Having to clean up after myself in a cafe?

[goodmorningsunny]

I go with a group of friends and out babies to a cafe each week. Apparently the week before last the cafe manager had a go at one of the mums because she said that her baby made mess under his high chair and she didn't clean it up before she left.

This week, as I was packing up to leave (with a screaming overtired baby who is refusing to nap because of teething!), she gave me a dustpan and brush and pointed at the few bit of food under her high chair and asked me to clean up after myself.

It's advertised as a very family friendly cafe.

To make it clear, if she had made an unreasonable mess I would of course have cleaned it up (or tried, it's a bit difficult when you don't have any cleaning materials). But it was a few bits on the floor. I've offered to clean up in other cafes and they've said "don't be silly, we'll do it!".

I guess I'm going to be way more conscious about allowing my baby to make a mess in the future (good luck!). But after I told my mum, she said I should leave a negative review about it on their cafe page and seemed to think it was unreasonable.

Is it unreasonable to ask a parent to clean the floor after their baby? I'm torn because on the one side, I can see how it would be annoying for the staff. On the other hand, I don't bring cleaning materials with me and it's advertised as family friendly... which I would think would mean they're aware that babies make mess!

[Mari9999]

I run a family friendly household, but I would still expect my guests to make an effort to clean up any mess made by their children. I would certainly do the same in any house or establishment where I was a guest or a patron.

In my home, I would probably say, " leave it be, I will take care of it later" but I would still expect the effort to be made.

In a restaurant, I would make an effort to clean up any mess that my baby would make. Even in places where I am paying for service, I expect to be courteous and essentially leave things as I found them.

[Wetblanket78]

Exactly we were in a restaurant not long after opening after covid. A child in a highchair had dropped some food next to the highchair which was also at the top of a flight of stairs. We couldn't believe they didn't pick it up. The very busy one waiting on staff looked in disgust. But with covid they couldn't pick it up with they're hands. They were looking for a dustpan and brush to pick it up. I admit my children used to make a mess when small it's all part of learning to feed themselves. But I would feel terrible if someone slipped on some food they had dropped. Of course it would be the restaurant responsible not the diner's.

[PinkSyCo]

@Shycookie

I read alot of the replies and im tired of all the entiled people who think that they are better than everyone else...to the poor mom I am very sorry this happened to you..it has happened to me..its very stressful to deal with a overly tired teething baby. ..Everyone including ADULTS make a mess in restaurants and cafes.. the employees do get paid with tips and lil salary to keep the restaurants and cafes clean including cleaning tbe tables and sweeping floors Meaning it's ther job to sweep the floor after babies, kids and Adults that make a bit of a mess.. I clean up and stack my dishes after I eat but sweeping tbe floor or a FEW bits of food is uncalled for if I were you I would leave a review about how they are not family friendly unless u want to sweep the floor.

For the people who are being so entitled: how would you like it if they handed you the broom and dustpan because you or your parent dropped a napkin or a piece of food.???

I rather think it’s the parents who drag their teething, overtired babies to a cafe, because they couldn’t possibly miss lunch, who are the entitled ones!

[Daddaddadad]

Never in my life have I heard of such rudeness. I hope you leave an awful review and never go back again.

[MzHz]

@Citycentre3

I dunno, perhaps it is the sanctimonious tone of your comment!😁

Wow… it’s apparently sanctimonious to have standards and manners.

[MzHz]

@deniselovesdrawing

Then don’t advertise as family friendly if you don’t mums there…Jesus

Since when does ‘family friendly’ mean trash the place, leave piles of crap, nappies, mushed up bought elsewhere snacks etc?

its behaviour like this that is anti child. Our only job in life is to teach them to be functioning and positive adults. The more entitlement shown by piss poor parenting, the fewer places will put up with this. And rightly so.

[Faith77]

@Shycookie

I read alot of the replies and im tired of all the entiled people who think that they are better than everyone else...to the poor mom I am very sorry this happened to you..it has happened to me..its very stressful to deal with a overly tired teething baby. ..Everyone including ADULTS make a mess in restaurants and cafes.. the employees do get paid with tips and lil salary to keep the restaurants and cafes clean including cleaning tbe tables and sweeping floors Meaning it's ther job to sweep the floor after babies, kids and Adults that make a bit of a mess.. I clean up and stack my dishes after I eat but sweeping tbe floor or a FEW bits of food is uncalled for if I were you I would leave a review about how they are not family friendly unless u want to sweep the floor.

For the people who are being so entitled: how would you like it if they handed you the broom and dustpan because you or your parent dropped a napkin or a piece of food.???

Please go & look up the meaning of "entitled". You are using it all wrong.
And, to answer your question, I would be mortified... For not realising myself that there was mess left and cleaning it up myself. It is NOT "their job" to clean up unnecessary mess left behind by rude clientele who believe the staff are their personal skivvies! For the record, YOU are the one looking down on the cafe/restaurant staff you believe should clean up after you, and YOU are the entitled one for thinking that way. Everyone else merely has morals and (apparently not-so-common) decency.

[HairyMcLarie]

Honestly why does everything have to be so reductive? "THEY ASKED A MUMMY OF A TEENY LITTLE BABY TO CLEAN THE CAFE BECAUSE THEY DROPPED AN ICKLE CRUMB!"

• a few crumbs is clearly fine, I've had plenty of crumbly scones in a cafe that may end up on the floor. That's expected, child or not. If they asked you to clear that up that sounds unreasonable. Also it can be left for a while without the place looking unhygienic
• gummed up halves of chip, chunks of food, massive smears of puréed food, bite size bits of muffin, torn up napkins should be picked up by anyone that drops them. It's dangerous for a start. It's disrespectful to staff and other customers too. Asking you to pick those up is more than reasonable.

Occam's razor and my experience as cafe staff would say that what you left was the latter given the response from the staff. If you truly believe it was the former just don't go back.

[HairyMcLarie]

@Shycookie "the employees do get paid with tips and lil salary to keep the restaurants and cafes clean"

'Lil salary'?! How fucking patronising are you. Jesus.

[mycatisannoying]

I always cleaned up after mine. It's the respectful thing to do.
Baby wipes = cleaning materials

[MzHz]

@HairyMcLarie

@Shycookie "the employees do get paid with tips and lil salary to keep the restaurants and cafes clean"

'Lil salary'?! How fucking patronising are you. Jesus.

Tbf @HairyMcLarie don’t think she’s that bright going by her posting style and stance.

[Maverickess]

@mycatisannoying

I always cleaned up after mine. It's the respectful thing to do.
Baby wipes = cleaning materials

Ah well there's the root of the issue, respect. Hospitality staff aren't worth any respect according to so many on here.
And insist on a bit and you then turn the antagonist into the poor hapless victim being picked on by the mean and scary cafe workers.

Just like @HairyMcLarie describes -

Honestly why does everything have to be so reductive? "THEY ASKED A MUMMY OF A TEENY LITTLE BABY TO CLEAN THE CAFE BECAUSE THEY DROPPED AN ICKLE CRUMB!"


a few crumbs is clearly fine, I've had plenty of crumbly scones in a cafe that may end up on the floor. That's expected, child or not. If they asked you to clear that up that sounds unreasonable. Also it can be left for a while without the place looking unhygienic
**
gummed up halves of chip, chunks of food, massive smears of puréed food, bite size bits of muffin, torn up napkins should be picked up by anyone that drops them. It's dangerous for a start. It's disrespectful to staff and other customers too. Asking you to pick those up is more than reasonable.

And people wonder why we're short of people wanting to work in hospitality!

[MoronPointerOutter]

@ABJ100

Well they are clearly fed up of you and your mum friends making a mess for them to clear up. Why do you think it's beneath you to clean your own child's mess??

You are a moron. Clean up your attitude with a broom and dustpan.

[eastegg]

@HairyMcLarie

Honestly why does everything have to be so reductive? "THEY ASKED A MUMMY OF A TEENY LITTLE BABY TO CLEAN THE CAFE BECAUSE THEY DROPPED AN ICKLE CRUMB!"

• a few crumbs is clearly fine, I've had plenty of crumbly scones in a cafe that may end up on the floor. That's expected, child or not. If they asked you to clear that up that sounds unreasonable. Also it can be left for a while without the place looking unhygienic
• gummed up halves of chip, chunks of food, massive smears of puréed food, bite size bits of muffin, torn up napkins should be picked up by anyone that drops them. It's dangerous for a start. It's disrespectful to staff and other customers too. Asking you to pick those up is more than reasonable.

Occam's razor and my experience as cafe staff would say that what you left was the latter given the response from the staff. If you truly believe it was the former just don't go back.

This is spot on.

I’m still lmao at the poster who thought that the sort of mess described in your second category could be brought in from outside on people’s shoes!!!

[TXmum3]

Considering almost all of my work history is working in coffee shops and cafes I will tell you, I never expect a customer to clean up after themselves. It's our jobs. Families with little ones are going to be messier than most tables but that's expected. I would never hand a customer a broom and dustpan, that's rude.

[H34th]

Meanwhile at the World Cup: Japan fans impress by cleaning up stadium www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-44492611

So tired of going to cafes for a tear to then sit on sticky chairs and tables, stepping on crumbs on the floor. And don't even get me started on the toilets.

Customers expecting someone else to clean because they are paid to do so vs. overstretched, demoralised staff who are there only until a better job comes along.

Everybody thinks cleaning is below them and there's no fix while this mentality is part of the culture.

[H34th]

Going to cafes for a TREAT*

[Twobirdsinatree]

I think the cafe staff member was being rude here but also I would make an effort to pick up food my child had dropped on the floor yeah.. faults on both sides.
I used to work in a bar/restaurant and would've been fired if id taken a dustpan and brush over to a customer and asked them to clean the floor, regardless of how messy they had been. That is rude bad service. But as I said it is also good manners to try and clean up after your kids a bit if they've been messy in a cafe.
Can see you were stressed on your own with a very young baby tho.. staff member should not have been rude to you

[Hobnobswantshernameback]

Thread is nearly six months old
i expect the mum has recovered by now 🙄