Kids bringing fast food into restaurants: What do you think?

Now that I think about it, and after posting 2 or 3 times in this thread, I've concluded this is a non-issue for me.

I'm with you Bill...No dog in this hunt. What say we pay the tab and go have a beer.

After being married all these years, I'm quite used to being asked my opinion and being told I'm wrong.
<===note effective use of emoticon

Now that I think about it, and after posting 2 or 3 times in this thread, I've concluded this is a non-issue for me. I cannot recall a single instance of patron bringing in "outside food" the the possible exception of a box of Cheerios for the high chair set, into a restaurant I've been dining at.
Cheers,
Bill

Yeah... I have to agree with Bill. This isn't something I have encountered a lot. Once or twice in ten years maybe.

I just hate the constant need we have in this country to stick our noses in other people's business. Live your life and I'll live mine. If you don't like how I'm living mine too bad. I don't care.

Some of the responses on here do bring up a question for me.... why is it Ok to ask the chef to customize their menu for my kid? To make up something special. Would you ask them to make something special for you? Doesn't that slow down the whole kitchen? Isn't that much worse than bringing in a bag of burger?

Making YOU do the extra work for MY picky kid is better than me doing it on my own???????

I'll bring up another point that another poster raised earlier. What is the difference between bringing in food for a picky child and bringing in your own wine or dessert? I've seen that done on many occasions, yet nobody has complained about how offensive that is. I would think a restaurant would lose more money on a group bringing in a whole cake, or wine than would be lost bringing in food for a kid. Seems rather hypocritical to me.

I'll bring up another point that another poster raised earlier. What is the difference between bringing in food for a picky child and bringing in your own wine or dessert? I've seen that done on many occasions, yet nobody has complained about how offensive that is. Seems rather hypocritical to me.

My understanding is that it is illegal in both KY and Indiana to BYO wine. When I lived elsewhere and where BYO was legal, I always called ahead and cleared the practice with management, Usually paid a corkage fee of $10-20 and tipped 25% of what I estimated the wine's value. FWIW, in wine circles, it is considered very rude to BYO a bottle of wine that is on the restaurants list. I'm pretty sure if BYO is taking place locally it is done with a wink, a handshake, and prior approval from management.
Cheers,
Bill

Some of the responses on here do bring up a question for me.... why is it Ok to ask the chef to customize their menu for my kid? To make up something special. Would you ask them to make something special for you? Doesn't that slow down the whole kitchen?

No, it doesn't slow the kitchen down - if it does, the time spent would be negligible. Especially for something basic for kids with taste buds that won't allow them to eat challenging food. When hostessing, I remember having people call in with special dietary requirements and the kitchen was happy to figure out how to accommodate them. One woman needed a meal cooked without oil - I can imagine that would be difficult for some - but she was accommodated every time. She opted to do that instead of bringing in a sack lunch of her own. Why not just ask the kitchen to make your special food? The worst they can say is no, and then you can make your decision on where to eat based on that. I'm not sticking my nose into anyone else's business - but I do think it's a bit more fair to the restaurant that way. Lots of places are happy to show how accommodating they can be. And if they're not welcoming to your family and its special needs, why go there?

I'll bring up another point that another poster raised earlier. What is the difference between bringing in food for a picky child and bringing in your own wine or dessert? I've seen that done on many occasions, yet nobody has complained about how offensive that is. I would think a restaurant would lose more money on a group bringing in a whole cake, or wine than would be lost bringing in food for a kid. Seems rather hypocritical to me.

Here's the deal: I don't think any of us are just disgustingly offended when we see these things happen. A question was posed: Is it ok or is it rude to bring in outside food. It is rude. I think it's insulting and not ok. Do I freak out and throw a fit when I see it happen? No. Do I lecture the parents at their table? No. Is it still rude? Yes. Is it rude to bring your own dessert? Yes. Do I accommodate patrons anyway without outward judgement? Yes.

The bottle of wine is a whole new ball of wax, just because there is a polite precedent for this, provided an establishment has a corkage policy. Am I still bummed when someone brings in wine to my place? Of course, because I believe we truly have a little something for everyone on our list.

[Robin Garr]

Yes indeedy. The OP also did a good job of "posting and dashing"...at least when I post something with the covert intention to "stir the pot" I stick around and take my lumps.

Er, wait a minute. *I* was the OP, and I've been right here.

I have to chime in on this thread. Even though i've never brought fast food to a restaurant for my boy, currently having a two year old of my own, i can see how some parents would do it. All you're trying to do is have a quiet meal for yourselves and the rest of the restaurant. For those of you saying its "rude" or "offensive", well, you're entitled to your opinion, but I would be happy to flip two middle fingers in your face if you ever had the nerve to come up an say anything about it to me.

That's inflammatory, i know, and i'm not trying to start an internet thread fight, but some of you guys are being very offensive suggesting that parents are just lazy or indifferent when it comes to their childs diet or their attitude towards given restaurant. I'm sure some people may fall into this category, but you can't generalize. I said for years when i worked in a restaurant that i would NEVER let my kid eat chicken nuggets and fries all the time, well guess what then you have a two year old thats easier said than done.

In our particular situation our son was a pretty diverse eater until he started getting chronic ear infections for about 9 months and was in so much pain he wouldn't eat much except chocolate milk and simple carbs. Sorry but i'm not going to tell a sick two year old "eat it or go to bed hungry". Well, during this time of course his tastes for diverse foods narrowed substantially. We always offer him a variety of stuff, especially at home, but for the sake of ourselves and other restaurant patrons, when we eat out....he's getting whatever he wants.

I mean, what is the big deal people, i know from working in a restaurant, you see this VERY rarely. So if it happens, so what?! Just be glad the parents are patronizing your restaurant, don't you think if they like eating there they will try to get their kids to like it too at some point??

AND it is NOT the same thing as an adult bringing in their own food/drink, unless they have special dietary needs.

I have to chime in on this thread. Even though i've never brought fast food to a restaurant for my boy, currently having a two year old of my own, i can see how some parents would do it. All you're trying to do is have a quiet meal for yourselves and the rest of the restaurant. For those of you saying its "rude" or "offensive", well, you're entitled to your opinion, but I would be happy to flip two middle fingers in your face if you ever had the nerve to come up an say anything about it to me.

Is it ok or is it rude to bring in outside food. It is rude. I think it's insulting and not ok. Do I freak out and throw a fit when I see it happen? No. Do I lecture the parents at their table? No. Is it still rude? Yes. Is it rude to bring your own dessert? Yes. Do I accommodate patrons anyway without outward judgement? Yes.

If you find it so rude, feel free to patronize only those places with a strict "no outside food" policy. I think adults getting completely wasted and being really loud is rude, however, sometimes it happens, and you deal with it. If a kid eating a Happy Meal is so very upsetting to you, then I hate to see how you'd handle a truly catastrophic situation. Someone said earlier if a child wants to eat at McDonalds, to feel free to take them there. Guess they momentarily forgot that McDonalds is a chain, and therefore an evil no-no. So, what is a person with children supposed to do? Taking them out to eat at a nice place is offensive if they're picky, and only bad people patronize chains.

This goes back to the reason I first started writing my column in LEO, "Industry Standard". Rebecca Clark told me she had come into Lou Lou with her nephew but they couldn't find anything on the menu he would like to eat, so they didn't stay very long. I realized then, that a lot of diners don't know that you can order off the menu - especially for children.

Every fine dining restaurant I've ever worked at (8 so far), you could order something for your kid to eat that wasn't on the menu...fries, cheesy noodles, a quesadilla, cheesy pita pizza, a hamburger. In addition, the kitchen KNOWS to make the kids' food first so they can be happy and satisfied while the kitchen is preparing the parents' entrees. Just because there's no kid's menu doesn't mean they don't know how to feed a kid - matter of fact, that's what the staff is eating in the back half the time: chicken tenders, pasta alfredo, etc.

Yes, it's rude to bring in outside food - even from home (barring dietary restrictions). Don't even get me started on bringing in a birthday cake - from Kroger! - rather than asking in advance for a cake or special dessert from the restaurant you're patronizing.

We understand your kids are picky. If they're well behaved, we want your business anyway, and will do just about anything to please them, and you. Would I call someone who brought a Happy Meal with them out on it? No. Would I think they are total rubes that don't understand the ins and outs of the restaurant business? Probably.

I love children, and I have the utmost admiration for those that make room in their lives for them. That doesn't make it okay for you to bring in your children toting their own fare from a fast food restaurant. To those that say "we shouldn't have to stop living because we have kids" - should you be able to bring your kids into a strip club and ask that all the ladies wear burlap sacks? Just a different degree of the same situation.

Restaurants WILL feed your kids what they want to eat. 99% of them. Maybe not at the French Laundry, but I'm not positive Thomas Keller wouldn't whip up some mashed potatoes and chicken fingers as long as you're willing to pay $30 for the plate. Probably, he would be glad to.

I am of the opinion that restaurant owners and other patrons should shut up about this issue..

This was too fun to pass over

First, at the CPC we do have a policy of "no outside food" in our restaurant (dietary issues aside), we do not allow our patrons to bring in food from another establishment.
We established this policy because of McDonald's food being brought into our restaurant for young children.

My reasoning behind our decision is pretty simple: if given the opportunity, i believe we are creative enough to present an adequate alternative to the happy meal.

We are "family friendly" and yet, we do not have a "kids menu" and we have, on several occasions, created special dishes to please particular children.

thanks
shawn

I can't imagine what on earth would make a kid prefer McDonald's over a CPC pizza... Seriously, what kid doesn't like pizza or spaghetti? Or chicken fingers? Cheese bread?

If you find it so rude, feel free to patronize only those places with a strict "no outside food" policy. I think adults getting completely wasted and being really loud is rude, however, sometimes it happens, and you deal with it. If a kid eating a Happy Meal is so very upsetting to you, then I hate to see how you'd handle a truly catastrophic situation. Someone said earlier if a child wants to eat at McDonalds, to feel free to take them there. Guess they momentarily forgot that McDonalds is a chain, and therefore an evil no-no. So, what is a person with children supposed to do? Taking them out to eat at a nice place is offensive if they're picky, and only bad people patronize chains.

Is it ok or is it rude to bring in outside food. It is rude. I think it's insulting and not ok. Do I freak out and throw a fit when I see it happen? No. Do I lecture the parents at their table? No. Is it still rude? Yes. Is it rude to bring your own dessert? Yes. Do I accommodate patrons anyway without outward judgement? Yes.