A yucky thing happened at my favorite restaurant...

[Shoo]

I was having lunch with my husband at our favorite Thai restaurant.  We ordered our food, and as we were waiting for it, a little boy threw up all over the table where he and his parents were sitting, a few tables away from us.  Just then, our server came with our meals.  Instead of handing them off to us, she placed them on an empty table between us and the barfing kid, and hurried to grab napkins to clean up the mess.

Our server got their table cleaned up (I guess), though I never saw any buckets of water or disinfectant.  Just lots and lots of napkins.  My husband and I were sitting there, eyeing our food getting cold, so I decided to just get it myself.  As I was doing so, our server noticed me and apologized and then proceeded to take our plates of food from me and put them on our table. 

Ehellions, I was seriously grossed out.  She went from wiping up vomit with napkins to handling our dinner plates of food.  I managed to stammer, "Uh, I wish you hadn't done that."  Then she looked at me, seemed to realize what she'd done, and then asked me, "Do you want me to get you another one?"  I nodded my head, "Yes, please!!"

So that happened, on top of being treated to the lovely smell of vomit right before lunch.  It got me wondering if they'd never had to deal with something like that before, because they were clearly not prepared for it.  Ever happen to any of you?

[hobish]

  I have been the server in that situation, lucky me. It's always so fun when the parents just sit there expectantly while you clean up their kid's puke 
I am sorry you had such a bad time. That really does sound yucky³. I may have just left. There are some things after which you just cannot regain an appetite.

[blueyzca01]

That really does sound yucky³. I may have just left. There are some things after which you just cannot regain an appetite.

Ditto!!  I would have turned green and just walked out. 

I think you did really well:  You didn't yell at her and you weren't unreasonable.  Don't know if I could have done the same

[EMuir]

I think she just wasn't thinking.  I wouldn't have been able to eat after that, but if I was still hungry, as long as the waitress's thumb or fingers didn't touch the actual food, just the bottom of the plate, I'd have been willing to scoop it off the dishes and not touch their rims or sides myself.   So very theoretical though because... yuck.

[jane7166]

My niece was the "barfer" one time when extended family and I went to a movie and then to a hamburger place.  Niece's mom wasn't with us so SIL took niece to the bathroom and I cleaned up the table.  I would NEVER have asked the server to clean it.  He did bring a garbage can and some rags but to me, cleaning up after a child in my care is beyond his job description. 

At another restaurant, a little girl was rushing to the restroom - which DD and I were unfortunately sitting fairly close to - and she didn't quite make it before letting loose on the floor.  The servers brought out a mop and cleaned up and the father apologized profusely to all around.  Everyone was understanding. 

I certainly can understand the OP's wanting another plate.  One never knows if the kid has lost it because of an illness or because of over-indulging on rich food. 

[MrsJWine]

  I have been the server in that situation, lucky me. It's always so fun when the parents just sit there expectantly while you clean up their kid's puke 
I am sorry you had such a bad time. That really does sound yucky³. I may have just left. There are some things after which you just cannot regain an appetite.

Bonus points if they don't tell you. I developed an iron stomach after 10 years as a server. Nothing like a fun surprise after a family leaves quickly and furtively. But what you do is clean it up as quickly as possible with the closest disposable item available, THEN come back with the towels and sanitizer. We actually had to throw away any towels used for cleaning up things like that, so it made more sense to use paper for the worst of it.

However, I can't believe she didn't wash her hands afterwards. That's so, so gross. I wouldn't be able to eat after that, either. I might even ask for a different table (my iron stomach turns completely wussy if I'm eating).

ETA: I don't hold it against people for getting sick in public. It's happened to me once, and to one of my kids once, and both times there was no warning whatsoever. It's completely awful for everyone.

[Hmmmmm]

How awful.  The poor server was obviously frazzled by this.  I think I would have asked for replacement meal to go.

[NyaChan]

Yucky 

[CrochetFanatic]

Not the kid's fault, and I feel for the poor server, but I would've had to walk out.  If you could have called it "walking".  Phobia.

[The Wild One, Forever]

How awful.  The poor server was obviously frazzled by this.  I think I would have asked for replacement meal to go.

Yeah.  Vomit is not the number one gross-out thing for me, but it's up there.  I don't know that I'd have been able to sit in the same place it happened.

[finecabernet]

Confession: I once threw up in a drug store because I had a bad coughing fit after a meal (ironically enough I had stopped at the drug store to buy cough medicine). I offered to clean it up but they told me they'd take care of it. Just mentioning this as maybe the restaurant felt it impolite of them to let the customer clean it up? The people in the store were really nice about it (though I haven't shown my face there since!).

[Isometric]

Oh dear. I don't think I could eat there again!

[Anniissa]

Whilst I appreciate how horrible it is to get sick in public and know that sometimes these things happen without any warning, I'm afraid I would not be able to sit in the restaurant and eat after that even if the server had never touched my plate. Seeing/smelling vomit would completely take away my appetite. To be honest, just hearing someone mention they think they might be sick is enough to make me want to get out of there asap but I'm aware I'm particularly sensitive about this.

In your situation, I would have told the server that the incident meant I was unable to eat and would have to leave. Not the restaurant's problem I know so I would absolutely be willing to pay for the food (a small price in my eyes to get out of there!). Putting aside my vomit issues, the server definitely dropped the ball here. Even if she had washed her hands, she was still serving you food that had been sat out getting cold for some time. If she had been distracted cleaning up a spilt drink, it would still be wrong to let your food sit out all that time before trying to serve it to you. I think she absolutely should have offered you fresh food (and ideally a table move if there was somewhere further away) and it sounds like they should have better procedures for clearing up such hazards. Frankly though, I can't believe the parents didn't at least help clean up.

[BeagleMommy]

We had this happen with DS when he was little (due to enlarged adenoids).  The restaurant brought over a trash can and DH and I cleaned the table of all the remnants.  Fortunately, this was before any food had made it's way out of the kitchen.  Servers sanitized the table and we continued.

However, the server set your food down near the barf, cleared the mess, picked up your now cold food and didn't think to either wash her hands or immediately offer a new order?  Yikes!  I would have reported her to her manager.  Ick!

[Bijou]

Unhappy for all concerned.
Beyond the server putting my plate on a table near the messy table and then handling my own plate with her yukky hands, it wouldn't have bothered me.  The smell...well, I might get my stuff to go.