Went to brunch today ,after church.

Five people say at the next table over.

For seniors, over 65 order 12 dollars worth of stuff plus $3.00 coffee.
The last lady orders toast and hot water.

Then she opens her bag and pulls out two jars, one peanut butter the other jelly.

Then she finds a tea bag.
She ain't paying no right ,ten or 14 dollars for no brunch

And that's that.
I've never seen this before, and I've lived in California.

My SIL does that, bringing her own food to the restaurant, when we had family get togther.

The restaurant could ask her the leave. While I can understand it. I think she just needs to stay at home or go to a friends.
A chair at a business' is how they stay in business. Ymmv

Neither right nor wrong. I agree with ORC if she went in alone and occupied a table. If she’s with a group then no harm done.

If the restaurant asked her to leave, while in a group, I think they would have been silly.

I haven’t seen that myself but a meal may not be the only spot on the itinerary. So maybe they all went for a walk or stopped at a museum or who knows what, but she didn’t wanna pay for lunch.

Glad the older ladies are getting out enjoying themselves overall!

quote:

The last lady orders toast and hot water.

Broke and not wanting to show it in front of her friends (although this in itself would be embarrassing)? Eccentric? Or just a cheapskate?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: egregore,

I see nothing wrong in a group setting.

A small tip would still be prudent.

Maybe the group she was with outvoted her and she didn’t like the food at the voted on restaurant. Good for her. BTW toasted PB&J sandwiches are the bomb.

There's a woman involved with a group I'm in that has some unique dietary issues. She brings her own meals with her whenever the group is eating.

I mean, as a general rule, yes people who bring their own food need to be booted.

I understand if it’s dietary issues.

I don’t mind, when people ask, to bring a birthday cake because they want to have their birthday party in one of my shops - we don’t sell birthday cakes, and it’s always been because they are regulars and want sundaes, milkshakes, scoops of ice cream with it, etc.

You want restaurant prices to go down, stop voting for local taxes to take more than 1/3 of the profits. (Plus Federal ones etc)

I am under the impression that the health department has laws/rules that prohibit taking food/drink items into a restaurant.

quote:

Originally posted by gjgalligan:
I am under the impression that the health department has laws/rules that prohibit taking food/drink items into a restaurant.

Maybe in your location, but not here.
We've brought cakes to restaurants (after first checking with them) many times for birthdays.
Most of them even offer to cut it and serve it.

I wouldn't shame her. May be on a fixed income and taxes aren't getting any cheaper. Wants to socialize. At least she ordered something.

I have an aunt who balances out someone bringing things in by scraping every bit of sugar packs and other available condiments off the table into her purse.

quote:

Originally posted by jer830:
Maybe the group she was with outvoted her and she didn’t like the food at the voted on restaurant. Good for her.

Oh for the love, it's not her last meal may not be the best. Is she six years old and kicking on the floor too in your model?

I used to meet a friend at a local restaurant for breakfast once a week. They had an 'old people problem' it was adorable. Some of the ladies would bring in home grown tomatoes and slice them up right there and make a sandwich.
But everybody ordered at least one thing and 'senior' coffee. They also gifted the employees products from their own gardens.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

I have an aunt who balances out someone bringing things in by scraping every bit of sugar packs and other available condiments off the table into her purse.

The Thayer is a grand old hotel at West Point. Years ago, when I lived in the NY metro area we would occasionally go there for the Sunday champagne brunch. One of the items that was always on the buffet was some excellent, expensive, smoked salmon. A friend of mine, who is not at all hurting for money, would bring a Tupperware container and fill it.

This is the same guy who, when my wife and I invited him to dinner at Longhorn, pocketed one of their heavy duty steak knives -- the ones that Longhorn will sell you for $35 if you like them.

Same guy who, when we worked in NYC and would meet for a few beers after work on Fridays, never left McSorley's pub without a few beer mugs in his coat pockets.

And that old lady probably has seven million dollars in the bank and fourteen cats and not an heir in sight!

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
The restaurant could ask her the leave. While I can understand it. I think she just needs to stay at home or go to a friends.
A chair at a business' is how they stay in business. Ymmv

This. The restaurant has bills and wages to pay. The old lady is not doing something quaint or old-fashioned: she’s stealing the restaurant’s seat, the server’s time, the gas or electricity that made her water boil etc.

The good news is she was with four friends who were spending dollars and tipping.

I wonder if ten groups of four people brought a fifth person like her..

, if the would make a * rule or mandate or edict discouraging the practice.

In this day and age of poor customer service, erratic consistancy,
poor work ethic, low standards.

Maybe a lower than average spender is welcome if she brings on four friends. (?)

quote:

Originally posted by WaterburyBob:
Maybe in your location, but not here.
We've brought cakes to restaurants (after first checking with them) many times for birthdays.
Most of them even offer to cut it and serve it.

There probably are rules like that here, but we used to bring a cake to our favorite restaurant for birthdays. They’d cut and plate and we’d leave the half or so that was leftover of the staff. Of course, we ate there way too much BK (before kids).

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
The good news is .... and tipping.

I'll take this bet! Cracking open the rubber change purse does not count...