think that’s why it stood out to me so much, a bit of reluctance or any of the other behaviour on its own wouldn’t have stood out but altogether it felt very uncomfortable.

Hahaha! 😂 that’s great!

Had you already paid? I’d have been tempted to say “oh right, if it’s a problem I’ll just leave it then” and walked out, leaving the unpaid for but already poured out slushie on the counter. Would’ve given her pause for thought about her attitude.
(and taken the kids somewhere else)

Wow, that's quite the description of events there OP.

She made you feel like a monster did she? 😂

She was a bit of an arse but I do think you should've bought a drink each. It's how places like that make their money.

I regularly get a panini split between two children, if the kids menu is rubbish.

It’s just a turn of phrase. I quite didn’t run out of the café shielding myself from the angry gaze of pitchfork waving leisure centre staff!

I totally forgot you need to add a disclaimer on MN to confirm a fairly lighthearted thread.

I'm just kidding with you OP 😁

It does sound like a lot of drama over a straw.

It a kids drink in a local leisure centre.

I've been in loads of cafes and restaurants, usually with one of my adult DDs, and we've order somethings like a piece of cake with coffee and asked for two forks as we want to share.

No one has ever rolled their eyes or behaved as if we're asking for something unreasonable.

The woman in the leisure centre was rude and ridiculous.

Ahh sorry….and the straws continue to breed anger and drama. Here was me thinking paper straws were out there to help the planet! 😂