Parents' anger over glass in kids meal at Hannah Banana restaurant in Thurrock

A POPULAR restaurant has offered an apology after a piece of glass was found in a kids meal.

Laura Rice attended the Hannah Banana restaurant, which is based at Lakeside’s Boardwalk, on Thursday October 30, with her friends Joanne Welsh, 27, from Corringham and Julie Dennis, 33, from Grays, and their six children ranging from 10 months to ten-years-old.

After a one hour 10 minute wait the food arrived only for them to notice a piece of glass the size of a 20p coin in one of the children’s pizza and chips kids meal.

Mrs Rice, 37, from Chafford Hundred, said: “Luckily because no other food was on the table my friends noticed the huge lump of glass.

“We called the waitress who promptly took the pizza away.

“We all asked to speak to the manager but the chef came over and stated that he was very busy due to being short staffed.”

The group were reimbursed for the food although they did not get as far as to eating any and were left angry that the restaurant was not closed immediately.

Jon Shepherd, who is managing director of Diego Leisure Limited, which has recently acquired Hannah Banana, responded to the complaint in a letter to Mrs Welsh, whose child was served the pizza and chips with glass in it.

He said the restaurant prides itself on levels of service and health and safety standards and said the incident will be investigated further.

He also said he is unsure as to what point the glass got into the food and that Hannah Banana has very little glassware in the restaurant.

He added: “We have only recently acquired the business and whilst we had expected to be very busy over the half-term holiday it is clear we failed to have the right staffing levels yesterday (Thursday October 30) and put those that were there under unacceptable pressure.

“We are planning to refurbish the site before the end of the year and to provide better play and party facilities.

“In addition to my sincere apology, I would appreciate the opportunity to show you what Hannah Banana is really like and therefore I would like to offer you one of our premium party packages for your children and ten of their friends.”