AIBU to expect a dog-free area in a restaurant?

[Diorling]

Hi,

I recently met up with my family for lunch at Bills at Clark’s Village in Somerset. It’s not an area I know, but looked to be good for a meet up. it was a lovely sunny warm day and folks were out enjoying their shopping. It was a great atmosphere.

It was pretty empty in Bills as we were early. The waiters were lovely and showed us to a table, and we were busy looking through the menu when I smelt a fairly unpleasant smell. I looked up, and a family were being sat at the next table. The smell was coming from their dog, which was being sat right next to me, rather than on the other side where there was an empty table. It wasn’t a dog that sat nicely on the floor and went to sleep either - it kept on trying to move towards me and the family.

Now I like dogs, grew up with them, and have had my own, but one of the children was attacked at the park by a random one once ( it ran up to him), and he is now terrified by dogs. The dog kept edging towards him, and he kept trying to shrink away along the long bench seat as far as he could. Not only that, but frankly the smell was appalling.

i spoke quietly to the waiter, explained the issue, and he moved us to another table in the opposite corner. It’s a large restaurant, so problem sorted. Except it wasn’t. Within 5 minutes they had shown another family to the table next to us - despite most of the spaces still being empty. They too had a dog, but this time it was lifted onto the seat (and later laps of the family). Again it was right next to us. Whilst I love dogs I don’t expect to have their nose by my elbow and frankly don’t think it’s very hygienic.

I complained to the restaurant but they explained they were dog friendly, and even had a dog menu (‘Bone Appetit’).

Now that’s fine - if I had known it. But as I pointed out, there were no signs anywhere to that effect, nothing on entering - and apparently no dog free area for those who prefer not to eat near dogs. Obviously we won’t go there again (a pity, as staff are lovely and the food was good - if you have dogs, and are round there, it’s a great place to go.)

But for the rest of us, I just don’t like dogs around when I eat out - and if they have to be there, then surely their place is sleeping quietly on the floor?

AIBU?

Pretty sure that Bills don’t franchise in the UK, apart from the one at Heathrow

Might be worth talking to head office?

There’s only so far an antihistamine will go unfortunately. People think it’s the obvious solution but you don’t necessarily become symptom free just because you take one.

I don't know.

I was in a cafe yesterday with my 4 month old and two dogs started barking. She started crying because of the sudden noise and one of the dog owners told me I shouldn't bring a baby to a cafe...I think that's rather ridiculous! Had no problem with them until that point.

I think we anthropomorphise (sp?!) our animals a lot now, and they are such a huge part of our world, but I think a bit of common sense/restraint in public would be a good thing. (Probably fron everyone)

Turkish owned restaurants are also always a safe bet in my experience. We now seek these out when we’re out and about with the kids as they’re one of the few types of places where we know a dog won’t be sat on the table next to us.

Also all drugs have side effects. Common one with antihistamines are brain fog and drowsiness and serious ones are heart problems. It’s an insane ‘solution’ suggested for people with allergies who just want to eat out without dogs!

I was at a cafe/bar with my siblings and DM the other week and a group of 3 came in with two small dogs in a dog pushchair. The dogs actually had their paws on the table, disgusting! I wish I’d said something to a staff member at the time but we were just finishing our drinks before leaving. I did leave a review of Trip Advisor saying about the paws and mentioned I thought they should have a doggy area and their response was that I should have mentioned the paws on the table at the time. Yes, I should have but what is it with some dog owners who think that’s acceptable in a public eating place? I hope that table was given a bloody good scrub when they’re left.

I think a lot of the time these days establishments aren’t actually dog friendly but dog owners expect to be able to take their dog and turn up with it and then management are too weak to say anything. I don’t know if this is the case at Bills specifically but it is in other places.

A dog does not belong in a restaurant. I can just about accept a well behaved dog in a pub.

A dog in a clothes shop is ridiculous. Suppose it’s shedding and rubs against the clothes? Ugh.

That’s appalling - to prioritise dogs over a baby - makes you wonder about folks priorities.
The dogs shouldn’t have been barking to start. I guess it’s not so much the dogs but their owners who aren’t managing them properly.

That’s fair comment. It ties into the ‘fur babies’ comment abive. Some folk do treat their dogs like babies I know. I just feel sorry for the dogs because they are - well - dogs!

Bills clearly was dog friendly - just we couldn’t see any signs about it anywhere - and so clearly it was an information issue. It would have been fine if the first time, when we raised it, they had said ‘we are dog friendly but we have a dog free area over there..‘ — only they didn’t.

As per my earlier post Bills are dog friendly but say they have dog free areas

I live by the sea in prime dog walking territory and I suspect a lot of the cafes/bars would suffer, financially, if they banned dogs

Most of the restaurants we use don’t allow dogs. The exceptions tend to be those with outside spaces which is where dogs can go. Think that is fair enough

That’s absolutely not on - we wouldn’t accept bare human feet on the table after all.
The dog pushchairs can be a menace to, but leaving the dogs in the pushchairs is at least a more reasonable option as it corrals them. Most could cope with that. But to then lift them out and up to the table - no.

A child belongs on a seat at a restaurant, a dog doesn’t

To be fair, they didn’t lift the dogs out of the pushchair, the pushchair was only a little bit below the table so the dogs could easily reach the table.
There was also another, much larger dog in a different part of the cafe/bar which was sprawled out on the floor between two tables, perfect trip hazard for people with a walking stick or a walker, both of which my siblings have and the dog owner seemed quite unaware (or just didn’t give a shit).

Broadley speaking businesses have to prioritize profits, therefore businesses are allowing dogs to participate because it is more profitable than not doing so.
All you can do is vote with your feet, leave a bad review, etc.

It's the restaurant's fault. They should know better than to put a dog family next to you after you specifically asked to move away from another one. Same with noisy/smelly kids. I would have abandoned my meal and refused to pay.

Bills is pretty shit anyway! I haven't been back to one since waiting over an hour for a lukewarm meal. Go somewhere better.

Not unreasonable at all. There are always a lot of dogs in Clarks Village! When I go there, I always eat at the Last Crumb cafe on the High Street. It's much better than all the places in Clarks Village, in my opinion.

This place advertises online as dog friendly , and had a specific dog menu though so probably safe to assume it’s not the case here .

What we need are separate dog towns for dog people, the people who feel that fur children are more important than actual children.
They can use the businesses staffed by the fur children who grow up into fur adults; live in the houses built by dogs, drive the cars built by dogs, use the hospital's staffed by dogs, etc

Thank you. We had a great time in the village and want to return at half term and we were wondering where to eat then. Thanks for the recommendation 👍🏻.

I’m just fed up with dogs being everywhere. I like dogs, I have one but I don’t feel the need to take him everywhere.
A client of mine now takes her dog to John Lewis because they now allow dogs. She went before without him and he survived, now it’s a big deal.

cafes and restaurants should have dog free areas.

I did say I didn’t know about bills specifically.

Is there anything more embarrassing about 2026 living than a dog menu though?

I no longer go to John Lewis for this reason - why would I want my Egyptian cotton with a side of dog hair?

I think I would just be impressed by your flexibility