Bringin fastfood to restaurants

[MrZubbleWump]

So we have two kids (age 8 & 7) and there are some restaurants that my kids sometimes refuse to eat the kids food that is available to them at certain restaurants and they will ask for fast food instead. They will refuse to eat the restaurant food and I honestly can't afford to pay for food that goes uneaten.  I personally say then let them go hungry but my wife gets pissed and has no problem getting the fast food for the kids. I insist they eat in the car before my wife and I go inside but the she gets upset that I am being silly and suggests that nobody really minds. I'm not happy with this behavior that my kids have but I also would like to enjoy a good meal out without hearing about it from my kids.  I guess my question is, assuming that you could not smell the food would this bother you if you were eating at a restaurant or owned a restaurant?

Before anybody says anything my kids are not over weight and they eat healthy at home but they are at an age that they are not willing to experiment with food that they are not sure of.

It's stupid and they are growing out of this and eating more different foods but I have myself never seen anyone do what my wife has no problem doing.

[morlac]

I use to see this occasionally way back when i was a waiter.  Obviously, not something to do at a high end restaurant but then kids shouldn't generally be there anyhow.  We never minded and nobody was pointing and snikering or spitting in food.

[Lordnine]

As long as it's not something like an $80/plate restaurant I don't see the big deal.  It's quite common around here.

[rshetts2]

I waited tables a bit at an average restaurant and saw this a lot.  Its not a big deal and since the restaurant was getting the parents business, they didnt mind at all.  If youre really concerned about it just tell the person seating you or your waitress in advance and Im sure they will tell you its fine.

[MrZubbleWump]

Thanks for the replies.  I guess the only reason I brought this up was the waitress at Famous Dave's BBQ made us feel horrible yesterday.  She told us to hide my daughters food or the manager would be very upset.  When asked if she thought her manager would be willing to risk losing 3 paying customers she replied Yes.  I was shocked and ready to walk out there and then.

[Lee]

From my very limited experience in the restaurant business in the 80s, it's against policy. Even at McDs we were supposed to kick people out if they did that. I would be surprised if anyone did kick you out for it, unless it was extremely busy.

[EngineNo9]

Yeah, back in college I had a friend who brought a burger or something into Taco Bell to eat with us and they told him he would have to take it outside since "they weren't zoned for that" or some such.  We made fun of the fact that Taco Bell wasn't zoned for having food on the premises, but did end up taking our food to go.

[Gryndyl]

Whether it's official policy or not it would be atrociously bad customer service to kick someone out cause their kid has some chicken nuggets. I recall at the IHOP I worked at someone brought in a bag o' fast food and asked if it were OK; the manager said "Sure, just a minute", brought the bag to  us in the kitchen and we served the fast food up on a plate with everyone else's order. Guess what? Those customers left a large tip and became regulars.

[Daehawk]

I don't think I've ever seen that. I had to eat what was there or eat at home. I don't think I ever turned down food

And it might bother me if I smelled MickeyD's in a steak house or something. but then again i've never seen it so can't say.

[CeeKay]

As long as it's not something like an $80/plate restaurant I don't see the big deal.  It's quite common around here.

I want to bring a McRib to a rib joint.

[morlac]

Thanks for the replies.  I guess the only reason I brought this up was the waitress at Famous Dave's BBQ made us feel horrible yesterday.  She told us to hide my daughters food or the manager would be very upset.  When asked if she thought her manager would be willing to risk losing 3 paying customers she replied Yes.  I was shocked and ready to walk out there and then.

Wow.  I would have walked out. 

[Lee]

Thanks for the replies.  I guess the only reason I brought this up was the waitress at Famous Dave's BBQ made us feel horrible yesterday.  She told us to hide my daughters food or the manager would be very upset.  When asked if she thought her manager would be willing to risk losing 3 paying customers she replied Yes.  I was shocked and ready to walk out there and then.

Wow.  I would have walked out. 

That's kind of what they want.

Anyway, it is kind of rude. If you bring a McDs burger into a restaurant that serves burgers for example, I could fully understand them kicking you out. Most of the chain restaurants in my area really don't need your business (chain restaurants here are packed) and the wait staff wants people to be ordering their food so their tip goes up.

Almost all restaurants have a kids menu with things like burgers on it. I don't have kids, so I probably don't get it.

[Autistic Angel]

I guess my question is, assuming that you could not smell the food would this bother you if you were eating at a restaurant or owned a restaurant?

There's no reason for it to bother other customers at all. 

From the restaurant's perspective, every chair is potentially a paying, tipping customer.  Every person in your family needs a seat and attention from the staff, but if only two of you are ordering, that means a lower sale and the *perception* of a lower tip.

So just go in when things are quiet and leave a good tip.  Any restaurant that would chase out two paying, courteous customers in favor of four empty chairs isn't worthy of your patronage anyway.

-Autistic Angel

[Scuzz]

My youngest is almost 18 and still will order off the kids menu about 1/2 the time when we eat out. She is getting better though and is now finding more "adult" things to eat.

Of course when our kids were little we always ate out early...no later than 5.

I am surprised your kids won't eat off the kids menu though as most places have some very good kids menu's....although every now and then you get the restaurant that thinks kids actually want chef prepared and adjusted versions of the old favorites.

I personally wouldn't consider taking fast food for the kids into a sit down restaurant unless you had checked it out with the manager in advance.

Just wait until your kids start ordering off the "real" menu and only eating half of it..then you will know expensive dining.

[kronovan]

I used to go through this with my kids when they were very young and thankfully they grew out of it quickly. There's actually bylaws in my city that make a restaurant responsible for all food consumed on premises, whether they cooked it or not. I got around it a few times by putting food my kids liked -including fast food- in Tupperware containers and being upfront with the hosts/hostesses and waiters/waitresses where it came from. That said, I could really only do it at restaurants where I was friendly with the owner and staff. I'd say if your uncomfortable or embarrassed by it, just put the fast food in your own containers.