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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To phone this restaurant to suggest they look at their staff training?

46 replies

narna · 27/01/2010 20:28

I took my two DC to a family restaurant for tea today.
Toddler DS was strapped into the highchair beside me.
When the waitress brought our drinks over she dropped a full glass of coke with ice over my DS's head.He was absolutely soaked to the skin and got quite a fright.
I didnt see what happened ,the waitress said my son threw his head back and knocked the tray of drinks which made her drop the drink-i can well believe that so i didnt make a fuss at the time,just comforted my son and changed his top.
I cant help thinking now that as a waitress she should have been taught not to stand so close to a young child in a highchair,they are after all unpredictable.
I do accept it was an accident,she did apologize so maybe i aught to just let it go.I just cant help thinking what if it had been a hot drink,my son would have been very badly scalded .Do you think i should ring the restaurant and suggest they make staff aware of this danger?

OP posts:
cornsilk · 27/01/2010 20:31

No - let it go. It was an accident.

HaveToWearHeels · 27/01/2010 20:31

I would complain....like you say what if it had been a hot drink. Also why was she holding the drink over his head anyway ?!

Lulumama · 27/01/2010 20:33

actually, i disagree with your cornsilk , don't think that has happened before

i think theis isprecisely the sort of thing that needs to be brought to the attention of managemetn, a waitress shoule be aware /trained as to the dangers of holding drinks over babies heads.

thank god it was a coke, not a pot of tea

holding drinks over a young child who might well suddnely jump up/jerk or grab at you is not a good idea and i definitely think that it is something worth making a fuss about

Lilyloo · 27/01/2010 20:34

accident

twolittlemonkeys · 27/01/2010 20:34

I agree with Lulumama

mustrunmore · 27/01/2010 20:35

God no, I dont think it warrants getting in touch with them. It was an accident. They happen. Even if treaining included 'oh btw dont stand too close to customers, esp wriggly kids', do you think that would've prevented a genuine accident? I know my kids used to move unpredictably at highchair age, so even a waitress taking care could still get knocked. Or maybe she was closer thasn ideal cos she couldn't manouvre round the said highchair?
I doubt she did it on purpose. And I doubt the manager wants their staff to have such accidents. So whats the benefit in complaining in retrospect?

compo · 27/01/2010 20:36

I would have expected money off the bill tbh

PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow · 27/01/2010 20:37

Don't complain, but call and bring it to their attention, and explain your concerns (what if it had been a hot drink etc)

I noticed this in a restaurant the other day - the waiter held very hot plates way too close to my DS (couple of inches away), should have said something, but otherwise the service was perfect.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 27/01/2010 20:37

If the staff were not aware before, they will be now - that waitress was probably horrified and will have worked out for herself what the consequences might have been had it been a teapot in her hand. No need to phone, I think.

mustrunmore · 27/01/2010 20:37

If he threw his head back, then she wasnt holding it over him though. She was holding it at a sensible height, behind him, but perhaps underestimated how far he could whip around.

cornsilk · 27/01/2010 20:37

tsk lulumama not agreeing with me

Drooper · 27/01/2010 20:37

accident and no harm done

TimothyTigerTuppennyTail · 27/01/2010 20:38

I think it's a good idea to tell them about it, from the point of view that they would be in serious trouble if it happened with a hot drink.

But I think if it was me I would go out of my way to make sure they understood that I was not complaining.

Ivykaty44 · 27/01/2010 20:48

I have been a waitress and children can be an absolute nightmare, completly unpredicatable - even more so than a drunk in town on a a saturday night.

How on earth was anyone supposed to know that your dc would through himself back in the highchair
have you thought about sorting yourself and your child out so that you actually take responsability for yourselves rather than expecting other people to take this responsablilty

understanding why we have a nanny state...

waitress was doing her job you do yours

Lilyloo · 27/01/2010 20:51

Was she stood over your ds with the tray of drinks or behind him , next to him ?
I agree that maybe holding a tray of drinks over a childs head isn't sensible however you will prob have to pass drinks around a toddler , walk around or behind them.

narna · 27/01/2010 20:52

er yes thank you Ivykaty my son was strapped in a highchair beside me ,do you suggest i hold him in a headlock? or better still stay at home eh?

OP posts:
RustyBear · 27/01/2010 20:53

So ivykaty, how do you suggest the OP stops her toddler throwing himself backwards in his highchair - a straitjacket?

allaboutme · 27/01/2010 20:57

accident.. i'd leave it.
she will be breathing a sigh of relief now and thanking her stars you didnt kick up a massive fuss with her boss and she WILL remember it next time she is carrying a tray near a baby

hester · 27/01/2010 20:57

When I took my dd (4) to a cafe recently, I took her to the toilet and when we got back found the waitress had dropped a tray of drinks over our table. Fair enough, but she had left my dd's coat there, absolutely soaked through, and my newspaper. We were told, rather curtly, there had been an accident and we would have to move table.

So we moved our stuff to another table, with no assistance, and ate a really crappy overpriced meal. To cheer dd up, I promised her an ice-cream from the huge rotating ice-cream display. Only to be told, rather snottily, that my dd couldn't have an ice cream because they are only for take-away customers! When I asked why, I was told 'company policy'.

I called the manager over and queried the ludicrousness of this company policy. She said it was to save the suede banquettes from getting grubby. She then said that it was only avaible to eat-in customers if they ordered 6 scoops, but they wouldn't serve one. 'Let me get this right', I said, 'Six scoops of raspberry ripple over your suede banquette is alright, but one isn't?' 'That's company policy', I was told.

By this stage I was laughing and my dd was close to tears. There's no point blaming the staff, I suppose; but THAT is a cafe headed for bankruptcy.

RumourOfAHurricane · 27/01/2010 20:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

momofnearly2 · 27/01/2010 20:57

I wouldn't complain but I would deffinately call it to their attention.

Like you said it could have been a hot drink and a very different story.

And I'm sure the one's who have said leave it, it was an accident will be the one's complaining when a hot drink is spilt on their Dc because you decided to follow their advice and not inform management.

narna · 27/01/2010 20:58

The waitress was standing behind my son Lilyloo
I know it was an accident and i certainly wouldnt want to complain or get anyone into trouble,i would just mention it to them ,i do agree as someone mentioned that this particular waitress will have realized for herself how awful it could have been so i probably wont bother ringing .

OP posts:
Ivykaty44 · 27/01/2010 21:00

no I am suggesting that you take responsabilities for your ds actions - why should it be the waitresses responsability?

narna · 27/01/2010 21:31

In what way do you feel i was not taking responsibility ivykaty?
Where did i suggest that my son was the waitress' responsibility?

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 27/01/2010 21:37

Accident, I would leave it ..I work in a cafe accidents happen ,the waitress must feel terrible enough without an added bollocking from her boss