Do you tidy up after your child in a restaurant ?

[wanderingstar]

...because I'm seeing more and more parents who just don't bother to make any effort at all to pick anything off the highchair or floor. Moreover they don't seem at all embarrassed at the sight of all sorts of food and general mess left behind.
A table will never be immaculate after my family has dined at it, but I would always, say, clear up a high chair tray with a napkin, so the staff can clean easily after we've gone. Plus I wouldn't leave masses of food on the floor either, if that's where it's, ahem, ended up. Not saying I get out the Dettox floor wipes or anything, just think it's right to show willing. What do you all do ?

I do tidy up and often wipe the table down with wipes too ! cannot bear to come to a filthy detritis laden table or to leave one either.

BTW I am ex-working class now chattering guardianista class nikkinoo!

Yes, definitely.

Have friends whom we used to regularly go for Sunday brunch with. They would allow their dd to rip up salt, sugar & ketchup sachets throughout the meal, or to tip tea into OJ into milk onto her highchair tray - then just walk away from the lot.

Eventually it got so embarrassing (this was a friendly, family run local caff) - especially as dh had taken to VERY POINTEDLY clearing up after our ds in obsessive 8 wipe fashion - that we started making excuses not to do the brunch thing anymore...

Yes, I always put the detritus back in the Happy Meal boxes and tip the whole lot into the bin.

Oh so it's not just me who thinks it's really off not to then ! I took my 2yo out for lunch today; he kept making eye contact with another little one on the next table. But his nice happy smiley middle class Bugaboo pushing mummy then just left the highchair covered in all the off-the-plate chicken/soy sauce/noodle bits she'd put there for him

I make a cursory effort to get all the mess in one place.

yes i always, always pick up anything Linus has left... even if it means getting down under the table!

If I'm honest, it depends how near to the end of my tether I am. And how much mess they've made.

I have a horrible feeling I've left the library less than immaculate too.

yes I do. I was mortified once when I was on an aeroplane and I did a really good clearing up job. I put everything in a nappy sack. As an air hostess walked past I smiled sweetly and asked her if she could throw it away. It took me 10 minutes to work out that the filthy look she gave me was because (I guess, anyway) she had assumed it was a dirty nappy. So far from getting credit for being clean I was clearly labelled as someone who thought she was a skivvy. never quite got over the injustice.

It depends. I do when I can, sometimes I just can't (for example, if I'm eating out with 2 kids, on my own!).

If I can't tidy up, I do tip extra, though. I always tip reasonably well, anyway.

I don't think I've ever done very well at cleaning up after my kids on a longhaul flight, though. Just surviving the whole thing intact is enough of an achievement.

Yes, as much as I can.

I will wipe the highchair but I don't tidy up the floor. (apart from in the cafe at the gym)

Yes, as much as I can.

yes even in McDs
I have also learned never to allow dd1 to have grated cheese in a public place
you live and learn

Yes, always clean highchair down with wipes and pick stuff up off the floor. Wouldn't dream of not doing, I've spent many an evening in my teens waitressing and clearing up after others.

Similarly when travelling by air, I tidy all our seatpockets, cross the seatbelts, etc (mind you, I'm ex-cabin crew so daresay has a lot to do with it)!

i also wipe the highchairs after we finished. i think it's bad manners not to keep the table tidy and put plates together-ish. i soemtimes help in a cafe and the mess some people leave is absolutley disgusting. i say to dd, time to tidy, and she lifts her hands so i can wipe the tray on the highchair. i would be embarrassed if i had left a mess!

Yes, I don't think it's the waiter's job to clean up after my child. Especially if they've made a huge mess. Saying that, if I've run out of patience and just need to get out of there I leave a big tip instead.

pacinofan do you redress the toilets? i still cant get out of the habit!!

I clear up & even put the napkins nice. Think it's important kids learn to respect the work of others & not to make more work for others than necessary.

I'm amazed that people leave clothes they try on all over the flour of the changing room. I think people should leave things as they find them. Bob is the neatest 3 year old ever and a gannet to boot, so there is never any wastage to tidy up!

However when he had an allergic reaction to something and vomited everywhere, I did go up to a cleaner (was in a food court) and tell her I couldn't help as I had to take him to hospital. I am reasonably sure I apologised.

That is the point milward, I mean, how are children supposed to learn manners and how to treat others?

We were at a food court place the other day, on each table is a polite note asking customers to clear the table after finishing and there are plenty of bins to throw all the rubbish in. Of course most people leave everything at their backside but I put all our rubbish on the tray and use napkins to clear any food off the table (not floor now dts are 4!) I just don't know how some people can walk away and leave a mess, does this mean their houses are manky too?

I do similar when in restaurants and dh helps. I sometimes see people looking at me funny but I hope if they are planning on leaving their crap behind that it embarrasses them, I doubt it!

Actually, at this food court there was one woman at the table who had her boots off and her stinky bare feet on the chair opposite, if she had started picking at them I wouldn't have been surprised but I would have been sick!

I'd try to pick up bits of food off the high chair but I wouldn't wipe it down. Then it would look clean but actually be full of scuzzy germs and might not get properly cleaned.
i guess I'd show willing but not go overboard

I always wipe the highchair tray and do pick up any sizeable bits of food from the floor which are within easy reach.

I wouldn't get down on my hands and knees, and/or go under the table to get everything off the floor though!

I always leave a tip...geddit?

Yes, I do clear up as much as possible.

Found it really tricky on an aeroplane though, just couldn't get to all the bits and pieces.

Was infuriated however by crabby looking middle age couple in a Debenhams cafe who were looking at then 1 year old ds scattering flapjack crumbs all over, making stage whispers to each other about how disgusting it was and how other people had to sit there after we had gone - particularly since we had every intention of cleaning up after ds after he had finished, and wouldn't dream of leaving it like that.

I don't clean the floor - but I always used to wipe high chair with baby wipes, and the table too - if anything on it. I still always make sure I put all food stuff on tray for easy pickup and if someone else came to the table after us, they'd have a clear(er) table. I don't seem to see many people reciprocate though. Went to Hop Farm over the weekend. We couldn't see the table from all the stuff left by previous diners - juice spilt all over table so all sticky, chips all over the chairs etc.