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?

£25 for some noodles and chips? You were robbed. Should have spent your money on something better value and nutritious.

This.

I’d have been embarrassed asking in the first place. You are being totally unreasonable and a CF

That’s beyond entitled 😂😂😂😂😂

I think sometimes if the vendor actually sees you drop it it’s different.
Saying that there are signs on some of the outlets on Llandudno pier saying guard your chips or ice creams because if the seagulls snatch them they will not be replaced!

You were driven by the thought of a hungry child? There was other options than asking for free food...and then not taking no for an answer.

You could have bought more chips if you were so desperate to feed them to your kid

I don't understand why you and your friends think an accident with the food, that is no way the food counters fault, is theirs to be out of pocket for.

If you and lo had enjoyed the chips, but was then still hungry after only 5 minutes of buying them and wanted more, would you expect a second portion for free? From the food vendors experience, there is no difference in you spilling the food and eating the food, so why is it their problem to sort?

Not the point of the thread…but your child is no longer a baby so stop calling her a baby. Once they reach a year old, they’re then a toddler or child.

You’re not a young mum if you’re mid 30s, in fact you’re closer to being a geriatric mum (giving birth after 35).

And, who keeps their child out that late, where they’re eating at 8pm before a long car journey home when they’re then feeding their child rice and spinach stew before bed?

I have been in a similar situation a few times, when my child has dropped an ice cream or chips straight after buying them. Sometimes the store people have offered to replace for free and sometimes not, I have never asked outright for free, but when about to repurchase the item, if they saw them fall then quite often they do replace for free. But I would not expect it.

If you sold your house, and the new owners knocked it down by mistake, would you replace it?

In almost all situations, if you purchase something and you lose/drop/break it, or otherwise render it unusable, you pay for the replacement yourself, or go without. Why should it be different in the case of ice cream vendors?

of course they weren’t being unreasonable you should have just put a few chips in front of her in bowl and then added to them. It’s. It their fault your baby knocked them over

You didn't just ask though. You asked and was told no but then continued to plead.

Bloody hell.

You complained about her because she didn’t do what you wanted, when you were the CF in the first place, and now got a full refund for something your child did.

This is actually unbelievable. Poor woman.

Would you give me the replacement chips?

Certainly not.

Anyways - an update - I complained via email to HQ, as the woman was actually incredibly rude too and I got a full refund.

Doesn't make you right. They just wanted to shut you up. I can imagine the eye rolling at head office reading your complaint.

Aren't the chips pre-cooked more or less? But yes, I see the difference with a drink.

I once worked at a Starbucks and I remember a man buying a croissant and almost immediately dropping it on the floor. I felt so sorry for him and asked the manager if we could give him another one and she agreed.

It’s very much at the manager’s discretion. I’d have given you a few chips for future goodwill but there’s no obligation to.

You are a right cheeky mare

Of course not… you didn’t make sure your child didn’t ruin their food. That’s not the businesses fault - why should you eat into their profit when they completed their transaction… it wasn’t their fault

Also why do you stick with chips? Advice for under 2 year olds is to avoid foods high in salt and fat. Chips have both.

YABU, it’s very annoying but it’s not their fault. There’s a fish and chip restaurant not far from us on the sea front. It’s actually got s sign outside with words to the effect of, meals will not be replaced if seagulls take your food (paraphrasing) They obviously had lots of people suffer seagulls attacks and demand replacements. One actually shat on my burger once, very annoying. Good aim though as it was about 10 above me.

When the chips are down...just ask for more🤗

I propose we all plead with a soft voice this weekend and see what we get. See you back here tomorrow night with our tall tales.
I reckon I'll easily get a Ferrari, a holiday and a bowl of silken tofu (to add to my rice and spinach stew. (Brown rice, obvs.)

I worked in a customer service role.
I would say in 95% of complaints the staff member was accused of being rude, in addition to the actual complaint.

It usually meant the customer didn't get their own way.

What’s the relevance of the soft voice OP? Out of nosiness?

@Houseofdrumsit wasn’t a case of “don’t ask don’t get” though was it? As you pleaded - with your soft voice (vomit)