Had to leave Costa as breastfeeding was taking too long

[CalmFawn]

Visited Costa last week with my 10 day old baby. Went to meet my best friend and it was my first outing without my husband ( so a bit nervous!)

Sat down and we both ordered a coffee and a cake. Had a good chat and she held baby etc. about 40 mins into seating, I started to breastfeed baby. Coffee was nearly gone but cakes hadn’t been eaten yet. A member of staff came over and demanded I stop feeding my baby as it was ‘too time consuming’ and we’ve been sat here for too long and it was a busy period so we need to leave. We pointed out there were over 10 empty tables and we still had cake but she ignored us and held the door open for us to leave. I was so upset and embarrassed I just stopped feeding baby and rushed out.

whilst reflecting over the weekend I wish I had had said something to her but worried I’ve missed some time frame that Costa allow and overran. Was she right to ask us to leave? Or was she in the wrong?

You're unreasonable for leaving cake behind! The staff member was wrong but you know that and have complained now. It's hard when your tiny baby needs feeding and you're stressed (because you are self conscious in the early days). Don't let this put you off breastfeeding and if you're challenged again try and stand your ground

Yes it’s basic awareness.

m&s cafe I’d never dream of getting my laptop out as the turnover is high.

empty Starbucks where most of the custom is drive through? Yep I’ll sit for a couple of hours and buy a couple of drinks and snacks.

if suddenly I notice people with trays struggling to find an empty table then I’ll take my laptop elsewhere to free up space.

if someone is bf though they should be able to stay until they’re finished.

I’m not a fan of Costa anyway but this staff member sounds absolutely awful!! I hope you get a huge apology and some sort of compensation station for being treated so badly. They are absolutely being unreasonable.

No, it's one of those excuses people have conveniently made up to try to excuse the cafe.

They won't make any money by throwing people out of half-empty cafes. Rather the reverse, if anything, given that OP and her friend will probably never go back and will spread the word.

update - had a reply!

Photo attached. I haven’t read the recent posts but I saw one asking if it was closing time, it wasn’t. It was 11am.

Oh, that's interesting! I spend time in Brighton sometimes, I love it. Which cafe bans laptops?

But she says there were 10 empty tables.

That’s excellent news. Very glad you followed it up. I hope they are going to give you a voucher for the uneaten cake and offer you a complementary coffee too!

And that the staff member specifically demanded that she stop feeding the baby as it was "too time consuming".

I would expect a voucher to compensate for the lost cake.

It’s called Jolliffes. They have a sign inside saying no laptops

Well done OP. I would return at the same time/day and make a point of feeding your baby….for a nice long time!! The woman who told you to leave can shove it!!

Absolutely!

Also, the focus on the lost cake on this thread is pretty funny!

I would too!

I'd bring all your bf pals as well,she how she likes that.

Yes!! Stage a boobs-out sit-in!!

Costa worker here and I also have a baby.
you should never have been treated like that!

At my store we bring over water for breastfeeding mums, I’m truly shocked

I'll come and get mine out in solidarity, and I don't even have a baby!

Oh wait, that would just be indecent exposure. Never mind!

I've sat at a Costa for three hours with one coffee and a sandwich as it was the only place I can work while waiting for my mum's treatment at hospital.

“We cannot apologise once again that this was not the case on your visit”

Nice to see someone took the time to proof read this.

So a poof reply then. No voucher ? Free drink or cake offered.

pretty poor imo

Yeah, I noticed that too. And it wasn’t the only example of poor grammar. I don’t give a toss if people use poor SPAG on t’internet, but it pisses me off in a formal letter etc.

They/she were bang out of order!!
They have broken the law and behaved frankly…utterly shamefully 😮 I’m glad you reviewed them on trip advisor to hi light this as a un inclusive and family un oriented environment! Hopefully it will hit them where it hurts!!!! The profit margin !!

I hope you get a positive outcome, but well done for raising it and calling them out!! Given how recently you became a mom and your hormones, you should be really proud of yourself!! 🫶🫶🫶