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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dogs in Restaurants

187 replies

whyaredogseverywhere · 30/10/2023 14:51

I'm so annoyed still. We are on holiday at the moment and asked the cottage owner for a recommendation on where to go for lunch. They recommended a pub, but said to see if we could we should sit in the conservatory for the best views of the bay.

I subsequently booked a table for Sunday lunch and asked to be in the conservatory by the window, but mentioned that we don't like dogs so could they make sure there were none on the surrounding tables. It wasn't mentioned at this point it would be a problem.

Anyway we were sat at our table, drinks arrived and then a woman came in by herself (wasnt shown in or anything) and sat at the next door table with a labrador or something. Not nice when you are going to eat! Anyway I mentioned to the waitress that I had specifically said we hadn't wanted dogs nearby, and could they be moved. I was told that the consevatory was dog friendly, and we could have a table in the main dining room, but we had specifically come for the views so I said that wasnt going to work.

I then asked to speak with the manager, who basically told me the same thing. Anyway Dog-lady then calls the manger over, they exchange a few words laughing and she moves to a table down the other end of the room.

A few minutes later our waitress comes in with a cup of biscuits for the dog and a bottle of wine for the lady, I think they knew each other. Que more laughter and her saying in a braying voice (like something out of a Jilly Cooper book) that it wasn't needed and basically making a big song and dance out of how kind they were.

They all made us feel really awkward through the whole meal and like we were the butt of a big joke. We hurried our meal, and when the bill came I asked the manager to take off our drinks for the disruption we'd had at the start. He refused- even though I'd seen him give drinks to the other table.

It's really ruined the rest of my afternoon and morning today. We spent a lot of money with them, and were treated with less hospitality than a dog! I'm just sick of dogs being given better treatment than people all the damn time.

OP posts:
AgingDisgracefullyHere · 30/10/2023 16:33

Yes they were laughing at you because you were being awkward.

I don't love dogs and I wish they weren't in restaurants, and I think the person taking the booking should have said something. But you sound like you were being a whiny pill.

You could have said to the woman, "I'm so sorry but I have a severe allergy to dogs... Would you mind sitting elsewhere?" and she probably would have done so without being awkward.

Asking for free drinks was just cheeky of you.

UnderwaterSpaceCadet · 30/10/2023 16:33

BCCoach · 30/10/2023 16:31

Country pubs have dogs in them. They always have and always will. I’m not sure why this comes as a surprise to tourists.

Well, everything else about the countryside seems a surprise to certain tourists…

ShanghaiDiva · 30/10/2023 16:33

Autumnvibes23 · 30/10/2023 16:10

But surely when the OP asked to book a table without dogs around they should have told her that the table would have to be in the dining room if they wanted it guaranteed to be dog free.

This is the key point.

BCCoach · 30/10/2023 16:35

Jessforless · 30/10/2023 16:22

I love dogs being allowed in restaurants, but let’s be honest, there are tonnes of options if you don’t like it. It doesn’t have to be such a huge deal.

There really aren’t if you are in a rural area as it seems here. All our local pubs (there are no restaurants as such, just pubs that serve food) are “dog friendly”. Not that they bill themselves as such, they are just ordinary country pubs. Anyone asking to be seated in a “dog free” area would be met with incredulity.

Everanewbie · 30/10/2023 16:35

@Fr00tL00ps and loud obnoxious grown ups. There's often at least one in a restaurant. Either some jumped up wine prat astonished that a poor 16 year old hasn't heard the particular vintage from some obscure Tuscan vineyard and delighting in embarrassing them whilst loudly peacocking, or someone who can't finish a sentence without using their full repertoire of swear words for all and sundry to hear. A well behaved dog is the perfect fellow diner by comparison.

FrancisFriedFish · 30/10/2023 16:37

Do you also sit outside in the smoking area and complain about smokers ? Do you go to vegetarian/vegan restaurants are complain there's no meat ? Are you really so ridiculously precious that you think your needs trump others? Good grief, this takes entitlement to a whole new level. And for what it's worth I would never eat in a dog friendly restaurant or stay in dog friendly accommodation.

Everanewbie · 30/10/2023 16:40

ShanghaiDiva · 30/10/2023 16:33

This is the key point.

Show quote history

Yes, this is the only point that I have some very small sympathy with the OP. That said, given how things turned out, the OP is being overly dramatic about a minor inconvenience according to her preference for a dog free environment. So the restaurant made a minor mistake? Get over it, and yourself! I still think that OP would find something to complain about had it been a straight clear explicit choice between the view but with dogs, vs no view with no dogs.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 30/10/2023 16:42

BCCoach · 30/10/2023 16:31

Country pubs have dogs in them. They always have and always will. I’m not sure why this comes as a surprise to tourists.

Considering the amount of people who frequent them during or after dog walks (at least where we live)… well, it seems like they would be out of business if they didn’t.
(and this thread is making me regress that I currently don’t / can’t have a dog😢😂€

NorthernSpirit · 30/10/2023 16:42

YABU.

Most pubs, especially those in rural / tourist areas are dog friendly (as hospitality was hit so hard during Covid - they have to be to appeal to as wide a customer base as possible).

YOU sat in the dog friendly area.

The dog owner very graciously moved (to accommodate you).

You still aren’t happy. You do come across as self entitled. Your needs don’t trump everyone else’s.

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 30/10/2023 16:45

How do you know it was free wine? Maybe that's what she always has?

Fr00tL00ps · 30/10/2023 16:45

Absolutely if they’re running around, shrieking or playing with loud phones/ tablets. Don’t think I’ve ever come across adults doing that though. Not come across loudpeacocking either,the above is far more common, louder, off putting and continuous. Only had disruption from a dog once. It barked and the owners unbelievably did nothing, similar to how many parents behave far more frequently.

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 30/10/2023 16:46

Everanewbie · 30/10/2023 16:40

Yes, this is the only point that I have some very small sympathy with the OP. That said, given how things turned out, the OP is being overly dramatic about a minor inconvenience according to her preference for a dog free environment. So the restaurant made a minor mistake? Get over it, and yourself! I still think that OP would find something to complain about had it been a straight clear explicit choice between the view but with dogs, vs no view with no dogs.

Show quote history

It depends on how OP phrases it to be honest.

was it communicated as a preference / nice to have or “absolutely no dogs”?

If it was the former, they probably assumed that they could accommodate OP (as they did) and/or that OP would be willing to compromise.

but I do agree that they should have mentioned it.

Fr00tL00ps · 30/10/2023 16:46

And yes dog walkers are pub owners bread and butter. They will be out whatever the weather.

RayofSunshine18 · 30/10/2023 16:46

This is why dogs are better than people.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 30/10/2023 16:47

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 30/10/2023 16:45

How do you know it was free wine? Maybe that's what she always has?

Good point

DottieMoon · 30/10/2023 16:49

YABU.

If you don't want dogs near you in a restaurant, then don't go to a dog friendly restaurant. They offered you a table where dogs weren't allowed but you didn't want that. Instead you wanted to them to change their policies to suit you.
You're lucky the staff asked and lady agreed to move and I think the restaurant were right to compensate her. What makes you so special, entitled much.

gotomomo · 30/10/2023 16:49

You obviously sat in the dog friendly area, they offered an alternative and moved the dog away when you said you wanted to stay. What is the problem? Dogs are big business, over 50% of the tables at our local have a dog with them, if you don't like it go to Wetherspoons who don't allow dogs

Everanewbie · 30/10/2023 16:52

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 30/10/2023 16:46

It depends on how OP phrases it to be honest.

was it communicated as a preference / nice to have or “absolutely no dogs”?

If it was the former, they probably assumed that they could accommodate OP (as they did) and/or that OP would be willing to compromise.

but I do agree that they should have mentioned it.

Show quote history

It would have been a bit annoying if you really had a strong objection to dogs to have expected a nice seat with a view without dogs, to having the choice of either moving or putting up with something you have an objection to, but expecting the whole pub to move around to accommodate them, attempt to blag freebees and claim their day was ruined.... to me all that stuff smacks of main character syndrome and/or an extremely privileged and easy life. They still got to see the view from the conservatory for a large proportion of their time unencumbered by hounds, and were still able to eat there meal. All this "fuming" and "ruined my day" shite does my head in.

bozzabollix · 30/10/2023 16:53

The fucking entitlement of this one.

Do yourself a favour, stay at home where you’re in absolute control of bloody everything and it doesn’t have to muck up everyone else’s day.

gotomomo · 30/10/2023 16:56

This reminds me of the lady that loudly complained on Saturday night to the bar manager about the live music in the pub and it was annoying - they have live music every Saturday night and there's 2 pubs within 5 minutes walk without music that night. Entitled sums it up

Cowlover89 · 30/10/2023 16:59

Yabu

Saharafordessert · 30/10/2023 17:00

It sounds like everyone tried to help you OP
-The lady moved tables for you
-The staff offered you another table
-They were perfectly polite (just not overly conversational but probably by this point thought it best not to offend you further)
You actually got what you went for….a meal with a view without a dog getting too close 🤔

Apossum · 30/10/2023 17:01

You sound ridiculous, entitled and, frankly, annoying. You got your own unreasonable way, why the fuck would they give you free drinks?!

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 30/10/2023 17:02

Everanewbie · 30/10/2023 16:52

It would have been a bit annoying if you really had a strong objection to dogs to have expected a nice seat with a view without dogs, to having the choice of either moving or putting up with something you have an objection to, but expecting the whole pub to move around to accommodate them, attempt to blag freebees and claim their day was ruined.... to me all that stuff smacks of main character syndrome and/or an extremely privileged and easy life. They still got to see the view from the conservatory for a large proportion of their time unencumbered by hounds, and were still able to eat there meal. All this "fuming" and "ruined my day" shite does my head in.

Show quote history

I absolutely agree.

they accommodated OP (potentially acknowledging that they should have mentioned the dog issue when OP made the reservation?).

they also risked upsetting an (apparently) regular customer for OP’s sake.

But OP is still unhappy… that does seem quite unpleasant and entitled!

kitsuneghost · 30/10/2023 17:03

I would have walked out and not paid a thing
OP asked for dog free and instead of explaining they still sat her there
If they said the nice view area was a dog area she may have chosen a different restaurant. They don't deserve her money for waiting till she was there and settled and then allowing a dog there.