However the customer’s sister, who came across the post on Facebook, called the business’s behaviour ‘disgusting’.
The cafe’s social media status reads: “Whilst we welcome mums and toddlers, what we don’t welcome is a mess left like this with no attempt to help tidy or offer of apology and then when challenged to say weakly, ‘I left a tip last time’.”
"As if young mothers don’t have it hard enough without your sad attempt to publicly shame them not only online but in your tearoom.
"Didn’t seem to have a problem until after they had paid and tipped you.
"Personally, I think by the fact you deleted your post you are admitting perhaps getting a dustpan and brush isn’t such a hard task.
“But don’t worry, even though you told my sister and her 11-month-old baby they were never allowed in your tearoom again, I doubt they’d want to after such a disgusting display of unprofessional behaviour.”
Her rant has since sparked a debate, with commenters weighing in on both sides.
hmm…I don’t agree with public shaming, to be honest, but neither could I walk out of a cafe leaving a mess behind…
I do not know the mother’s circumstances or her state of mind whilst trying to deal with her toddler. I do remember when my four were at that ‘difficult’ stage and training them to eat independently was definitely an up-hill struggle. If the café did not expect messy toddlers, then why provide highchairs and if they require parents to clean up after inept toddler feeding sessions, then long handled pans and brushes should be provided for customers use with notices pointing to where they are kept.
As for complaining via FB, my reaction to that would be “what a fantastic own goal” coz they wouldn’t receive my patronage, and that’s fact
I understand your point, but feel that she must have been fairly alright if she thought going to a cafe with a baby, by herself, was a good idea.
True - or even if the parent didn’t feel capable of clearing it up while dealing with a baby, then she should at least have apologised and tried to make some sort of effort. You can clear a table if your baby is in a high chair, surely?!
When ever I have taken my granchildren out even when tiny and using a high chair I and my daughter always use clean wet wipes to clean the chair table and floor and leave it clean . It’s natural to clean up after oneself surely. Most mums carry wipes for the baby anyway.
The mother would have had to clean her own table chairs and floors . Her bad I say
I agree, Susan…an attempt to clean up a wee bit would have been appreciated.
I’m not sure the cafe should have shamed her online though. That’s a bit rough. If she had returned to the cafe, a quiet word about cleaning up after herself would be better I think.
Ahh but y’see…her house is likely ok. She sounds like she might have the attitude of “This is what they get paid for, so why should I do their job” kind of thing.
It would be interesting to hear her side of the story though.
Yes Morty thats right…but she must have been identifiable if the sister knew who it was. Was she there too, or is she the “person concerned” (I don’t have FB so can’t check fully)
We need to remember that other customers had to eat in that cafe too and although I would have been sympathetic to the mother I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to eat near that mess, so would probably have gone to eat elsewhere.
The cafe are trying to make a living from people who eat there & the mother wanted to feed her child, so maybe a quiet word from the person running the cafe offering something suitable to help the mother clear the mess would have been the best solution .
Toddlers make a mess, but strangers don’t want to eat among it!
It’s common decency to clear up after yourself, it’s not hard but then some people just don’t care and have no manners. Got to feel sorry for the kids really if their Mother is as scruffy as this what chance is there for them, after all, children learn through the behaviour of parents.
The staff have enough to do without customers making their job even harder.
If it were my shop I wouldn’t have said anything but I would have though in my head what a scruffy cow and hope she wouldn’t come back!
Yeah, I’ve heard of it, of course I have, but reading words from a screen, sometimes it’s almost impossible to read as the author intended, if you catch my drift.
One member of staff should be able to clear that table and sweep up in a jiff, without stopping to take photos. They probably had other reasons for bitching.
