A mum was "distraught" after being told to breastfeed her eight-week-old baby in a disabled toilet at a restaurant.
Jessi Ferguson, 23, visited TGI Fridays in Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside, with her son Louis and mum Catherine on Friday.
The family, from Middlesbrough, was put on a high dining table near the front of the restaurant after requesting extra space for their pram.
Catherine, 47, then asked staff where Jessi would be able to breastfeed her baby as the table was too high.
A member of staff suggested she could use the disabled toilet, which made Jessi's mum "furious", Teesside Live reports.
Catherine said her daughter was "distraught" when she came out of the toilet and little Louis was crying.
She said: "It was kind of disbelief really, in this day and age I couldn't believe that was what was being suggested.
"I was furious that was the situation we had been put in.
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"Especially in Covid times, those toilets aren't deep cleaned after every use.
"After she came out the toilet she was distraught. Louis was still crying, she was just in a state and quite rightly from my point of view."
The NHS speech and language therapist said it was the first time her daughter had been out for dinner with Louis since he was born - and fears the incident will put her off from going out again.
Catherine, who lives with Jessi and Louis near James Cook University Hospital in the town, complained about the incident on social media, saying she was "absolutely disgusted" and "in disbelief" with the way they had been treated.
A manager at the American restaurant chain later apologised and reimbursed them for their meal.
A TGI Fridays spokesperson said: "On this occasion, a misunderstanding by a new team member resulted in a customer being told that the disabled toilets were the only place in the restaurant they could breastfeed their child.
"This is not the case, Fridays policy is that guests are encouraged to breastfeed in our restaurants, wherever they feel comfortable.
"The manager on duty apologised unreservedly to the guest during their visit and reimbursed them for their meal to apologise for the mistake."
But Catherine said: "It doesn’t make up for the fact my grandson has just had to have his meal on a toilet. She was literally sitting on the toilet to feed him."
It is legal to breastfeed in public places anywhere in the UK.
The Equality Act 2010 says that it is discriminatory to treat a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding.
This means a cafe owner cannot ask you to stop breastfeeding, ask you to move or cover up or refuse to serve you, according to Maternity Action.
The law also applies to public transport, shops and public spaces such as cinemas or hospitals.
