Asking staff to rinse toddler plate

[leggingsandasweatshirt]

I am extremely hormonal so potentially being unreasonable, but interested to see if others think this is a reasonable request or if I am over stepping:

We were out for lunch today and I brought a suction plate for DS (almost 2) because he is likely to launch a regular plate. When we'd finished I realised I'd run out of nappy bags so didn't have anything to put the dirty plate in inside my bag.

I explained this to the waitress and apologised for being a pain and asked if it was possible for someone to give it a quick rinse so I could put it in my bag without covering everything in gravy.

She looked at me like I'd just shit on the table and responded she was trying to clear the plates. I was mortified that I had clearly offended her and said it didn't matter. My step mum then suggested I rinse the plate in the sink in the toilet which I hadn't thought of, so I then went and did that.

I have asked restaurants to do this on occasion before - am I being an entitled wanker or is this a reasonable request?!

That does make sense actually. I still think she could have responded more politely though - as in suggesting to the OP to wipe the plate or go to the toilets if it was too much trouble rather than giving her a horrible look. It isn't difficult to be polite to someone who clearly meant no harm.

How busy was it?

Note how they said "most" toddlers. Not all. But it's still very common

I've worked a lot of hospitality jobs including waitressing, and I wouldn't think twice about doin this for a customer. It would take seconds.

It wouldn’t have crossed my mind to ask a waitress to do this. I would have just used paper napkins to dry it and given it a proper wash at home. I wouldn’t want a wet plate anyway in my bag.

It's funny at home I'd always use wipes, but when I've been abroad they always offer. I don't think yabu unreasonable asking.

Depends how busy it was.

If it was manic and they were trying to deal with 3 tables at once then YABU.

If it was quiet then maybe.

Surprised the toilet sink option didn't occur straight away but 🤷🏼‍♀️

Yes you were being unreasonable. Can't believe you asked her to wash it up for you.

I mean I do understand this but also most people would dry a wet plate with tissues, as the OP probably did after rinsing it in the toilet sink. Doubt a wet plate would go into the bag.

I think it's weird to ask.

I don’t think I’d ask someone to do it myself, but I don’t think you are unreasonable. I would have probably just wiped it with a napkin or washed it in the sink toilets. But I think she was harsh to not do it.

Yabu.

You didn't do anything offensive, I hope you didn't leave a tip. I would have just given it a wipe with a napkin and then a wet wipe though.

You're so lucky. Mine lobbed everything to see what happened.

You bought a £9 kids roast dinner for a toddler??

I wish I knew the answer. Sadly my 1 year old will not articulate why she insists on throwing her plate from her high chair at every single meal.
Reading this I don't actually know why I haven't bought a suction plate to stop it happening as it drives me bananas. My first child didn't ever do it so I think I thought it would be a phase but it's been happening for months and months and months.

So did mine!

Sometimes I think it's also in the way you ask.

Saying

"I'm sorry to bother you and no worries if it's too much hassle, but is there any chance you could just quickly run this under the tap please?"

is different to

"Can you wash this for me?"

Obviously we don't know which one it was.

But we do. It says in the original post that she apologised for being a pain and explained

Yes thank you! It was exactly this, looking back it makes more sense and is probably easier to do it myself in the toilet, or even use wipes I suppose, but I just didn't even think to in the moment.

It makes perfect sense that people have different jobs in the kitchen which might make what I thought was a simple request more complicated, and I probably won't ask again, but do feel vindicated that not everyone thinks it was a totally unreasonable request!

have you ever had a toddler?

This. People are out of their minds. A restaurant is not your own house.

I used to wipe my DDs plate brought from home with a wet wipe and then air dry it for a few minutes before putting in my bag. One time the staff took the plate away and washed it before we realised they had done it but I wouldn't ask otherwise.