Stop bringing own food into our Restaurant....

I've noticed, over the last couple of months especially, more and more people bringing their own food into the eatery when they come to visit us. 

As a chronic people pleaser I really struggle with being the bad guy who has to say please don't consume that on the premises when it happens.

Now, you might think it's just me being a bit of a stickler but honestly in the world we live in today there are so many implications of people bringing in their own food - not only because we are an eatery that serves food, so loss of income, but also because new legislation makes it obligatory to know exactly what allergens are present on the premises at any given time. 

We have to meticulously label and detail every single ingredient and food or drink product we sell, to make sure both we and customers know exactly what is in that product. 

We take allergy information on booking and make sure we do our best to reduce the risk of somebody coming to harm in our establishment. Though we will never declare to be an allergen free zone, due to having said ingredients in store etc, we do our utmost to avoid cross contamination. Allergies are serious business - I think people hear "I have allergies" and assume it's a little sniffle, rash, a few spots or a sneeze, but the reality for many sufferers is that their allergies can result in death. 

It's just not something I'd want on my conscience as a business owner, or a human being for that matter, hence striving to cater for all but being clear at every step what one might be exposed to. 

As well as that, there's the food safety issues that come into play too. We practice intense food hygiene ritual at our eatery, as do most venues as an expectation, to make sure food is free from contaminants and is prepped in a manner to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. It isn't a given that this expectation is the same in people's homes, so it's completely out of our control if food is brought from the outside in... not only would foodborne illnesses close the business for a full decontamination clean, but would also make people very poorly. 

On top of that, really, there's a part of me that just thinks it's... rude?

I can understand taking your own little picnic with you on a day out to the zoo, where the main income for said venue is the animals, not the food. But to bring your own food into an establishment that sells food, and relies entirely on that food being sold to keep afloat, cover costs, pay wages and pay bills, results in substantial loss of income. 

So, in short, we don't accept food being brought onto the premises because of the risks associated with doing so. We are a very flexible place to eat, the majority of our foods can be made to suit, for specific dietary requirements and optional food choices. 

If you have any questions about this, please don't be afraid to reach out and ask!