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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to suggests cafes should have to cover their food?

133 replies

hoven · 03/05/2023 14:50

There's a cafe in my local park that I go to with my dc.

They sell lovely cakes and usually have around 5 an the counter.

However I hardly ever end up buying them as they are left uncovered.

AIBU to suggest every food establishment should cover the food they are selling?

If anyone knows if I can report to the food standards agency please let me know

OP posts:
HandaPanda · 03/05/2023 14:56

I'm not sure you need to report to FSA. Why don't you just say that you want to buy their cakes but worry about them not being covered and ask if it's something they could do.

Ellemeg82 · 03/05/2023 14:57

I agree they should be covered. I hate seeing flies in the summer crawling over them!

KnickerlessParsons · 03/05/2023 14:59

In what way are they uncovered? Are they just on the top of the counter with no cover or in, say, a glass counter but uncovered?
Either way, as long as there aren't any flies around - is it really a big deal?

Original poster
hoven · 03/05/2023 15:03

KnickerlessParsons · 03/05/2023 14:59

In what way are they uncovered? Are they just on the top of the counter with no cover or in, say, a glass counter but uncovered?
Either way, as long as there aren't any flies around - is it really a big deal?

On the top of a table like counter each cake on cake stands. This is also in a city park

OP posts:
SummerInSun · 03/05/2023 15:03

What do you think is happening to them? Flies / other insects? Or other customers sneezing coughing all over them? Or just going stale?

Original poster
hoven · 03/05/2023 15:06

SummerInSun · 03/05/2023 15:03

What do you think is happening to them? Flies / other insects? Or other customers sneezing coughing all over them? Or just going stale?

Pollution/dust/saliva/poo/germ particles falling on them

OP posts:
Dogsitterwoes · 03/05/2023 15:28

I don't think there is a legal requirement for food to be covered, so not reportable just for that. If fresh cream, they need to be chilled.

Bonbon21 · 03/05/2023 15:32

I completely agree with OP.
A lovely cafe opened up near me at the beginning of 2022. Great coffee.. homemade cakes etc look amazing. All lying on the counter beside the till..no covering of any kind .. people leaning over them to reach the card machine...
I will never order or taste any of them......

ChillyB · 03/05/2023 15:32

I wouldn’t buy uncovered cakes either. That sounds really grim.
It would actually put me off going there altogether if that’s how the manage food publicly ‘cause what do they do in the back?

FofD · 03/05/2023 15:33

You don't need to go to the Food Standards agency. You can contact your local environmental health officer at your council. You can usually call it a food hygiene complaint. However, before lodging a formal complaint, you can just ask them what the guidelines are.

I did it at a takeaway when I saw cross contamination of raw meat and salad while I was waiting. (E.g. handling one then cutting the lettuce)

SummerInSun · 03/05/2023 15:42

Personally it wouldn’t bother me even slightly unless there were lots of flies around - the idea poo is somehow getting on them seems bonkers. And we are breathing pollen, dust, other people’s germs constantly anyway.

But the fact that it is bothering you and clearly there are other people on this thread who agree says to me that they are losing sales. Next time you are there when things are quiet why not say politely (ideally to the owner/manager) that you love the look of the cakes but you don’t feel comfortable buying them if they are being stored uncovered for hygiene reasons, and you think a lot of other people feel the same, so thought you’d make a friendly suggestion that they should buy some glass cake cover.

GeraltsBathtub · 03/05/2023 15:44

I’d agree if there were flies on them but worrying about air going on them is bonkers. Are you also worried about these supposed poo particles in the air landing on your lips or do you keep those covered too?

VWRabbit · 03/05/2023 15:46

There is a butchers near us, my nearest one. I'd love to shop there, but I never will .. because they also have flies crawling all over everything. I don't know how they get away with it actually, it's more than the odd one. The guy also smokes and then goes straight back to dealing with his wares without washing his hands 😫 I'll be honest though, I don't care enough to report it..they have a lot of customers, so someone must be ok with it!

Leftbutcameback · 03/05/2023 15:48

I agree. There’s a lovely local coffee van near me which is tiny and he manages to have a covered display case, which looks nice and you can see all the cakes. No need for everything to be out on top.

Clymene · 03/05/2023 15:50

Is there poo flying through the air at your park? Yuck. You should go to a different park.

KimberleyClark · 03/05/2023 15:52

I think I agree that they ought to be under transparent covers unless they are actually enclosed in a refrigeration unit or something.

KimberleyClark · 03/05/2023 15:53

VWRabbit · 03/05/2023 15:46

There is a butchers near us, my nearest one. I'd love to shop there, but I never will .. because they also have flies crawling all over everything. I don't know how they get away with it actually, it's more than the odd one. The guy also smokes and then goes straight back to dealing with his wares without washing his hands 😫 I'll be honest though, I don't care enough to report it..they have a lot of customers, so someone must be ok with it!

This is what stops me buying meat from a butcher rather than the supermarket.

starfishmummy · 03/05/2023 15:54

hoven · 03/05/2023 15:03

On the top of a table like counter each cake on cake stands. This is also in a city park

Show quote history

If they're in a cake stand they could have domes over tjem. A cafe I go to does this.

whostolemycheeseagain · 03/05/2023 16:05

YANBU OP

Original poster
hoven · 03/05/2023 16:05

GeraltsBathtub · 03/05/2023 15:44

I’d agree if there were flies on them but worrying about air going on them is bonkers. Are you also worried about these supposed poo particles in the air landing on your lips or do you keep those covered too?

If I had people standing, breathing and reaching over me like the cakes have I would be

OP posts:
Pinkdelight3 · 03/05/2023 16:16

I can't get worked up about this kind of thing. Not when people stick their faces in each other's genitals/bums for fun and seem to survive unscathed, for the most part. And if you've ever been on holiday to the likes of Morocco and eaten outdoors, you have to get over the fear of flies on food pretty swiftly. That said, some people are much fussier about their food/germs (and faces/genitals) so make the polite suggestion by all means. Sure they want to sell their cakes so anything that's putting people off is worth addressing.

Original poster
hoven · 03/05/2023 16:18

@Bonbon21 it's really not hard to keep them covered

OP posts:
summerisontheway · 03/05/2023 16:19

YANBU I do not buy uncovered cakes in cafes etc. I used to rate National Trust cafes because their cakes were always under glass domes but this may not be true anymore.

Original poster
hoven · 03/05/2023 16:20

@Clymene farts are actually poo particles and yes I believe people fart in this cafe. Not a poo troll btw!

OP posts:
BadgerFacedCoo · 03/05/2023 16:21

"I can't get worked up about this kind of thing. Not when people stick their faces in each other's genitals/bums for fun and seem to survive unscathed, for the most part."

I don't like the parks you go to @Pinkdelight3