Restaurant managers, servers--a question

[MorningGlow]

So I was at Starbucks yesterday, doing some work for a couple of hours, around lunchtime. A mother and three or four kids came in with a Papa John's pizza and several bottles of soda. The kids sat down and started drinking the soda while the mother got two small coffee drinks for the two older kids (they were about 14, I think). Then they all dug into the pizza like they were sitting at their kitchen table.

I thought bringing food in to one restaurant from another restaurant was against some health code violation or something--? The independent coffee shop I usually go to has a sign on the door saying "no outside food or drink" because they're in a plaza that also has a Subway and a hamburger place. But the barristas at Starbucks said nothing. Can the esteemed DUers who are knowledgeable about restaurant rules enlighten me? I'm just curious, actually. Never seen anything like it. :shrug:

[noamnety]

1. Sometimes I go to a local brewery.

They serve some food of a very limited menu, but they also keep a stack of takeout menus by the door and the server was the one who pointed them out to us. They are fine with getting a pizza delivered to the brewery. Sometimes I pack food to bring there since I know they don't mind. We also have the reverse, an indian restaurant we like that doesn't have a liquor license. They let us know we could bring our own bottle of wine if we want.

Edit to add: I have a sister in law who always brings a birthday cake to restaurants if we are celebrating a birthday. I think the rule is that it has to be store bought in packaging if the restaurant plates it for us and we pay a plating charge for it. I hate when she does this though. It's embarrassing because it is always at places that have decent dessert menus. And it pisses me off because she buys really sugary gross cakes that I hate - it's like being on a date with a guy who orders your food for you instead of meeting you decide for yourself what.you'd like to eat. I'd rather spend the calories on pie or cheese cake, I kind of hate white cake with butter cream frosting.

[Incitatus]

2. I suspect the health code violation is BS.

They just want you to buy their food and that is the excuse they use.

[Maine-ah]

3. I agree with the violation being BS

but, as a former restaurant manager, and current restaurant worker....it is unbelievably rude to do that.

Another thing, bringing in outside drinks. A restaurant really doesn't know what is in that drink. I had to kick out some teens for bringing in outside drinks because we learned that they contained alcohol. Cops were called. The restaurant can be held liable for that type of situation.