Your kid wants to what?

[PoliteBoy]

My head's still going through a tizzy over what happened on my last shift, so I thought I'd share to get your thoughts.

Background. Recently we changed the setup of our tables in the restaurant. We would have a main tablecloth and then a smaller overlay tablecloth. Nowadays, we've replaced the smaller table cloths with paper (the kind sort of used at butchers used to wrap the meat). Don't ask, I don't know.

Anyway, today there was a family of four and the dad noticed the paper and asked if I could get an extra paper overlay and some coloured pens.

What?

I could feel my brain grinding to a halt as I asked my manager and got a flat 'no' in return. As I tell the dad, he asked why not and my brain just altogether shut down.

Jesus Christ man, you're in a restaurant not a McDonald's. You're one heck of a parent if you spoil your kid and let them trash a restaurant.

[sirwired]

Many restaurants with the butcher paper tops hand out crayons to kids so they stay quiet and well behaved during the meal. After all, the paper is going to be thrown away anyway. Can't imagine why the dad wants an extra though; the one on the table should be fine.

[KuariKaydrith]

We have a couple of restaurants that use the butcher paper on the tables and they supply crayons alongside the salt and pepper shakers. If the artwork created is especially good they will display it in the restaurant. If I'd been in a restaurant with butcher paper on the tables I'd be surprised that there wasn't anything to colour or draw with.

[BlaqueKatt]

Can't imagine why the dad wants an extra though; the one on the table should be fine.

well he did ask for pens, maybe he wanted to prevent bleedthrough or paper rips?

the restaurant I used to go to with butcher paper on the tables had crayons for the kids, and the servers wrote their name on the edge (upside down), in crayon.

[Seshat]

I would make the same assumption: that paper 'tablecloth' meant the paper was intended to be drawn on.

[Enjis]

Heck, even my friends and I all love to draw on the paper tablecloths!

[notalwaysright]

If there weren't any pens on the table, that's probably because they don't want people coloring. And he asked for pens, not crayons or colored pencils? Notice how everyone said that it's crayons that restaurants provide? That's because pens are going to be much messier.

Anyway, since I hardly ever eat out I'm not very familiar with this. If coloring on paper tablecloths is so normal, your manager will have to go back to the old way, or people will continue to ask or just use their own pens/pencils.

[WishfulSpirit]

Crayons are a lot easier to clean up. Maybe the manager could be convinced to allow those?

[GOInsanity]

Yeah, if I went to a restaurant with a kid and saw that paper, I would assume it's to color on.

The asking for pens might have just been a slip of the tongue. I'm sure the guy wouldn't have cared what you brought for his kids to draw with.

[EvilEmpryss]

I would think the father was being cautious about using pens on top of the material cloth and asking for the extra layer to prevent bleed-thru.

If there weren't any pens on the table, that's probably because they don't want people coloring. And he asked for pens, not crayons or colored pencils? Notice how everyone said that it's crayons that restaurants provide? That's because pens are going to be much messier.

There's a restaurant chain that uses the paper over material tablecloths, and the waitstaff will give people pens if they ask. They told me once that they've seen adults do everything from squiggles to complex business contracts on those papers. My husband always leaves portraits behind, usually superheroes, but sometimes of people he sees in the restaurant.

FYI, there is a longstanding artistic tradition of doing this: I believe it was Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec would draw on paper tablecloths at the cafés he would patronize. Lots of aspiring artists have followed his example over the years.

[Draykoja]

Hmmm, gonna have to say; Not an SC, just a confused dad. I enjoy eating out, and any place with butcher paper on the table typically provides crayons. I rather enjoy it when the server is able to write their name upside down, backwards and in cursive. They typically leave us with something to doodle with. Management should consider changing their tabletop setup as it will lead to future confusion.

[slyfoxxy]

I'm more surprised that's something you didn't know about, that's usually what I assume when that sort of paper is used as table cloths. You learn something new every day

[Aria]

*scratches head* I'm with everyone else... paper tablecloths usually mean crayons for kids to draw with. I've NEVER been to a restaurant with butcher's paper that didn't have crayons supplied. Fine dining places have no tablecloths or nice ones. Mostly none.

[bankworking]

Yeah, the only restaurant in the area that I know of that does the paper overlay gives out crayons and it's pretty clear the paper is meant to be drawn on. My husband and I were given crayons even though we didn't have the kids with us, and the waiter drew a quick picture on the corner with his name.

[Ironclad Alibi]

*scratches head* I'm with everyone else... paper tablecloths usually mean crayons for kids to draw with. I've NEVER been to a restaurant with butcher's paper that didn't have crayons supplied. Fine dining places have no tablecloths or nice ones. Mostly none.

I have. But there were piles of steamed crabs in the middle of the table.