Restaurants Warming Babyfood, anyone know the law?

[Demented]

I was in a branch of Burger King on Saturday. My DH went up to the counter to order the food as I got the kids settled at a table I handed DH a jar of food to ask them to warm for DS2 (11 months). When DH came back he presented me with the jar still cold and told me that they said they do not warm jars of babyfood (grrrrrr!). I was not impressed but couldn't be bothered arguing and DS2 took the food cold (surprisingly as he normally turns his nose up at cold food).

Before I write to them to complain I just thought I had better check (and I'm sure someone on Mumsnet knows ) what the current regulations are on heating jars of babyfood in restaurants. I know that they won't heat anything homemade for you but I didn't think there would be any problem with an obviously unopened jar of babyfood. Personally just think they want you to buy more kids meals!

TIA to anyone who can help!

I don't know anything abot the law but McDs certainly used to baby food for you (they won't let you have hot water to warm it yourself because the hot water might be dangerous but they'll take it from you to heat).

TBH, I always made sure my DSs would take food cold, I never had it heated in a restaurant.

Demented, not sure of the exact regulations but I have come across something similar in a local pub. They would give you hot water to heat the jar but not microwave the jar for you (so opposite of what soupdragon encountered). Waitress said "we're not allowed to". I didn't really pursue but it's probaly just them being cautious about getting sued - I went into a motorway servicestation the other day and they had a little section were you could warm bottles, use a mini microwave, all to heat babies food. SO I don't think it's against the law to offer facilities.

I don't know what the law says, but when my DS worked in a Brewer's Fayre restaurant they weren't allowed to heat up baby food in case it got too hot and the parents sued them if the baby got burned.

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Thanks for all your replies. This is the first time I have encountered this and I will complain. Made me wonder would they even warm a baby's bottle? I don't think it's on for a supposidly child friendly place to refuse to warm baby food.

Thanks again.

I believe there was a change in the law a few years ago, so that restaurants are only able to warm food provided by the rest. It was something to do with homemade food has to be warmed through for a longer time to avoid any nasty stuff, and if this hadn't been done properly it could be classed as the fault of the restaurant. They are allowed to provide you with jars that they then warm up though.

We have had this before when Dd was a few months younger. Weatherspoons stopped heating baby food too during that time. The Brewer's Fayre pub near us would only do food they provided, not anything you brought in.

You can offer facilities to do it yourself though. Debenhams has all this, so does the main areas in Meadowhall (big shopping place near me). And some service stations too.

At the Weatherspoons I resorted to ordering a pot of tea and stood it in the cup of boiling tea (no milk)! DD was hungry and it was raining realy hard outside so didn't know what else to do. It worked though!

I'm struggling to complain as their website is rubbish and I can't seem to see a contact us address. I have tried another address on the site (I think to register your e-mail address to be sent info from BK) and have had my mail returned. I know they used to have a phone number for comments/complaints but it isn't even on their website.

Will keep trying though.

I think restaurants are terrified of being sued - understandably when they were sued for serving a hot cup of coffee without a warning!

I have to agree with soupdragon - it is so much easier if your baby will eat food at room temperature, my DS always did and it saved endless faffing about.

There is some law actually, not quite sure how it works. I couldn't believe it when I was out shopping and especially choose John Lewis for the two of us (me and v young babyt at the time) to eat. They have signs up saying they will not warm home prepared foods. I have a feeling that seeled jars might have been OK but not sure. They would only provide me with a flask of boiling wated to stick my food in. Since then I've come across that a lot.