I snapped earlier and I feel so awful now :(

[thetallfairy]

we went to a lovely restaurant earlier

I have been working hard for the last few weeks

got there and I fancied a main course only as I wasn't feeling great on the journey there. was told this was not possible as it was a set menu 90 pounds per head

not happy with that as it was not displayed anywhere on the website but said nothing

got to the table and could hear some of the waitresses saying I had asked if I could only have a main course they all looked over - I made it clear I heard them found this very rude

my girls were well behaved they had books and toys

at the end of the meal they were getting restless so I took out markers for them on their colouring books was sitting helping them and one of the waitresses who had been rude to us earlier abruptly came over to tell us they had to be put away , I snapped and said I found that to be unfair

( I should not have snapped I know this)

now I feel awful

did not leave a tip also (would normally tip very well)

feel awful now

You hardly snapped! Just stated your opinion.

Think you’re going overboard / overthinking it all. Really isn’t the big issue you’re making it out to be.

I dont understand how it was £90 or nothing but you didnt pay £90?So you just ate your kids food?

Strangest post I've read for a while....

Clearly they expect/welcome children if they have a children’s menu. So you’d expect them to have or at least allow some form of entertainment (colouring etc) for them, young kids don’t generally sit perfectly in a restaurant. Their response to you only wanting a main was rude too. If I worked somewhere that was the rule I’d probably think it was daft and empathise. They were rude and you were rude back, fair enough. Don’t overthink it and don’t go back

Chalk this one up to experience and move on.
Research the menu better next time and if you're not feeling well - cancel.
X

Why was colouring not allowed?

So you went somewhere they presumably expect adults to pay £90 each and yet you ordered nothing except 2 kids' meals at £20 each. They obviously do welcome kids as they have the separate menu for them but would expect them to be eating alongside full-paying adults - or at least 1. So you took up a table spending about half of what they would expect as a minimum (probably a lot less as dining alone is relatively rare) and then at the end instead of leaving you got out colouring stuff for your kids?? Yeah, I'm not surprised they were off with you tbh. It's tough in the hospitality trade at the moment (is this a reverse?). It sounds like this place wasn't suitable for your needs and you should have gone elsewhere.

I wouldn’t feel awful about this but it seems a really odd sort of restaurant. Did you have to declare your meal choice before you even sat at a table?

I wonder if they were thinking they’d lose money on your booking as you were only ordering a main. I know this is sometimes an issue when a low ordering or tipping party block a large table. Restaurants are really up against it financially.

and the markers? Not crayons? Or sharpies?! I wonder if they were worried they might damage the table or tablecloth.

obviously there’s no excuse for rudeness and you shouldn’t overthink it but don’t go back!

Give them a shitty review

I think they were rude. Should have said at the beginning of the meal you needed to spend so much. But… how ridiculous is that. Guess they dint be in business for long.

🦖

They did?

The tall fairy or the tall tale?

Weird there wasn’t an à la carte menu to choose from, I have never heard of only being able to have a set menu unless a special night - e.g. Valentines - or a Sunday lunch scenario (but the latter is usually in places like gastropubs where they give the whole of the food service over to making a multitude of roasts and trimmings). Did they have fabric table coverings? I would imagine so at that price and hence no to the markers, which is fair enough and common sense.

To those saying it was weird that you were told on arrival of the set menu I don’t find that weird at all, lots of places will tell you on arrival if there such a system in place - but @thetallfairy that was your time to decline and go elsewhere. Were you eating with another adult who wanted to eat there in particular? I imagine so as the kids were likely not to be fussed and it would be odd to get motion sickness if you were driving yourself there, that’s more of a passenger issue.

Hope you feel better now.

If you experienced motion sickness on the way there, I guess not eating much 'helps' with the journey back!

All in all, a bit of a weird story. I'd be intrigued to know the restaurant in question.