Why do people bring whole travel systems into restaurants??

[novajeanjellybean]

I have always wondered this. Not just the car seat, but the ENTIRE stroller system. I'm not talking about restaurants in the mall or a place that you are already walking around. I'm talking about a restaurant that you have driven to. Can anyone give me an insight as to why people do this (other than you want to---which I totally understand)??

Again the question is- Why do people bring the whole travel system into a restaurant?

 

[momof1princess]

i wonder this as well...i see women with these huge, complicated looking travel systems trying to squeeze through the crush of little girls to pick up/drop off at DD's dance class, and i'm wondering why they didn't just carry the baby for that 2-3 minutes. it would be a lot less hassle than taking the stroller system out, setting it up, wheeling it through the mob, breaking it down and storing it back in their car.

 

[LoraJ]

When I went to Ruby Tuesdays a couple of weeks ago, I wish this one family had brought their stroller in. They brought the baby in the car seat but there wasn't room for the baby so they put it on the floor. ???????? So people with trays of food were trying to maneuver around the baby on the floor. The manager told them they could not leave the baby on the floor but the family insisted there was no room at the table (maybe put it on the freaking table for now idiots). They ended up bringing out one of those stands you put the trays on top of and settle the car seat in that. It looked horribly dangerous.

 

[npmommie]

When I went to Ruby Tuesdays a couple of weeks ago, I wish this one family had brought their stroller in. They brought the baby in the car seat but there wasn't room for the baby so they put it on the floor. ???????? So people with trays of food were trying to maneuver around the baby on the floor. The manager told them they could not leave the baby on the floor but the family insisted there was no room at the table (maybe put it on the freaking table for now idiots). They ended up bringing out one of those stands you put the trays on top of and settle the car seat in that. It looked horribly dangerous.

sheeesh why didn't they just move them to a bigger table?

OP:
the only thing I can think of as to why someone would do this is because they can't carry the baby in the seat? those can be heavy and awkward.
or maybe it keeps the baby quiet?
I don't know

Maybe they walked to the restaurant?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well, just like those with handicap placards for hidden handicaps that may not be obvious to the eye--stroller travel systems are the same way.

My son was nearly 11 pounds at birth.

He outgrew his infant seat by the time he was 5 months old. But prior to that, if i am going to be at some place for a while--it was easier for me to transfer the car seat the foot or two to the stroller, but not lug the entire thing around.

I had at the time a very weak upper body and core muscles were non-existent so to say that carrying his infant seat was "back breaking work" isn't too far from the truth.

So if I opted to transport him, I would first consider if the restaurant would accomodate it and often they do--and that is the end of that. And then if he wakes up, he is in a safe place that he can hang while everyone eats and not occupying the whole table or teetering on a chair.

Of course after 5 months, I didn't have that luxury anymore and then we would transport him in his stroller for his safe place to sit during a meal.

Now--if I am just going into some place for a minute or two, that might be different. But when he was an infant, I stayed at my dds' dance class and the whole system would go in with me. It hasn't been an issue at our dance studio.


The Ruby Tuesdays mentioned above had idiotic servers IMHO. And we wonder why Disney counts infants in a Priority Seating Request.

 

[LoraJ]

sheeesh why didn't they just move them to a bigger table?

OP:
the only thing I can think of as to why someone would do this is because they can't carry the baby in the seat? those can be heavy and awkward.
or maybe it keeps the baby quiet?
I don't know

Maybe they walked to the restaurant?

That was the largest table they had. All they have there are booths. I think the parents should have put the baby on the table or split the party up. Or how about someone hold the baby in their lap? Anything would be better than to put it on the floor.

 

[momof1princess]

Well, just like those with handicap placards for hidden handicaps that may not be obvious to the eye--stroller travel systems are the same way.

My son was nearly 11 pounds at birth.

He outgrew his infant seat by the time he was 5 months old. But prior to that, if i am going to be at some place for a while--it was easier for me to transfer the car seat the foot or two to the stroller, but not lug the entire thing around.

I had at the time a very weak upper body and core muscles were non-existent so to say that carrying his infant seat was "back breaking work" isn't too far from the truth.

So if I opted to transport him, I would first consider if the restaurant would accomodate it and often they do--and that is the end of that. And then if he wakes up, he is in a safe place that he can hang while everyone eats and not occupying the whole table or teetering on a chair.

Of course after 5 months, I didn't have that luxury anymore and then we would transport him in his stroller for his safe place to sit during a meal.

Now--if I am just going into some place for a minute or two, that might be different. But when he was an infant, I stayed at my dds' dance class and the whole system would go in with me. It hasn't been an issue at our dance studio.


The Ruby Tuesdays mentioned above had idiotic servers IMHO. And we wonder why Disney counts infants in a Priority Seating Request.

i apologize, this wasn't what i meant. when i referred to my DD's dance class, i was talking about mothers with stroller systems that were just running in and out. they surely spent far more time setting the stroller up and breaking it down to put back in the car than they did running their daughters inside to the dance studio. it just seems like a lot of work for that minute or two. my DD is almost 12 and back then, we didn't have those things, just a separate car seat and stroller. i sit and wait for my daughter at dance as well and if i had a little one, i would certainly prefer them to sleep peacefully in their stroller during that time.

 

[LisaNJ25]

i wonder this as well...i see women with these huge, complicated looking travel systems trying to squeeze through the crush of little girls to pick up/drop off at DD's dance class, and i'm wondering why they didn't just carry the baby for that 2-3 minutes. it would be a lot less hassle than taking the stroller system out, setting it up, wheeling it through the mob, breaking it down and storing it back in their car.

My daughters dance school doesnt allow any strollers in. Everyone just carries infants in or in the carrier.

Who knows about the restaurants. I see the same thing with grocery stores also.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

The only time I've specifically taken my son in a stroller in a restaurant was Chef Mickey's. He was sound asleep and they let us wheel him up to the table. He wasn't in anyone's way and we got lots of sleeping baby and Mickey pictures. So I could see taking a stroller if your child is not in an infant carrier, but is sleeping. My son outgrew his carrier by 5 months old. He's so big that he's more comfortable in his stroller than in the wooden restaurant highchairs. I'd just make sure the stroller size wasn't impeding on anyone's space.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

The only time I've specifically taken my son in a stroller in a restaurant was Chef Mickey's. He was sound asleep and they let us wheel him up to the table. He wasn't in anyone's way and we got lots of sleeping baby and Mickey pictures. So I could see taking a stroller if your child is not in an infant carrier, but is sleeping. My son outgrew his carrier by 5 months old. He's so big that he's more comfortable in his stroller than in the wooden restaurant highchairs. I'd just make sure the stroller size wasn't impeding on anyone's space.

We did it at Rainforest Cafe too..
I've done it a couple times... It takes up space just like a high chair would, but generally, carseats are too wide to sit in the booth, and take up too much space on a table. And..if baby gets fussy, just rolling it back n forth a couple inches works wonders

 

[lillygator]

why not, maybe it is easier for them.....why does it matter?

 

[HelenePA]

My little one is 26 pound and still in an infant car seat because I got him one that holds up to 32 pounds (god bless who ever came up with the bigger weight infant car seats!) between the car seat and him it must be at least 30+ pounds.. they get HEAVY after awhile. I understand why ppl bring in the whole systems! (I dont have a system I make DH carry him!)

 

[luvmy3]

I guess its because they don't want to place the carseat on the nasty restaurant floor or on a flipped over high chair.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Never did it. I was never that inconsiderate of others. We took the child seat in when out children were infants. These strollers take up much more room than a restaurant high chair and create hazards for anyone moving about in the area near the table...

 

[minkydog]

I just figured they had bought this big expensive monstrosity and wanted to show it off. My kids are 23,16, & 14, all of them big babies. We just carried them in and snuggled them on our laps while we ate. Really, I think that most healthy adults could carry 20-lbs of potatoes if they have too. How come they can't carry a baby?

 

[teacherforhi]

I just figured they had bought this big expensive monstrosity and wanted to show it off. My kids are 23,16, & 14, all of them big babies. We just carried them in and snuggled them on our laps while we ate. Really, I think that most healthy adults could carry 20-lbs of potatoes if they have too. How come they can't carry a baby?

Because the potatoes don't carry how I carry them. I can flip them over my shoulder, upside down, etc. Babies, as a general rule, would get cranky if I carried them the same way I carry potatoes.

Honestly, the car seats are heavy. Or at least I think they are. I literally cannot carry one more than 20 feet or so. I'm perfectly capable of carrying the baby, but not the baby and the car seat together.

 

[tinkermom23]

I never used the whole stroller system with my oldest son unless we were really out for a walk or such...

Now, with the twins, it was a completely different story! I had 2 car seats to carry and great arm muscles! Problem was, the Dr. told me not to carry anything heavier than a gallon of milk until my 6-wk. checkup. HUH ?? That was not realistic. I started using the stroller everywhere and it worked slick. I especially used it at Target & the grocery store since 2 infant seats would not fit in a shopping cart.
I don't know why people would use one in a resturant, since we never went out to a resturant when they were that little.
Another reason I like using the stroller, even past the infant carrier stage, is that it keeps them contained. For some reason they both like to run but always in different directions!!

We would carry our own booster seats when we would go to a sit-down resturant because #1, there was always a lack of high chairs & #2, the ones in most resturants are filthy!! This way, we had a clean tray for our babies to eat off of. Maybe people use the stroller for the same reason??

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I, too, have a big baby...about 20lbs at 5 months old. That is one of the reasons for bringing the stroller an the other is that alot of dining establishments do not have slings or a sturdy high chair to hold the carrier. I have put the carrier on a chair before but I find that dangerous.

 

[HelenePA]

I just figured they had bought this big expensive monstrosity and wanted to show it off. My kids are 23,16, & 14, all of them big babies. We just carried them in and snuggled them on our laps while we ate. Really, I think that most healthy adults could carry 20-lbs of potatoes if they have too. How come they can't carry a baby?

Seriously I'm a weakling. The handle on those suckers hurts me. its like carrying 100 walmart bags around.. they start to dig into you after awhile.. This is why I make Dh carry him around in the seat if he's sleeping since I didn't get the travel system.. c

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I had one of this big travel systems when DS8 was a baby. They were big and clunky and hard to move around. But so was DS . He was so fat and grumpy (cried for weeks on end in the beginning) it was easier for me to push him around then carry him. And frankly, I didn't care who I bothered with the stroller, if he was asleep in it I wasn't about to take him out.

When he got out of the infant seat we got a much smaller stroller, but again, if he was asleep in the stroller and we walked to a restaurant.....why wouldn't I bring the stroller in??

No, I didn't block hallways or make people go around the long way because they couldn't pass. We would ask for a corner table and stick DS in the corner. If that wasn't available we'd make do with scooting him as close to the table as we could.