Toddlers in restaurants

What is your experience when you take your toddler to a restaurant?

My 21 month old will NOT sit in a high chair (at home either). So she ends up going between our laps, playing with the ice and straws in our drinks, trying to climb on the table, etc. When I try to feed her she gets mad because she wants to do it herself, then when I oblige she flings food all over the place. Repeat until it’s time to go.

We were eating out with a couple friends, one of whom has a toddler of similar age (6 months older) that was not there. I asked him if his experience was also like this when their family went out to eat and he said basically his daughter is perfect- “she sits still, is polite, quiet, and eats with a fork”. I’m not sure if he was lying or what, but I had a really hard time believe him. I always assumed my daughter was exhibiting pretty normal, toddler behavior but now I’m not sure.