no longer a waitress, but as a mother, I clean up after my kids...generally as the mess happens, as opposed to at the end of the meal.

I never really noticed, certainly never complained when I was a waitress and kids made a mess...I took care of it as I saw it, as long as it didn't interfere with the family enjoying their meal, and would get the rest after they left.  I always made extra sure to get any un-used dishes, or empty dishes off the table as I came by, to cut down on "mess" and give my customers extra room to stretch out or whatever without having a bunch of clutter on the table.

Kids are kids, they will be messy.  *shrug*

My tip is strictly based on the service we receive, since I do generally clean up after myself and my family.

I clean up the mess. As much as I can unless there is a time crunch of some sort. Then I try to make up for it by leaving a larger tip.

I clean up *so* much after myself that people think I must be a waitress! lol I have never worked in food service, but I just think it is rude to leave a mess. I usually even stack our dishes and silverware and put our dirty napkins and trash all with it for the bus people. I just can't see trashing the place and expecting other people to pick up after me.

As a server if I see someone cleaning up the mess themsleves I will go over and help, or say thank you. Its polite for us to do that , and if we are nice we should be getting a better tip.
Is it annoying when parents dont even attempt to help or at least say I am so sorry yes, we serve food, but we are not maids. We get tipped on the service we give not how well we clean up after your child. Some people let thier kids do the sickest things, like poor ketchup and creamers in water glasses and mix sugar or put syrup on the table and mash things, its rude and in my opinion reflects on the parents for not stopping their kids.
In the case of toddlers, I know its just the way they are they spill, etc. Its expected it will happen. But its tacky to leave a mess and yes the parents should clean it up and not expect the restraunt to do it.

I was a server for many, many years.  I did not mind cleaning up after a toddler when the parents were appreciative and you could tell they were trying their best, ie picking up large items, or even just extra thank yous or a compliment to my manager.  I wasn't upset if they didn't tip "extra" for it, or even if they tipped a little low.
 
Now, it's my turn.  I went to cracker barrell last night.  At the end, I was scooping up the cheerios in the middle of the floor and getting the big stuff.  I didn't crawl under the table though, a broom is way easier.  And, I always stack up trash from the table, but I also do that as I go along in the meal because of teh grabbing hands of a 3yr old and almost 1yr old.  I also feel more obligated to clean up if I'm not ordering off the menu for a kid.  My son takes up valuable real estate at an 8 top for only 4 adults, 1 3yr old, and the high chair.  A server could have had two parties of 4 adults each.  I say could, because maybe not.  And, this doesn't obligate me to tip more, just makes me more respectful of the space we have been given when they could have squeezed us in another way.  Oh, and we tipped over 20% anyway.
 
And, if a drink is spilled, we are definitely leaving at least 20%.  That happened on our last trip to red lobster.  Kids' hands are fast!

Sazsa wrote: Kids' hands are fast!

 

i will second and third that sentiment!

Ill pick up a little bit.  I won't go and sweep te floor or anything but i try to pick up the mess.  I always apologize to the waiter and leave a big tip for a big mess

I clean up the extra mess my ds makes.  I dont' stack plates or anything like that although I will make sure all the "garbage" is on a plate so the server can just remove it at once.  I clean up his mess if he drops things or throws things on floor.  I also do whatever necessary to keep him reasonably quiet so others can enjoy their meal, even if that means we leave.

I like to think I do the right thing. I keep my childs mess to a minimum. I do put all the trash like sugar packets or stuff like that on the plate. Thats just habit to keep it tidy. I don't get on my hands and knees to clean up or anything but I don't let the mess get out of control either.

I swear I am on the verge of getting a little hand-broom with a dustpan to bring with me to restaurants.  I have 3 kids who are all pretty small still, and I feel like a jerk if they leave a big mess.  I also think it's good for my kids to see that we pick up after ourselves (and they will sometimes help pick up things, or at least point it out to me when the toddler is flinging fried egg across the dining area). 

If we ever have the option to eat outdoors on the patio (and here in TX it's relatively common to have that option), that's my first choice because it's easier to let the birds eat the spilled rice and I feel a little more "free" to let the kids make thier messes.

Short answer: I pick up what I can.  It's rude to be a slob.

FarrahTTC#2 wrote:I clean up *so* much after myself that people think I must be a waitress! lol I have never worked in food service, but I just think it is rude to leave a mess. I usually even stack our dishes and silverware and put our dirty napkins and trash all with it for the bus people. I just can't see trashing the place and expecting other people to pick up after me.

 
That's how I feel. It's their job to wait on me, not be my parent and clean up after my family.

Ciennasmom wrote:As a server if I see someone cleaning up the mess themsleves I will go over and help, or say thank you. Its polite for us to do that , and if we are nice we should be getting a better tip.
Is it annoying when parents dont even attempt to help or at least say I am so sorry yes, we serve food, but we are not maids. We get tipped on the service we give not how well we clean up after your child. Some people let thier kids do the sickest things, like poor ketchup and creamers in water glasses and mix sugar or put syrup on the table and mash things, its rude and in my opinion reflects on the parents for not stopping their kids.
In the case of toddlers, I know its just the way they are they spill, etc. Its expected it will happen. But its tacky to leave a mess and yes the parents should clean it up and not expect the restraunt to do it.

 

I'm sorry, but you are really picky in what you seem to expect your customers to do.  You are the employee.  I don't expect parents to come into the classroom to pick up after their child.  You are paid to clean up, that is part of the job.  I'm sorry that you don't seem to like how people are, but that is part of it.  Now, I do clean up after my child, but I've also been asked NOT to by servers because when people do that the manager thinks that the server isn't doing their job.

They are paid to clean up a normal mess, not a toddler mess.
I clean up what I can. I won't crawl around under the table picking up individual grains of rice (especially since they probably have a broom or vacuum), but I'll pick up the big stuff and tidy up the table.
If it's messier when we leave than it would have been if it had just been adults, I will leave a bigger tip. If we have to rush out of there without cleaning up at all, I'll leave an even bigger tip.

I do what you do.
 
Hey, I put myself through college waiting tables.  I figure it's the least I can do.  I also tip well, even if I did half the clean-up.

I used to bus tables so I automatically clean up the table and stack plates 'cos it makes it easier for the server. I hated when people didn't clean up.

And, if I could, I'd carry a little Hoover in my purse to clean up, LOL!

I tend to clean up the big items as they make it to the floor. That way when its time to go, there is only smaller crumby type things down there. and yes I stack my plates too. but that is more to get them out of the way as we finish with them, because those plates are huge, and the waitress/waiter isnt alway saviable to clear the table immediatly. which I totaly understand. SO I do my best to help out .

I never really have much clean up to do because Flynn pretty much acts in restaurants like he acts at home.  He keeps his butt in the seat, he doesn't throw food or make nasty concoctions in glasses or break crayons (though he DID accidentally break a ceramic salt shaker at my favorite Indian restaurant a few months ago--I was mortified!  I, of course, overtipped my fave waiter and apologized profusely).  But really, when we leave a restaurant, we only leave big crumbs on the floor--not chunks of food, not cracker wrappers.  And coming around with the silent little floor vac thingy is a part of a server's job, so I don't feel bad about leaving crumbs.

*~*Granola~Flutterby*~* wrote:

As a server if I see someone cleaning up the mess themsleves I will go over and help, or say thank you. Its polite for us to do that , and if we are nice we should be getting a better tip.
Is it annoying when parents dont even attempt to help or at least say I am so sorry yes, we serve food, but we are not maids. We get tipped on the service we give not how well we clean up after your child. Some people let thier kids do the sickest things, like poor ketchup and creamers in water glasses and mix sugar or put syrup on the table and mash things, its rude and in my opinion reflects on the parents for not stopping their kids.
In the case of toddlers, I know its just the way they are they spill, etc. Its expected it will happen. But its tacky to leave a mess and yes the parents should clean it up and not expect the restraunt to do it.

  
I'm sorry, but you are really picky in what you seem to expect your customers to do.  You are the employee.  I don't expect parents to come into the classroom to pick up after their child.  You are paid to clean up, that is part of the job.  I'm sorry that you don't seem to like how people are, but that is part of it.  Now, I do clean up after my child, but I've also been asked NOT to by servers because when people do that the manager thinks that the server isn't doing their job.

 
IA,
 
 I pick up our mess as we go along but I try to keep drinks and messy food away from DS so that /I dont  have to clean a bigger mess at the end. I have also been asked to not do that by servers at the end of my meal, Iv even told the manager of one chinese place when he came over asking if there was a problem that his waitress was very kind but I refused to let her pick up after my son and that she did such a wonderful job that I didnt think it was fair to her, though she insisted on helping. I try not to leave big messes behind when we eat out.
I stack plates, dont get refills, and I pick after my family, Its not fair to leave an extra mess for the servers, they have other ppl to serve and dont have the time to pick up the huge mess that Im sure DS could make if I let him.
I tip what I can and since I go to mostly buffets when I eat out I dont have to give the servers my orders, but I always if the server was polite, and at least offered refills, and came around to ask how everthing was, I akways leave a good compliment with the hostess about how wonderful so-n-so was.

*~*Granola~Flutterby*~* wrote:

As a server if I see someone cleaning up the mess themsleves I will go over and help, or say thank you. Its polite for us to do that , and if we are nice we should be getting a better tip.
Is it annoying when parents dont even attempt to help or at least say I am so sorry yes, we serve food, but we are not maids. We get tipped on the service we give not how well we clean up after your child. Some people let thier kids do the sickest things, like poor ketchup and creamers in water glasses and mix sugar or put syrup on the table and mash things, its rude and in my opinion reflects on the parents for not stopping their kids.
In the case of toddlers, I know its just the way they are they spill, etc. Its expected it will happen. But its tacky to leave a mess and yes the parents should clean it up and not expect the restraunt to do it.

  
I'm sorry, but you are really picky in what you seem to expect your customers to do.  You are the employee.  I don't expect parents to come into the classroom to pick up after their child.  You are paid to clean up, that is part of the job.  I'm sorry that you don't seem to like how people are, but that is part of it.  Now, I do clean up after my child, but I've also been asked NOT to by servers because when people do that the manager thinks that the server isn't doing their job.

 
I will clean up and know that is part of my job, but when its a HUGE mess like the original post suggested I think it is nice to have the parents at least acknowledge their kids made a huge disaster area.  And will I sit and watch people on their hands and knees clean up a mess? NO but it is nice if they at least acknowledge they made a mess.

*~*Granola~Flutterby*~* wrote:

As a server if I see someone cleaning up the mess themsleves I will go over and help, or say thank you. Its polite for us to do that , and if we are nice we should be getting a better tip.
Is it annoying when parents dont even attempt to help or at least say I am so sorry yes, we serve food, but we are not maids. We get tipped on the service we give not how well we clean up after your child. Some people let thier kids do the sickest things, like poor ketchup and creamers in water glasses and mix sugar or put syrup on the table and mash things, its rude and in my opinion reflects on the parents for not stopping their kids.
In the case of toddlers, I know its just the way they are they spill, etc. Its expected it will happen. But its tacky to leave a mess and yes the parents should clean it up and not expect the restraunt to do it.

  
I'm sorry, but you are really picky in what you seem to expect your customers to do.  You are the employee.  I don't expect parents to come into the classroom to pick up after their child.  You are paid to clean up, that is part of the job.  I'm sorry that you don't seem to like how people are, but that is part of it.  Now, I do clean up after my child, but I've also been asked NOT to by servers because when people do that the manager thinks that the server isn't doing their job.

 
How is she picky? That is exactly what i would expect a parent to do, clean up after their child as best as they could, not, take them in to an organization and leave a mess, that's just careless.  I may be the employee, my job classified as a sever, no where states in the job classification that i am responsible to clean up after others' children...no where.  That is the busser's job, in which WE, believe it or not, pay them to do at the end of the end. It comes out of the tips we get that night, and in most cases, if they don't receive atleast 20% of your earnings, they will refuse to clean off your tables.  By the way, whoever told you  NOT to clean up after your child is out of their mind! and for you to listen to them, for shame.... why wouldn't you clean up after your own child?  Again, a server's job isn't classified as picking up after your kids, our manager NEVER based our performance off how well we clean up after a child..smh

I just can't help but stack the dishes and wipe the table. If anything hits the floor and it is within reach, I pick it up.  And we always leave about a 20% tip because it is easier on the math! 

TheCndymncan wrote:

As a server if I see someone cleaning up the mess themsleves I will go over and help, or say thank you. Its polite for us to do that , and if we are nice we should be getting a better tip.
Is it annoying when parents dont even attempt to help or at least say I am so sorry yes, we serve food, but we are not maids. We get tipped on the service we give not how well we clean up after your child. Some people let thier kids do the sickest things, like poor ketchup and creamers in water glasses and mix sugar or put syrup on the table and mash things, its rude and in my opinion reflects on the parents for not stopping their kids.
In the case of toddlers, I know its just the way they are they spill, etc. Its expected it will happen. But its tacky to leave a mess and yes the parents should clean it up and not expect the restraunt to do it.

   
I'm sorry, but you are really picky in what you seem to expect your customers to do.  You are the employee.  I don't expect parents to come into the classroom to pick up after their child.  You are paid to clean up, that is part of the job.  I'm sorry that you don't seem to like how people are, but that is part of it.  Now, I do clean up after my child, but I've also been asked NOT to by servers because when people do that the manager thinks that the server isn't doing their job.

  
How is she picky? That is exactly what i would expect a parent to do, clean up after their child as best as they could, not, take them in to an organization and leave a mess, that's just careless.  I may be the employee, my job classified as a sever, no where states in the job classification that i am responsible to clean up after others' children...no where.  That is the busser's job, in which WE, believe it or not, pay them to do at the end of the end. It comes out of the tips we get that night, and in most cases, if they don't receive atleast 20% of your earnings, they will refuse to clean off your tables.  By the way, whoever told you  NOT to clean up after your child is out of their mind! and for you to listen to them, for shame.... why wouldn't you clean up after your own child?  Again, a server's job isn't classified as picking up after your kids, our manager NEVER based our performance off how well we clean up after a child..smh

Ok, I just read this post after I posted. All I can say is IMO people should not let their children be nasty and vile at the table period and I do believe it is a reflection of what their homes looks like if they allow their children to behave like this in public. I think that is being nasty for the sake of being nasty and it is not fair to the people in the service industry.

I keep my table as clean as I would my table at home. I won't stack plates, but I will prepare them and hand them to the server, if in a casual dining restaurant. We usually feed Ben off of our own plates and that cuts down on the mess. We bring our own toys for Ben to amuse himself with. 
At a fine dining establishment, we would not bring our child nor 'clean up'/hand our plates to the server, it's just not done. There is nothing (or should be nothing) to clean up when it's ourselves.

DS and I don't do sit-down restaurants very often, but when we do, I tidy up. I used to bus tables at a restaurant and people leaving messes after their kids drove me nuts. Yes, I was paid and I did get tips, but my boss paid me server's wage (which was illegal, actually, because I was not a server) which was $6.20 in Ontario at the time. I got tips, yes, but only $15-$20 a day if the servers felt like actually tipping me out - and some wouldn't if it was a tight day.

So, yeah, I clean up. I stack plates and get the worst of the mess taken care of. Not their fault that my DS made a mess, and I don't want to make them focus so much on cleaning up a table when they could be giving great service to another table to increase their tip.