Cafe and restaurant owners aren't keen to let customers bring their own food, but many say one owner's decision to charge $40 for the privilege is over the top.
Southland District mayor Frana Cardno was caught out when she ate a banana at a Milton cafe where the owner hadplaced signs alerting customers to the $40 fee.
The mayor reportedly ate her own banana because she suffered from lactose intolerance, sparking debate on the issue of accommodating food allergy sufferers in restaurants.
A poll found 20 North Island cafes and restaurants adhered to the same rule but most thought trying to charge customers to eat their own food was unreasonable.
Instead they made allowances for babies and toddlers, and people with food allergies, and asked all other customers to put the homemade or bought elsewhere food away while in their eatery.
