So I had a lunch date yesterday...

[eyeteach]

at a local Chinese restaurant; family owned, you know. I'm sitting there eating and enjoying the lunch when an older couple enter and take a table, nothing out of the ordinary about that. A few minutes later a younger couple with a child @ five years old or so enter and join the older couple at their table. That's when I noticed it. The younger couple had stopped at McDonald's and bought Junior a Happy Meal to eat at the Chinese restaurant. Now maybe this is just me, but I found that to be a cheap-assed thing to do.

How many of you would intentionally bring food from one restaurant into another? Personally, I would not do that but how many of y'all would?

 

[JerryBoBerry]

For a kid, I've seen it done often. Kids are picky eaters. If I owned the place i wouldn't mind. That's still four adult meals. And usually at Chinese places (buffets near me) a kid that young would eat free, or REALLY cheaply. So they aren't out any money anyway. If anything it's a win win for them. So I doubt they minded at all.

I don't have a problem with it.

 

[DrWangFei]

My sister does this all the time. It's because my niece is such a picky eater and will basically only eat noodles or Chick-Fil-A. So, if the restaurant doesn't serve that on the menu or does have those items but aren't very good, they will stop and get food to bring it to the restaurant.

 

[SexySteph]

I've seen this plenty. I don't think it's really that cheap-assed. They're still getting adult meals. If the place doesn't have chicken strips or cheeseburgers I get it. Personally, I wouldn't do it, if my kids want to be picky eaters then they just won't eat. But for those that like to cater to their kids, I get it.

 

[JickyJuly]

Most restaurants will make you get rid of wrappings if you do this. When I was part of a waitstaff in Michigan, it was a legal thing I thought? It's lazy parenting. Children should be exposed to different foods and be part of a family meal. One of my kids is a picky eater. I don't tell her she has to eat anything, but I always offer her new things anyway. It's her job to decide what she eats, but it is my job to provide options. Limiting kids to kid sanctioned junk options is a crappy thing to do.

I do bring my own sippie cups, but that's for the safety of everyone around us. Hehehe. I don't know. Is it rude to bring sippie cups?

 

[Teagan]

I think things like sippy cups (that's just polite to everyone to not have to clean up that mess lol) and snacks like goldfish crackers, cheerios, and stuff are fine for kids. However actual meals I think is rude. Not cheap per say but rude to the restaurant. Sit in the car with your kid for them to eat it or go after with them if they simply must have another meal (i know some have allergies so this may be necessary) cause I feel like bringing in another businesses food is plain just rude. It sets a bad example to the kid as well that it's cool and it's just not.

 

[dilligaf0]

Speaking only for myself, if my child was that picky about eating, I would get everything as carry-out and we would eat at home.

 

[WickedTouch]

Sounds like a total brass neck job to do something like that! Bringing in baby food, a sippy cup etc would be both understandable and acceptable, but not a Mac and fries... jeez!
Junior could have had his munchies out in the car before the adults went in to the restaurant. Regardless of whether the restaurant was still making cash on 4 adult meals or not, I read that as a slap in the face to them to have patrons bring in food from a competitor.

 

[Nordling]

I try not to stare at other tables. As long as they aren't too noisy or spreading disease, I don't care what they do at their table.

 

[Gen]

I've never seen something like that or really thought about it since I don't have kids, but that's interesting! I agree with @WickedTouch - baby food or a sippy cup seems totally normal (saw this when I was a waitress quite a bit). But bringing a branded meal from somewhere else seems a bit rude. Most places are pretty accommodating for kids (plain rice or noodles, that kind of thing) so I think if your kid can't eat that, have them eat outside beforehand or something.

Then again as a former waitress, whatever keeps the kid quiet, I'm generally okay with

 

[Shaun__]

I do not want to listen to screaming children or parents while eating, so anything that makes the kid happy is fine with me.

 

[fandango]

Good topic I've never noticed that happen anywhere before. When I was a kid I used to be quite a picky eater and I was told food has been provided either eat it or go hungry. If they were my kids I dont think I would do that it seems very rude unless they have genuine reasons they cant eat there like allergies or some other kind of intolerance. Just being picky is not a good excuse IMO.

 

[TacoBelle]

I've seen this happen many times before while working in fast food. People tend to think that it's ok because it's fast food as opposed to a full-service restaurant. And I kinda agree with them, as long as they're not making a big deal about it. Usually, it's either for a kid or even an adult who simply hates the one restaurant's food (or wants to eat something healthier, but the place doesn't offer healthy choices) but is part of a large family gathering. Although it makes the staff roll their eyes, they're still making all that money from the rest of your family eating there. So don't stress about it. Buy your salad at Arby's, and eat it (without making a scene) at KFC with your family. Cause KFC would rather have 5 adults buying food there, and one eating a competitor's food discretely, rather than lose all 6 adults to Arby's.

As for a "sit-down" restaurant, I wouldn't do it. I think it's tacky as hell. And yeah, I was taught that you eat what's in front of you or nothing at all. My kids will be the same way. And speaking on behalf of all spoiled first-world humans, @JickyJuly, thank you for bringing the sippy cups. Keep doing it. You're making all of our lives better when we have to sit near you in a restaurant.

 

[eyeteach]

I think things like sippy cups (that's just polite to everyone to not have to clean up that mess lol) and snacks like goldfish crackers, cheerios, and stuff are fine for kids. However actual meals I think is rude. Not cheap per say but rude to the restaurant. Sit in the car with your kid for them to eat it or go after with them if they simply must have another meal (i know some have allergies so this may be necessary) cause I feel like bringing in another businesses food is plain just rude. It sets a bad example to the kid as well that it's cool and it's just not.

Teagan I agree 100% with your response. I could have worded things much better and rude is definitely the word I should have used. Also, I don't see the first thing wrong with sippy cups; good call there, too.

 

[Zoomer]

The real issue is that people are feeding their small children MacDonalds. They wouldn't be bringing in a Happy Meal if they'd never fed their kid that shit in the first place.

 

[mav2199]

Fact is, kids are picky eaters. Mom probably been down that road too many times before to go to a chinese restaurant and not be able to find some"appetizing" on the kids menu....

And as for being the resaurant owner, I'd be upset, too. Kinda disrespectful to bring that to an establishment, but thats just me. Only in a 'merica...