Eating Out? Better Bring a Table Topper!
Written: Aug 24 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sanitary, Self-Adhesive, Cute designs
Cons: Poor availability, May mar surface, Baby can remove
The Bottom Line: We take our Table Toppers everywhere. I have a hard time imagining what we did without them!
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| tritter72's Full Review: Neat Solutions Table Toppers - Sanitary Disposable... |
If you're the parent of a toddler, you probably know the scenario. You head to a restaurant, child in tow, hoping that the wait won't be too long, You step up to the greeter, who tells you they're clearing a table right now. Great! You'll get to sit down and maybe even order before the little one(s) start to get bored. As you head for the table, you see a very busy employee taking a few swipes at the table with what looks to be the dirtiest rag you've ever seen. Hmmmm...Your child is going to eat there, and he or she doesn't use plates or bowls yet. You hastily dig a "wipe" from the diaper bag, hoping that this will remove the germs that were already on the table as well as those that were on that rag. You even try to spread a paper napkin on the table, knowing that it will be thrown on the floor within seconds. Finally you give up, imagining the awful stares of the people around you ("How could they let a baby eat from the dirty table?")
Does this sound familiar? Though I don't eat out often, it has already happened to me several times in my son's first 15 months on the planet. I'll admit to being somewhat of a "germaphobe," but at the same time I'll make no apologies. My son is eating on that surface, and I want it to be clean! Several months ago, Epinions member/Kids and Family Category Lead marytara recommended a terrific new product called Tabletoppers, by Neat Solutions. After reading her excellent review, which you can find at http://www.epinions.com/content_64081858180 , I bought them on my very next trip to Babies R Us. I've been buying them ever since.
Love That Slogan!
The first thing I noticed when I retrieved our package of Table Toppers from the shelf was the slogan on the package: Feed your baby food, not germs. Yes, this was exactly what I was looking for. Without another thought, I headed to the checkout.
It just so happened that we were on our way to lunch, so I tore open the package right there in the car. (By the way, this was not easy. I recommend scissors!) Inside I found 20 rectangular pieces of plastic, all folded together neatly. I took the first one out and examined it. On the back were two adhesive strips, located on the "long sides" of the rectangular. Everything looked great so far, and I anxiously carried our new purchase into the eating establishment.
Directions for use are very simple. I uncovered one strip of adhesive and pressed it on to the table, then I pulled the placemat tight and applied the other strip. This resulted in a smooth, taut placemat that my then-one-year old had no idea how to remove. For the first time since he had started eating solid foods, I was satisfied that he was eating on a clean surface in a restaurant.
When we had finished eating, we simply pulled the Table Topper from the table, crumpled it in a ball, and tossed it into the trash. Though I'm the type of mom who tends not to depend upon disposable items (not even diapers!), I was glad to make the exception in this case.
The package of 20 Table Toppers is folded into a conveniently sized 6 inch by 7 inch package that features a zip-close top. This makes it so easy to drop them into the diaper bag and be assured that they will stay clean and dry.
Neat Solutions, the company who produces Table Toppers warns that their product should always be used under adult supervision. I assume that this is in order to safeguard against suffocation. They also suggest use of this product for lining high chairs, for a disposable changing pad, or for guarding the table while doing projects with the kids. They are appropriate for children older than 6 months.
Availability
Though I love this product, I am disappointed that more stores aren't carrying it. When we packed for our vacation in June, for example, we needed more. Babies R Us, the place where I had bought them previously, is a bit out of the way, so I hoped to find them at a local drug store or grocery store. After trying CVS, Rite Aid, Eckerd, and our food stores, I came away empty-handed and had to head to Babies R Us after all. Where I live, my only options are to buy them at one of the R Us stores or to purchase them through the One Step Ahead catalog, where they are more expensive and where I'd have to pay shipping and handling.
Designs
We have found Table Toppers in three cute themes, all of which are bright, colorful, and attractive.
Blue's Clues--Fans of the TV program will be happy to see this version of Table Toppers. Printed on the placemat are the words "Will you help Blue name all of the healthy snacks?" Blue, Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper (sorry, no Paprika!) are shown along with a variety of healthy foods, such as broccoli, oranges, and cheese. The package contains only this one design. I wish there were more!
Sesame Street--If your child can't live without Elmo, you'll want to look for this package. There are two separate designs (both included in the same package), which is nice because it offers a bit of variety. One illustration features Elmo at a chalkboard learning his ABCs and 123s. The other option shows Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Big Bird learning their shapes.
One Step Ahead--Ordering from the catalog will result in your receiving an "exclusive design". It promotes learning colors and features red, yellow, green, and blue. I've never purchased these myself, but the illustration in the catalog shows it to be every bit as attractive as its store-bought sisters.
Notes from the Restaurant Circuit
We have very few complaints about this product. The major one is that after a period of time my son learned to remove it. Since the adhesive is on only two of the four sides, he can slide his fingers underneath and pull it off. Though we try to pull it as tight as possible, he can get it off if he works hard enough. To add insult to injury, on a couple of occasions the adhesive strip has separated from the rest of the Table Topper, making it impossible to stick it back on the table.
There are also a few minor things that, in the interest of being balanced, I should share. We have found two occasions when the adhesive would not stick to a given surface. There must have been something different about the finish that was used, resulting in the Table Topper just not adhering. So much for the sanitary surface!
Another thing to be careful of is, as Neat Solutions states, not to use this product on a delicate surface. We agree with that statement, due to personal experience. When a brand new McDonald's opened near us, we payed a visit. After eating our dinner and removing the Table Topper, we found that it left quite a bit of residue on the table. Though we were able to rub it off, we were relieved that this was McDonald's and not an expensive table! It reminded me of Neat Solutions' warning and persuaded me that this product would not be used on any table that was expensive, antique, or the like. I wouldn't use a Table Topper on Grandma's antique dining room table, for example!
If you dine in restaurants that feature circular tables, use of the Table Topper will be a tad more problematic. Given the rectangular shape, you'll have to set it back on the table a bit in order to get it to stick. This does leave some "germy area" right in front of your child.
No Doubt About It, We Love Them!
Everywhere we go, people comment on our Table Toppers. Sometimes they come right up to us and ask us what they are and where we got them, and sometimes we can just hear their comments from other tables. One woman we met on our vacation in Georgia was so thrilled about the product that we gave her one of the adhesive strip backers to take with her. They have the web address and phone number printed on them, so she wouldn't forget what they were called!
Table Toppers, according to the packaging, were invented by a mom. It figures. These nifty sheets of plastic are now a diaper bag staple for me, and we simply never eat out without them!
Need more information? Check out www.tabletopper.com
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tritter72
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Member: Tammi
Location: Pennsylvania
Reviews written: 100
Trusted by: 91 members
About Me:
Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present. (Unknown)
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