It’s a common scenario: You’re having a fancy steak dinner at a trendy new spot. The vibes are immaculate… until you make eye contact with a sticky-faced toddler going to town on a bag of Goldfish crackers at the table next to you.
Every kid has to eat, of course, but one wonders: When, if ever, is it okay for parents to bring outside food into a restaurant for their children? It’s more complicated than you’d think, especially as the arguments about kids even being allowed in restaurants have been more contentious than ever.
In recent years, restaurants have been flat-out banning children under a certain age, with many patrons themselves going so far as to petition restaurants to keep kids out. There are even curated lists of restaurants telling you where to eat “when your toddler sucks,” and this is all before your kid breaks into an applesauce pouch while watching Bluey on an iPad at full blast.
Related Stories
So, is it ever okay to bring kids’ food to a restaurant?
In Some Cases, Absolutely Not
No matter the specific policies they have in place, restaurants are beholden to scores of health codes as well as the safety of other diners and waitstaff with various allergies (think: severe nut allergies). A rat or bug infestation brought on by a tossed-aside bag of Cheerios, applesauce, or crackers is just not worth it for many restaurants to risk.
With the high cost of food, bringing in outside food also seems like a genius budgeting “hack,” but resist doing this. It’s incredibly rude to waitstaff trying to make a living wage, especially if you’re bringing in food or drinks that the restaurant serves such as sandwiches, soda, chicken fingers, or pizza. Also, if the child’s food is being brought in from another restaurant (say, you bring McDonald’s for a picky eater at an Italian restaurant), that’s a big no across the board. Different restaurants and chains have variably different cleanliness practices.
As someone who spent the majority of her twenties working as a nanny, I’ll say my main realization here: a kid’s bad eating behavior is not the fault of a child, but the adults in charge. Kids aren’t the scapegoat here. In any case, calling ahead to check with a restaurant is always the move. You just might be surprised at how lenient (or strict) policies can vary from restaurant to restaurant.
Kannika Paison//Getty Images
But Within Reason, I’d Say Yes
While no one is expecting anyone’s kid to be a discerning Michelin-star diner, there are plenty of restaurants conducive to kids and their food. Think: restaurants where it’s easy to let kids eat those appropriate foods away from other diners, like on a patio or with nearby lawn space.
There are more appropriate foods (not messy or overly fragrant) to have kids eat at the table, of course. Milk or formula, baby food, and pre-packaged items that are easy for you (not your server) to clean up prior to leaving your table are a safe bet for etiquette and food safety reasons. Also, it goes without saying that you should also be ordering plenty for yourself, and not surviving off the bread basket alone, when your kid is not joining in on the meal.
At the end of the day, kids need to learn somehow how to behave in a restaurant and that’s absolutely the case with them eating any food. Did any of us really learn how to conduct ourselves properly at the dinner table without sometimes being a complete turd out at a restaurant once or twice? It teaches them about patience, social cues, and their own food preferences far quicker than any home meal could.
Related Stories
Source link : https://www.delish.com/food/a61191629/bringing-kids-food-to-a-restaurant/
Author :
Publish date : 2024-06-20 20:04:50
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.