Taking Food for a Toddler to a Restaurant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is actually a liability for the restaurant. If someone brings food into a restaurant, and comes down with food poisoning, you can't prove it was the restaurant, or your food. The restaurant can be sued, and have to pay. It is usually against their policies for this reason.

I'm not really buying this. Seems a little far-fetched. I've worked in many restaurants and never heard of such a policy. And it doesn't impose liability. A restaurant can't be held liable if you can't prove it was their food. It's not the restaurant's responsibility to prove it was your own food. So to the extent it makes it harder to determine the source of the food poisoning, that only helps the restaurant and precludes liability. This just doesn't make any sense.

This has always been the case in the restaurants I worked in. A friend of mine, who happened to own a restaurant, and I have discussed this at long length. This was the policy at her establishment, and her pet peeve when it wasn't observed. She would have to explain the entire liability situation to the customer, and often they were combatant about it, saying they had the right to eat what they pleased in her place of business.

It isn't far fetched at all, but we always ran into trouble with customers that didn't grasp the concept. In addition to being a liability, it is also rude. Acceptations are usually made for infants who are eating Cheerios, but three year olds, no way. I also think that in the case of food allergies, with the explanation, it shouldn't be a problem.

I hate to tell you this, but as a lawyer, your friend is absolutely full of it. And if she feeds this line of B.S. to her customers, I'm not suprised they get combatant.

Look, if she thinks its rude, and its bothers her, or is bad for her business, it's her right not to serve them. She can tell her patrons not to bring in outside food. When they ask why, she can say whatever she likes (bad for business, annoys me, etc.). But to blame this stupid policy on "liability" concerns is just utter B.S. It is absolutely NOT a liability for the restaurant to have a customer bring in outside food. As the previous poster explained, if anything, it would make a food poisoning case even harder to prove.

But, as for the original question... I think most restaurants do not go apeshit when you bring food in for your toddler (PP's friend obviously excluded). Most establishments are happy to have the business of the parents, and understand that toddlers can be picky eaters, or have food allergies.

[Anonymous]

I agree that at 3 she can eat off the menu. We always order something for our son (2.5), but I often bring a little bit of food that he usually likes. We order as soon as we sit down, and try to get out within an hour.
Also, there's a lot he'll eat only in a restaurant (miso soup, edemame, etc). Go figure...

[Anonymous]

Our daughter is only two, so hopefully by next year things will change a bit. But she is becoming pretty finicky and it just kills me to pay for a meal for her (even a kids meal) that she takes two bites of and then decides she doesn't like. Not being cheap here, just realistic. So recently we've been bringing individual packs of apple sauce or yogurts along with a sippy of milk or juice for her, and then either sharing our food or ordering her a side. we've never run into a problem in a restaurant. I think in general the restaurant owners/managers would rather have happier parents who are going to stay longer and eat more (apps, desserts, drinks) than frustrated parents with a kids meal of mac and cheese. But what do I know? Just sharing what works for us!

[Anonymous]

I'm sort of confused here. Her child is THREE. That's preschool age, not a toddler!

I really think that if your child can't eat restaurant food at that point, you should stay home and keep trying to introduce new foods to her until she's ready.

It's so tacky to bring a whole meal for a three-year-old (though I think that PP has a good point that at TWO it's okay to bring sides and have her share your food).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sort of confused here. Her child is THREE. That's preschool age, not a toddler!

OP here. I am so sorry that I did not use the correct term for describing my child.

I really think that if your child can't eat restaurant food at that point, you should stay home and keep trying to introduce new foods to her until she's ready.

Whether I should stay home or not is really none of your fucking business. We are not going out to eat for my daugher's sake, we are going becasue we want to go out. Sometime we take her becasue we cannot get a sitter or because we want her to eat with us.

It's so tacky to bring a whole meal for a three-year-old (though I think that PP has a good point that at TWO it's okay to bring sides and have her share your food).



Thanks for your very helpful suggestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sort of confused here. Her child is THREE. That's preschool age, not a toddler!

I really think that if your child can't eat restaurant food at that point, you should stay home and keep trying to introduce new foods to her until she's ready.

It's so tacky to bring a whole meal for a three-year-old (though I think that PP has a good point that at TWO it's okay to bring sides and have her share your food).

Thanks for clearing up what's "okay" and when!

The toddler stage is generally considered to be 12-36 months of age. But, whatever, not even the point.

No, I'm not going to "stay home" if my toddler won't eat off the menu at a particular restaurant. Get real. As someone pointed out, they are not making their money off the kids menu. Would they rather me stay home and not spend the $20, or $30, or $40 in their restaurant--UNLESS I order a $4 kids menu item? Doubtful.

And, actually, we DO always order something for our generally well-behaved 22 month old. But I always have a backup in case he doesn't want it. Yes, as a toddler, he is sometimes surprisingly finicky! I guess some people's children will predictably eat everything from Thai to Ethiopian, but, unfortunately, my kid is sometimes picky.

[Anonymous]

OP, I used to do this all the time with my DD. A lot of restaurant kid's food is total crap, fried, full of fat and gross stuff that I did not want to encourage my child to eat at an early age, or it was just stuff she did not like or had not been introduced to, which is not her fault and I did not think she should be forced to eat what she did not want. I almost always brought my own food and no one ever complained or said anything. I feel there is nothing wrong with this -- being a picky eater is not all bad -- this is how some people as adults stay trim. I am quite picky myself (not any extreme though), and have been healthy/trim all of my life, I believe partly b/c I don't eat "everything" off the menu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sort of confused here. Her child is THREE. That's preschool age, not a toddler!

I really think that if your child can't eat restaurant food at that point, you should stay home and keep trying to introduce new foods to her until she's ready.

It's so tacky to bring a whole meal for a three-year-old (though I think that PP has a good point that at TWO it's okay to bring sides and have her share your food).

Not that it matters, but for the record my daughter is 34 months old. I say 3 or almost 3 because 2.5 is not quite right and do not want to say 34 months plus she is 40 inches tall so saying she is 3 means I do not have to answer the "she is tall for her age question". Next time I write a post I will be more precise.

[Anonymous]

My DS is only 16 mo but I have to tell you, I have been SHOCKED by this thread... it would never occur to me that I should be ashamed to bring food in or that I should really be staying home until DS eats off the menu!! Yes, order your kid something or at least have them taste things off of your plate so that they are acclimated to new foods BUT - enjoy your dinner out and allow your kid to eat what they are comfortable eating!

[Anonymous]

Wow, this is acrimonious. I don't think I would bring food with me to a restaurant (except maybe TGIF's or something like that), though I've brought sippy cups with me . I can't imagine opening up a container of food from home. I'm with the poster who doesn't think it's right.

Then again, I guess it depends on the restaurant.

Can you just stick to restaurants where she can order off the children's menu? Can she even eat that sort of food?
Can you order a children's item and then a side order of veggies for example?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I like to eat out and like to go once a week. Sometime we get a sitter but sometimes we really like having our 3 yo daughter with us. She will happily sit at a table for 30 minutes, but we tend to have trouble finding stuff for her on the menu. We generally do not feed her the "kids menu" standard items at home so she did not it if we order it when we are out unless we are at an Italian Restuarant and can get pasta.

This weekend I came up with the idea of taking her meals with us when we go out. I cook a few times per week and there is always food in the fridge. Has anyone ever tried to do this? I am hoping that since she is a child the restuarants will not mind to much but want to get a sense of what other think before we try it.

Thanks,

I wouldn't do it personally.

[Anonymous]

Do it all the time. No one cares. My glass of wine costs more than chicken nuggets with fries, and they know it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for clearing up what's "okay" and when!

The toddler stage is generally considered to be 12-36 months of age. But, whatever, not even the point.

No, I'm not going to "stay home" if my toddler won't eat off the menu at a particular restaurant. Get real. As someone pointed out, they are not making their money off the kids menu. Would they rather me stay home and not spend the $20, or $30, or $40 in their restaurant--UNLESS I order a $4 kids menu item? Doubtful.

And, actually, we DO always order something for our generally well-behaved 22 month old. But I always have a backup in case he doesn't want it. Yes, as a toddler, he is sometimes surprisingly finicky! I guess some people's children will predictably eat everything from Thai to Ethiopian, but, unfortunately, my kid is sometimes picky.


HEY, oh my god, you're so rude. I'M THE PERSON WHO POSTED THAT MY KIDS EAT A LOT OF TAKEOUT FOOD INCLUDING THOSE TYPES OF FOODS - I POSTED ON ANOTHER THREAD. I just happened to see this.

I posted it to show that I order too much take out food! Not to show off or anything like that. Quite the opposite in fact.

Are you the OP here? What a jerk!!! NO wonder you started this whole fight here.

[Anonymous]

We did it all the time until DD was around 2 or 2.5 and started being less picky. We would travel around with a small lunch box filled with whole milk, avocado, and other things she would eat. She was a preemie, very picky, and had low weight. No one ever cared and I would not be pleased with a restaurant who objected to this. They would not get any of our business in the future.

Around 3, she began to open up to new foods and now is pretty good about eating things from the menu. Her weight finally got on the growth curve so we can go with 2% milk if that is all they have.

This attitude from some posters that she is THREE and SHOULD eat from the menu is a bit judgemental and nasty. Every kid is different and every mom has a different level of comfort reagrding what their kid can and should eat. Going out to eat should be enjoyable, if you want to take some food feel free to do so.

[Anonymous]

OP again, anyway, I wanted to bring this full circle by saying that I just hung up the phone with a restarurant in Georgetown were we are going for dinner tonight. Before, I made the reservation I specifically mentioned that one of our group is an ALMOST 3 yo and whether they would have any objection to my bringing a small meal for her. The guy's response "Yeah, sure, no problem".

My plan going forward is to try to find something off the menu for her to eat (the situation can only improve), but will always have my little tupperware of leftovers - just in case.

Thanks to everyone for chiming in and have a great weekend.