Would you give me the replacement chips?

[Houseofdrums]

Im with a group of mum friends at a food court. We all go off to different kiosks. Order our food. We find an available table.

I order from a Thai cuisine, a noodle dish and some chips for the little one.

I pick up the food, put toddler in highchair, put the chips infront of her. I’m about to take my first serving of noodles and baby kicks the chips all over the floor.

The chips cost £5. One of the mums says that it’s been less than 5 mins and they didn’t touch the chips, I should be able to ask for a replacement.

So I go to the kiosk, politely explain that I was just here and the baby annoyingly dropped all the chips. I show them the picture (we are sitting on the other end of the food court).

They say no. But I plead a little bit - I do have a soft voice so I’m being nice. Then they go on and on about how every mum will be asking for freebies. I should pay for another one. And I should go to another one of their stores who would provide me free chips.

Turns out she was also the manager.

I worked in waitressing many years ago, and honestly, we would have just given a portion of chips. Id be hesitant if it was the whole meal - but a couple of chips for a baby?

Was I being unreasonable?

Yes yabu. It's not their fault your baby kicked the food over. You should buy another one.

They have a point - if everyone did that they’d be giving out free food left, right and center. So yes, yabu. Unfortunate but you need to pay for new chips.

Why would they give you free chips? I don’t understand.

“One of the mums says that it’s been less than 5 mins and they didn’t touch the chips, I should be able to ask for a replacement.” - how bizarre, what’s the logic here?

I’d probably have just replaced them to be nice, but I suppose there is an argument that by doing so it costs them money so they aren’t really obliged to.

It’s very annoying that it costs £5 for what is basically a handful of chips nowadays.

What a cheek! £5 adds up, can’t believe you asked. Just because it’s a baby?

Yeah this op. I wouldn't expect free chips if I was dozy enough to drop them so why would they give you them for a baby?

Reminds me of signs at the seaside saying they won't replace if seagulls nick your chips 😂😂

Serious CFery on your part!

Yabu

Of course they shouldn’t have given you free chips. I’m surprised you even asked.

Worth an ask but you got told no. It’s annoying but once you’ve paid and walked away with the chips they are your responsibility

Why wouldn't you just pick up the chips and put them back on the plate? (only half joking)

Not the point of your thread, but who the fuck pays £5 for chips?

For a child? Edited as I originally said "baby" but you refer to a toddler (then called them a baby).

I agree with everyone. I'm not sure why you'd think you would be entitled to a free replacement. 🤔

I have been on MN for twenty years and I don't think I've ever seen such a daft question.

Why should they suffer loss for you putting the whole pack of chips in front of your baby/toddler?

YABU.

Why should they have to replace the chips due to your own DC's doing, imagine if everyone tried that on.

No, of course not - why should they shoulder the financial responsibility for your child kicking over their chips? What could they have done differently to avoid it? Nothing presumably. What could you have done differently to avoid it? Supervised your child better, presumably!

It’s not their fault and they are running a business.

A business MIGHT take pity on you in this situation and give you a free replacement, but that would be goodwill out of the goodness of their heart and shouldn’t be expected.

You shouldn’t even really have asked for a free replacement- the most I would have done is go up to order another portion and roll my eyes and say “I can’t believe it - my child has knocked them all over the floor, so please can I order another portion” and then hope they take pity and give you them for free. You can’t expect it though, imo.

It's tough times for businesses OP.

I plead a little bit - I do have a soft voice so I’m being nice

Do you mean you tried to flirt or something? Because ew

Are you serious? You spill your chips, so ask the retailer, who is at fault in no way whatsoever, to give you some more? I’ve heard it all now. Your brass neck is astonishing op. And as an aside, the fact the child hadn’t touched them, and it was less than five minutes, matters in what universe? Good grief.

Wow really? If they saw what happened and offered that would be super kind and generous of them but no way should you ask.. bit cheeky sorry

What sort of reasoning is this;

One of the mums says that it’s been less than 5 mins and they didn’t touch the chips, I should be able to ask for a replacement.🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴

why?! This is baffling genuinely

you are so unreasonable to ask for a replacement

How cheeky! Was it their fault your baby dropped them?. No. It was £5!

Of course yabu!

Potentially, in a restaurant, where they’ve watched it happen they might offer to just replace them.
But in this scenario, when they have no idea what happened to the chips (you may well have eaten them and then taken a pic of random chips on the floor) they are under no obligation to give you free food.
Maybe, if you’d been less entitled, and ordered more whilst explaining why you needed them they might have offered. Think you were cheeky to just ask/demand free stuff!

I’d go and buy more because it was my fault, not theirs. I find it weird you took a pic with you to show them. Did your toddler have compo face on?