Refused to heat Baby Food!

Orion

Ian Beale wrote: »

and yes giving out hot water can be dangerous as it would not be covered by insurance should it scald someone and they made a claim.

I've heard this argument before and tbqfh it is bull****. It's a cafe - it sells tea by the pot - this pot is hot water with a paper bag full of leaves in it. Is this cafe not covered by insurance for selling tea? As far as I'm concerned any coffee shop/cafe/diner/whatever that refuses to provide hot water to heat up a baby's food should be charged under the Equal Status Act for discrimating against parents. And then should be named and shamed for being an establishment run by asshats.

And as for the waitress as described in the OP - if any waitress turned her heel on me and walked away like that she would be embarrassed into turning back around pronto - I have no tolerance for that kind of 'service'. Anybody who turns their back on me like that would regret it ... publicly.

d-sher

Macros42 wrote: »

I've heard this argument before and tbqfh it is bull****. It's a cafe - it sells tea by the pot - this pot is hot water with a paper bag full of leaves in it. Is this cafe not covered by insurance for selling tea? As far as I'm concerned any coffee shop/cafe/diner/whatever that refuses to provide hot water to heat up a baby's food should be charged under the Equal Status Act for discrimating against parents. And then should be named and shamed for being an establishment run by asshats.

And as for the waitress as described in the OP - if any waitress turned her heel on me and walked away like that she would be embarrassed into turning back around pronto - I have no tolerance for that kind of 'service'. Anybody who turns their back on me like that would regret it ... publicly.

Thank you Macros42, I totally agree 100% with you!!!

Even if they couldn't give out the hot water due to insurance conditions (which sounds idiotic to me also - in a cofee shop) it should have been explained by the waitress properly. If she had explained properly there wouldn't have been an issue and this thread would not exist. Particularly when another poster commented to say there was an area in the shopping centre specifically to heat baby food.

Its a pity that they don't place as much importance on their staff training policy as they do their insurance policy!! If that waitress worked in my business she would have had her P45 tattoo'd to her forehead in 2 seconds!!
Customer service my arse....

Just to reply to Ian Beale's comment - Their business is to sell their products not to accommodate your needs.

I really don't think you are being intellectually honest here. I also believe that if that was your attitude towards customers that are keeping the doors of your business open you wouldn't be in business too long pal...

Fad

d-sher wrote: »

Thank you Macros42, I totally agree 100% with you!!!

Even if they couldn't give out the hot water due to insurance conditions (which sounds idiotic to me also - in a cofee shop) it should have been explained by the waitress properly. If she had explained properly there wouldn't have been an issue and this thread would not exist. Particularly when another poster commented to say there was an area in the shopping centre specifically to heat baby food.

Its a pity that they don't place as much importance on their staff training policy as they do their insurance policy!! If that waitress worked in my business she would have had her P45 tattoo'd to her forehead in 2 seconds!!
Customer service my arse....

Just to reply to Ian Beale's comment - Their business is to sell their products not to accommodate your needs.

I really don't think you are being intellectually honest here. I also believe that if that was your attitude towards customers that are keeping the doors of your business open you wouldn't be in business too long pal...

Maybe she was new staff, if she was new she mightnt have known what the story is, maybe she was having a hard day.

Maybe she was asked in an impolite way.......I have been asked by customers where I work to do things in a way that they must think is perfectly reasonable (Some bizarre sense of expectation from them) but in the real world it was just rude and brash.

Maybe she had been directly instructed not to give out hot, and not told why.

Just because you didnt get your way doesnt mean it's her fault.

d-sher

Fad wrote: »

Maybe she was new staff, if she was new she mightnt have known what the story is, maybe she was having a hard day.

Maybe she was asked in an impolite way.......I have been asked by customers where I work to do things in a way that they must think is perfectly reasonable (Some bizarre sense of expectation from them) but in the real world it was just rude and brash.

Maybe she had been directly instructed not to give out hot, and not told why.

Just because you didnt get your way doesnt mean it's her fault.

Ok I would expect Trolling from other people but from a Mod??

Let me blow your comments out of the water one by one:

Maybe she was new staff, if she was new she mightnt have known what the story is, maybe she was having a hard day.
- Not the customers problem! These factors are not taken into consideration when the company is pricing the Menu. You not only pay for the goods but you also pay for the use of the cafe, energy taken to prepare the goods, the wages of the staff that serve you the goods, etc. The price of the goods do not fluctuate in relation to the experience/good nature of the staff whether they are having a bad day or not.

Maybe she was asked in an impolite way.......I have been asked by customers where I work to do things in a way that they must think is perfectly reasonable (Some bizarre sense of expectation from them) but in the real world it was just rude and brash.
- Some bizarre sense of expectation?? Hot Water?? From a coffee shop??
- My wife is a chef in a top restaurant in Waterford and deals with customers constantly on a daily based. If anybody knows anything about the importance of manners and consumer etiquette, she does.

Maybe she had been directly instructed not to give out hot, and not told why.
- Again, this should not be the customers problem! If she was not instructed to do so then the company is failing to provide an adequate service/training policy for its staff. And again, you are paying for sevice as well as goods.

Just because you didnt get your way doesnt mean it's her fault.
- This is just being silly! Again, hot water in a coffee shop? not getting our own way??
Granted, if the waitress is of low intellegence and has been raised as a pig then yes I agree that she would only be partly to blame. The rest of the blame should be apportioned to the company for employing her. Either way the customer is paying for a service as well as goods (and paying a fairly high price too in comparison - having said that, we are not complaining about the price).

Ian Beale

Macros42 wrote: »

I've heard this argument before and tbqfh it is bull****. It's a cafe - it sells tea by the pot - this pot is hot water with a paper bag full of leaves in it. Is this cafe not covered by insurance for selling tea? As far as I'm concerned any coffee shop/cafe/diner/whatever that refuses to provide hot water to heat up a baby's food should be charged under the Equal Status Act for discrimating against parents. And then should be named and shamed for being an establishment run by asshats.

That's different that's a finished product there's all different kinds of insurance shops take out to cover themselves in the event of a claim, 1. Public liability insurance, trips falls etc, this does not cover a person being scalded by water if they are given it 2.Product liability insurance, for faulty products that might cause injury/illness. If they were actually selling hot water and their insurers knew about it then it would be no problem but obviously in this case it wasn't a product that they were selling and would not be covered by insurance to do so.
As for your point of the Equality Status Act this is not a case of discrimination, they weren't refused service they were refused something that the shop doesn't supply, if they gave it to everyone except you then there would be a cause of discrimination.

Just to reply to Ian Beale's comment - Their business is to sell their products not to accommodate your needs.

I really don't think you are being intellectually honest here. I also believe that if that was your attitude towards customers that are keeping the doors of your business open you wouldn't be in business too long pal...

My shop doors have been open for over 25 years, you also weren't forced to buy anything from that cafe so the excuse of but I'm a paying customer doesn't mean a thing, if food needed to be heated up then it should have been asked was it possible before you bought anything and that's down on the parent not on the shop.

MissHoneyBun

d-sher wrote: »

Are you for real??
I can't say I would like to ever visit an eatery run by you!!

d-sher wrote: »

if that was your attitude towards customers that are keeping the doors of your business open you wouldn't be in business too long pal...

d-sher wrote: »

Ok I would expect Trolling from other people but from a Mod?? Let me blow your comments out of the water one by one.

Granted, if the waitress is of low intellegence and has been raised as a pig then yes I agree that she would only be partly to blame. The rest of the blame should be apportioned to the company for employing her.

d-sher wrote: »

Customer service my arse....
If that waitress worked in my business she would have had her P45 tattoo'd to her forehead in 2 seconds!!

Your attitude is disgusting. I'm surprised you can get served anywhere to be honest.

d-sher wrote: »

My wife is a chef in a top restaurant in Waterford

Ahhhhh so she thought she could treat staff like crap in other restaurants as well as her own? Enough said.

Khannie

d-sher wrote: »

Ok I would expect Trolling from other people but from a Mod??

Mods are only mods in their own forum. Everywhere else they're just a normal user.

I don't have time to read through this now but I will later. I'll just say that the courtesy levels appear to be falling through the floor so this is a gentle reminder to play nice.

d-sher

No Probs Khannie, I didn't realise that mods have their own forums. I thought you all looked after them all. Id say at this stage you could nearly close the thread if you wanted. Kinda got the responses I expected. Cheers...

Nevyn

d-sher I sugest you take the time to read the site faq, you may find it benefical.
www.boards.ie/faq

Fad

d-sher wrote: »

Ok I would expect Trolling from other people but from a Mod??

Let me blow your comments out of the water one by one:

Maybe she was new staff, if she was new she mightnt have known what the story is, maybe she was having a hard day.
- Not the customers problem! These factors are not taken into consideration when the company is pricing the Menu. You not only pay for the goods but you also pay for the use of the cafe, energy taken to prepare the goods, the wages of the staff that serve you the goods, etc. The price of the goods do not fluctuate in relation to the experience/good nature of the staff whether they are having a bad day or not.

Maybe she was asked in an impolite way.......I have been asked by customers where I work to do things in a way that they must think is perfectly reasonable (Some bizarre sense of expectation from them) but in the real world it was just rude and brash.
- Some bizarre sense of expectation?? Hot Water?? From a coffee shop??
- My wife is a chef in a top restaurant in Waterford and deals with customers constantly on a daily based. If anybody knows anything about the importance of manners and consumer etiquette, she does.

Maybe she had been directly instructed not to give out hot, and not told why.
- Again, this should not be the customers problem! If she was not instructed to do so then the company is failing to provide an adequate service/training policy for its staff. And again, you are paying for sevice as well as goods.

Just because you didnt get your way doesnt mean it's her fault.
- This is just being silly! Again, hot water in a coffee shop? not getting our own way??
Granted, if the waitress is of low intellegence and has been raised as a pig then yes I agree that she would only be partly to blame. The rest of the blame should be apportioned to the company for employing her. Either way the customer is paying for a service as well as goods (and paying a fairly high price too in comparison - having said that, we are not complaining about the price).

Dont really want to get bítchy about this, but are you new to the internet? That is not trolling, I think your attitude is outrageous, and I reasoned something. And, yes, as has been pointed out, I am a mod, in another forum, I am a regular user in every other forum.

Maybe she was new staff, if she was new she mightnt have known what the story is, maybe she was having a hard day.
"- Not the customers problem! These factors are not taken into consideration when the company is pricing the Menu. You not only pay for the goods but you also pay for the use of the cafe, energy taken to prepare the goods, the wages of the staff that serve you the goods, etc. The price of the goods do not fluctuate in relation to the experience/good nature of the staff whether they are having a bad day or not."

So if some guy comes in to your wife's restuarant and orders something that isnt on the menu, and kicks up a fuss, rings her manager, exaggerates how she reacted to the customer, how would you feel?

Dont be so bloody unreasonable!

Maybe she had been directly instructed not to give out hot, and not told why.
"- Again, this should not be the customers problem! If she was not instructed to do so then the company is failing to provide an adequate service/training policy for its staff. And again, you are paying for sevice as well as goods."

How is it her fault? Why seemingly go out of your way to get her fired?

acia

I work in a coffee shop for a big retail store and we were told never to heat up baby food in the microwave as they are pre programmed industrial microwaves and would be far too strong for baby foods. Also if the child were to become sick from the food being heated incorrectly the shop would be liable.
The amount of abuse I hear day in day out because of this is unbelievable. At the end of the day we are just trying to do our jobs and we are implementing decisions that head office have made so don't take it out on us. I have a small child of my own and I understand why the store won't heat up the food it would be far too dangerous. I have seen mums bringing their own flasks of boiling water into the coffee shop with them to heat up their baby food that seems to work fine.

d-sher

acia wrote: »

I work in a coffee shop for a big retail store and we were told never to heat up baby food in the microwave as they are pre programmed industrial microwaves and would be far too strong for baby foods. Also if the child were to become sick from the food being heated incorrectly the shop would be liable.
The amount of abuse I hear day in day out because of this is unbelievable. At the end of the day we are just trying to do our jobs and we are implementing decisions that head office have made so don't take it out on us. I have a small child of my own and I understand why the store won't heat up the food it would be far too dangerous. I have seen mums bringing their own flasks of boiling water into the coffee shop with them to heat up their baby food that seems to work fine.

I just find it incredible that people are condoning the attitude of this staff member. Stunned that the majority of people here think that that level of customer service was acceptable.
Acia, I'm sure you can appreciate where I'm coming from considering you work in the trade? Do you think that her behavour was acceptable? I certainly don't agree with a waitress being accosted for company policy but i'm sure you will agree that there is way to deal with a paying customer?
My wife trated her with respect from the time she entered until she left. She didn't even question the waitress. To be honest she didn't really get a chance as she was looking at her back within 5 seconds..Certainly did not warrant such ignorance..

d-sher

Fad,

orders something that isnt on the menu, and kicks up a fuss, rings her manager, exaggerates how she reacted to the customer

Water is not on the menu you reckon?

Kicks up a fuss? - Nobody kicked up a fuss, they left what they ordered on the table and left. Not a word was spoken to the waitress after her attitude.

exaggerates how she reacted to the customer - Exaggerated?? I explained in the thread exactly what happened - Read it!!

imitation

d-sher wrote: »

I just find it incredible that people are condoning the attitude of this staff member. Stunned that the majority of people here think that that level of customer service was acceptable.
Acia, I'm sure you can appreciate where I'm coming from considering you work in the trade? Do you think that her behavour was acceptable? I certainly don't agree with a waitress being accosted for company policy but i'm sure you will agree that there is way to deal with a paying customer?
My wife trated her with respect from the time she entered until she left. She didn't even question the waitress. To be honest she didn't really get a chance as she was looking at her back within 5 seconds..Certainly did not warrant such ignorance..

What attitude did she have ? She was just doing what she was being told. Every day people have to do things that are counter intuitive or just seem mean, its called earning a buck.

MagicMarker

d-sher wrote: »

Fad,

orders something that isnt on the menu, and kicks up a fuss, rings her manager, exaggerates how she reacted to the customer

Water is not on the menu you reckon?

Kicks up a fuss? - Nobody kicked up a fuss, they left what they ordered on the table and left. Not a word was spoken to the waitress after her attitude.

exaggerates how she reacted to the customer - Exaggerated?? I explained in the thread exactly what happened - Read it!!

Let's be fair, you weren't there. And if your wife is anything like you've been in this thread, then it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if all this crap was blown slightly out of proportion by her.

She asked, she was given an answer, just leave it be ffs. There are more important things in life to worry about.

miss no stars

OP, bad service sucks and I hate it when people don't offer an explanation. If your wife/you aren't exaggerating about the somewhat rude response, fair enough, you got bad service. Join the club. Service in Ireland can be quite hostile and curt. But don't dare think it's wrong of them to not heat up food that they didn't prepare.

Everyone here is assuming that the only damage that can happen is to the baby. What about other customers? How can the shop vouch for their food if they've heated food that someone else prepared in their equipment? Like, say there were contaminants or bacteria in the food your wife prepared (hypothetical situation!) and that bacteria got into their microwave and then into someone else's food? ALL of their food is prepared in accordance with health and safety standards - it has to be. Babyfood can't be vouched for in that manner. I'm not saying you're unsanitary or anything, I'm just saying that it'd be crazy to expect a business to put their neck on the line, taking a chance that there won't be cross contamination and that they won't get sued, just so your child can have hot food.

As someone with various food allergies and intolerances, I personally like to know exactly how my food has been prepared and honestly, I wouldn't be comfortable if I knew that food prepared in a random member of the public's home had been heated in the same equipment as is now heating my food...

It sucks for your wife and kid but just learn from the experience.

Bonito

Thaedydal wrote: »

For some chains it is to do with insurance policies, so they no longer do it.

Agree with thaedydal here. The only way they'd have of heating it up is the same as they heat everything else - their microwave. Which can cause hot spots in bottles and feeds. The last thing you want is a hot spot in your babies food or bottle!

Fad

d-sher wrote: »

Exaggerated?? I explained in the thread exactly what happened - Read it!!

And I didnt believe it

Dudess

My god, such self-righteousness...

d-sher wrote: »

When my Wife asked the waitress to heat the babies food she just replied "We don't heat baby food in here", turned on her heels and walked away.

Was she really that rude?

I said that if babies were not welcome then there should be a sign stating this.

Except babies are welcome there - that is evidenced by the fact that nobody stopped your wife from bringing your baby in there.

d-sher wrote: »

Rule number 1 in dealing with a customer that is having difficulty is to identify and sympathise

I do that all the time, but...

example: I am very sorry but we are not allowed to heat baby food. I realise and agree that it is a silly rule but unfortunately I cannot do anything about it. If you would like to speak to a manager for further clarification I can get one for you. Again I apologise...

I will be extremely approachable, empathetic, helpful, pleasant, informative, apologetic if appropriate, but I will not shoulder responsibility for certain rules, and I will not call them "silly" even if I agree they are - this undermines the organisation that is paying my wages and I will not risk getting into trouble.

d-sher wrote: »

Apologese Super Parent!!

I don't see any evidence of him masquerading himself as a "super parent".

d-sher wrote: »

I can't say I would like to ever visit an eatery run by you!!

... because that poster is disagreeing with you? Let me see: person has opposing views on an internet forum = nightmarish dining experience if they own an eatery... does not compute.

To everyone else that has commented constructively - Thank you very much.

By "commented constructively" you mean "agreed with you" don't you?

d-sher wrote: »

Thank you Macros42, I totally agree 100% with you!!!

Well yes, obviously - Macros42 was posting similarly inflammatory stuff to you, so naturally you "totally agree 100%" with them. Goes without saying really.

d-sher wrote: »

I didn't realise that mods have their own forums. I thought you all looked after them all.

Even though it's explicitly stated next to their usernames which forum(s) they moderate?

d-sher wrote: »

I just find it incredible that people are condoning the attitude of this staff member. Stunned that the majority of people here think that that level of customer service was acceptable.

I'm seeing neither - instead I'm seeing people defending the company abiding by its insurance policy (even if it is a draconian one) - this is not "condoning" the attitude of the staff member/deeming that level of customer service acceptable.
It seems like your issue is with the coffee shop's policy, even if you've backtracked a bit and shifted the blame to the waitress (whom I agree was extremely rude - bad day/new or not... if your wife's version of events is true). Fair enough if you find this policy unreasonable - I do too. On the face of it, a coffee shop not accommodating the heating of a baby's food is ridiculously OTT, but this is an extremely litigious culture we've got going on and it's not personal, it's not done out of spite towards the customer (these are profit-making organisations - pissing off customers hardly falls within their remit; I disagree with the poster who said selling a product and accommodating a customer's needs are mutually exclusive), it makes life that bit more difficult for the staff/management when they get abuse so they'd avoid such measures if they could. They don't want to lose customers, so really, they have put this policy in place because they HAVE to, not because they want to be difficult.

By the way, disagreeing is not trolling.

Cabaal

d-sher wrote: »

Are you for real??
Not the resposibility of a privately run business to make provisions? - Hot water from a cafe too much to ask in your opinion??

OP I'm curious, in your opening post no where do you state you simply asked for hot water...instead you stated you asked them to heat the food.

Both requests are very different in what your asking the business to do.

As stated by other posters heating your food could be against their insurance policy and potentially could cause health and safety issues in respect of bringing food they don't know about into their food preparation area. Both are very reasonable and I wouldn't expect a business to go against them....they'd be idiots to do so.

d-sher wrote: »

I just find it incredible that people are condoning the attitude of this staff member. Stunned that the majority of people here think that that level of customer service was acceptable.
Acia, I'm sure you can appreciate where I'm coming from considering you work in the trade? Do you think that her behavour was acceptable? I certainly don't agree with a waitress being accosted for company policy but i'm sure you will agree that there is way to deal with a paying customer?
My wife trated her with respect from the time she entered until she left. She didn't even question the waitress. To be honest she didn't really get a chance as she was looking at her back within 5 seconds..Certainly did not warrant such ignorance..

acia stated that they are not allowed heat food because if the baby became sick they'd be liable, this is perfectly fair and reasonable.

As you telling me that if they didn't heat the food properly and your baby became sick you woudn't be attempting to claim from them and you wouldn't be posting a thread about how they nearly killed your baby?

Perhaps the business had people attempt such claims in the post so they were told not to entertain them. Such claims could shut down a business.

If you owned a business and a customer asked you to do something against your insurance policy at the risk of a potentially large claim would you or your wife do it? Simple answer is no and if you did then you wouldn't be in business long

urhavinalaugh

perhaps the next time your wife decides to go out for several hours with the baby on her journey ,she brings a Thermos Flask . Amazing invention keeps hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold ,but alas not at the same time unless you have two .:D

guppy

urhavinalaugh wrote: »

perhaps the next time your wife decides to go out for several hours with the baby on her journey ,she brings a Thermos Flask . Amazing invention keeps hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold ,but alas not at the same time unless you have two .:D

When my child was born, 3 years ago, it never even entered my head that I could ask an eating establishment to heat his bottle, and later, food. So, I bought a thermos especially for baby bottles/food jars. It has an extra long neck on it so you can put the bottle/jar in, fill it up as high as needed, and hey presto - warm food for babs.

I really don't get this attitude that its someone else's responsibility to heat my child's lunch. Surely, if I'm bringing the food, I'm responsible for having it at adequate temperature for MY child?

parsi

d-sher wrote: »

As stated previously, he needs certain types of foods due to a medical condition. In a cold state it is solid, hence needs to be heated to be eadible...

In that case you should provide the necessary means to heat the food.

No company wants to heat up food that they didn't provide - be it baby food or adult food. It goes against all the HAACP tenets.

parsi

I'm going to reply to myself:

I've kids. I know the score.

If you've kids that need special food or special temperatures then bring it with you. Don't expect that McDonalds is going to give you a Kosher meal or that Burger King is totally Hal-Al.

Food joints are designed to deal with the majority of folk. Try going into restaurants in Waterford and looking for an HalAl burger.

llester

were you asking them to heat it in the microwave, or hot water to put the tub in?

I've been to a few places and none of them will heat the food in the microwave, they always give me some hot water to put the tub of food into though?

llester

d-sher wrote: »

She also asked for a pot of hot water. Is this also against insurance policy in a coffee shop?? They would not be taking responsibility for anything in this instance. If my wife then proceeds to roast our son alive then surely she is responsible?

oops sorry I just read this. They'll give you boiling water for a pot of tea, but not to heat the baby's food?

Fighting Irish

It's all well and good until something goes wrong and your wife starts blaming the person who heated up the baby food, seriously, think about it

Diddler1977

Heating up baby food (either by microwaving or by giving water) is an add-on service that is offered by SOME companies or restaurants.

It was NOT offered by the establishment that the OP was visiting.

Why would someone assume it would be done for them? They asked could it be done, they were told no. End of story. Why should a restaurant have to offer this extra service if they do not want to (for whatever the reason).

Eddie Rockets gives out free baby food - the OP could have gone here and they would have been guaranteed a meal for baby.

However in my my mind it sounds incredible that someone who has a child with special dietery needs would venture on a day out without the means to heat the special meal up. It is the paren't responsibilty to heat their baby's meal - no one elses responsibility.

BeardyGit

I read the OP's post and immediately thought of a Thermos. You'll get something similar to the following in any outdoors shop not to mention the likes of TK Maxx etc:

http://www.stanley-pmi.com/shop/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=10-00131-003

Why make such a bloody fuss, just because your wife was ill prepared? Honestly, how much thought or preparation do people put into these things - It's not that flipping difficult, is it?

How can you remember the wallet, keys, coats, nappies...even the blinking food...and all the while not think about how you're going to heat it....Making assumptions are what put her in this situation and left you foaming at the mouth.

In fact, leaving all that aside, should the first words out of her mouth in BB's that afternoon not have been something along the lines of "Hi there. Can you tell me if you can heat this baby food for my child, or perhaps recommend somewhere that can?" Would have saved a bit of hassle, eh?

Then there's the customer service desk in the shopping centre..... FFS, it's an endless list of other ways to have dealt with this, and your wife chose none of them.

When you're done bitching and moaning about the girl in BB's, go have a word with your wife, and see how much notice she takes of you.

:rolleyes:

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

d-sher wrote: »

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has had any similar issues. My wife was in BB's coffee and muffin cafe in Mahon Point in Cork last weekend. She had coffe and food with her mother and aunt in the morning time and then returned again in the afternoon for more coffees as out 10 month old son was due a feed. When my Wife asked the waitress to heat the babies food she just replied "We don't heat baby food in here", turned on her heels and walked away.

Naturally we rang their head office to complain the following Monday. I said that if babies were not welcome then there should be a sign stating this. I find it incredible to think that they would refuse to heat or give out a pot of water to heat a babies dinner. A representative from the company rang me today to say that it is a policy of theirs not to allow the heating of baby food on their premises? This is astonishing considering that a huge volume of their customers would be mothers and babies? He said that it was against their health and safety policy? Were they going to heat it up to an unbearable temperature and force it down his throat?

Interested to find out if anyone else has come across this? Is there any ligislation that anyone knows about which does not permit restaurants to heat food for babies? We eat out several times a week and have never had any problems of this nature in any other establishment.
Thanks.

You seem to have a sense of entitlement. Why? Why do you think you should have had your babies premade food heated up in a coffee shop? That's a pretty common occurance and quite logical, if you have the ability to be unbiased and step in their shoes. It's more than likely not the companies fault but a third party that you will never know about, such as an insurance company.

The coffee shop were 100% in the right here.

The part where you try to emphasize how "rude" the waiter is, is very very unbelieveable. Sorry, but it seems that was added to give weight to your side of the story.

d-sher wrote: »

She also asked for a pot of hot water. Is this also against insurance policy in a coffee shop?? They would not be taking responsibility for anything in this instance. If my wife then proceeds to roast our son alive then surely she is responsible?

Think about it, would your wife hand out a pot of hot water to a customer? Seriously? I highly doubt it.

d-sher wrote: »

Apologese Super Parent!! Baby has a condition and can only eat certain food types... Never had any trouble in the past anywhere else...

Why are you passing the book? Take responsibility for your own child and look after him yourself. You willingly went out with COLD food for your child that needs WARM food for a medical condition... then you have the cheek to blame a minimum waged waitress? It is not her fault, nor is it up to her to know the insurance policy. All she knows is that she cannot give out hot water to customers, or to heat up baby food. It's really that simple.

d-sher wrote: »

As stated previously, he needs certain types of foods due to a medical condition. In a cold state it is solid, hence needs to be heated to be eadible...

You knew this before taking your child out? Then you try to pass the blame onto somebody else... lol typical.

Maybe you should be more considerate of your child and plan around his feeding times? Or is this too much of an inconvenience for you?

d-sher wrote: »

Are you for real??
Not the resposibility of a privately run business to make provisions? - Hot water from a cafe too much to ask in your opinion??

Explain why you think any company should go out of it's way and take risks for your toddler? If it was that much bother, why not heat up the babies food in a pot of tea or mug of coffee? Rather complain, would you?

just assumed other people would facilitate your child's needs and then shout about it when they don't?

Assumptions assumptions :rolleyes:

- Again, Hot water from a cafe too much to ask in your opinion?? A total of €35 was spent in the cafe, they were customers, not beggars!!

Who cares what you spend in a cafe... That type of bully tactic wouldn't work with me. If they have a rule, then they cannot bend it. Anyway, €35 isn't exactly a lot of money. I doubt they will miss your business.

I'm sure you'd be equally as quick to do the same if your child were to become ill as a result of his food preparation on their premises. -
Food was already prepared but needed hot water to warm it. They are in the hospitality business and it should be their business to ensure that they explain the policies of that business to patrons in such a situation!!

Their business is on the menu, not what you demand. Not all employees know the ins and outs of the rules, they just know there are rules and they have to be followed.

Macros42 wrote: »

I've heard this argument before and tbqfh it is bull****.

It's not so much an arguement as it is fact. It's what the insurance companies demand and all this cafe is doing is complying. Why is it their fault?

As far as I'm concerned any coffee shop/cafe/diner/whatever that refuses to provide hot water to heat up a baby's food should be charged under the Equal Status Act for discrimating against parents. And then should be named and shamed for being an establishment run by asshats.

Lol, tell us how far you get in the courts with that one will ya? You'd be laughed at, and rightly so.

And as for the waitress as described in the OP - if any waitress turned her heel on me and walked away like that she would be embarrassed into turning back around pronto - I have no tolerance for that kind of 'service'. Anybody who turns their back on me like that would regret it ... publicly.

/facepalm... epic facepalm. You honestly believe that the waitress just turned in an ignorant manner and walked away? Lol...

d-sher wrote: »

Thank you Macros42, I totally agree 100% with you!!!

Even if they couldn't give out the hot water due to insurance conditions (which sounds idiotic to me also - in a cofee shop) it should have been explained by the waitress properly.

Again, you assume that she knew about this law.

If she had explained properly there wouldn't have been an issue and this thread would not exist.

You should take some of your own advice there and explain your situation in the original op.

Particularly when another poster commented to say there was an area in the shopping centre specifically to heat baby food.

She was to know this too? What if she didn't know this, which seems to be quite likely, as she didn't tell you about this facility. You think she done this on purpose, to annoy you or something?

Its a pity that they don't place as much importance on their staff training policy as they do their insurance policy!!

Insurance policies cost a lot of money, why would they heavily invest in staff and teach them every single thing about the industry, law etc etc to make you happy?

If that waitress worked in my business she would have had her P45 tattoo'd to her forehead in 2 seconds!!
Customer service my arse....

You don't have a company. This comment says it all. The waitress didn't have a bad attitude at all, did she? You and your wife did.

Customer service is one thing, but when you come in demanding them to do something against their policy, you become a bully. It doesn't reflect their customer service levels at all.

Just to reply to Ian Beale's comment - Their business is to sell their products not to accommodate your needs.

I really don't think you are being intellectually honest here. I also believe that if that was your attitude towards customers that are keeping the doors of your business open you wouldn't be in business too long pal...

You talk alot about business, when in fact, you don't know the first thing about business. Do you? Please stop pretending, we can see right through you.

People are giving their opinions about your rediculous claim, and you challange their intelligence? Not the best way to conduct a debate really.

d-sher wrote: »

Ok I would expect Trolling from other people but from a Mod??

Let me blow your comments out of the water one by one:

Maybe she was new staff, if she was new she mightnt have known what the story is, maybe she was having a hard day.
- Not the customers problem! These factors are not taken into consideration when the company is pricing the Menu. You not only pay for the goods but you also pay for the use of the cafe, energy taken to prepare the goods, the wages of the staff that serve you the goods, etc. The price of the goods do not fluctuate in relation to the experience/good nature of the staff whether they are having a bad day or not.

Again, you display your total lack of understanding of business. You expect companies to have a perfect group of people waiting to tend to you and give you everything you need? You expect people to not undergo some kind of training? Firstly, you are dealing with people, that is the service industry. People do have bad days, take a look at yourself for example... Staff will go through a period of training, if you knew anything about business you would understand this.

Maybe she was asked in an impolite way.......I have been asked by customers where I work to do things in a way that they must think is perfectly reasonable (Some bizarre sense of expectation from them) but in the real world it was just rude and brash.
- Some bizarre sense of expectation?? Hot Water?? From a coffee shop??
- My wife is a chef in a top restaurant in Waterford and deals with customers constantly on a daily based. If anybody knows anything about the importance of manners and consumer etiquette, she does.

I highly doubt it. I am sure she went in to the coffee shop with a massive ego, a huge sense of self importance and self worth. Probably very demanding and a bully. Treated the waitress like crap and didn't use any common courtesy...

Maybe she had been directly instructed not to give out hot, and not told why.
- Again, this should not be the customers problem! If she was not instructed to do so then the company is failing to provide an adequate service/training policy for its staff. And again, you are paying for sevice as well as goods.

But it is your problem, you are without hot water for your poor poor baby... They probably provide a very good service/policy training for their staff, but that is shadowed by your one little minute problem, which is perfectly acceptable.

Just because you didnt get your way doesnt mean it's her fault.
- This is just being silly! Again, hot water in a coffee shop? not getting our own way??
Granted, if the waitress is of low intellegence and has been raised as a pig then yes I agree that she would only be partly to blame. The rest of the blame should be apportioned to the company for employing her. Either way the customer is paying for a service as well as goods (and paying a fairly high price too in comparison - having said that, we are not complaining about the price).

You went in with expectations, which is out of the norm. You wanted the coffee shop to claim responsibility for the feeding of your child, when you should have done this. You expected to get your own way, and when you didn't get it, you abused the waitress, company and made a complaint to head office. More than likely you blew it out of the water and got this poor girl into trouble.

d-sher wrote: »

I just find it incredible that people are condoning the attitude of this staff member.

Given that we only have your side of the story, you expect everyone to take your side? Especially when you give us all a great display of your attitude? You honestly think you are in the right? lol...

Stunned that the majority of people here think that that level of customer service was acceptable.

If you didn't give a biased story, then people could judge better.

Acia, I'm sure you can appreciate where I'm coming from considering you work in the trade? Do you think that her behavour was acceptable? I certainly don't agree with a waitress being accosted for company policy but i'm sure you will agree that there is way to deal with a paying customer?
My wife trated her with respect from the time she entered until she left. She didn't even question the waitress. To be honest she didn't really get a chance as she was looking at her back within 5 seconds..Certainly did not warrant such ignorance..

I highly doubt that any of what you say is true. It's typical from a customer who didn't get their way, who wasn't able to bully the waitress into getting them what they wanted. Lie and talk crap so the waitress will get into some trouble...

d-sher wrote: »

Fad,

orders something that isnt on the menu, and kicks up a fuss, rings her manager, exaggerates how she reacted to the customer

Water is not on the menu you reckon?

Kicks up a fuss? - Nobody kicked up a fuss, they left what they ordered on the table and left. Not a word was spoken to the waitress after her attitude.

exaggerates how she reacted to the customer - Exaggerated?? I explained in the thread exactly what happened - Read it!!

Yea, definately Exaggerated...

I have dealt with customers like you and your wife for a good 10+ years. It's hilarious when they lie to your boss, right in front of you, claiming you done something that you obviously did not. I never understood why that type of person goes out and tries to make another persons life hell...